An ascender is a device (usually mechanical) used for directly ascending, or for facilitating protection, with a fixed rope when climbing on steep mountain terrain. A form introduced in the 1950s became so popular it began the term "Jumar" for the device, and the verb "to jumar" to describe its use in ascending.
36-575: Ascender may refer to: Ascender (climbing) , a rope-climbing device Ascender Corporation , a font company Ascender (typography) , a font feature XP-55 Ascender , a prototype aircraft Isuzu Ascender , a sports utility vehicle JP Aerospace Ascender , a spaceship launch airship Pterodactyl Ascender , an ultralight aircraft See also [ edit ] JP Aerospace Orbital Ascender , an orbital airship design Ascend (disambiguation) Ascendancy (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
72-414: A route . Sport climbing differs from the riskier traditional climbing where the lead climber has to insert temporary protection equipment while ascending. Sport climbing dates from the early 1980s when leading French rock climbers wanted to climb routes that offered no cracks or fissures in which to insert the temporary protection equipment used in traditional climbing. While bolting natural rock faces
108-422: A climber than the traditional method of ascending and descending ropes using friction knots and short lengths of cordage (or nylon slings) known as prusiks . The principal disadvantages of ascenders relative to the "prusiks" are weight, complexity, and possibility of failure due to coming off a rope or mechanical issue with the device. Certain specialty forms of ascender - but not all - are capable of taking
144-405: A dynamic load (as in preventing a fall), whereas the friction knot/Prusik combination may abrade the synthetic sheath of the climbing rope or sling and fuse under such extreme forces. Sport climbing Sport climbing (or bolted climbing ) is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber clips into pre-drilled permanent bolts for their protection while ascending
180-640: A little safer with even singular bolts (e.g. Indian Face ) have been undone. In the United Kingdom, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) maintains a register of outdoor climbing areas that are suitable for bolting, and those which are to remain bolt free; in addition, the BMC offers guidance on bolting-related ethical climbing issues such as retro-bolting . Sport climbing requires far less rock climbing equipment than traditional climbing as
216-427: A locking carabiner, come off the rope, and fail by shredding the rope at high loads, rather than slipping and fusing as with friction knots). A mechanical ascender employs a cam which allows the device to slide freely in the intended direction of movement, but provide a firm grip on the rope when pulled in the opposite direction. To prevent an ascender from accidentally coming off the rope, a locking mechanism or trigger
252-476: A rescue. A form of sport climbing exists where the "second" belays the leader, then follows "up the rope" without climbing the rock or ice using an ascender. Terms applying to such a second's ascent include "jumaring", "ascending", and "jugging". The first mechanical rope ascending devices were created by Henri Brenot, and were used in France both for mountaineering and caving as early as 1934. A popular example of
288-411: Is deployed. The ascender is first attached to the climber's harness by a piece of webbing or sling and then is clipped onto the rope and locked on. Ascenders are usually used in pairs so that one is free to be slid up the rope whilst the other bears the weight of the climber. The ascender which has just been slid upwards is then made to take the climber's load, locking the climber to the rope, and freeing
324-479: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Ascender (climbing) Ascenders can also be used as a braking component within a rope-hauling system, often used in rescue situations. Ascenders are usually used in pairs on a single rope and offer similar functionality to friction knots , but are faster, safer and easier to use, albeit still with consequences in weight and in security (as ascenders can, even with
360-452: Is popular in Germany and central Europe. The Australian (or Ewbank) system (e.g. ... , 23, 24, 25, 26, ...) is also used. Even though the grading of sport-routes is simpler than traditional routes, there is the issue of how to compare a short route with one very hard move, with a longer route with a sustained sequence of slightly easier moves. Most of the above grading systems are based on
396-440: Is sometimes confusingly referred to as "sport climbing". Sport climbing is a form of free climbing (i.e. no artificial or mechanical device can be used to aid progression, unlike with aid climbing ), performed in pairs, where the lead climber clips into pre-drilled permanently fixed bolts for their protection while ascending. The lead climber uses quickdraws to clip into the bolts. The second climber (or belayer ), removes
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#1732849082163432-474: Is sometimes referred to as "sport climbing". Sport climbing developed the redpoint definition of what constitutes a first free ascent (FFA), which has since become the standard definition of an FFA for all climbing disciplines. Redpointing allows for previously controversial techniques of hangdogging , headpointing , and pinkpointing (for competition lead climbing — the sport climbing component of competition climbing — and for extreme sport climbs,
468-460: The 1953 British Mount Everest expedition , credits the jumar with enabling climbers "to climb at alpine standards even at high altitudes". Other countries, notably the United States, have also produced rope ascenders. Other names for different specialized styles of ascenders include 'ropeman' and 'tibloc'. Used correctly, ascenders are safe, dependable, and require less effort and dexterity of
504-545: The UIAA , and latterly the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), was regulating and organizing major international climbing competitions, including the annual IFSC Climbing World Cup , and the biennial IFSC Climbing World Championships . Competitive climbing includes sport climbing (which is competition lead climbing), and also competition bouldering and competition speed climbing . Debates remain about
540-427: The first free ascent ), as they were against the use of bolts. Eventually, these sport climbers began to push new grade milestones far above traditional climbing grades, and the use of bolts on natural rock surfaces became more accepted in outdoor climbing areas across America and Europe. The significantly safer aspect of sport climbing over traditional climbing led to rapid development in competition climbing in
576-611: The "overall" difficulty of the route, and thus both routes could have the same sport grade. As a result of this, it has become common for the advanced sport climbing routes (e.g. Realization , La Dura Dura , and La Rambla ) to describe the hardest moves by their bouldering grade, which is either the French "Font" system (e.g. ..., 7B, 7C, 8A, 8B, ...) or the American "V-scale" system (e.g. ..., V9, V10, V11, V12, ...). French sport-grades can be confused with French "Font" boulder grades,
612-403: The 1980s, where competition lead climbing events were held on bolted routes. Climbing noted the importance of events such as the 1988 International Sport Climbing Championship at Snowbird, Utah , for introducing leading European sport climbers such as Edlinger and Jean-Baptiste Tribout to leading American traditional climbers such as Ron Kauk and John Bachar . By the end of the 1990s,
648-736: The ascender is the jumar, named for its inventors Adolph Jüsi and Walter Marti and the Swiss firm Jümar Pangit they created to manufacture it, beginning in 1958. Jusi was studying eagles for the Swiss Government, and desired an ascender (rather than relying on the traditional technique of prusiking using friction knots ; Marti developed one for him. French caver Fernand Petzl developed a mechanical rope ascender in 1968, and his company Petzl continues to produce both handled and handleless models that are popular with mountaineers and cavers today. In his 1978 memoir Life Is Meeting , John Hunt , leader of
684-714: The crux boulder problem, 10 moves of 8C [French boulder]. And when I say 8C boulder problem, I really mean it. ... I reckon just linking 8C [French boulder] into 8B [French boulder] into 7C [French boulder] is a 9b+ [French] sport climb, I'm pretty sure about that. Since the development of sport climbing in the early 1980s, all of the subsequent grade milestones (i.e. the next levels of hardest technical difficulty) in rock climbing have been set by sport climbers. German climber Wolfgang Güllich raised sport climbing grades from 8b (5.13d) in 1984 with Kanal im Rücken to 9a (5.14d) in 1991 with Action Directe . American climber Chris Sharma dominated sport climbing development in
720-466: The decade after his ground-breaking ascent of Realization/Biographie at 9a+ (5.15a) in 2001 and Jumbo Love at 9b (5.15b) in 2008. Czech climber Adam Ondra took the mantle of the world's strongest sport climber from Sharma by freeing Change [ fr ] in 2012 and La Dura Dura in 2013, both at 9b+ (5.15c). In 2017, Ondra freed Silence , the first-ever sport climb at 9c (5.15d). Female sport climbing
756-666: The ethics of attaching permanent metal bolts on natural outdoor rock, which is also related to the broader clean climbing movement. Many climbing areas—particularly in Continental Europe (for example notable crags such as Oliana in Spain, and Ceuse in France)—have become fully bolted. However, many others remain emphatically non-bolted, such as Clogwyn Du'r Arddu in the United Kingdom, where only traditional climbing techniques are allowed, and attempts to make even very dangerous routes
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#1732849082163792-525: The first American sport climbs of Watts Tot 5.12b (7b), and Chain Reaction 5.12c (7b+) in 1983. Sport climbing was rapidly adopted in Europe, and particularly in France and Germany by the then emerging professional rock climbers such as German climber Wolfgang Güllich and French brothers Marc Le Menestrel [ fr ] and Antoine Le Menestrel [ fr ] . The United Kingdom
828-529: The next highest quality stainless steel bolts have an expected lifespan of circa 20–25 years (the cheaper plated stainless steel bolts have a shorter span); and in 2015, the American Alpine Club established an "anchor replacement fund" to help replace the bolts on America's estimated 60,000 sport climbing routes. As sport climbing removes the danger of a route by using bolts, sport routes are graded solely for their technical difficulty (i.e. how hard are
864-449: The only difference being 'capitalization'. As an example of how sport and boulder grades are used on sport climbing routes, this is Adam Ondra describing his 2017 redpoint of Silence , the first-ever sport climb with a sport-grade of 9c (French), which is the same as 5.15d (American) or XII+ (UIAA): The climb is about 45m long, the first 20m are about 8b [French sport] climbing with a couple of really really good knee-bars. Then comes
900-404: The other one so it can then be slid upwards too. The process is then repeated to ascend the rope. For climbing on with a fixed rope attached for security (for example, to snow anchors on a steep slope) only one ascender is used, keeping the other hand free for holding an ice axe . Ascenders are not used on free climbing routes, where a climber uses only their hands and feet on the features of
936-436: The physical movements to ascend the route), and unlike traditional climbing routes, do not require an additional grade to reflect risk. The most dominant systems for grading sport climbing routes are the French system (e.g. ... 6b, 6c, 7a, 7b, 7c, ...), which is also called French sport grading, and the American system (e.g. ... 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10d, 5.11a, ...). The UIAA system (e.g. ... VII, VIII, IX, X, ...)
972-472: The pocket-marked limestone walls of Buoux and Verdon Gorge for their protection. These became known as "sport climbing routes" (i.e. there was none of the associated risks of traditional climbing, it was a purely sporting endeavor), with early examples such as Pichenibule 7b+ (5.12c) in 1980. Around the same time at Smith Rock State Park in the United States, American climber Alan Watts also started to place pre-drilled bolts into routes, creating
1008-712: The protection is already pre-drilled into the route. Aside from the standard equipment of lead climbing (e.g. a rope , belay device , harness , and climbing shoes ), the only important other important pieces of equipment are quickdraws to clip the rope into the bolts without generating friction. On complex sport climbing routes that don't follow a straight line, the alignment and lengths of quickdraws used are important considerations to avoid rope drag . The pre-drilled bolts will degrade over time—particularly in coastal areas due to salt—and eventually, all sport climbs need to be re-fitted after several years. The highest quality titanium bolts are too expensive to use regularly, and
1044-617: The quickdraws as they climb the route after the lead climber has reached the top. Sport climbing differs from traditional climbing , which requires the lead climber to insert temporary climbing protection equipment as they ascend, making sport climbing safer. Additionally, sport climbing differs from free solo climbing where no climbing protection is used whatsoever. Confusingly, the sport of competition climbing — which consists of three distinct rock climbing disciplines: lead climbing (the bolted sport climbing element), bouldering (no bolts needed), and speed climbing (also not bolted) —
1080-544: The quickdraws will already be attached to the bolts to make clipping in even simpler, which is known as pinkpointing). By the early 1980s, the leading rock climbers were beginning to reach the limits of existing traditional climbing protection devices. They looked to climb blanker-looking rock faces that did not have the usual cracks and fissures that are needed in which to place traditional climbing protection. In France, leading climbers such as Patrick Berhault and Patrick Edlinger began to pre-drill permanent bolts into
1116-476: The rock without artificial aids to gain elevation (though mechanical aids purely for protection are acceptable). Instead, they are used in aid climbing , where aids to ascending and weighting "protection" to assist elevation gain is allowed. The climbing verb "to jumar" means to use an ascender (generically) to "climb" a rope, regardless of whether it is done in sport climbing , caving , in occupations that require working from (or being protected by) ropes, or
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1152-412: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Ascender . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ascender&oldid=844946152 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
1188-580: Was controversial—and remains a focus of debate in climbing ethics—sport climbing grew rapidly in popularity; all subsequent grade milestones in rock climbing came from sport climbing. The safer discipline of sport climbing also led to the rapid growth in competition climbing , which made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Summer Olympics . While competition climbing consists of three distinct rock climbing disciplines of lead climbing (the bolted sport climbing element), bouldering (no bolts needed), and speed climbing (also not bolted, but instead top roped ), it
1224-404: Was dominated in the 1980s by American climber Lynn Hill and French climber Catherine Destivelle who set new female grade milestones and also competed against each other in the first climbing competitions. Spanish climber Josune Bereziartu dominated the setting of new grade milestones in female sport climbing in the late 1990s and early 2000s; her 2005 redpoint of Bimbaluna at 9a/9a+
1260-539: Was more reluctant to allow bolting on natural rock surfaces, and early British sport climbers such as Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon were forced to move to France and Germany. The bolting of external natural rock surfaces was also initially controversial in the US, although American sport climbing pioneer Alan Watts later recounted that American traditional climbers were as much against the " redpointing " techniques of sport climbers (i.e. continually practicing new routes before making
1296-434: Was only a half-notch behind the highest male sport climbing route at the time, which was Realization/Biographie at 9a+. By 2017, Austrian climber Angela Eiter had broken into the 9b (5.15b) grade with La Planta de Shiva , and in 2020 made the first female free ascent of a 9b (5.15b) with Madame Ching . In 2020–21, Laura Rogora and Julia Chanourdie also climbed 9b (5.15b) sport routes; when only
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