Overhang (climbing) explained

In rock climbing, an overhang is a type of route that leans back at an angle of over 90 degrees for part or all of the climb, and at its most severe can be a horizontal roof. Overhang (and roof) climbs have existed throughout climbing, originally in aid climbing where mechanical devices were used to first scale them. They became more common in free climbing during the 1990s as sport climbers used new training methods that enabled them to climb routes that were continuously, and severely, overhanging. Overhangs (and roofs) also feature prominently in advanced bouldering and in competition climbing.[1] [2]

Overhanging routes require a range of techniques to manage the demands placed on the upper body, as the feet are less weighted.[3] Body positioning — keeping the hips close to the rock face and the arms straight — is important. Advanced techniques such as the drop-knee, side-pulls-underclings-gastons, and the full range of heel and toe hooks are used for this. Knee-bars and bat hangs are used to rest on the routes. Overhangs can force dynamic movements such as campusing and dynos, where the feet lose contact with the face. Exiting an overhang (or roof) can require awkward mantle moves.[4] [5]

Crack climbing techniques enabled traditional climbers to free climb dramatic roofs and overhangs, one of the most notable being Separate Reality.[6] In 1991, Wolfgang Gullich, who had set several grade milestones on bolted face climbing sport-routes, ascended the short but severely overhanging Action Directe creating the first-ever graded route.[7] Gullich was a pioneer of plyometric training in climbing, which gave him the power to ascend severely overhanging routes.[8] [9] All subsequent grade milestones in climbing would come from continuously overhanging sport-climbing routes including Realization/Biographie, the first-ever, Jumbo Love, the first-ever, Change, the first-ever, and Silence the first-ever .[10] [11] The dominance of overhanging routes in sport climbing, meant that they also became standard in competition climbing routes.[12]

Overhangs and roofs also feature prominently in advanced bouldering, including on notable routes such as The Mandala, Dreamtime, The Wheel of Life, and Burden of Dreams, the first-ever boulder problem to be graded .[13] and the enormous series of roofs on the north face of the Cima Ovest through which ascends, the world's first-ever graded multi-pitch route.[15] In 2019, freed Valhalla, the world's largest roof-climb spanning 405m (1,329feet) over 14 pitches, and was also the world's first multi-pitch route.[16]

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: How to Rock Climb . 978-1493056262 . 6th . John . Long . Bob . Gaines . John Long (climber) . . August 2022. vi-xx . Introduction: Getting Started (Modes of Ascent).
  2. Book: Bisharat, Andrew . Sport Climbing: From Toprope to Redpoint, Techniques for Climbing Success . 6 October 2009 . https://books.google.com/books?id=MI8TCgAAQBAJ&q=climbing+deadpoint+dyno&pg=PT73 . . 978-1594852701 . 8 October 2024 . Chapter 1: Ethics, Style, and Emergence of Sport Climbing .
  3. Web site: . Learn to Master Roof Climbing . 24 March 2021 . 8 October 2024 . Chris . Vultaggio.
  4. Book: How to Rock Climb . 978-1493056262 . 6th . John . Long . Bob . Gaines . John Long (climber) . . August 2022. 65-85 . Chapter 4: Face Climbing . Steep Face Technique).
  5. Web site: Gripped Magazine (Canada) . 10 Techniques for Climbing Overhangs . Bonnie . DeBruijn . 9 May 2020 . 6 October 2024.
  6. Web site: PlanetMountain . Heinz Zak solos Yosemite's Separate Reality. 9 June 2005 . 8 October 2024 .
  7. Web site: Action Directe, Wolfgang Güllich's 25-year-old Frankenjura masterpiece . Nicholas . Hobley . 8 October 2024 . PlanetMountain.
  8. Web site: Gripped . Jerry Moffatt’s Classic 1990’s Campus Board Film . 17 October 2018 . 28 November 2022.
  9. Web site: PlanetMountain . Jerry Moffatt: from the Campus Board to early sports climbing training. 26 April 2016 . 28 November 2022 .
  10. Web site: Gripped Magazine (Canada) . 10 Climbing Grade Milestones Since 1961 . 2 February 2024 . 5 October 2024 . Aaron . Pardy.
  11. Web site: PlanetMountain.com . The evolution of free climbing . 23 December 2012 . Maurizio . Oviglia . 30 September 2024 . 4 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220104131608/https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html . live .
  12. Web site: . Olympic Climbing 101: Everything You Need to Know About Climbing at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics . 10 August 2024 . 8 October 2024 . John . Burgman.
  13. Web site: . Climb Yosemite’s El Capitan Like a Rock Star—From Your Computer . Andrew . Bisharat . 24 June 2015 . 8 October 2024 . The Great Roof.
  14. Web site: Gripped Magazine (Canada) . The Many Betas of Burden of Dreams V17 . Aaron . Pardy . 4 March 2024 . 8 October 2024 . Several notable multi-pitch and big-wall routes, feature famous overhangs and roofs, including "The Great Roof" on pitch 22 of The Nose on El Capitan,[13]
  15. Web site: . Huber Climbs Dolomites Mega-Roof . 10 August 2007 . 8 October 2024 . Dougald . McDonald.
  16. Web site: Gripped Magazine (Canada) . Edu Marin Sends World’s Biggest Roof Climb at 5.15a . 8 October 2024.

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