Abseiling sport:

Abseiling, also known as rappelling is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope.

When abseiling, the person descending controls their own movement down the rope, in contrast to lowering off, in which the rope attached to the person descending is paid out by their belayer.

Description:

The technique is used by climbers, mountaineers, cavers, canyoners, search and rescue and rope access technicians to descend cliffs or slopes when they are too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.

Many climbers use this technique to protect established anchors from damage. Rope access technicians also use this as a method to access difficult-to-reach areas from above for various industrial applications like maintenance, construction, inspection and welding.

To descend safely, abseilers use a variety of techniques to increase the friction on the rope to the point where it can be controlled comfortably.

These techniques range from wrapping the rope around their body (e.g. the Dülfersitz technique) to using custom-built devices like a rack or a figure of 8. Practitioners choose a technique based on speed, safety, weight and other circumstantial concerns.

In the United States, the term "rappelling" is used. In the United Kingdom, both terms are understood, but "abseiling" is more common.

In Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the two terms are used interchangeably. Globally, the term "rappelling" appears in books written in English more often than "abseiling".

History:

The origin of the term rappel in reference to the technique is attributed by Roger Frison-Roche circa 1944.

Frison in turn attributed the technique of abseiling to Jean Charlet-Straton, a Chamonix guide who lived from 1840 to 1925. Charlet originally devised the technique during a failed solo attempt of Petit Dru in 1876.

After many attempts, some of them solo, he managed to reach the summit of the Petit Dru in 1879 in the company of two other hired Chamonix guides, Prosper Payot and Frédéric Folliguet. During that ascent, Charlet mastered the technique.

Equipment:

  • Ropes: Static rope is ideal, but often dynamic rope is used.
  • Anchors: Usually constructed from trees, boulders, ice or rock features, using webbing/cordelette, or rock climbing equipment. Some areas have fixed anchors such as bolts or pitons.
  • A descender: A friction device or friction hitch that allows rope to be played out in a controlled fashion, under load, with a minimal effort by the person controlling it.
  • Climbing harness: Fixed around the waist or whole body used to secure the descender. Fit is important to prevent suspension trauma.
  • Safety back-up: Typically a friction hitch such as a Prusik, Klemheist knot, or autoblock knot wrapped around the rope as to prevent uncontrolled descents.
  • Helmets: Used to protect the head from bumps and falling rocks.
    Gloves: Used to protect hands from the rope and from colliding with the wall. May increase the risk of accident by becoming caught in the descender.
  • Boots or climbing shoes: Used to increase friction against the rock
  • Knee pads (and sometimes elbow-pads)