Rock Climbing
The direct motive which lead us to climb rocks and mountains are many and
various - reducibly to one. Some of us climb for exercise, others to enjoy
nature, again others to experiment friendship, but all of us
................. " because we like it"
Rock climbing is a sport in which
participants climb up or across natural rock formations or man-made rock
walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a
pre-defined route. Rock climbing is similar to scrambling (another
activity involving the scaling of hills and similar formations), but
climbing is generally differentiated because of the use of hands to
support the climber's weight as well as to provide balance.
Rock climbing is a physically and mentally demanding sport, one that often
tests a climber's strength, endurance, agility, and balance along with his
or her mental control. It can be a dangerous sport and knowledge of proper
climbing techniques and usage of specialized climbing equipment is crucial
for the safe completion of routes. Because of the wide range and variety
of rock formations around the world rock climbing has been separated into
several different styles and subdisciplines.
Rock Climbing Pitches in Margalla Hills Islamabad
There are more than 12 pitches in Margalla Hills for climbing, having pit ons installed on them for lead climbing and top roping.
1.
Jasmine Corner pitches (Margalla Hills)
Number of pitches: 3
Difficulty Level:
Beginners
Average Height: 30
Feet
2.
Musical Lounge Pitches (Margalla Hills)
Number of pitches: 3
Difficulty Level: Junior Members
Average Height: 45 Feet
3.
Saidpur Village Pitches (Margalla Hills)
Number of pictches: 3
Difficulty Level: Experienced Members
Average Height: 30, 50 and 250 Feet
4.
Shahdra Village Pitches
Number of pictches: 3
Difficulty Level: Junior and Experienced Members
Average Height: 43, 50 and 60 Feet
Rock Climbing Basics
At its most basic, rock climbing involves climbing a route with one's
own hands and feet and little more than a cushioned bouldering pad in the
way of protection. This style of climbing is referred to as bouldering,
since the relevant routes are usually found on boulders no more than 10 to
15 feet tall.
As routes get higher off the ground, the increased risk of
life-threatening injuries necessitates additional safety measures. A
variety of specialized climbing techniques and climbing equipment exists
to provide that safety, and climbers will usually work in pairs and
utilize a system of ropes and anchors designed to catch falls. Ropes and
anchors can be configured differently to suit many styles of climbing, and
roped climbing is thus divided into further sub-types that vary based on
how their belay systems are set up. The different styles are described in
more detail below, but, generally speaking, beginners will start with top
roping and/or easy bouldering, and work their way up to lead climbing and
beyond.
Top-roping
In top-roping, an anchor is set up at the summit of a route prior to the start of a climb. Rope is run through the anchor; one end attaches to the climber and the other to the belayer, who keeps the rope taut during the climb and prevents long falls. This type of climbing is widely regarded as the safest type of climbing, with the lowest chance on injury. It is also the first type of climbing most people do when learning to climb, as it allows the climber to climb freely and the belayer to learn how to belay more proficiently.
Lead Climbing
In lead climbing, one person, called the "leader", will climb from the
ground up with rope directly attached (and not through a top anchor) while
the other, called the "second", belays the leader. Because the climbing
rope is of a fixed length, the leader can only climb a certain distance.
Thus longer routes are broken up into several "pitches". At the top of a
pitch, the leader sets up an anchor, and then belays the "second" up to
the anchor. Once both are at the anchor, the leader begins climbing the
next pitch and so on until they reach the top.
In either case, upon completion of a route, climbers can walk back down
(if an alternate descent path exists) or rappel (abseil) down with the
rope.
