"Free solo" redirects here. For the 2018 documentary film, see Free Solo.
This article is about a type of soloing that uses no protection. For soloing with protection, see Rope solo climbing.
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Alain Robert free soloing (and onsight), No Self Control 7a (5.11d) in the Verdon Gorge, 1991.
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Free solo climbing, or free soloing, is a form of rock climbing where the climbers (or free soloists) climb solo (or alone) without ropes or other protective equipment, using only their climbing shoes and their climbing chalk.[1] Free soloing is the most dangerous form of climbing, and, unlike bouldering, free soloists climb above safe heights, where a fall can be fatal. Though many climbers have free soloed climbing grades they are very comfortable on, only a tiny group free solo regularly, and at grades closer to the limit of their abilities.[2]
Some climbers' profiles have been increased by free soloing (e.g. Alex Honnold and John Bachar), but some question the ethics of this, and whether the risks they are undertaking should be encouraged and commercially rewarded.[3][4] "Free solo" was originally a term of climber slang, but after the popularity of the Oscar-winning film Free Solo, Merriam-Webster officially added the word to their English dictionary in September 2019.[5]
In addition to free soloing on single-pitch and multi-pitch–including the even longer big wall climbing that features in the Free Solo film–rock climbs, free soloing is performed in a wide range of climbing types including, ice climbing and mixed climbing (which feature in The Alpinist film), as well as setting speed climbing records on alpine climbing routes (i.e. a mixture of rock and ice climbing), which features in the Race to the Summit film.
^"Free solo". Cambridge Dictionary. 2023. Retrieved 2 October 2023. (of climbing up rocks, mountains or buildings) done with no ropes or other equipment: Free solo climbing shuns the use of ropes or other safety equipment.
^Taylor, Will. "Why We Won't See a Rise in Free Solo Climbing Deaths After Alex Honnold's Story Won an Oscar". The Inertia. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
^Green, Stewart (20 July 2017). "Free Solo Climbing is Dangerous and Deadly". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
^"Gale - User Identification Form". galeapps.galegroup.com. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
^Berry, Natalie. "'Free Solo' enters Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Film Scoops 7 Emmys". UK Climbing.
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location for big wall climbing, including the disciplines of aid climbing, freeclimbing, and more recently for freesoloclimbing. The formation was named...
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