Back Free solo Czech Free Solo German Ελεύθερη μοναχική αναρρίχηση Greek Escalada en solitario libre Spanish Bakarkako eskalada libre Basque سنگنوردی انفرادی آزاد Persian Escalade en solo intégral French Free solo Italian တစ်ကိုယ်တော်ကြိုးလွတ်တောင်တက်ခြင်း Burmese Cățărare în solo integral Romanian
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Free solo climbing, or free soloing, is a form of rock climbing where the climber (or free soloist) climbs 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 others 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 2018 Oscar-winning film Free Solo, Merriam-Webster added the word to their English dictionary in September 2019.[5]
In addition to free soloing on single-pitch and multi-pitch rock climbing routes — including the even longer big wall climbing that features in the Free Solo film — free soloing is also performed in a wide range of other climbing-types including for example in the discipline of ice climbing and of mixed climbing (which is featured in the 2021 climbing documentary film, The Alpinist), as well as in setting speed-climbing records on alpine climbing routes (which is featured in the 2023 climbing documentary film, Race to the Summit).
- ^ "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 (25 February 2019). "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.