Does “free climbing” mean climbing without a rope?
Nope. Free climbing means using only your body to ascend a climb, while your equipment is only there for safety reasons. Climbing a rope in gym class, for example, is not free climbing. Bouldering is a type of free climbing, as are trad climbing and sport climbing. The opposite of free climbing is aid climbing. Often times, uneducated people use the term “free climbing” to mean climbing without ropes. What they actually mean, however, is “free soloing.” How do I get the rope back after I rappel? Typically, when you rappel, you’ll thread your rope through an anchor, such as steel rings. But rappel anchors come in other forms, too, such as slings around a tree or boulder, or the tree itself without slings. When you’re done rappelling, you simply pull one end and the rope comes tumbling down. If the rappel is long enough that you have to tie two ropes together, then it works the same way, but you have to make sure you pull the side with the knot on it. Should I clip my belay ‘biner to my
