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- Free climbing uses only hands and feet to ascend.
- It differs from aid climbing which uses equipment to help climb.
- Free soloing, a form of free climbing, uses no ropes or protection.
- Other types of free climbing use protection against falls.
- "French free" means occasionally pulling on gear to progress.
- Speed climbing has two climbers race up the same route for the fastest time.
- The goal of free climbing is to ascend as purely as possible using only the rock’s features.
- In 1993, Lynn Hill did the first free climb of El Capitan’s Nose route.
- The rise in female participation made first female ascents notable.
- In 2008, prestigious prizes in mountaineering started requiring climbs with no aids or support.
- Free climbing demands deep understanding of body mechanics and movements in harmony with the rock face.
- It pushes climbers to rely on their abilities rather than equipment.
- Free climbing involves risks from slips causing injury or death, but danger levels differ between sub-types.
- Alex Honnold’s swollen fingers reflect years of gripping rock.
