What Is Big Rock Climbing

Big rock climbing, more generally called “bouldering”, is the practice of scaling big rocks. The premise of big rock climbing is not that different in the usual rock climbing, that the climber still needs to climb the rock with the sole intention of reaching the top.

The large difference with the two lies in the venue. In the usual rock climbing, the climber scales rock faces that are more often than not several paces in the air, most probably a steep face of a cliff.

In big rock climbing, or more aptly called bouldering, the climber spots for a huge boulder that sufficient to give enough challenge for a climb.

Not all bouldering are easy, however, as boulders may sometimes give even fewer handholds and toeholds than a face of a cliff. And besides, big rock climbing doesn’t use climbing aids, and the usual rock climbing makes use of these.

How is big rock climbing done?

As I have said earlier, big rock climbing would involve the climber to scale a large rock with the intention of reaching the top. Since boulders come in different sizes and textures, finding a suitable rock is not overly difficult, but so does finding a rock that’s overly easy.

In a sufficient challenge rock face, the climber uses his hand and toes to gain purchase as he scale the entire length of the rock. No climbing aids are used and no ropes or harnesses are used.

That is because these big rocks are more or less several paces in height, sometimes exceeding barely 20 feet that protective gear would be inappropriate.

The only protective measure is the bouldering mat, or just about any other outdoor mat that can serve to break the fall in an event the climber falls.

Is big rock climbing hard?

It is situational, really. Some boulders offer near smooth surface, that sometimes, big rock climbing becomes even more difficult than traditional rock climbing. Oftentimes, even big rocks have cracks and fractures in them that provide decent footholds and handholds.

Big rock climbing is an excellent preparation in enhancing one’s skill in climbing. With different scales, sizes and textures in rock, it’s a big possibility you’ll find one rock that can enhance one particular method of rock climbing.

Hunting for a rock face that’s slightly inclined makes a good practice for friction climbing. This climb method makes use of friction as a way to scale surfaces.

Those rock surfaces with near smooth features makes excellent practice for face climbing, a big rock climbing technique that gauges your capacity to climb using the rock’s uneven face as leverage.

This practice involves great skill and dexterity. Crack climbing is the method of climbing that makes use of cracks as leverages, jamming digits into cracks as means for leverage.