**Overview of Abseiling**
– Description:
– Technique used for descending steep or dangerous cliffs/slopes.
– Commonly used by climbers, mountaineers, cavers, canyoners, and rope access technicians.
– History:
– Mentioned in the late 1400s with descenders in the early 1600s.
– Term ‘rappel’ attributed to mountaineer Roger Frison-Roche in 1944.
– Equipment:
– Ropes can be static or dynamic.
– Anchors constructed from various materials like trees, boulders, ice, or rock features.
– Styles/Techniques:
– Includes Australian rappel, tandem abseiling, simul-rappelling, counterbalance abseiling, and classical methods like Dülfersitz.
– Safety:
– About 25% of climbing deaths occur during abseiling.
– Inadequate safety backups and failing anchors are common causes of accidents.
**Applications of Abseiling**
– Used in climbing, canyoning, mountaineering, caving, and adventure racing.
– Industrial applications for maintenance, cleaning, or construction.
– Military applications for tactical insertion and troop deployment.
– Wide range of uses from recreational to commercial and emergency situations.
**Safety Concerns and Risks**
– Abseiling can be dangerous, especially for unsupervised or inexperienced individuals.
– Inadequate safety backups and failing anchors are common causes of accidents.
– Rappelling off the ends of ropes is a leading cause of accidents.
– German mountaineer Pit Schubert highlights risks associated with abseiling.
**Environmental Impact**
– Some areas prohibit abseiling due to potential environmental damage.
– Conflicts with climbers heading upwards and endangers people on the ground.
– Locations may discourage abseiling to protect the environment.
– Environmental impact is a key consideration in abseiling regulations.
**Additional Resources and References**
– References and footnotes provide insights into abseiling risks, equipment, and historical origins.
– External links offer media related to abseiling, definitions, and further information on techniques.
– Resources like ‘The Complete Guide to Climbing and Mountaineering’ by Pete Hill (2008) provide comprehensive information on abseiling.
Abseiling (/ˈæbseɪl/ AB-sayl or /ˈɑːpzaɪl/ AHP-zyle; from German abseilen 'to rope down'), also known as rappelling (/ˈræpɛl/ RAP-pell or /rəˈpɛl/ rə-PELL; from French rappeler 'to recall, to pull through'), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling, the person descending controls his own movement down a static or fixed rope, in contrast to lowering off, in which the rope attached to the person descending is paid out by his belayer.