Ben+Swann+abseiling

Abseiling, also known as rappelling or rap jumping is sliding down a cliff or a rock face in a controlled manner. Climbers use this skill when it is too dangerous or steep to descend without protection, however it has also become a popular sport in recent times.
 * __Definition __**

It is believed that abseiling originated with Jean Esteril Charlet (1840-1925), a French man who worked as a guide in Chamonix in south-eastern France. During a failed attempt at climbing Petit Dru in the French Alps in 1876, he devised techniques for roping down rock faces. Over the next few years he continued to try to climb Petit Dru, both solo and with other people. Finally he succeeded in 1879, and during the climb he perfected his abseiling techniques.
 * __History[[image:outdoored-beaui/1168535268J54Xur.jpg width="229" height="351" align="right"]] __**


 * __Equipment __**
 * **Ropes: **A low-stretch rope called a static rope is used for abseiling because it reduces bouncing and moves more smoothly. However, you can use normal climbing ropes instead.
 * **Anchors: ** Anchors are sometimes made with trees or boulders using webbing and cordellete. They can also be made with rock-climbing equipment such as nuts, hexes and spring-loaded camming devices. The anchor stops you from falling to the ground if you slip.
 * **Descenders: ** The descender helps the person with the rope control how fast they are going down the rock face. You can use a mechanical descender or you can improvise one with a Munter hitch, carabiner wrap or a crossed-carabiner brake.
 * **Climbing harness: **The climbing harness is worn by the abseiler and is attached to the descender.
 * **Helmets: **Abseilers wear helmets to protect them from bumps and falling rocks. A light is sometimes attached to the helmet when abseiling in caves or other dark areas.
 * **Gloves: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';"> Gloves are worn to protect abseilers from rope burn and hits against the wall. Recreational abseilers wear them, but professional climbers and mountaineers don’t wear them because there’s more of a risk of accident from getting the gloves caught in the descender.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Boots: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';"> Boots are worn to get a good grip on the wall.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Knee-pads and elbow-pads: **<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';"> Some people wear knee and elbow pads to protect their joints during crawls or hits.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Abseiling has a number of applications. Mountain climbers use it to get back down from climbs or to backtrack in order to find a new route to get up to the top. In canyoning, people abseil when it is too dangerous jump across a waterfall or cliff. It is also used to descend into caves in caving and speleology; and in adventure racing, which is a race that involves two or more endurance activities such as climbing, cross-country running, mountain biking and paddling. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">More importantly, abseiling can be used to rescue people who are trapped or injured in inaccessible places. It can be used to access other confined spaces such as to investigate ballast tanks and other areas on a ship. Steeplejacks, window cleaners and others use abseiling techniques to access parts of tall buildings and to clean and perform maintenance. Soldiers in the military also use abseiling, for example, to rappel down from a helicopter if it can’t land.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 35px;">Application __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Tandem rappelling — Involves two climbers descending on the same belay device. The set-up is similar to a regular rappelling set up with the first climber is hooked on like a normal abseil. The second rappeller is also hooked on the same rope <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Simul rappelling — two separate rappellers on the two strands of the rope running through the anchors. Rappellers need to descend at the same speed as each other and should be anchored into each other to avoid the other getting ahead and causing problems. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Releasable abseil - used by inexperienced abseilers is by setting up a rope by anchoring it with a munter hitch and locking off the non-rappelling strand of the rope. If the client gets into trouble, the guide unlocks the other strand and lowers the client or the rappeller this is used in rescue situations <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Classical (non-mechanical methods) — are generally more dangerous and used only in emergencies, when no other option is available. They involve descending without aid of mechanical devices, by wrapping the rope around the body, and were used before harnesses and hardware were in common usage. <span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Abseil (double-roped)- This method is less dangerous as it provides better body support than the classical abseil
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 35px;">Techniques __**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif';">Abseiling has a lot of risks especially to Abseilers who are inexperienced or unsupervised.25% of deaths from abseiling are from screwed up anchors and abseiling beyond the side of the rope. Abseiling isdiscouraged in some areas, due to t<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 35px;"> he potential for the conflict with climbers heading upwards, or the danger to the people on the ground.
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black','sans-serif'; font-size: 35px;">Safety issues __**


 * __ References __**
 * Wikipedia: Abseiling - []
 * Abseiling: Not the quickest way to reach the ground - []
 * Abseiling Adventure Sports - []
 * Climbing Techniques: Abseiling - []