Traditional Versus Sport Climbing

Traditional Vs. Sport Climbing

by Chris Chaney

Publication Date: February 2000

There are two kinds of people in the world - those that don't climb and those that do. Wait, are they sport or trad? Boulderers or mountaineers? Ice or gym climbers? Aid climbers or free soloists? Okay, so I guess there are more than two kinds of people in the world. I've been spending way too much time at the crag.

For those people just getting into climbing, there are a few preconceived notions and misconceptions about it. Many non-climbers visualize rock climbing as old school mountaineering. Many of the techniques developed in the early days of mountain climbing can still be found in other more developed forms of climbing today. Aid climbing still employs piton craft, but these days not everyone that rock climbs treks into the mountains with half a ton of pins and a hammer. While mountaineering is still popular in the climbing world, it's cragging that has caught the attention of mainstream society. Where once most climbers were the fringe dwellers of society now you find all sorts of people at the cliffs climbing without the high commitment of mountaineering and big wall climbing.

Cragging was once considered practice climbing for big mountains. Now cragging is, for a lot of people, the end and not the means. There is a much more social atmosphere at the base of a 50 to 100 foot cliff than at 14,000 feet on an ice field. Crag climbing is much more accessible to the average person than high risk big wall and mountain climbing.

There are two distinct aspects of cragging: Traditional Climbing, which is characterized by the placement and removal of protective gear as the climbing party progresses; and Sport Climbing where the protection is preplaced expansion bolts or glue-in rods that are left in place for future climbers to use.

Traditional or trad climbing entails a higher level of commitment and experience than sport climbing. Leading a crack climb and placing gear as you go is one of the more demanding aspects of rock climbing in general. You must be able to use crack climbing techniques and be proficient in placing good solid protection. If a route wanders, you must place gear with the second climber's safety in mind. If a route is longer than one pitch, most often you will need to know how to build a sound anchor to belay from. If you can't complete the route, you've got to be able to retreat safely.

Sport climbing is less technically demanding and focuses more on the gymnastic qualities of climbing. With solid bolts to protect your climbing and well defined routes and descents, you can worry less about route finding, weather, and what gear you need to complete the route and focus more on perfected footwork, new techniques and just plain hard climbing. Sport climbing has its dangers and is no less inherently dangerous than trad climbing. A fall from a 5.12 sport route is no less painful than falling from a 5.4 trad route. Gravity is quite unforgiving in either theater.

Perhaps though the biggest issue between trad and sport climbing is the fixed anchor argument. Sport climbing involves the placement of many permanent expansion bolts. These bolts are usually very visible form the ground and attract climbers in high concentrations. Some traditional climbers (and non-climbers) argue that bolts are unnecessary and unsightly. Even though a lot of traditional routes have fixed belay and rappel anchors, traditionalists maintain that you should only go where your ability and gear lets you. Sport climbers say that's exactly what they're doing.

With traditional climbing there is nothing left behind to tell of the climbers' passing. There are no "footprints" left and some say this is the way it should be. However, in our world today, there are overdeveloped trails, walkways and roads everywhere, as well as pristine and aesthetic trails in the wilderness. There is room for and a need for both, just as there is a need for pristine climbing and well developed climbing in the world. Some people enjoy city parks and some enjoy the wild forest. It's the same in climbing. Some of us enjoy the comfort of a well-placed bolt and some of us like the adventure of making our own way.