Page 9 - Rappelling

Introduction

appelling is a controlled descent
r down a rope using a friction
braking device. The word rappel is
of French derivation, meaning “to
recall.” Rappelling is most com-
monly used in rock climbing and
mountaineering as an important
technique for descending steep cliffs.
It is typically done on a rope that
is threaded through an anchor; the
rappel is then made on two strands
of rope. After the rappel is com-
pleted, the rope is retrieved by pull-
ing down on one end of the rope.
The history of rappelling dates
back to the 1870s, when French
guides employed the basic dulfersitz,
or body rappel, to descend from the
icy spires of the Chamonix Aiguilles
in the French Alps. Since then
numerous techniques and devices
have been developed specifically for
rappelling, for both recreational and
professional users.
“Sport rappelling” has become
popular among aficionados who
rappel purely for the fun of it—
for the thrill and exhilaration of
bounding safely down a sheer cliff.
Rappelling is also an integral tech-
nique in canyoneering, caving, and
adventure racing. Search and rescue
teams, SWAT teams, firefighters, and

Rappelling off Headstone Rock,
Joshua Tree National Park.
Pho to by Catherine Colell a

Rappelling_i-174_3pp_CS55le.indd 8 7/24/13 10:14 AM