Inrock climbing, anoverhang is a type ofroute that leans back at an angle of over 90 degrees for part or all of the climb, and at its most severe can be a horizontalroof. Overhang (and roof) climbs have existed throughout climbing, originally inaid climbing where mechanical devices were used to first scale them. They became more common infree climbing during the 1990s assport climbers used new training methods that enabled them to climb routes that were continuously, and severely, overhanging. Overhangs (and roofs) also feature prominently in advancedbouldering and incompetition climbing.[1][2]
Overhanging routes require a range oftechniques to manage the demands placed on the upper body, as the feet are less weighted.[3]Body positioning — keeping the hips close to the rock face and the arms straight — is important.Advanced techniques such as the drop-knee, side-pulls-underclings-gastons, and the full range ofheel and toe hooks are used for this.Knee-bars andbat hangs are used to rest on the routes. Overhangs can force dynamic movements such ascampusing anddynos, where the feet lose contact with the face. Exiting an overhang (or roof) can require awkwardmantle moves.[4][5]
Crack climbing techniques enabledtraditional climbers tofree climb dramatic roofs and overhangs, one of the most notable beingSeparate Reality.[6] In 1991,Wolfgang Gullich, who had set several grade milestones on boltedface climbing sport-routes, ascended the short but severely overhangingAction Directe creating thefirst-ever9a (5.14d) graded route.[7] Gullich was a pioneer ofplyometric training in climbing, which gave him the power to ascend severely overhanging routes.[8][9] All subsequent grade milestones in climbing would come from continuously overhanging sport-climbing routes includingRealization/Biographie, the first-ever9a+ (5.15a),Jumbo Love, the first-ever9b (5.15b),Change, the first-ever9b+ (5.15c), andSilence the first-ever9c (5.15d).[10][11] The dominance of overhanging routes in sport climbing, meant that they also became standard incompetition climbing routes.[12]
Overhangs and roofs also feature prominently in advanced bouldering, including on notable routes such asThe Mandala,Dreamtime,The Wheel of Life, andBurden of Dreams, the first-ever boulder problem to be graded9A (V17).[13] Several notablemulti-pitch andbig-wall routes, feature famous overhangs and roofs, including "The Great Roof" on pitch 22 ofThe Nose onEl Capitan,[14] and the enormous series of roofs on the north face of theCima Ovest through whichBellavista [it] ascends, the world'sfirst-ever8c (5.14b) graded multi-pitch route.[15] In 2019,Edu Marin [ca] freedValhalla, the world's largest roof-climb spanning 405 metres (1,329 ft) over 14 pitches, and was also the world'sfirst5.15a (9a+) multi-pitch route.[16]
Steep Face Technique)
The Great Roof
