Rock repelling is a form of rock climbing, and it is meant for those who are extremely adventurous and the true dare devils. But, it is always advised to attempt rock repelling under the proper guidance of professional rock climbers. No matter how good you are in this sport, you never know when danger lurks. Despite this, rock repelling seems to be a popular hobby and the preferred choice of many.



Rock repelling is done with two ropes. The main rope is attached to the anchor, and also has an equally secured rope running down the rappelling line, down the rock. The repellers secure themselves by attaching one more rope to the anchor via a connected descender. The belay loop is used to attach the descender to the harness. You need to follow the basic rules and the belay is set up as a back up for the repeller. You need to conduct all the prescribed safety checks before the repelling begins. Ensure that anchor is set up with the rope; also the anchor should be tightly secured. Do keep a back up in case of emergency. Do not forget to check the buckles and belay, they need to be secured and closed properly. The belay should be in place, before you start repelling.

Before you begin with rock repelling you need to plan certain things. Starting with the basic, make sure that you search for a climbing surface that suits your ability. Check if the weather is suitable before you start for rock repelling. For example, if it rains it is risky to repel, as the rock surface becomes slippery. So you need to take all the safety precautions and preplan before you begin with rock repelling.

Rock repelling is an adventurous and exciting experience, but it may turn out dangerous if you don't follow the safety rules. So be a little cautious and enjoy the adventurous experience. Make sure the gates of the carabiners are closed and locked properly. Do not forget to set your descending device. Last, but not the least, check all the equipment you are going to use like helmet, shoes, gloves, kneepads and harness. You start by holding in your stronger hand the main rope right below the descender. Secondly, you put this hand at the side of your body, against or behind the hip. In doing so, you have just created a breaking system for yourself.

Once the repeller reaches the top, he controls the speed of the descent simply increasing the amount of friction on the line using the break hand. Finally when the repeller reaches the ground, he quickly removes the gear, to avoid any damage to the rope.

If you are really excited and are planning to attempt rock repelling, but are not sure how to go about it, then you can join any one of the several rock climber groups. You can find a list of such groups on the Internet. Also, if you want to learn all the basics of this sport and be more confident, then you can also select a course that helps you access the necessary maps, travel guides, guide books, atlases etc.