Entry (climbing)

The entry in the alpine sense is the point at which a climbing route begins.

Usually it is the foot of a steep rock or ice wall, which can be reached by hiking or mountain climbing in alpine terrain . For safety reasons, climbers often put on helmets and harnesses before they even reach the entrance , since as little time as possible should be spent at the entrance, even because of the risk of falling rocks or ice .

With sport climbing outside of the alpine area, the entrance can usually be reached without any great effort and risk. However, the start of a climbing route can also be at a point that cannot be reached on foot. In this case, the entrance is reached by abseiling to the first stand . This applies, for example, to the famous Separate Reality sport climbing route in the Yosemite Valley , and the access to the routes in the Verdon Gorge in southern France can be reached in long abseiling actions from the top of the gorge.

In the case of lighter alpine rock faces, one speaks of an entry without necessarily having to be secured with a rope from the start.