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Lead climbing (or leading) is a technique in rock climbing where the 'lead climber' clips their climbing rope to the climbing protection as they ascend a pitch of the climbing route, while their 'second' (also called the 'belayer') remains at the base of the pitch belaying the rope to protect the 'lead climber' in the event that they fall (e.g. if the lead climber falls, the second will lock the rope). The term is used to distinguish between the two roles in a 'climbing pair', and the greater effort and increased risk of the role of the 'lead climber'.
Leading a climbing route is in contrast with top roping a climb, where even though there is still a 'second' belaying the rope, the 'lead climber' faces little or no risk in the event of a fall and does not need to clip into any protection as the rope is already anchored to the top of the route (e.g. if they fall off the route, they will just hang from the static rope). Leading a climbing route is a core activity in rock climbing, and most (FA) and first free ascents (FFA) of new routes are via lead climbing.
Lead climbing can be performed as free climbing, in either a traditional climbing or a sport climbing format — leading a traditional climb is a much riskier and physically demanding exercise for the climber. Competition lead climbing is a sport-climbing format that is part of the Olympic sport of competition climbing. Lead climbing can also be performed as aid climbing. The term is not applied to free solo climbing, as the free solo climber is alone and thus there is no need to distinguish the role of 'leader' from the 'second'.
Aside from the specific additional risks of traditional climbing, every lead climber faces the specific risk of falling twice the distance to their last point of climbing protection — i.e. if the lead climber was 3 metres above their last point of protection, then in a fall, they will fall over 6 metres, since the rope starts to brake 3 metres below their last point of protection. This aspect makes leading a more physically demanding activity than top roping where the lead climber is immediately held by the top-rope upon falling.
Leading a climb also requires good communication between the lead climber and the second who is belaying. In particular, the lead climber will want to avoid the second holding the rope too tightly, which creates rope drag that acts as a downward force on the lead climber. However, where the lead climber feels that a fall is imminent, they will want the second to quickly take in any slack in the rope to minimize the length of any fall. Once the lead climber has reached the top of the route (or pitch on a multi-pitch climbing route), they will then create a fixed anchor and belay the second from above as the 'second' climbs up, removing any temporary climbing protection that the 'leader' had inserted earlier; note that the second is not themself lead climbing but is, in effect, top roping (i.e. if they fall they will just hang from the rope).
Before the arrival of sport climbing in the early-1980s, traditional climbers frowned upon FFAs where the 'lead climber' had practiced the route beforehand on a top rope (called ), or worse still, practiced the crux moves from a hanging fixed rope (called ). The arrival of sport climbing led to the development of the redpoint as the accepted definition of an FFA, which includes the practices of headpointing and hangdogging. Where a 'lead climber' can complete a route first-time and without any prior knowledge, it is called an onsight (or a flash if they had prior knowledge) and this is still considered the most desirable form of ascent, and is separately recorded in grade milestones and climbing guidebooks.
Where the 'lead climber' is following a traditional-climbing format, they will need to carry an extensive range of protective equipment (often referred to as a 'climbing rack' and is usually worn around the waist being attached to the climbing harness) such as nuts, hexcentrics and (known as "passive" protection), and/or spring-loaded camming devices (or "friends", and known as "active protection").
Where the 'lead climber' is following a sport-climbing format, they only need to carry (which they will also attach to their climbing harness) that they will clip into the pre-drilled bolts along the sport route.
Some indoor climbing walls provide in-situ mechanical lead auto belay devices enablig the climber to lead the route but belayed by the device. Typical versions belay the lead climber from above so the climber is essentially top roping the route, and does not need to carry any climbing protection.
On long but easier routes, the climbing pair may use simul climbing, whereby both climbers simultaneously ascend the route. The 'lead climber' acts like on a normal lead climb, however, the 'second' does not remain belaying in a static position, but instead also climbs, removing/unclipping the protection equipment of the 'lead climber'. Both climbers are tied to the rope at all times, and both make sure that there are several points of protection in situ between them. Simul climbing is performed on terrain both climbers are comfortable on, as any fall is serious; often the stronger climber goes second.
First ascent
The act, and drive, to lead a climb is related to the definition of what is a first ascent (FA), or first free ascent (FFA) in the traditional and sport climbing formats. The grades assigned to traditional and sport climbing routes are based on the climber leading the route, and not top roping it. If a climber wants to test themselves at a specific technical grade or set a new grade milestone, then they must lead the route.
Risk
Aside from the specific risks involved in placing the temporary protection equipment while leading traditional climbing routes (i.e. and making sure that it won't fall out in the event of a fall), the 'lead climber' needs to manage several other general risks when they are leading a climbing route, such as:
Equipment
Regardless of the particular type of format that the 'lead climber' is undertaking (i.e. traditional, sport, or aid), they will require a climbing harness attached to one end of a Dynamic rope kernmantle rope (usually via a figure-eight knot). Their 'second'—who will be belaying—will use a mechanical belay device that is clipped into the climbing rope and which 'pays-out' the rope as needed as the 'lead climber' ascends the route, but which can immediately grip the rope tightly in the event that the 'lead climber' falls.
Multi-pitch leading
Longer climbing routes (e.g. as in big wall climbing), are usually led in series of multiple pitches of circa in length. In multi-pitch leading, the two climbers can swap the roles of 'lead climber' and 'second' on successive pitches. The 'second' needs to be comfortable working from a hanging belay, and both need to be familiar with the process for swapping between roles safely and efficiently. Given that average pitch length will be longer, and that the weather potentially poorer, both climbers need to communicate clearly, and know the climbing commands.
Competition lead climbing
The arrival of the safer format of sport climbing in the early 1980s led to a rapid development in the related sport of competition lead climbing. The first major international lead climbing competition was held in Italy at Sportroccia in 1985. By the late 1990s, competitive lead climbing was joined by competition bouldering, and competition speed climbing in what was to become the annual IFSC Climbing World Cup and biennial IFSC Climbing World Championships. Competition lead climbing first appeared as an event in the 2020 Summer Olympics for men's and women's medal events; it was structured in a format consisting of a single "combined" event of lead, bouldering and speed climbing.
See also
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