When it comes to extreme sports, people participate in them for the experience, and as to be expected, people will find that they favor one sport more than the other. So, for those of you who have taken to rock climbing but want to continue to venture into new activities, this is for you!
In this article, I will go through ten activities similar to rock climbing, hoping you’ll find another action you might want to try. Let’s get started!
Know the Different Types of Rock Climbing First
Before diving into this subject, let’s look at the different types of rock climbing. There’s more to rock climbing than just ascending a rock face. These rock climbing types may give you a new activity to try before getting to our activities list below.
Traditional Climbing
Traditional rock climbing is usually what you think about when you hear the term ‘rock climbing’; it’s a type of free climbing that means there’s no additional gear or tools used to aid your progression.
This type of climbing is usually done with another person. The lead will put some protective gear along the route as the team climbs, and the follower will remove the equipment once they have passed the section. This is not the same as sport climbing, where you have foot and hand holds pre-bolted into the rock face.
Top Rope Climbing
Top rope climbing is different from traditional climbing. While there are still two parties, the team will fix an anchor and feed a rope through the anchor to its midpoint, and let both sides of the rope hang down. That way, two ropes are hanging from the anchor.
The lead climber ties themselves to one of the ends while the follower or the belayer sets their device on the other rope. This allows the second climber to slack or take in the rope just in case anyone falls.
Pulling the end of the rope tight will give the climber some help with climbing. If the follower is strong enough, they can pull the climber to the top of the route.
Free Solo Climbing
Free solo climbing is an extreme form of rock climbing where the climber uses no aid, gear, or protection. They only use their climbing shoes and chalk, and that’s it!
However, some free solo climbers opt for a backup rope; but, in this case, the climb would be referred to as rope soloing.
Free solo climbing should only be done by experts, as people have died trying to do this, usually from falling to their death.
Sport Climbing
Sport climbing is similar to free solo climbing since nothing aids in the climb. However, this is done in pairs, and they are pre-fixed bolts and holds to assist with safety.
As the team ascends, the lead climber will clip the bolts in with quickdraws while the following climber will remove them.
Sport climbing is a great way to start training yourself for a free solo climb, as you’ll have your partner and the bolts to aid in your overall safety.
Bouldering
Another form of free climbing is bouldering. However, there are usually bouldering mats in place just in case someone falls; it can provide some cushion to help prevent serious fall injuries.
Climbers who like to go bouldering don’t use safety gear or ropes. However, they do use chalk to keep their hands dry, as well as their climbing shoes. And the climbs are usually less than 20 feet tall in total.
Bouldering started as a practice climb to help climbers build their stamina and learn the best ways to grip. However, it evolved into its own thing, but it’s still suitable for training!
However, it’s worth noting that bouldering may be restricted in certain areas due to growing soil erosion and ruined plants. So, always check that bouldering is okay in your area before setting off.
10 Activities Like Rock Climbing
If you love rock climbing and you’re looking to extend your experience into other activities, check out these ten sports that are similar to rock climbing!
1. Mountaineering
Mountaineering is very similar to rock climbing, but it’s more intense in a different way. In simple terms, mountaineering is climbing mountains. There aren’t many formal rules or regulations to follow, and it’s very much an ‘at your own risk’ type of sport, just like rock climbing.
In both sports, you’re focused on ascending, whether it’s a mountain or a rock face. Hand-eye coordination is significant, and you’ll need to find a way among some challenging surfaces. This also requires advanced technical skills and physical fitness.
Anyone participating in these sports must have extended knowledge of belaying techniques, anchoring systems, and rappelling. Plus, you’ll need to know about carabiners, ropes, helmets, harnesses, and climbing shoes!
Furthermore, you should be a good problem solver as you may find yourself in sticky situations, as nothing is guaranteed, not even your safety. Both sports involve risk in which you can run across unpredictable weather and hazardous conditions.
This is why anyone who embarks on a mountaineering journey especially must have the ability to focus mentally, stay calm in stressful situations, and have the ability to make quick decisions.
2. Ropes Courses
If you’re seeking a fun adventure, ropes courses are a great option! They’re similar to rock climbing, with ropes and not rocks. You can find these in aerial adventure parks and even sometimes more giant malls across the USA.
Ropes courses are obstacle courses designed to test your skills and physical stamina. The military primarily used them, but it’s generally used for different groups that like to focus on team building, like the Boy Scouts and the general population.
When comparing rock climbing to a ropes course, both require significant balance and coordination. One should be able to coordinate their movements effectively to overcome the most challenging sections of whatever course one may be on.
Not to mention technical skills also come into play, as both sports typically use harnesses and safety lines (unless you’re doing a free solo climb.) But you need to understand the basic climbing techniques and how to use the equipment.
Read our related post “19 Activities Like Ziplining to Do With Your Friends” here.
3. Parkour and Freerunning
A sport that many people need to remember is Parkour or free running. Maybe you’ve heard the term but aren’t too familiar with it, but it’s basically where the runner travels from point A to point B in the fastest way possible without any equipment.
This is another sport that has its roots deep into other origins, such as martial arts, the military, and more. However, it’s more than just running. This sport includes flips, climbing, vaulting, plyometrics, jumping, swinging, and more. It just depends on your situation. Advanced parkour lovers will jump from building to building even!
Even though this sport and rock climbing are vastly different, there are several similarities, such as the need for spatial awareness. Anyone participating in these sports needs to be aware of their body position and be able to judge distances, as, without this ability accurately, consequences can be deadly.
And because of the skills that these sports demand, any participants should be physically fit. You need to have a good amount of endurance, be flexible, and have the strength to pull your body weight unassisted. You will be moving constantly in these sports, so you need to ensure you are coordinated, agile, and have good problem-solving skills.
4. Kayaking
At first glance, you probably think I’m crazy for even including kayaking, but until you’ve done both, you will be weary of what I’m saying. There’s no denying these are two entirely different sports; one is on water, and the other is a land sport.
When kayaking, you’re moving over the surface of a body of water using a paddle. It’s as simple as that. The kayak is a unique style of boat that sits low in the water, but they have several different kinds now, such as ones where you can sit on top and even inflatable kayaks.
What makes kayaking and rock climbing similar is the need to develop skills and techniques that work for you.
For instance, you’ll learn about edging, bracing, rolling, and paddling when kayaking, and you’ll need these skills to keep your boat stable throughout all types of water conditions.
Likewise, with rock climbing, you’ll need to know body positioning and the best handholds, and your footwork needs to be perfect. That way, you can navigate any rock face and face any situation while climbing.
You also need to be sound of mind and be able to properly assess risks for both sports, as there will be spots that threaten your safety.
For kayaking, this would be rapid currents, more giant waves, or obstacles in the water, and for rock climbers, this would be falling rocks, crumbling rock faces, and equipment failure.
If you’re not sound of mind, you won’t be able to get through these challenges and, in turn, could potentially lose your life.
5. Whitewater Rafting
And just like that, there’s whitewater rafting! While kayaking can be intense in its own right, whitewater rafting is typically what extreme sports enthusiasts turn to when they want something that will give them a nice adrenaline dump.
Whitewater rafting is more than just riding an inflatable raft through choppy waters; rock climbing is more than just climbing on rocks.
Both sports require participants to master previous courses or grades before moving on to the next. For instance, you won’t want to go from grade one baby rapids to grade five, just as you wouldn’t start with free solo climbing a 500-foot rock face.
Something else whitewater rafting has in common with rock climbing is the need for good team cooperation and communication skills. For instance, in rafting, you’ll need to listen to the guide, paddle when told to, and learn how to brace on joints, whereas with rock climbing, you’ll need to help your partner tackle some challenging routes, and you need to support their body weight at times. When this happens, communication is key!
Read our related post “10 Activities Like Whitewater Rafting for Thrill Seekers” here.
6. Mountain Biking
If mountain climbing doesn’t appeal to you, you could always take the time to check out mountain biking! The name explains exactly what it entails: riding your mountain bike on back country roads, trails, and roads that include drop-offs and jumps.
One common denominator that mountain biking and rock climbing share is self-reliance. Since both sports occur in remote areas, the climber or biker must know how to deal with equipment failures. This looks like fixing a flat tire, broken chain, and more for mountain biking. Whereas with rock climbing, this would be a malfunctioning rope anchor, bolts, and more.
Plus, each sport has a fitness threshold for anyone wanting to participate. You need to be able to carry your weight, have good balance, remain in control on tough terrain, and be of sound mind to stay calm in an emergency.
Lastly, anyone participating should be able to assess risks and hazards accurately and know their skill level.
For example, if you’re new, you shouldn’t take the most challenging route as there will likely be maneuvers you will have to do (in both sports) that you haven’t practiced or are not familiar with. Both sports require the participant to practice and progress rather than jump in.
7. Cliff Jumping
Now if you’re looking for a quick thrill, cliff jumping is a great choice! All you have to do is jump in the water from a cliff! It doesn’t matter whether the cliff is 10 feet high or 60 feet high. However, you’ll want to make sure that the water is deep enough so that you don’t injure yourself upon impact.
I will warn, though, the first few times you go cliff jumping; you’ll want to do it with a group of people who know what they are doing. This way, you can learn the correct procedures to do it anytime you want on your solo journeys.
You might be wondering why I’ve included this on the list, as the goals and the skills are quite different when it comes to cliff jumping as opposed to rock climbing. But there’s more in common than you would think!
For starters, both sports take place in a natural environment. With rock climbing, you ascend using special equipment to climb a natural rock face, whereas cliff diving brings you into the rivers, lakes, and ocean.
Furthermore, both sports feed into your personal growth and confidence. There will be times when you doubt whether you’ll make it past a certain point or be able to do this. Once you prove that you can, facing your fears and challenging yourself, even more becomes more accessible.
8. Cross Country Skiing
Cross-country skiing is something that everyone should try at least once, particularly if they love the snow. Instead of hopping on a lift, skiers will get themselves from point A to B, and some even use this as a primary form of transportation.
It’s extreme in the sense that you’ll run into some rough terrain and will need to be able to adapt quickly to the situation. It’s an adrenaline spike, for sure!
However, when it comes to comparing rock climbing, they both have similar elements, such as they both take place in the great outdoors.
They allow you to connect to nature and genuinely enjoy the beauty around us. They also allow you to develop your skills to learn proper footwork and body positioning over time.
Furthermore, both sports take a lot of mental focus as you must navigate through unexpected weather and terrain conditions. So, being of sound body and mind is a requirement, as failing to make the right decision in a dire circumstance can have dire consequences.
Lastly, both sports are goal-oriented, so participants usually have a goal in mind, whether beating a personal record, tackling a rough section, or trying a new route.
9. CrossFit
When you think of CrossFit, you probably think of gyms, kettlebells, and high-intensity workouts. So, what exactly does this have in common with rock climbing?
First, if you don’t know what CrossFit is, let me explain. CrossFit is a high-intensity fitness routine incorporating calisthenics, kettlebells, powerlifting, and more. While this isn’t the same as rock climbing, they have a few things in common: they’re both goal-oriented and give the participants a full-body workout.
CrossFit targets your whole body, meaning your lower body, upper body, and core, just as rock climbing does. Plus, they both improve your overall endurance and agility. Not to mention, you dive into both sports with a goal in mind! So, there’s more in common than you think.
10. Downhill Skiing/Snowboarding
Lastly, as cross-country skiing has much in common with rock climbing, so does downhill skiing or snowboarding. Downhill skiing is different than cross country in the sense that it’s more competitive, as skiers usually race to beat their times on courses.
Both rock climbing and downhill skiing or snowboarding require the skiers or climbers to have a certain level of physical fitness. They need to be coordinated and have a good amount of leg strength. Plus, they must be stable in the core, as you must keep your body in a specific position for an extended time.
Also, you’ll need to accurately assess your risks as you must face conditions in both sports. It’s inevitable that you’ll run into different steepness and obstacles with downhill skilling, and rock climbers will face falling rocks and sections of the rock.
So, anyone participating in these sports will need a good amount of mental focus to make the correct decision in a split second. They need to face fear without reacting or fearing the feelings.
Read our related post “99 Adventurous Things to Do With Your Friends” here.
When Heather is not participating in extreme sports you can find her working the events across the country, or writing about these amazing adrenaline rushes. She loves to go skydiving, snowboarding, parasailing, hang gliding, dirt boarding, off-roading and hiking.