From the archive record
A novice tourist being taught how to rappel off the rock behind the Har-ki-dun Forest Rest House in Uttarakhand, India. Abseiling, also called rappelling, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope. Climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection. Many climbers use this technique to protect established anchors from damage. Rope access technicians also use this as a method to access difficult-to-reach areas from above for various industrial applications like maintenance, construction, inspection and welding. Rescue teams are also known for using this method as a way to access injured or stranded victims. Abseiling can be dangerous, and presents risks, especially to unsupervised or inexperienced abseilers. According t