Traverse (climbing)

Traverse or Traverse is a term from the climbing and refers to a horizontally extending portion in a climbing route. In a cross transition is thus not climbed straight up, but from left to right (or vice versa) traversed.

In multi-pitch routes in the traditional climbing and alpine climbing traverses block often after the climber have overcome them, a simple withdrawal of the rope team from the climbing route by abseiling, because to return to the lower part of the route, the traverse must be climbed back. Another special feature in cross aisles is that the climbers, can the same as the lead climber, overthrow. The pendulum falls that occur are also considered more dangerous than the normal falls. Therefore routes are not suitable for the 'follow by a significantly less powerful climbing partner with larger cross aisles.

Known cross passages are the Hinterstoisser Traverse on the Eiger North Face and the cross aisle in the climbing route " Great Micheluzzi " Piz Ciavazes in the Sella Group in the Dolomites.

A special type of traverse represent the cross- Boulder courses which are also called trusses. As usual, bouldering, the bouldering climb in without backup in jump height above the ground. Such cross- Boulder courses, some of which run along the wall of the foot can be very long.

From a physiological point of view cross transitions in sport climbing, compared with the same heavy vertical climbing with regard to the necessary maximum and average heart rate are less stressful. This can be explained by this lower energy expenditure for locomotion.