Vertical caving terminology and methods > Ladders, climbs and older techniques
Providing handholds or footholds for a climb using body parts, to allow other cavers to climb the assistant like a ladder, or to smear themselves up the assistant in whatever method is possible. This might be a knee, back, shoulder or head being used as a foothold or knee support, or a shoulder or hand to be used as a handhold. However, it is possible for almost any body part to be used as a support, as long as it can be kept stable enough. In some cases, the assistance might be to wedge a foot more reliably against a relatively poor foothold, to get a better grip. In all cases, the person climbing will need to be more careful, and should keep their movements slow to allow their assistant time to adjust when needed. The last person to climb up or first person to climb down may need hauling or lowering, or might need to be a more capable climber, since there is nobody for them to use for assistance.
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