First free ascent in the context of Climbing guidebook

Lead climbing (or leading) is a technique in rock climbing where two climbers work together to ascend a climbing route. The 'lead climber' — who is doing the climbing — clips the rope to pieces of protection as they ascend. The 'second' (or 'belayer') stands at the base of the route controlling the other end of the rope, which is called belaying (e.g. if the 'lead climber' falls, the 'second' locks the rope). The term distinguishes between the two roles and the greater effort and increased risk of the role of the 'lead climber'.

Leading a route is in contrast with the alternative climbing technique of top roping, where even though there is still a 'second' belaying the rope, the 'lead climber' faces 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 they will just hang from the static rope). Leading a climbing route is a core activity in rock climbing, and first ascents (FA) and first free ascents (FFA) of new routes must be done via lead climbing.

In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain peak or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers and climbers were mainly focused on reaching the tops of notable mountain peaks (e.g. the eight-thousanders such as Mount Everest) and the tops of iconic climbing routes (e.g. the great north faces of the Alps such as the Eiger) by whatever means possible, and often using considerable amounts of aid climbing and/or with large expedition style support teams allowing them to "lay siege" to the climb.

As all the key tops were summited, the manner or "style" in which each top was reached became important to climbers, and particularly the ability to complete the ascent without the use of any artificial aids, which is called free climbing. In free-climbing, the term first free ascent (abbreviated FFA) denotes where a mountain or climbing route is ascended without any artificial aid — note that equipment for protection in the event of a fall can be used as long as they did not aid in the climber's upward progression. Completing the FFA of a climbing route is often called freeing (or more latterly sending) a route, and is highly coveted.

A climbing route (German: Kletterrouten) is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, a rock-face, or an ice-covered obstacle. Climbing routes are recorded in a climbing guidebooks and/or in online climbing-route databases. Details recorded include the type of climbing route (e.g. bouldering route, sport climbing route, traditional climbing route, ice climbing route, or alpine climbing route, etc.), the difficulty grade of the route–and the beta for its crux(es)–including any risk or commitment-grade, the length and number of pitches of the route, and the climbing equipment (e.g. climbing protection gear) that is needed to complete the route.

Definitions have been agreed on what determines a valid ascent of a route (e.g. the redpoint in rock climbing), and on the classes or styles of ascent (e.g. onsighted, flashed). The coveted first ascent (FA), first free ascent (FFA), and first female free ascent (FFFA), are chronicled for most routes. After a route is established, variations can be created (e.g. directessimas, sit starts, or enchainments), and climbers will try to improve on the style in which the route is climbed (e.g. minimizing aid climbing or removing other supports such as oxygen or fixed ropes). Some climbers will try to reduce or limit the in-situ climbing protection (e.g. greenpointing) or will try to completely free-solo the route. Others seek to set speed climbing records on routes.

Jonathan Siegrist (born 27 August, 1985) is an American rock climber who is regarded as one of the world's most prolific sport climbers, and who has redpointed, and made numerous first free ascents, of a large number of sport climbing routes at and above the grade of 9a (5.14d). Siegrist's breadth of experience at the world's most extreme sport climbing grades, means that he is often looked to for guidance regarding the grading of extreme sport routes in America. While principally known as a sport climber, he has repeated some of the world's hardest traditional climbing routes.

Free climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the climber can use their rock-climbing equipment only for their protection, not as an artificial aid to help them in ascending a climbing route. Free climbing, therefore, cannot use any of the mechanical tools that are widely used in aid climbing to help the climber overcome the obstacles they encounter while ascending a route (e.g. aiders or skyhooks). The development of free climbing was a transformational moment in the history of rock climbing, including the concept and definition of what determined a first free ascent (or FFA) of a climbing route by a climber.

Free climbing can be performed in several different types of rock-climbing formats that vary with the type of climbing protection that the free-climber used. For example, free climbing can be done as lead climbing in either a traditional climbing (temporary and removable climbing protection) or a sport climbing style (permanently fixed in-situ climbing protection). Free climbing can also be performed as bouldering or as free solo climbing (no climbing protection whatsoever). Free climbing is sometimes misunderstood as relating only to the formats of free-solo climbing or of solo climbing, which is not correct.