In 1908 the Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal made its lasting contribution to the English language with the first use of abseil. The word abseil derives from the German “ab” meaning down and “seil” meaning rope. While it has become common in the UK, Americans are more likely to refer to rappelling, a word of French origin which describes an almost identical activity.
The origin of the technique of abseiling is attributed to Jean Esteril Charlet, a mountaineering guide from Chamonix. Famous for making the first ever winter ascent of Mont Blanc in 1872 Charlet recognised the importance of safety when travelling downwards as well as upwards, and he improved on the method of controlling climbing using ropes in making the ascent of Petit Dru in France.
Nowadays, abseiling is a familiar technique for anyone active in rock climbing, canyoneering and mountaineering. It is also standard practice for those descending man-made objects, and many military assaults and fire-fighting rescue operations have made good use of Charlet’s innovation. Large numbers of corporate team building events have featured abseiling as a “face your fear” exercise, and in 2012 it gained the royal seal of approval when the Duke of York abseiled down 67 storeys of Europe’s tallest building, the Shard skyscraper in London, to raise money for a range of charities.
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