Climbing as an outdoor activity that refers to the act of scaling or ascending either exposed rock faces of mountains or those same faces covered with ice in the winter. The climber generally ascends with safety ropes controlled by another person known as the belayer. The climbs can utilize safety attachment points for the ropes (pitons), or can be done without safety equipment (free climb). Climbing can also be done indoors on climbing “walls” which have artificial handholds built into the vertical surface.