The transition from aid climbing to free climbing can range from slightly awkward to semi-terrifying, but with the right techniques it doesn't have to be.

I REALLY wish I knew about these techniques on my first couple of walls!

Fortunately big wall expert Chris McNamara made a great YouTube video showing how it’s done. 

There are two methods shown here.

• Method #1: clip a sling and stand in it. This works well when you have a few moves of free climbing followed by more aid. 

• Method #2: clip the rope to your ladder, and leave your ladder behind. This may be a better choice if you have free climbing with no more aiding, such as when you’re approaching an anchor. 

Aid to free transition #1 - Use a sling as a ladder 

• Place a piece as high as you can.

• Clip a 120 cm / double sling to the gear, clip a carabiner to the sling, and clip your lead rope into this carabiner.

• Key move: step into the bottom of the double sling. The sling effectively becomes a ladder step.

• Reach down, unclip your previous ladder, roll it up to get it out of the way and clip it to your harness.

• Stand up in the sling and start free climbing.

Aid to free transition #2 - Use a ladder as a sling

• Place a piece as high as you can.

• Clip ladder to the gear.

• Clip a carabiner onto the ladder pretty much anywhere, and clip the lead rope into that as protection.

• Step up in your ladder, start free climbing, and simply leave the ladder behind. This is easier if you don’t use a tether on your ladder.

• You can reach down and remove your lower ladder before you do this if you want to, or simply leave that one behind as well.

Check out both these transition methods from big wall ace Chris McNamara.