In climbing, a Tyrolean traverse is a technique that enables climbers to cross a void between two fixed points, such as between a headland and a detached rock pillar (e.g. a sea stack), or between two points that enable the climbers to cross over an obstacle such as chasm or ravine, or over a fast moving river.
[1][4] Where there is no pre-existing traverse-rope fixed in place, the climbers will have to set one up which typically requires making two strong anchor points and having a static abseiling rope that will need to be more than twice the length of the void between the two anchors so they can retrieve the rope on completing the traverse (or they can tie two ropes together if needed to get to his length).
Conversely, if the destination is at a higher level, then the climbers will need devices such as ascenders, aiders, and PCDs to help in hauling themselves up the traverse-rope (i.e. in the manner of 'jumaring' on a fixed rope).
[7] The Guinness World Records lists the longest Tyrolean traverse as being the 1,500-metre (4,900 ft) crossing between the Malyovitsa and Orlovets mountain summits in Bulgaria that was made by Daniel Stefanov in 2008,[8] and the longest Tyrolean traverse over a lava lake being the 100.58-metre (330.0 ft) crossing of Erta Ale in Ethiopia by Karina Oliani in 2017.
[9] A fatal accident while conducting a Tyrolean traverse features prominently in the opening scene of the 1993 Sylvester Stallone Hollywood blockbuster film Cliffhanger.