In this context "Free Climbing" is a misnomer. "Free Climbing" is the basic garden variety of rock climbing; it means you aren't using artificial aids like rope

In this context "Free Climbing" is a misnomer. "Free Climbing" is the basic garden variety of rock climbing; it means you aren't using artificial aids like ropes to make progress, but you _do_ use them for safety. It's almost always done with a partner. "Soloing" is the right name for climbing on your own, and even then, you can solo with artificial protection (although that's rare, and less safe than free climbing). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_climbing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_climbing