"Along with the ascenders, one or more webbing "ladders" called étriers (or aiders) "

are typically used to allow the climber to use their feet to step up and pull themselves up the rope.

Ascending is not typically performed on free climbing routes where a climber uses his or her hands and feet on the rock, climbing the features, edges, cracks, and pockets that the route provides without artificial aids.

" Typically, ascending is reserved for aid climbing where the climbers are"

climbing near-featureless faces of rock, usually with very thin cracks that a person probably could not get their fingers into to make the holds useful .