Description

Smart Ladders makes the normal ladder look like a real wooden ladder. You get two side rails and four rungs, with open space between them, sitting on the face of the block instead of a thin flat picture.
Mod image
If a ladder is hanging from one solid block at the top, you can keep building that same ladder without needing a wall behind every piece. Right click the ladder with another ladder in your hand to add one more piece. Look up or click the top to build upward. Look down or click the bottom to build downward. This also works while you are sneaking, so you can hold your place on the ladder and keep placing.

The new piece stays part of the same column and faces the same way. You can climb it like a normal ladder. If the column loses its support, it will not stay in the air.

That is the whole mod. No new items and no extra menus. Place a ladder, hang it from one block if you want, then right click with more ladders to grow it up or down.