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Climbing glossary
This page aims to describe terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.
Also see:
A
Ablation zone
- The area of a glacier where yearly melting meets or exceeds the annual snow fall.
- The process by which a climber may descend on a fixed rope. Also known as Rappel.
- A medical condition that is often observed at high altitudes. Also known as Acute mountain sickness, or AMS.
Aid climbing
- A form of rock climbing that requires artificial assistance, i.e. ropes, to ascend.
Alpine start
- To make an efficient start on a long climb by packing all your gear the previous evening and starting early in the morning, usually before sunrise.
- A fail-safe attachment point for protection.
Approach
- The path or route to the start of a technical climb. Although this is generally a walk or, at most, a scramble it is occasionally as hazardous as the climb itself.
- The outside corner of rock. See also .
Ascender
- A device for ascending on a rope. A mechanical ascender is called a .
ATC
- A proprietary type of . ATC stands for Air traffic controller.
B
"B"-grade
- A grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Gill. Now largely superceeded by the .
Back-clipping
- A hazardous mistake that can be made while . The belay rope is clipped into a quickdraw in the wrong direction causing an increase in friction on the rope and an increase in the likelyhood of the rope becoming unclipped during a fall.
Bail
- To give up on a climb.
Belay
- Protecting a climber from falling using a rope.
Belay device
- A mechanical device used when belaying. Many types of belay device exist, including , , Reverso, , , , and the . Some belay devices may also be used as .
Belay slave
- Someone that volunteers for, or is tricked into, repeatted belaying duties without partaking in any of the actual climbing.
Bergschrund
- A crevasse that forms on the upper portion of a glacier where the moving section pulls away from the ice cap.
Beta
- Advice and/or instructions on how to successfully complete a particular climbing route.
Beta flash
- Ascent of a climb on the first attempt with some knowledge of that climb, with no falls or . Also see .
Bolt
- An -point permanently drilled into the rock.
Bomb-proof anchor
- A totally secure , or set of anchors. Also known as a bomber. Sadly, anchors are often misclassified as such.
- The practise of climbing on large boulders. Typically this is close to the ground, so protection takes the form of and instead of ropes.
Bounce
- A deadly fall.
Bucket
- A huge handhold.
- The art of climbing on buildings. Note that this is often illegal.
Buttress
- A prominent feature that juts out from a rock or mountain.
C
Cam
- 1. To affix using counter-pressure.
- 2. A spring-loaded device used to place protection. See Spring loaded camming device.
Campus board
- Training equipment used to build finger strength and strong arm lock-offs.
- Metal rings with spring-loaded gates, used as connectors. Also known as crab or biner.
- A compound used to improve grip by absorbing sweat. It is actually gymnastics chalk, usually magnesium carbonate. Its use is controversial in some areas.
Chalk bag
- A hand-sized holder for a climber's chalk that is usually clipped or tied onto the climber's harness for easy access during a climb.
Chock
- A mechanical device, or a wedge, used to attach into cracks.
Clean
- 1. To remove equipment from a route.
- 2. A route that is free of loose vegetation and rocks.
- 3. To complete a climb without falling or resting on the rope. Also see .
Cleaning tool
- A device for removing jammed equipment, especially , from a route. Also known as a nut key.
- A region that is plentiful with .
- a short phrase used for communication between a climber and a .
- Specialized indoor climbing centres. See .
- Footwear designed specifically for climbing. Usually well fitting, with a rubber sole.
- Particular techniques, or moves, commonly applied in climbing.
- Artificial rock, typically in a .
Clipping in
- The process of attaching to lines or for .
Col
- A small pass between two peaks.
Couloir
- A steep gully or gorge frequently filled with snow or ice.
Crack Climbing
- To ascend on a rock face by wedging body parts into cracks, i.e. not . See .
- An overhanging edge of snow on a ridge.
- A small area with climbing routes, often just a small cliff face or a few boulders.
- Metal framework with spikes attached to boots to increase safety on snow and ice.
Crank
- To pull on a hold as hard as possible.
Crash pad
- A thick mat used to soften landings or to cover hazardous objects in the event of a fall.
- 1. a small but positive hold.
- 2. the process of holding onto a crimp.
Crux
- The most difficult portion of a climb.
D
Daisy chain
- A type of with multiple sewn, or tied, loops. In many situations this can be more versatile than a normal sling.
Dead hang
- To hang limp, such that weight is held by arm tension rather than muscles.
Deadman
- A dynamic climbing technique in which the hold is grabbed at the apex of upward motion. This technique places minimal strain on both the hold and the arms.
Deadman anchor
- An object buried into snow to serve as an anchor for an attached rope. One common type of such an anchor is the .
Deadpoint
- The apex of an upward dynamic move.
- A device for controlled descent on a rope. Many devices may be used as descenders, including , , or even .
Deck
- 1. The ground.
- 2. To hit the ground, usually the outcome of a .
Dialed
- To have complete understanding of a particular climbing move or route.
- A drug used to inhibit the onset of altitude sickness. Otherwise known as Acetazolamide.
Dihedral
- The inside corner of rock. See also .
Downclimb
- To descend by climbing downward, typically after completing a climb.
Dynamic rope
- A slightly elastic rope that softens falls to some extent. Also tend to be damaged less severely by heavy loads. Compare with .
Dyno
- A dynamic move to grab a hold that would otherwise be out of reach. Non-climbers might call this a lunge.
E
Edge
- A thin ledge on the rock.
- Using the edge of the climbing shoe on a foothold.
Egyptian
- A climbing technique used to reduce tension in arms while holding a .
Eight
- A or . Named from its appearance as the digit "8".
Exposure
- State of openness with relation to the distance of a fall.
F
Face climbing
- To ascend on a rock face using finger hold and edges, i.e. not .
Fall
- Undesirable downward motion. Hopefully stopped by a rope, otherwise see .
Fist jam
- A type of using the hand. See climbing technique.
Finger board
- Training equipment used to build grip strength and arm strength.
Fixed rope
- A rope which has a fixed attachment point. Commonly used for or .
Flapper
- An injury consisting of a piece of loose (flapping) skin. A climber will usually just repair these with sticky tape.
Flake
- A thin slab of rock detached from the main face.
Flash
- To successfully and complete a climbing route on the first attempt.
Follow
- What the does.
- Climbing without unnatural aids, other than used for .
G
Gendarme
- A pinnacle or isolated rock tower frequently encountered along a ridge.
- A usually voluntary act of sliding down a steep slope of snow.
- Intended as an objective measure of the technical difficultly of a particular climb. More often is highly subjective, however.
- Intended as an objective measure of the technical difficultly of a particular bouldering problem.
GriGri
- A designed to be easy to use and safe for beginners because it is self-locking under load. Invented and manufactured by Petzl.
Gripped
- Scared.
Grovel
- 1. To climb with obviously poor style or technique.
- 2. A climbing route judged to be without redeeming virtue.
Gumby
- An inexperienced climber.
Gym climbing
- Climbing indoors, on artificial climbing walls. This is typically for training but many people consider this a worthwhile activity in its own right.
H
HACE
- High Altitude Cerebral Edema - a severe form of altitude sickness.
Hand Traverse
- without any footholds.
Hangdog
- While , to hang on the rope or an anchor for a rest.
Hanging Belay
- at a point such that the belayer is suspended.
HAPE
- High Altitude Pulmonary Edema - a serious form of altitude sickness.
- Climbing equipment used for attaching a rope to a person.
Haul bag
- A large and often unwieldy bag into which supplies and climbing equipment may be thrown.
Headwall
- The region of a cliff or rock face that steepens dramatically.
- Also known as a brain bucket. It can save your life, but only while worn.
Hexcentric
- A . It is a hexagonal attached to a wire loop. The nut is inserted into a crack and it holds through counter-pressure. Often just termed Hex.
Honed
- To be in peak mental and physical fitness for climbing.
Hook
- 1. Equipment used in .
- 2. A climbing technique.
I
- A handy tool for safety and balance.
Ice screw
- A screw used to protect a climb over steep ice or for setting up a crevasse rescue system. The strongest and most reliable is the modern tubular ice screw which ranges in length from 18 to 23 cm.
Indoor climbing
- See .
J
Jamming
- Wedging a body part into a crack.
Jug hold
- A large hold, also known just as a jug.
Jumar
- A mechanical .
K
- An alternative to the prussik knot, useful when the climber is short of cord but has plenty of webbing.
- Climbers rely on many different knots for anchoring oneself to a mountain, joining two ropes together, slings for climbing up the rope, etc.
L
Lead climbing
- A form of climbing in which the climber places anchors and attaches the belay rope as they climb.
Lieback
- Or layback. A that involves pulling on the hands while pushing on the feet.
- A with a locking gate, to prevent accidental release of the rope.
M
- A move used to surmount a ledge or feature in the rock in the absence of any useful holds directly above.
Match
- To use one hold for two limbs, or to swap limbs on a particular hold.
Moat
- A crevasse that forms where the glacier pulls away from a rock formation.
- A friendly team of people that will come and rescue you after an injury or accident. Also see coroner.
Move
- Application of a specific climbing technique to progress on a climb.
Multi-pitch climbing
- Climbing on routes that are too long for a single rope.
- A simple hitch that is often used for without a mechanical belay device. Otherwise known as an Italian hitch or a Friction hitch.
N
Nunatak
- A mountain or rock that protrudes through an ice field.
Nut
- A metal wedge attached to a wire loop that is inserted into cracks for . See .
Névê
- Permanent granular ice formed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
O
Off-width
- A crack that is too wide for effective hand or foot .
On-sight
- A ascent, with no prior practise or .
Open book
- An inside angle in the rock.
Overhang
- A section of rock or ice that is angled beyond vertical. See .
P
Pinkpoint
- To complete a without falling or resting on the rope (), but with pre-placed protection and carabiners. Also see and .
- The portion of a climb between two points.
- A metal spike that may be hammered into ice or flaws in rock.
Plunge step
- An aggressive step pattern for descending on hard or steep angle snow.
- 1. Process of setting equipment or for safety.
- 2. Equipment or used for preventing falls. Commonly known as Pro.
- 1. a knot used for ascending a rope.
- 2. to use a prusik knot for ascending a rope.
Q
- Used to attach a freely running rope to or . Sometimes called quickies.
R
Rack
- The set of equipment carried up a climb.
- The process by which a climber may descend on a fixed rope. Also known as Abseil.
Redpoint
- To complete a without falling or resting on the rope (). Also see and .
Roof
- Horizontal overhang.
- An essential item of climbing equipment.
Route
- The path of a particular climb, or a predefined set of moves.
Runner
- Another term for .
Runout
- 1. The span between two points of .
- 2. A long portion of a without adequate .
S
Saddle
- A high pass between two peaks, larger than a .
- A large ice tower.
Side grip
- Use of a horizontal hold.
- Non-technical climbing.
Screamer
- A long and loud .
Scree
- Loose, broken rock that climbers can never avoid.
Second
- A climber who follows the , or first, climber.
Sewing machine leg
- The involuntary vibration of one or both legs resulting from fatigue or panic. Also known as "Elvis Presley Syndrome", or "Disco knee".
Sharp end
- The end of the rope that is attached to the climber.
- Head Sherpa mountain guide.
Sit start
- Starting a climb from a position in which the climber is sitting on the floor. This is common on short routes and in climbing gyms in order to fit an extra move into the climb.
Slab
- A relatively flat and featureless block of rock.
SLCD
- Abbreviation for spring loaded camming device, a type of protection device. These are better known by the term .
Sling
- Webbing sewn, or tied, into a loop.
- To use friction on the sole of the climbing shoe, in the absence of any useful footholds.
Snow fluke
- An angled aluminum plate attached to a metal cable. The fluke is buried into snow, typically used as a .
Solo climbing
- Climbing without any .
Sport climbing
- A form of climbing where grace and technical (or gymnastic) ability are considered more important than danger, exhilaration or brute strength. Sport climbing tend to be well with pre-placed bolt-.
Spotting
- A alternative to commonly used during . A friend of the climber stands beneath them and prevents awkward falls or falls onto hazards.
Static rope
- A non-elastic rope. Compare with .
Stem
- The simultaneous use of two, widely spaced, footholds.
Sticht plate
- A device consisting of a flat plate with a pair of slots. Named after the inventor Franz Sticht.
Stopper
- 1. A wedge-shaped .
- 2. A knot used to prevent the rope running through a piece of equipment.
Summit
- The high point of a mountain or peak.
- Used as a verb to indicate that a person reached the top. e.g. I summitted Mt. Athabasca.
T
Top rope
- To from a fixed point above the climb.
Tuber
- A belay device.
Traverse
- To climb in a horizontal direction.
- A feature of a rock that allows, relatively, easy progress in a horizontal direction.
U
Undercling
- A hold or that is upside down.
V
"V"-grade
- A technical grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Sherman.
Verglas
- A thin coating of ice that forms over rocks when rainfall or melting snow freezes on rock. Hard to climb on as crampons have insufficient depth for reliable penetration.
W
Wand
- A bamboo stick with a small flag on top used to mark paths over glaciers and snow fields.
- Hollow and flat rope, mainly used to make and .
Weighting
- Resting by hanging on the rope.
Wired
- To have the moves required for completing a climb memorized.
Woodie
- A homemade .
X
Y
- A numerical system for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs in the United States. The rock climbing (5.x) portion of the scale is the most common climb grading system used in the US.
Z
Zipper fall
- A in which each piece of fails in turn.
References
Referenced By
Climber | Climbing | Glossary | List of climbing topics | List of glossaries
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