A
Abseil :
German term (also employed by the British) for rappel; a method for descending a fixed rope by means of sliding and braking mechanisms known as belay devices.
Adze :
The flat cutting end of the ice axe head.
Aid Climbing:
Direct use of fixed or placed protection (pitons, spring-loaded cams, bolts, sling ladders, etc.) to support a climber's weight and assist in upward progress.
Aiders:
Climbing aids made of nylon webbing used to step upward on big walls. See also Étriers.
Aid Route:
A technical climb on vertical rock that requires the use of artificial devices such as pitons, spring-loaded cams, bolts, sling ladders, etc.
Alpenstock:
A stout stick with an iron tip used for balance and support when trekking.
Alpine Start:
The push-off time (generally around 2 a.m. or earlier) for a summit run in order to return to camp by nightfall, as well as to avoid melting ice and snow as the day's heat progresses, which make descent dangerous.
Alpine Style:
An ultra-lightweight method of high-elevation climbing in which equipment and food rations (i.e., comfort and security) are trimmed to the barest essentials in order to facilitate a swift ascent to the summit.
AMS: (Acute Mountain Sickness)
A cluster of symptoms brought on by lower blood levels of oxygen at higher altitudes. Symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, malaise and disturbed sleep.
Anchor:
Point where the rope is secured to the rock with either fixed bolts, rocks, trees or non-fixed gear to provide protection against a fall.
Angle:
A steel piton folded lengthwise.
Approach:
The route undertaken to reach the technical portions of a climb.
Arete:
A sharp ridge of rock or snow and ice found in rugged mountains created when two planes of rock or snow wall jut from the face; an arête can be horizontal or vertical.
Ascenders:
Mechanical sliding and braking devices used to move up a rope.
Ascend :
To go up. Climbers ascend a route to get to the top.
ATC:
Air Traffic Controller. A popular belaying and rappelling device which, when used in conjunction with a locking carabiner, provides a safety brake on the rope.
Avalanche :
Lots of snow or ice sliding down a mountain.
B
Bail:
To give up on a rock climb or summit attempt for reasons that range from the legitimate (weather, lateness, injury, fatigue) to the suspect (hunger, thirst, discomfort, job obligations, waiting wives, husbands or significant others).
Bail Biner
A carabiner left behind when bailing on a climb.
Bandolier
A short sling with a padding worn over the shoulder by the leader to hold a rack that is too big to be accommodated by gear loops.
Ball-nuts:
Thin crack protection utilizing sliding ball-and-ramp construction.
"Barn door"
To lose the foot and hand holds on one side of the body. Usually causes the climber to swing like a barn door
Base Camp:
The lowest, largest (and most luxurious) fixed camp on a major ascent.
Bat Hook:
A bat hook is a sky hook filed to a sharp point for tapping into shallow drilled holes. Bat Hooking is a method for ascending by inserting two sky hooks attached to an etriers into a series of drilled holes -- this is an extreme form of aid climbing.
Belay:
Safety technique in which a stationary climber provides protection, by means of ropes, anchors and braking devices, to an ascending partner.
Belay Device:
A forged metal ring of various configurations through which a climbing rope is threaded and then linked to a carabiner in order to provide friction to brake a fall.
Belayer :
The person at the belay station securing the climber
"Belay on" :
When the belayer is ready to belay the climber up, he yells "Belay on". (At least in the US, "belay on" would only confuse the hell out of a British climber who prefers to hear "Climb when ready").
Belayer's Neck :
Annoying but temporary malady intrinsic to climbing, caused by constantly looking upward to check the progress of an ascending climber.
Belay Slave :
One who can be persuaded by any means (promises, deception, love, coercion) to stay on the ground and provide a safety belay for a procession of climbers
Belay Station:
A stance on a rock face of varying degrees of discomfort from which a climber provides roped protection for his or her ascending partner.
Bergschrund :
A gap or crevasse which appears between a glacier and the upper snows of a mountain's face.
Beta:
Any advance information (weather, rock or snow conditions, terrain features, local lore) which helps in planning or negotiating a climb.
Beta flash :
Leading a climb with no falling or dogging, but with a piece of previous knowledge hints on how to do those crux moves. Even seeing someone do the climb already classifies as 'previous knowledge'
Big Wall Climb :
A technical rock climb so long and sustained that an ascent normally requires more than a single day.
Bird Beak :
A thin, hooking-type piton used to hook small cracks. Bird beaks are easily removable and used on clean ascents.
Bivouac:
A temporary camp -- sometimes planned, often not -- that provides little or no shelter from the elements. Bivy, or Bivi, for short.
Bivy :
Slang for Bivouac.
Black Ice :
Permanent ice found in shady couloirs or on steep north faces that is usually extremely hard, dense and difficult to climb.
Blue ice :
Very dense ice with a watery hue and few air bubbles.
Bolt :
Stout metal pin drilled in the rock of steep routes to provide permanent protection for climbers.
Bomber :
Has extremely high quality and dependability. Usually refers to a handhold, but can also describe a piece of equipment, a campsite or any generally positive or beneficial item or state of being.
Bong:
An extra-wide-angled piton used primarily in the early days of big wall climbing.
Boulder:
To climb short, hard routes on low-lying rocks without protective gear.
Bowline Knot:
Often used knot in mountaineering
Brachiate :
To swing from one hold to another by the arms.
Brake Hand :
The hand that holds the rope on the opposite side of the belay device to the climber.
Brain Bucket :
Climbing helmet
Brèche :
A notch in a ridge
Bucket :
A handhold large enough to latch the entire hand onto -- as with the lip of a bucket.
Buildering :
to climb on buildings or manmade structures. Often done for training for rock climbing.
Burly :
Difficult.
Buttress :
A rock formation that projects out from the line of a face.
C
Cam :
Generic term for mechanical spring-loaded devices of varying sizes and manufacture (Friends, Camalots, TCU's, etc) which can be inserted in cracks to secure a climbing rope.
Campus :
Dynamic climbing move executed using the arms only.
Campus board :
a wrunged ladderlike training device used to train for climbing. This simple device has been largely responsible for advances in climbing difficulty around the world.
Carabiner :
Forged aluminum devices of various shapes (oval, D-ring, etc.) with a spring-loaded gate through which a climbing rope can be threaded. The most basic all-around tool on a climber's rack, they are used variously for such activities as belaying, rappelling, prusiking and clipping into safety anchors. (Common usage: " Biner").
Chalk :
Powdered carbonate of magnesia used by climbers to help hands adhere to the rock.
Chalk Bag :
A small bag with a stiff rim worn clipped to the harness or around the waist on a belt and used to hold chalk. Allows the climber to access chalk while climbing
Chalk Up :
Putting chalk on the hands before or while on a climb.
Chickenhead:
A protruding lump found in granite which provides excellent handholds or foot placements.
Chimney :
A crack or gully large enough to climb inside of. Also: the climbing technique used in such gullies which requires that various body parts provide force on opposing walls in order to ascend.
Choss:
Australian slang for loose rock; British for dirt and vegetation found in cracks. (Also Choss Pile: an unappealing rock or route.)
Chute:
A very steep gully. (Chute is French for "fall" and refers to the rockfall often found in such gullies.)
Cirque:
A steep-walled mountain basin which usually forms the blunt end of a valley.
Clean:
To remove the protective gear placed by the climbing leader while ascending. Usually accomplished by the following climber, or "second."
Cleaning tool:
A narrow metal device with a hooked end used for removing nuts or cams stuck in cracks. Also employed post-climb as a beer bottle opener.
Climbing wall :
The British word for a climbing gym
"Climb when ready" :
The British equivalent of "Belay on".
Clipping in:
The act of a climber using a carabiner to connect themselves to belays and anchors or to connect ropes to protection.
Clove hitch :
A useful, easily adjustable climbing knot usually used to tie the rope into a karibiner.
Col:
A dip in a ridge that forms a small, high pass.
Corn snow :
Unconsolidated granular snow that has gone through a short freeze-and-thaw process.
Copperhead:
A malleable metal swage (once made of copper, but now usually aluminum) attached to a flexible wire loop that can be hammered into small depressions in the rock for protection in aid climbing.
Cornice:
An overhanging mass of wind-sculpted snow projecting beyond the crest of a ridge; generally an extremely dangerous feature of terrain.
Couloir:
An open, angled gully, usually containing ice.
Crack Climbing:
Free climbing up a rock by wedging one's hands and feet into a crack in the rock and pulling upward.
Crag :
Name for a (small) climbing area
Crampons:
Spiked metal devices which attach to climbing boots to provide purchase on ice and firm snow slopes.
Crank:
To pull on a hold with maximum force; to expend total effort in any endeavor.
Crater:
Climber's wry description of a horrendous fall in which a climber lands on the ground or other solid surface.
Crest
The very top of a ridge or arete.
Crevasse:
A crack in a glacier surface of varying width and depth, caused by the movement of the glacier over underlying irregularities in terrain.
Crimper:
A negligible hold that accomodates only the fingertips.
Crux:
The most difficult section of a climbing route.
D
Daisy Chain :
A nylon sling sewn into loops; also used to provide supplemental security at belay stations.
Deadman:
An alloy fluke or plate which is dug into the snow to provide an anchor.
Dead Hang:
To hang from a handhold with arms straight so body weight is supported by the skeleton rather than arm muscles.
Deadpoint :
A dynamic climbing technique in which a hold is grabbed at the very apex of upward motion, thereby placing the smallest possible load on the hold.
Deck :
The gournd
Descender:
A rappel device, often shaped like the number eight, consisting of two metal rings cast together, through which the rope is passed to create friction and slow descent.
Dialed:
To have total understanding of a route, a move, a rock problem or a situation.
Dihedral (Dièdre):
US term. A point where two walls meet in a right-angled inside corner, ie. an "open book."
"Dirt Me" :
US slang for "Lower me to the ground."
Dope:
Not drugs, but rather anything that is good, new, fresh or fabulous.
Downclimb:
To descend a mountain or a rock face without weighting a rope; often accomplished without protection, and hence potentially the most dangerous part of a climb.
Double Fisherman's Knot:
A solid and reliable knot used to tie two ropes or pieces of webbing together.
Double rope :
Same as a half rope. Also the technique using two half ropes.
Dry Tool:
To ascend a section of rock using ice tools, a common technique employed on routes that contain both rock and ice sections.
Dyno:
Short for "dynamic," a gymnastic upward leap for a distant hold.
E
Edging:
A climbing technique in which the thin edges of the climbing shoes are used to stand on small footholds.
Eggbeater:
A pinwheeling fall.
Enchainments:
The act of stringing together two or more hard routes as a single enterprise. Made possible by accelerating the descents in between climbs -- by skiing, for example, or by paragliding to the base.
Epic:
A climbing adventure in which abnormal events occur on such a routine basis that the feats undertaken to survive them come to seem routine as a consequence.
Eriers:
Portable"step ladders" usually made of light alloys or nylon webbing clipped into protection and used to progress upward on steep, featureless rock in aid climbing.
Exposure:
The condition of being on high vertical rock with full consciousness that nothing exists between you and the distant ground but thin air.
F
Face Climbing:
Ascending rock that is predominantly made up of finger pockets and thin ledges.
Fall:
To retreat in dynamic fashion from a climb.
Fall factor :
The length of the fall divided by the amount of rope paid out.
FecoFile:
A section of PVC tube used to store human waste on big wall climbs.
Fifi Hook:
The fifi hook is permanently attached to the climber's harness and serves as an emergency or temporary method of clipping in to a piece of gear.
Figure Eight Knot:
The basic climber's knot. When retraced, it is used to attach a climber's harness to the rope.
Figure Eight:
Also, a forged metal rappelling/belaying device shaped like an "8" also known as a descender.
Fingerlock:
A crack climbing technique wherein the fingers are wedged (often painfully) into a crack for purchase on the rock.
Firn :
Old, well consolidated snow. Often a left-over from the previous season. Closer to ice than snow in density, it may require the use of crampons.
Fisherman's knot :
Simple knot to tie two ropes together. The double fisherman knot, however, is more popular.
Fish Dance:
A vain attempt to regain composure after a fall.
Fist Jam:
Similar to a fingerlock except that the entire fist is wedged into a crack.
Fixed pro:
Gear such as pitons, bolts and slings which is left permanently in the rock. (The general rule of thumb for fixed gear is, if you didn't place it, don't trust it.)
Fixed rope:
A rope anchored to a route by the lead climber and left in place for all who follow. May also be left by an unknown climber for an unknown length of time. Used to ascend and descend the first days' pitches when the climbers want to sleep on the ground or are shuttling gear up a long route.
Flail:
To climb awkwardly; to panic and lose one's composure on the rock.
Flamed:
Finished, cooked, burnt-out, totally exhausted.
Flapper:
A large piece of detached skin, often field-repaired with Super Glue or duct tape.
Flared:
A crack or chimney whose sides are not parallel, but form two converging planes of rock to the back.
Flash:
To successfully lead a climb you've never previously attempted - with no falls or "dogging," (ie. hanging on the rope), but with prior knowledge (beta) of its features or difficulties.
Flute:
A usually insecure fin or flake of rock or ice.
Follow:
To be the second climber up a pitch, belayed by the leader from above.
Free Climb:
To ascend steep rock without recourse to artificial aids, using only the hands and feet to propel oneself upward.v (Although ropes and anchoring devices are employed for protection, they are not used to bear the weight of the climber or for upward progress.)
Free Solo:
To climb with no protective devices whatsoever, relying solely on strength, agility, technique and an irrational ability to ignore the consequences of long falls from high places.
Friend:
Trade name for one of the original spring-loaded camming devices.
Front Point:
A technique for ascending steep or overhanging ice. The two forward points and two vertical points of the crampons are used for purchase simultaneously with the supporting balance of hand-held tools, such as ice axes.
G
Gate :
The part of the karibiner that opens.
Gendarme:
A sharp pinnacle of rock on a ridge.
Gerry Rail:
A hold large enough for the most inexperienced of climbers.
Getting Schooled:
Paying the price of terror and humiliation on a cruelly hard patch of rock.
Glacier :
A slowly moving permanent mass of ice
Glissade:
An exhilarating (or terrifying, depending on the circumstances) slide down snow or ice on one's feet or backside.
Gobies:
Flesh wounds on the hands resulting in ugly scabbing, generally incurred during crack climbing.
Gobsmacked :
(British) To be immensely impressed.
Grade System :
A numerical designation for the over-all difficulty of a trek or climbing route:
Grade I
A moderately strenuous jaunt.
Grade II
A hike the steepness of which sometimes requires the use of hands for balance.
Grade III
An ascending hike requiring hand holds and involving relatively serious exposure, such as steep talus.
Grade IV
A climb over steep rock with smaller holds and greater exposure in which a fall could be fatal. Ropes should be carried and knowledge of knots, belay techniques and rappelling is obligatory.
Grade V
Any climb sufficiently steep to require the mandatory use of ropes and technical gear. Class V climbs are rated from 5.0 to 5.14 in progressive degree of difficulty (5.0 being routinely easy and 5.14 being impossible for all but a very few climbers).
Gravical :
The adrenaline rush brought on by having an unimpeded view of the ground from a high level.
Grease:
To have difficulty grasping a particular hold due to sweat, lactic acid in the muscles, or slickness of the rock.
Grigri:
Trade name for a belaying device with an "automatic" braking system.
Gripped:
Extremely scared.
Grodle:
Awesome; cool.
Grovel:
To be humiliated by a route; to show bad climbing form.
Gumby:
A novice climber
Gumbied:
To be splayed awkwardly on the rock.
H
HACE:
High Altitude Cerebral Edema is the most serious form of altitude sickness, involving swelling of brain tissue. Symptoms include loss of memory and coordination, vision disturbances and hallucinations, paralysis and seizures. Immediate evacuation and treatment is imperative.
Half ropes :
are best for more complex ropework or for when lower impact forces on shared ropes will help to make the most of dubious protection, or where abseiling is necessary....Same that adoublerope
HAPE:
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, is a dangerous form of altitude sickness involving fluid buildup in the lungs. Symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue, pink sputum and increased heart rate. Going to lower altitude is highly recommended.
Hand Traverse:
Climbing laterally on rock where there are no footholds.
Handle :
Big banana-shaped hold often found in indoor gyms. Great for waving hello to admiring bystanders.
Hanging Belay:
A generally uncomfortable belay stance on steep rock where there is no place to stand.
Hang Dogging:
The bad form of allowing one's weight to rest on the rope and protective gear while climbing a sport route. ("Dogging" for short).
Harness:
A strong belt made of nylon webbing with leg and/or chest loops used to secure the climber to the rope and to provide a repository for gear.
Haul Bag:
Large, heavy, unwieldy bag used to carry food, water and gear on big wall climbs. Also know as a "Haul Pig," or just "Pig."
Headwall:
The point where a mountain's face steepens dramatically.
Heinous:
Awful, scary, monstrous; any activity fraught with extreme danger.
Helmet :
Solid plastic device that can sometimes protect the head from falling stones or impact
Herbish:
Mediocre, unimpressive; the diametric opposite of "grodle."
Hexcentric:
A hexagonally shaped nut attached to a flexible looped wire which is inserted into a rock crack as a protective climbing device. ("Hex" for short.)
Honed:
To be fit, buff, in top condition for climbing.
Hooks:
Small metal devices used to grip tiny ledges or small holes. The various types include "bat hooks", " fifi hooks" and "sky hooks"
Hypothermia:
Abnormally low body temperature caused by exposure to cold and wetness, symptoms of which are sluggishness, reduced mental capacity and apathy.
Hypoxia:
A debilitating lack of oxygen.
I
Ibuprofen:
"Climber's M & M's" over-the-counter pain medication found in virtually every climber's kit to relieve the distress of cruelly misused muscles, flayed skin, cramped toes, and various traumas and contusions directly related to the clearly bizarre activity of pulling oneself up vertical rock. Best administered, according to reliable lore, with copious quantities of cold beer.
Ice Axe:
A mountaineering tool of varying lengths, pointed at the base and with a head consisting of a pick and an adze.
Ice Fall:
A feature of a mountain's terrain in which a glacier falls so steeply that it creates a series of crevasses and ice pinnacles. Usually one of the most dangerous features encountered on a mountain climb, and almost inevitably unavoidable as it generally provides access to the upper slopes.
Ice screw:
A threaded piton made of aluminum or some other light metal designed to bore into ice securely enough to act as a protective anchor.
Incut:
A hold or depression indented in the wall of a climbing route.
Iron monger:
A climber with a perverse affinity for pounding pitons into rock.
J
Jamming:
A technique for climbing cracks in which the fingers, hands or feet are masochistically wedged inside a rock crack to gain purchase and facilitate upward progress.
Jam Crack:
A crack which is wide enough to accomodate a hand, fist, arm, foot, or elbow (or combination thereof).
Jingus:
Bad, terrible, scary, heinous. Derivations:"Jingo; Jingorama.
Jug:
To ascend a rope using a mechanical sliding/braking device.
Jug Hold:
A handhold so luxuriantly secure that it can be grasped like a jug handle. Also known as a "Bomber."
Jumar :
Trade name for a mechanical sliding/braking device used to ascend a rope.
K
Killer:
Anything that is exceptionally good.
Knifeblades:
Long thin pitons used to fit into cracks too narrow for even the tiniest of nuts.
L
Layback (Lieback):
A technique wherein a climber's hands are positioned to pull on one side of a crack while the feet push in opposition from the other, facilitating a crablike advance up the rock.
Lead:
To be the first climber up a pitch, placing protection in the rock along the way while being belayed by a partner from below.
Little Rico:
The lower deck of a Portaledge (also known as the "scumpit").
Locking Carabiner:
A carabiner whose gate can be screwed or locked tight for increased security.
Lost Arrows:
Very thin pitons.
Lycra:
Putatively sexy synthetic material from which colorful climbing tights were once made. All the rage for several years, it is now considered hopelessly pass;.
M
Manky:
Bad, heinous, atrocious, dreadful, ghastly. Usually applies to a piece of protection such as a fixed bolt, but can refer to anything that is generally worthless, disgusting and/or offensive.
Mantel:
A technique wherein a climber grasps a hold waist-level and powers the body upward with minimal assistance from the feet. (From "mantelpiece.")
Match:
To grasp a hold with both hands, or to place the feet side by side on the rock.
Mega:
Good, awesome, exciting, breathtaking, stunning, magnificent, very cool.
Mixed Climbing:
Ascending a route by a combination of methods, e.g. mixed free and aid climbing; also, ascending a route wherein both rock and ice, and sometimes snow, are encountered.
Moraine:
An accumulation of stones and various debris pushed into a large pile by a glacier.
Multi Pitch Climb:
A climb that is longer than a single rope length, necessitating the setting of anchors at progressively higher belay stations as the climbers ascend.
Munge:
Dirt and vegetation found in cracks.
Munter Hitch:
A belay knot through which the rope slides when pulled in one direction and brakes when pulled in the other; especially favored by German climbers.
N
Nailing a route:
A descriptive term that refers to aid climbing with pitons, which are hammered into a wall's cracks to provide protection.
Névé:
Permanent granular snow formed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles which is found above the head of a glacier.
Nubbin:
A small rock protrusion, often a crystal, that can be utilized as a hold.
Nut:
A metal wedge with a wire loop that is inserted in cracks for protection.
O
Observation :
the competitors may examine the route from below before the start of each event. Depending on the discipline, this time may be before the athlete competes (Difficulty and Speed) or during the athletes allotted competition time (Bouldering).
"Off Belay!":
Vocal signal from a climber who has reached a safe stance and no longer requires protection from his or her partner.
Off-width:
A crack, dreaded by most rational climbers, that is too wide for a hand or fist jam and too narrow to "chimney;" generally awkward and strenuous to climb, and difficult to protect.
"On Belay?":
Ritual query from a climber to verify that his, or her belayer is ready to secure the climber.
On-sight (or "On-sight Flash"):
Leading a climb with no falls and no "dogging" (hanging on the rope) on the first attempt without any prior knowledge (beta) of its features or difficulties.
Open Book:
A dihedral, or right-angled inside corner.
Outside Corner:
A pillar
Overhand Knot :
A simple but solid knot of doubled looped rope often used to attach a climber to a belay anchor.
Overhang:
Rock or ice that is angled beyond vertical.
P
Party Ledge:
A relatively large and safe ledge that is used for rest and relaxation, and, yes, occasional festive activities, during a particularly long and/or hard climb.
Payment:
To take one's lumps during a hard climb.
Pendulum:
To swing on a rope across a rock face to gain a distant anchor point.
Pinkpoint:
To climb a route where protection has previously been placed from bottom to top without falling or hanging on the rope.
Pitch:
A section of rock between two belay points, no more than the length of one climbing rope (150 ft or 65m).
Piton:
Metal spike or peg of various shapes and configurations that can be hammered into the rock to support a belay. Rarely used in climbing anymore due to damage they cause to the rock.
Pocket:
A hole formed by a depression in the rock. Usually measured by the number of fingers that can be crammed in it.
Portaledge:
A lightweight device consisting of stretched canvas over a metal frame which can be hung from a vertical rock face to provide a place to rest/sleep on big wall climbs.
Protection (or Pro):
Any anchor (such as a nut, chock, camming device, piton or stopper) used during a climb to prevent a fall.
Prusik:
A sliding friction knot used to ascend a rope; to ascend a rope by means of such a knot.
Pumped:
A condition of severely depleted strength caused by overworking the arm muscles while climbing.
Q
QSI: (Quokka Sports Immersion)
A new form of sports entertainment that seeks to remove barriers to the most immersive or intense experiences.
quickdraw :
with slign connected two carabiners
R
Rack:
The accoutrements of protection and safety that a climber carries on a route, attached to harness loops or on a bandolier slung across the shoulders.
Rad:
Extreme, but generally good
Ramp:
An ascending ledge.
Rappel(or "Rap"):
To descend a fixed rope by means of mechanical braking devices.
RDS (Rapid Deceleration Syndrome):
Military term for the sudden malady that occurs at the end of a long fall.
Redpoint:
To lead a route from bottom to top while placing one's own protection, without falling or hanging on the rope.
Rig:
Route
Rime:
A thin crust of icy snow which accumulates on the surface of rocks.
Ripped:
Extreme muscle definition.
Rivet:
A short metal stud which is tapped into a drilled hole and connected to a short sling or hanger. Rivets are used as protection on aid routes and hold the body weight of a climber, even in very shallow holes.
Roof:
An overhanging rock ceiling.
Rotten Rock:
Unreliable rock which has a tendency to break off under a climber's weight.
Route setter:
the route setters establish the route by choosing where to place the foot and handholds and, if necessary, where to clip the rope. The difficulty of the route and its characteristics should be based on the ability of the competitors and the discipline itself. The objective is a progressive selection and a clear distribution of the athletes in the final ranking
RP:
The original brass nut or taper, a small and effective form of protection for clean aid.
Runout:
An uncomfortably long and often dangerous distance, between two points of protection.
S
Saddle:
A high pass between two peaks.
Sandbag:
To soft-pedal the difficulties of a prospective climb in order to induce a dubious partner to undertake the venture.
Schralp:
(Surfer origin) To perform extraordinarily well in difficult circumstances; also, to flay the skin off one's hands while climbing.
Schwag:
Terrible rock conditions.
Scrambling:
Easy, unroped climbing over boulders.
Screamer:
A long fall.
Scree:
Small loose rocks that gather on the slope at the base of a cliff.
Scumming (or Scuzzing):
To gain purchase on the rock by any method, however tenuous or aesthetically displeasing.
Second:
The climber who follows a lead up a pitch, belaying from below while the lead advances then ascending to the end of the pitch by means of jumars or other devices. Usually roles are reversed at the top of a pitch, with the second becoming lead.
Serac:
A pinnacle or tower of ice, usually unsafe and unreliable in nature, and prone to toppling in warm weather. Since seracs are created by the force of gravity working on the glacier or ice fall, they can come down at any moment.
Sewing Machine Legs:
An embarrassing climbing condition caused by panic and/or fatigue which is manifested by an involuntary vibration of the lower appendages. Also known as: " Elvis Presley Syndrome."
Sharp End:
The top, or leader's end, of the rope.
Sherpas:
An ethnic group of Tibetan origin living below Mt. Everest in the Sola Khumbu area. From the Sherpa's effective monopoly as high-altitude porters, the name has come to be applied generically to all who work in that profession.
Short roping:
Technique where both climbers are tied close together into the middle of the rope. The rest of the rope is then carried over the shoulders in a coil. Frequently used for simul-climbing.
Sick :
Good, impressive, awesome.
Side pull:
A hand hold that needs to be held with a horizontal (sideways) pull.
Siege:
To mount an extended assault on a mountain by moving laboriously upward through a series of progressively higher camps. Siege tactics include the use of oxygen, previously cached equipment dumps, and high-altitude porters to do the heavy lifting.
Single ropes :
are best suited for sport climbing and lower grade "traditional" routes (where the route and ropework are not too complicated)...
Sirdar:
The head Sherpa on an expedition.
Sketching:
When a climber's nervous feet are moving so fast on the rock that they seem to be drawing pictures; Derivation: Sketchfest: a hard climb or tense situation.
Sky Hook:
A metal hook used in aid climbing which is placed over an edge or flake. Sometimes also known as a "cliff hanger." or "aidhook"
Slab Climbing:
Climbing a smooth sheet of rock that lacks large handholds by holding the body out from the rock and using friction and balance to move around and up the slab.
SLCDs:
Spring-loaded camming devices, an old style pro device.
Sling:
A length of nylon webbing which is either sewn or tied into a loop and is used in conjunction with the rope and anchors to provide protection. Also called a Runner
.
Smearing:
A technique of applying to a rock slab as much of the sticky sole of the climbing shoe as possible to achieve maximum friction.
Spindrift:
Blowing snow.
Splattage:
The flattening of copperheads into tiny cracks
Sport Climbing:
Ascending routes of extreme gymnastic difficulty.
Spray:
To brag or gloat.
Spro:
Slang for espresso, an essential pre-climb nutrient.
Spur:
A rock or snow rib on the side of a mountain.
Static Rope / Line:
Special climbing rope used ( usually 8 or 9 mm in diameter ) as fixed rope / line for jumaring or abseliing (rapelling) that does not stretch and so does not abrade as easily when running over sharp edges.
Stem:
To bridge the distance between two holds with one's feet; to push against adjacent or opposing walls with the feet.
Stopper:
A squarish metal swage of varying sizes attached to a loop of flexible wire which is fitted into cracks and depressions in the rock to provide protection for an ascending climber.
Summit:
The apex, zenith and climax of a climb, its literal and emotional high point; for most dedicated climbers the raison d'être for existence, for others, a relative afterthought, merely another element in the process of discovery.
T
Talus:
An accumulation of rocks and boulders that have fallen from a crag to form a steeply sloping fan at the base.
Thin:
Sketchy, steep rock with a paucity of holds.
Top :
the finish of the route and maximum number of points(competition)
Top Rope :
A climbing rope that is secured from above.
Topo:
A sketch of a route showing its line, bolt placements, belay stances, crux and rating.
Traverse:
Moving sideways across a section of terrain instead of directly up or down.
Trekking:
Walking long distances in remote terrain, usually from one village or settlement to the next.
Tweak:
To injure; also: to anger or irritate.
Twin ropes :
will be best for mountain routes (they're much lighter than half ropes)......
U
Umbilical cord:
The line running down the wall from a hanging camp or bivy to "the deck" or ground level; used for security, resupply, emergency evacuation.
Undercling:
A usually awkward and tenuous hold that often requires a lieback move.
"Up Rope" :
Command shouted by a climber when he or she desires a tighter, more secure belay. (Often shortened to simply, "Rope!")
V
Verglas:
A thin coating of ice on rock which makes for extremely dicey climbing conditions.
Vitamin A:
Advil, or any ibuprofen product.
W
Webbing:
Nylon tape or tubing used for slings.
Weighting:
To delicately rest one's weight on a piece of protection to test its security.
Windslab:
A type of avalanche which occurs when a snow layer compacted by wind settles insecurely atop old snow; when it detaches it falls in large slabs or blocks of snow.
Wired:
To have a route totally figured out
Woodie:
A homemade climbing wall
X
X Games :
Extrene sports, as in the X Games competitions that include sports climbing among other events.
Y
YDS (Yosemite Decimal System) :
The Yosemite Decimal System is the North American rating system.
Yeti:
The Nepalese name for the "abominable snowman," a mythical ape-like creature said to inhabit the mountain regions of the Himalayas. Known as "barmanu" in the Karakoram.
Z
Zipper Fall:
A fall of such length and velocity that the climber's protective devices are ripped from the rock in rapid succession.
Zone:
To be mentally absent, to not pay attention.
مدیر وبسایت : پرویز ستوده شایق