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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Descending by sliding down a rope. Americans
usually call this rappelling.
The flat cutting end of the ice axe head.
Moving up a rock using fixed or placed
protecting as a means of progression (and not just for protection). Also known
in the US as sixth class climbing.
Webbing ladder used for aid climbing. The word
was probably coined by someone who couldn't spell the french word étrier.
Route that can only be ascended using aid climbing
techniques
A belay ledge that is surrounded by vertical
rock on all sides.
AMS
Acute
mountain sickness. (Ask your medical doctor.)
Anchor
Point
where the rope is fixed to the rock.
Arete
A
narrow (more or less - but often more less than more - horizontal) ridge.
Ascenders
Devices (e.g.
Jumars) to ascend a rope.
ATC
'Air
Traffic Controller', belaying device made by Black Diamond.
Avalanche
Lots of
snow or ice sliding down a mountain.
Bail, to
To give
up on a rock climb or a summit attempt because of bad weather coming in.
Barn door, to
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 and largest fixed camp on a major ascent (or multiple ascents in the
same area).
Beer
Liquid
consumed in large quantities after climbing.
Belay, to
To
secure a climber.
Belay Betty and Belay Bob
The
girl or boyfriend of an addictive rock climber.
Belay station
A safe stance consisting of an anchor, a rope, and a
belayer (aka "the belay")
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").
"Below"
Used in
Britain to warn for impending impact with objects coming from above (e.g.
falling rock). "Rock" in the US.
Bent gate karibiner
Karibiner
with the gate bent to accept the rope more easily. Not uncontroversial.
(d) "Berg Heil !"
A
German greeting at the summit.
Bergschrund
Or just 'schrund'. The top crevasse in a glacier or snowfield that is formed when the
glacier/snowfield tears away from the remaining patch of snow that is stable on
the mountainside.
Beta
Insider
information about a climb. Running or auto beta is someone telling you how to
do the moves as you go.
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
Rock
climb that is so long and sustained that a normal ascent lasts several days.
Biner
Short
for Karabiner
Birdbeak
A tiny
hooked piton manufactured by A5. It is similar to the old Chouinard
"Crack'n up", except that it only has a single side and that it is
intended to be hammered in if necessary.
Bivouac
Or
short, bivi. An uncomfortable sleeping place in the middle of a route.
Black ice
Old ice
that was exposed to extremely cold temperatures, scree, and snowfall. Usually
found deep in shady couloirs, or on steep north faces. Very hard and dense ice
that is difficult to climb.
Blast, to
To
begin a big wall, after the line fixing is done. "We're gonna blast on
Tuesday morning after we get the first three pitches fixed".
(f) Bleausard
Someone
who frequents 'Bleau (the site of some excellent bouldering
near Paris).
Blue ice
Very
dense ice with a watery hue and few air bubbles.
Bomber
Used to
indicate that something is exceptionally solid, e.g. an anchor, a hold. See
also bombproof.
Bombproof
The
illusion that an anchor is infallible
A
(novice) climber with more braves than brains. Knows just enough about climbing
to get himself and others badly hurt.
Bong
An
almost extinct species of extra wide pitons. Now, large chocks are usually used
instead.
(f) "Bonne Grimpe !"
A
greeting to climbers when they start the climb.
Bootie
Gear
(nuts, cams, etc.) that was left behind on a climb by the previous party.
Boulder, to
Climbing
unroped on boulders or at the foot of climbs to a height where it is still safe
to jump off.
Bounce, to
To
crater from an extreme height. Usually lethal.
Bowline
Sailing
knot (not to be used for climbing, unless backed up with a second knot)
Brain bucket
Aka
helmet. That all important hard shelled thing that covers our most
valuable asset(head).
Bucket
A large
hold
Buildering
To
climb buildings
Bust a move, to
To
successfully execute a hard crux move.
Interesting
but rarely used climbing knot. Alpine butterfly
Buttress
The
part of the mountain or rock that stands in front of the main mountainface.
Cam
Generic
reference to the family of spring loaded camming devices (SLCD) such as
friends, camalots, aliens, TCUs, etc. Also referred to as springs
Campus
A dyno executed
using the arms only. Comes from the campus board where the people who do this
move get the muscle to do it.
Campus board
A
wooden training board with finger ledges that is used for training dynos and
finger power.
Carabiner
The
alternative American spelling of the word Karabiner. Also spelled Caribiner.
Chalk
Magic
powder that makes the hands stick to even the smoothest rock.
Chausey
Poor
rock conditions. Also spelled chossy.
Cheese grater, to
To
slide down a slab while scraping the knees, hands, and face.
Chest harness
harness which is used around the chest (to be used with waist harness)
Chickenhead
Sometimes
phallic shaped, protruding lumps that make excellent hand or footholds on
granite, etc.
Chimed
Exhausted.
"This climb has got me chimed."
Chimney
A wide
crack that accommodates (most of) the body of the climber.
Chimney, to
A
climbing technique used to conquer chimneys. Usually requires the use of the
back and feet, arms, head and other body parts.
Chipped hold
A hold
created with a hammer and chisel by a moron incapable of doing the climb as it
is.
Chock
Generic
reference to the family of passive wired protection devices, also called nuts,
stoppers, wires, and rocks.
Chockstone
A stone
wedged between a crack, a chimney, etc.
In
Australia, this means poor rock (you can take all the holds home...). In the
UK, choss is dirt and vegetation found in cracks (or Munge in the US).
Chute
A very
steep gully. The word chute is French for fall and refers to the
rockfall that is very common in a chute.
(pl) Zleb
A deep
and steep-walled basin on a mountain usually forming the blunt end of a valley.
From the French word for circus. Also known as corrie.
A number designating the overall technical level of a route. The first number in the YDS designates the class of the climb.
Clean
Climbing
without falling or dogging.
Clean
Aid
climbing without hammering.
Clean, to
To
remove the pro from a route. Usually done by the follower.
Cliff
A vertical
piece of rock good for climbing (see also Crag).
Cliffhanger
Not
just a silly film with Wolfgang Güllich and Ron Kauk, but also the name for a
small hooking device used to aid climb up small ledges and pockets.
"Climbing"
What
the climber shouts after the belayer screams "Belay on".
The second best thing to real rock (Aka "wall
Climbing shoes
Shoes made
of sticky rubber that would have fit you comfortably when you were ten.
The
British word for a climbing gym.
"Climb when ready"
The
British equivalent of "Belay on".
Clip, to
The
reassuring action of putting the rope through a karabiner (that is attached to
a piece of pro).
Clove hitch
A
useful, easily adjustable climbing knot usually used to tie the rope into a
karibiner.
Col
A
steep, high mountain pass.
Coombe
Welsh
word for corrie or cirque. Also spelled cwm.
Cord
Thin
static rope (5, 5.5 or 6 mm)
Inside
corner (see dihedral) or
outside corner. In the UK, a corner is always an inside one.
Corn snow
Unconsolidated
granular snow that has gone through a short freeze-and-thaw process. This type
of snow is prevalent throughout the High Sierra in April and May.
Other
word for cirque. Spelled coire in Scotland and coombe or
cwm in Wales.
A steep
gully which may have snow or ice.
Short
for Karabiner.
Crack, in rock
A gap
or fissure in the rock varying in width from nail to bodywidth.
Crag
Name
for a (small) climbing area.
Crampons
Very
pointy footware use to walk glaciers or climb ice.
Crank, to
To pull
on a hold as hard as you can, and then some.
Crater, to
To fall
and hit the ground, as in "I almost cratered".
Crest
The
very top of a ridge or arete.
Crevasse
A crack
in the surface of a glacier.
Crimper
A very
small hold that accepts only the finger tips. In the UK, this is just called a
crimp.
Crux
The
hard bit.
Cwm
The
Welsh spelling for coombe or cirque.
Daisy chain
A sling
sewn (or tied) with numerous loops, used as an adjustable sling in aid
climbing.
Deadpoint
A
dynamic move where the next hold is grabbed at the very top of the motion (if
you lunge upwards, that is just before you start falling again). By grabbing a
hold in its 'deadpoint', you place the smallest possible loads on the holds.
The
eerie sensation of jittery legs. Aka to Elvis or the sewing machine.
Deck
The usually
unfriendly surface that welcomes you at the end of a grounder.
Demigod
Highest
form of life in the climbing cosmos. Does not need rock to ascend to great
heights.
Descender
Device
used for rappelling.
The US
term for an inside corner (Aka
"open book").
"Dirt me"
US
slang which means as much as 'Lower me'.
Dog (to dog a move)
Climbing,
lowering, climbing again till a certain move is made (the usual mode of
ascent...).
Double fisherman's knot
Solid knot
used to tie two ropes or pieces of webbing together (Aka grapevine knot).
Double rope
Same as
a half rope. Also the technique using two half ropes.
Downclimbing
Descending
the difficult way.
Dry tool, to
To
ascend a section of rock using ice tools - very common in mixed climbing.
Dude
Generic
name for a climber (in the US).
Dynamic belay
A belay
method in which some rope is allowed to slip during severe falls. A dynamic
belay can severely reduce the impact force from a serious fall, but can also
severely kill you if not done properly.
Dyno
Dynamic
movement towards a distant hold.
EB
A legendary
brand of sport climbing shoes - started the free climbing revolution.
Edge
A sharp
edge on a rock face.
Edging
Foot
technique where one uses the edge of the climbing shoe to stand on small
footholds. The opposite of smearing.
To have
a sewing maching leg. Named after "Elvis, the King", who suffered from this
this problem when singing before a crowd of screaming women.
Epic
The
story of a well planned climb that turned into a grueling adventure that turned
out well in the end. As these stories are told over and over again - and they
always are - the details get stretched to supernatural proportions for dramatic
effect.
Etrier
(Pronounce
with a french accent). Webbing ladder used for aid climbing. Also known as
'aider'.
Face climbing
Not
crack climbing.
Fall, to
A
dynamic retreat from a climb (free-solo rappel). Note that it is never the fall
that kills, it's the landing.
"Falling"
Yelled
when a climber is (about to) fall.
tension
Fall factor
The
length of the fall divided by the amount of rope paid out.
FecoFile
A PVC tube used to store solid human waste on big walls.
Feet
Footholds.
Fifi hook
An open
hook used to allow easy clipping during aid climbing. Usually found on aiders,
daisy chains, etc.
Figure 8
Metal
rappelling/belaying device shaped like an 8.
Figure of eight
Very
popular and solid tie-in knot.
Fingerlock
Masochistic
technique to twist and wedge the fingers into a crack.
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.
Simple
knot to tie two ropes together. The double fisherman knot, however, is more
popular.
Bolts,
rings, pitons, stuck nuts and cams and other piece of unremovable pro that may
be found on a climb. Use at your own risk.
To become very unsure and sketchy. When the flailing goes into frantic grabbing for holds, a fall is not far away.
A thin bit of rock that is detached from the
main face.
A piece of skin torn off your hand that creates
a bloody wound. Usually happend when holding on too hard when gravity is
winning.
Flared
A crack
or chimney with sides that are not parallel, but instead form two converging
planes of rock.
Flash, to
To lead
a climb with no falls or dogging and with no previous attempts on the climb.
Two variations exist: the onsight flash (where the climber has never seen the
climb before) and the beta flash (where the climber has studied the climb
before or has seen someone do the climb). See there.
Following
Not leading
a climb.
Free climbing
Moving up
a rock using only hands, feet, and natural holds. Ropes and pro are only used
for protection of the climber and not for progression.
Free
climbing while using no ropes for protection. You fall - you die.
Friend
Trade
name for the original camming devices, now also available as Camalots, TCU's,
Quads, Aliens, Big Dudes, etc.
Gas
The
stuff your car and muscles run on. If you run out of gas....
Gate
The
part of the karabiner that opens.
Gerry rail
A hold
large enough for the most senior climbers.
Glacier
A
slowly moving permanent mass of ice.
Gnarly
Difficult,
sharp, hard. Usually in reference to a hold or move.
God-save-me
The
type of hold one lunges for hoping it will be the perfect bucket.
Goomba
Novice
climber who thinks he knows it all. Unlike boneheads,
goombas don’t know enough to get hurt.
"Got me?"
A wake
up call for the belayer, used to warn her that you are about to put some weight
on the rope.
Grade
A
number denoting the seriousness of a route (not to be confused with the rating
of climb, which describes the technical difficulty). In Britain, however, the
word grade means both grade and rating.
Grapevine knot
Gravical
The
adrenaline high felt with a lot of air between you and ground level. 'This is
gravical, dude'.
Grease, to
Not being
able to hold on to a particularly slick hold, due to the presence of sweat,
lactic acid or sand. Not uncommon in overused crags
Climbing
English for awesome or cool.
Grounder
A fall
where the kinetic energy is not absorbed by the rope and pro, but rather by
mother earth itself. Can hurt badly.
(d) Bodensturz, (f) chute au sol
Grigri
Nifty
but somewhat controversial belaying device made by Petzl.
Gripped
Paralyzed
with fear and utterly confused.
Gully
A wide,
shallow ravine on a mountainside.
Gumbie
Also
spelled Gumby. An inexperienced or new rock climber.
HACE
High
Altitude Cerebral Edema. Liquid in the brain as a result of high altitude
exposure. Few people live to tell what it is like.
Half rope
A rope of
9 or 8.5 mm that has to be used together with a second rope when leading a
climb.
Handjam
Slightly
masochistic technique where the hand is wedged into a crack.
Handle
Big
banana-shaped hold often found in indoor gyms. Great for waving hello to admiring
bystanders. It may sound bizarre, but I've never seen one of those outdoors...
Hangdog, to
See
Dog.
HAPE
High Altitude
Pulmonary Edema. Liquid in the lungs as a result of high altitude exposure.
Pretty serious condition that can quickly lead to HACE if a descent to lower
altitudes is not made immediately. See also HACE.
A climber
with seemingly superhero strength who has survived epics of grandiose
proportions.
Harness
Piece
of clothing that identifies you as a climber. The coolness factor can be
significantly enhanced by hanging things from the harness that go cling.
Haul bag
Large
and robust bag used to haul food, water, climbing gear, sleeping bag,
television, satelite dish, and other essential equipment that is required, up a
big wall. Also know as "the pig".
Headwall
Where
the face of a mountain steepens dramatically.
"Help"
The
vocal alternative to 6 signals a minute. In far away countries, try S.O.S. -- it doesn't mean
anything but is
understood by most.
Helmet
Solid
plastic device that can sometimes protect the head from falling stones or
impact (Aka a brainbucket).
Herbish
The
opposite of grodle. Not
all that awesome.
Hex
Short
for Hexentrix. A type of nut with an excentric hexadiagonal shape. Works for
wedging (as a nut) but also for camming.
Hueco
A
beautifully shaped pocket with a positive lip named after these incredible
features found at the Hueco Tanks bouldering area in Texas.
HMS
Karibiner
with one wide side used for belaying with a munter hitch (aka pearabiner). From
the German term for munter hitch belay: 'Halbmastwurfsicherung'.
Hold
Anything
that can be held on to.
Horn
Spike of
rock that can be for a great hold or not so great protection. The same as a
chickenhead.
Hurtin unit
That
member of the climbing team that is suffering from severe exposure to alcoholic
beverages the night before.
Ice axe
Device
used for ice climbing, glacier crossing, or scaring away burglars.
A
protection device for ice climbing. Looks like a large bolt that can be screwed
in hard ice.
Italian hitch
Munter
hitch knot or HMS knot
(pl) Polwyblinka
J
Jam, to
Wedging
body parts in a crack.
Jingus
Gnarly,
sharp, hard, or radical. Often used as an expletive.
Jug
Very
large hold (short for jug handle) (Aka "bucket" in the US).
Jugs
Big
wall lingo for Jumars or any other type of ascenders.
Jug, to
To
jumar up a line (big wall lingo).
Jumar
A type of
rope ascending device.
Jumar, to
To
ascend a rope using ascenders.
Metal
connecting device, sometimes spelled with a 'c' in the US. This most essential climbing
device is also known as a "biner" in the US and as "crab"
or "krab" (mostly) in the UK.
Kernmantle rope
Modern
climbing rope consisting of bundles of continuous nylon filaments (Kern)
surrounded by a braided protective sheath (Mantle).
kN
Kilonewton. An abbreviation usually found on karabiners and other climbing gear. For
those of you who are not engineers, one kilonewton is about 100 kg or about 220
lbs.
Knotted cord
Piece
of cord with a knot tied into the end that is used for protection (pretty much
like a nut). The traditional method of protecting climbs, and still used in the
Elbsandsteingebirge in Eastern Germany.
Krab
Short
for Karabiner.
L
Largo start
A climb
or bouldering problem where the first move starts with a jump for high holds.
Named after John Long (or 'Largo').
Layback/Lieback
Somewhat
clumsy looking climbing technique where hands and feet work in opposition.
Leader
Person
who leads a climb.
Lead, to
To
ascend a climb from the bottom up, placing protection (or clipping protection)
as you go.
Ledge
Flat
bit on a rock (can be miniature or gigantic).
Limestone
Type of
rock found in abundance in southern France (usually white and full of pockets
and holds).
Karabiner
that can be locked (in the UK, a screwgate or twistlock).
Lock-off
To hold
on to the rock with one bent arm while using the other arm to reach up for the
next hold or to place or clip protection. Lockoffs on small holds will get you
pumped in a hurry.
Lowering
To
descend something or somebody.
M
Manky
Term
used to describe a fixed bolt that looks like it was placed before the last ice
age. Use these bolts at your own discretion
Mantle
Difficult
balancing move useful to get up on ledges.
Climbing
with a combination of different methods of ascent. e.g mixed free and aid
climbing, mixed rock and ice climbing, etc.
Moat
The gap
between snow and ice on a rock wall. Has posed problems ever since the middle
ages.
Mountain rescue
The
people who put their life on the line when you screw up badly.
The
dirt and vegetation that can sometimes be found in cracks. In the UK: Choss.
Multi pitch climb
Climb
that consists of more than a single pitch.
Munter hitch
Knot
used for belaying ( italian hitch or friction hitch). The Germans love this knot
(see HMS).
N
Nailing
An
ancient term used to describe direct-aid climbing with pitons.
Needle
Rock
with a characteristic pointed shape. Also known as pinnacle, aiguille,
gendarme, etc.
Névé
Consolidated
granular snow formed by repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles. Also used to indicate
permanent snowfields.
Notch
A small
col.
Nut
Metal
wedge used for protection in cracks.
The
piece of metal that Americans call a nut tool.
Piece
of metal that can be used to remove stuck nuts or cams. In the UK: nut key.
O
"Off Belay"
Yelled
when the climber no longer requires a belay (e.g. because she/he has reached a
stance). Once the belayer hears "off belay", he/she removes the rope
from the belay device and yells "belay off". In UK, Australia and New
Zealand: "Safe".
Off width
A climb
too wide to jam, too small to chimney. And then I've heard of people who
actually like this kind of climbing.
"On Belay ???"
Query
to verify if the belayer is ready to secure the climber (US only).
On-sight flash
Leading
a climb with no falls and no dogging and without any prior attempts, watching
someone do it or beta on how to do the moves.
Open book
Same as
a dihedral or inside corner. Two panes of rock join in an acute or obtuse
corner that faces left or right.
Outside corner
Also
known as pillar or arete.
Over-cam, to
Compressing
a cam to its absolute minimum size during placement, effectively eliminating
the possibility of extraction.
Overhand knot
A
simple (but solid) knot in a double rope.
Overhand loop
The
simplest type of knot possible.
Overhang
Rock
(or ice) that is "more than vertical".
Over-kilned
A
boiler plate or flaky rock
P
Pass
The
lowest passage between two mountains. The french - but not just the french -
know this as a col. The mathematicians would call this the saddle point.
Party ledge
A
somewhat larger ledge used to rest (and party !) during a particularly hard or
long climb. Sometimes used to refer to the belay station on a multipitch climb.
pendulum
A swing
on the rope, either intentional to gain a distant anchor on big wall climbs or
unintentional when falling during a traverse with not enough pro in place.
Pig
The
haul bag using for big wall climbing.
Pillar
Outside
corner
Pimp, to
To do a
short semi-dynamic stab. It's not quite a dynamic move, but it's also not quite
static. It's the happy median.
Pink point
To
red-point a climb where the pro and runners have been pre-placed.
Pitch
A
section of climb between two belays and no longer than the length of one rope
(this used to mean 45m, nowadays pitches can also be 50 or even 60m long --
check your topo).
Piton
Metal
spike hammered into a crack (has come in disuse for all but some special
applications) (Aka "peg" in the UK).
Pocket
A hold
formed by a (small) depression in the rock.
Portaledge
A
hanging tent with built in bed used on big walls (and big trees).
Pro, Protection
Anchors
placed during the climb to protect the leader.
Prusik
The
sliding knot or the method to ascend a rope (named after its inventer Dr. Karl
Prusik).
Pumped
The
feeling of overworked muscles. Most climbers are familiar with the forearm
pump: too much finger work causes the forearms to swell and the strength to
disappear. With a serious forearm pump, even holding a glass of beer can become
a serious challenge.
Pumpy
Describes
a climb that will leave you pumped.
Q
Quickdraw, quick
Short
sling with karabiners on either side.
R
Rack
The
climbing gear carried during an ascent.
Rack, to
To sort
the rack before engaging on the next climb or pitch.
Rad
Not
trad. Slang for sport climbing.
Rally, to
To
climb exceptionally well, especially on normally difficult climbs.
Ramp
An
ascending ledge
(d) Rampe
Rappel, to
Also:
to rap. Descending by sliding down a rope. Known in Britain (and Germany) as
abseiling.
Individual
who enjoys sliding down ropes instead of climbing up rocks. The second-lowest
form of life on earth (second only to the
touron)
Rating
A number denoting the technical difficulty of the climb.
R.D.S.
Rapid
Deceleration Syndrome. Military
term for the very sudden illness that happens at the end of a long fall.
Redpoint
To lead
a climb without falling or dogging after a number of attempts. This is
different from onsight, where the climb is lead without falling or dogging on
its first attempt.
Resin
An
alternative to chalk. Resin (or "pine tree resin" to use its full
name) is made from the yucky stuff that sticks to your hands when you touch a
pine tree. Because resin is mostly colorless, it is preferred to chalk in some
areas. But caution: Don't let the color fool you. Resin can do permanent damage
to the rock and in fact is not allowed anywhere in the US for that reason.
Resident protection
Rib
A slender
buttress. Something between a buttress and an outside corner.
Ridge
The
high divide extending out from a peak.
Ring
A large
(2 inch diameter) ring that is cemented in the rock as a bolt. Rings are very
common in Germany and France and are excellent for rappelling and hanging
belays.
"Rock"
Scream
let out to warn people down below that a piece of rock has been overcome by
gravity. The loudness, number of repetitions, and/or panic in voice with which
this word is uttered is often an indication of the seriousness of the rock. In
the UK, you're more likely to hear "Below", beware!
Roof
Seriously
overhanging part in a climb (more or less horizontal).
Rope
Long
and round nylon fabrication. Climbing ropes are generally between 10 and 11 mm
in diameter (with the exception of "half ropes" which are between 8.5
and 9mm in diameter).
"Rope"
Should
be yelled when a rope is about to be thrown to the base of the crag (though
most of the time it seems like "rope" is shouted about 1-2 seconds after
the rope is thrown). In the UK, shout "Rope below".
Route
A
certain path up a rock or mountain.
A loop
of tape or webbing either sewn or tied (Aka sling, especially in the UK). In
the UK, a 'runner' is a running belay.
Runner
A
runner threaded or looped around chockstones, flakes, horns or chickenheads for
protection.
(d) Zackenschlinge
Runout
Distance
between two elements of pro. A route is "runout" when the distance
between those two elements of pro becomes uncomfortably long.
Saddle
A high
pass that looks somewhat like the horsewear. Not quite as steep as a col.
"Safe"
The
British equivalent of "Off Belay".
Schwag
Terrible rock
conditions.
Scrambling
Easy
climbing, usually unroped.
Screamer
A very,
very long fall.
Screamer
Special
piece of equipment meant to reduce the impact of a screamer (the fall) on the
belay system.
Scree
Loose
rocks and stones that cover the slope below a cliff. With every step, scree
slides under your feet.
The
type of karabiner that can be locked with a screw. See also twistlock. In the
US this is usually called a 'locking biner'.
Scrube
A
hammer-in, screw-out type of ice screw.
Second
The
climber who follows the leader. See also following.
Send, to
To
climb a route with ease. "I'm gonna send this route, dude!"
Serac
A block
or tower of ice on a steep glacier or in an ice fall. Since seracs are created
by the force of gravity working on the glacier or ice fall, they can come down
at any moment.
(pl)
serak
A leg
(or arm) under tension that suddenly starts jerking up and down like a sewing
machine. Stretch the muscle, take a deep breath, and don't think of falling...
(see also: to Elvis or the
death
wobbles).
Sewn-up
When so
much gear is on a trad route that it looks like it has been sewn shut.
Sharp end
The end
of the rope to which the leader is attached.
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. The term (and technique?) is used frequently in the
Canadian Rockies.
Short roping
Belaying
technique where the belayer keeps the leader under tension in an attempt reduce
the length of a fall.
Side pull
A hand
hold that needs to be held with a horizontal (sideways) pull.
To
start a bouldering problem from a sitting position. See also 'Yabo Start'.
Sierra wave
A
lenticular cloud found mostly in the Sierras, but known to be forebode of bad
weather in the Mont Blanc area.
(
Sketch pad
A
cushion used for bouldering.
Skyhook
A
particular type of hook used for aid climbing
Slab
Flat
and seemingly featureless, not quite vertical piece of rock.
"Slack"
Yelled
when the climber needs more rope (e.g. to clip into protection).
Sling
What
the Americans call a runner.
Slingshot
A
toprope setup where the belayer belays on the ground (where the climber starts
climbing) and the rope is pre-clipped through the anchor at the top of the
climb. In the UK, top-roping or bottom-roping (depends where the belayer
stands).
Sloper
Pathetic
downward slanting hold. (Usually look like buckets from below.)
Smearing
Foot
technique where a big part of the climbing shoe is used to generate as much
friction as possible. The opposite of edging.
Snaplink
A truly
British word for a karabiner.
A
former hardman/woman who can accomplish climbs of epic
proportion in comfortable style. Always has the warmest jacket, the biggest
sleeping pad, the best food, and the finest of consumables. A title to aspire
for.
Soloing
Climbing
alone, though not necessarily without the protection of a rope (unless you're
in the UK, where a solo is always a free solo).
Sport climbing
Climbing
routes of (extreme ?) gymnastic difficulty while protection oneself by clipping
copiously numbered and generously spaced preplaced free protection.
Spray, to
To brag
or gloat.
Stem, to
Bridging
with the feet between two holds (US only).
"Stick it"
American
slang meaning "hold on" or "go for it".
Sticht plate
A belay
device consisting of a plate with two slots in it. An original creation by
Franz Sticht.
Stoked
Fired
up, ready to play, very excited, really wanting to finish a particular climb.
Stylin’
Looking
good, climbing well, having the most colorful clothing.
Stylin’
Living
like a softman or softwoman.
Summit
The top
of a mountain or rock.
Summit, to
To
reach the summit.
T
"Take"
American
monosyllable for "Up Rope". Also used by top-ropers and
sports-climbers to indicate that they have reached the top and want to be
lowered.
"Take in"
The
British equivalent of "Up Rope".
"Taking in"
Heard
often in British crags, meaning the climber is "off belay" and about
to pull up the slack between him and the belayer.
Talus
Large blocks
of rock. A coarse variation of scree.
Tape knot
Or threaded
overhand knot in
the US.
Tarn
A small
lake.
10essentials
That
part of your climbing gear you don't want to leave at home.
Yelled
out to the belayer to make sure he really takes in the slack. Usually
"tension" is used by a climber that is ready to pop off. The
progression of severity usually goes "up rope", "tight rope",
"tension!".
"That's me"
Part of
the climbing dialogue. Courtesy call to the belayer to indicate that the slack
in the rope is all taken up and that further pulling is pointless.
Third classing
Climbing
without a rope on easy ground (see also class)
Solid
but not failproof knot also known as water knot or tape knot (UK), or ring bend
when used on webbing.
Thrutchy
Requiring
a whole lot of strength (and enthusiasm in a way). Used in Australia - where
all the climbing is upside down.
Tick marks
Little
smears of chalk used to locate holds when bouldering.
"Tight rope"
Or just
"Tight". Urgent request to the belayer to take the slack out of the
system. Somewhat stronger than "up rope".
Toe
The
bottom of a buttress.
Topo
A short
drawing of the route. Good topos will allow you to spot the line right away, show
the placement of bolts and belay stances, indicate where the crux is and what
rating it has.
Top-rope
Free
climbing a route that has the safety rope attached to the top of the climb
(usually one walks to the top to set up the top-rope belay).
A cross
between a tourist and a moron. Typically asks stupid questions like “How did
you get the rope up there?” Definitely the lowest form of life on earth.
Trad
Traditional
climbing, characterized by the placing of protection (cams, nuts, etc.) in
cracks and pockets. Trad also includes multi-pitch routes often with long
runouts.
Trad fall
A fall
during a trad climb, sometimes accompanied by the popping sound of protection
succumbing to the temptations of gravity. See also 'crater' and 'screamer'.
Traverse
Horizontal
climb.
Trucker
Synomym
for 'Bomber'. A trustworthy piece of pro.
Tunnel
A
tunnel through or hourglass shape in the rock that allows a runner or cord to
be fed through for protection.
A
locking karabiner where the gate is locked with a spring-loaded clip.
U
Undercling
A hold
that would be a perfect bucket if gravity were upside down. As it is,
underclings are usually awkward holds that require lieback type moves.
Yelled
by the leader or the follower when she/he wants a tighter belay. (In UK:
"Take in" or "Tight" or even "Watch me").
V
Verglas
Thin
water ice on rock.
Vôgen
Great,
super. "Everything's vôgen."
W
Warthog
A
roughened spike hammered into certain kinds of ice or frozen turf for
protection. Very popular on mixed climbs in the UK
"Watch me"
Call to
indicate the climber is about to do something stupid -- like fall.
Water ice
Ice
formed directly from frozen water. Water ice is clear and brittle and contains
few air bubbles. Sometimes water is even flowing around the ice. Can be found
in the couloirs of the High Sierra in autumn (and in many other places).
Water knot
See
tape knot.
Way
Extremely.
“I was way scared on that run-out”.
Webbing (tubular)
Flat
and strong strip of nylon, that is hollow in the inside.
Webbing (loop of)
A
runner made of webbing.
Weighting
The
delicate test of placing weight on a piece of pro after placing it. Usually
with aid climbing.
Whipper
A very
long fall.
White ice
Ice
with lots of air bubbles that forms from melted-and-frozen snow. Good climbing
stuff.
Wombing
Doing a
no-hands-rest.
Woodie
A
homemade climbing wall.
(f) Pan
X
Y
As in
'yabo start'. A 'sit start'.
Named after John Yablonski a stud southern California climber, who was nicknamed
Yabo.
Yard, to
To pull
on a piece of protection. Strictly speaking aid climbing.
YDS
Yosemite
Decimal System. The North-American rating system.
Z
Zawn
A deep
and narrow fold or inlet in a sea cliff. British.
Zipper
A fall
where the protection pulls out one after the other as the leader succumbs to
gravity. Often ends with a grounder (or a cardiac arrest).
Z-Pulley System
Complicated
rope setup that allows you to hoist heavy weights with relatively little force.
Excellent for rescuing or hauling bags.