Rock Climbing Glossary Flashcards
Abseil
(Pronounced AB-sail) To make a controlled descent on a fixed rope. The term is typically used in Europe and Australia. see Rappel.
Accessory cord
Nylon, Keclar or Spectra cord sold in a range of diameters, typically smaller than those of climbing ropes. Used for a variety of things including slings, anchors, prusiks, and emergency tie-offs. Accessory cord is static, or very low stretch.
ACD
(Active Camming Device) Protection device that secures in rock cracks or pockets by means of spring-loaded cams. See SLCD.
Active protection
Any piece of climbing protection that has moving parts, typically with springs. Examples include spring-loaded camming devices, sliding wedges and tube chocks.
Aid climbing
A type of climbing that makes use of rope, fixed bolts, pitons or foot slings, rather than features on the rock itself, to ascend the face. Opposite of free climbing.
Anchor
A point of attachment for a climbing rope, usually made with slings, runners or the rope itself. May be top-rope anchors, belay anchors or a protection piece mid-climb.
ANSI
(American National Standards Institute)—Establishes and enforces industrial standards in the United States. See CEN.
Approach
The route or walk in to the base of a climb.
Ascender
Any mechanical device that slides upward when put on a fixed rope but catches when weight is put on it, allowing a climber to use the rope to move upward or to haul gear. Used in aid climbing, mountaineering rescue and caving.
ASTM
(American Standards for Testing and Materials)—Establishes materials specifications and testing standards in the United States.
Auto-lock
Spring-loaded, twisting mechanism on a carabiner gate that locks by itself when the gate is closed.
Backup
Any additional protection that is added to provide redundancy to an anchor.
Barn door
To swing sideways out from the rock due to being off balance. Often occurs with a lie-back maneuver.
Bashies
Malleable anchors that are literally bashed into small cracks for use in aid climbing. Tough to remove.
Belay
To keep a climber from falling too far by using friction on the rope. The system that stops a climber’s fall. It includes the rope, anchors, belay device and the belayer.
Belayer
The person who manages the rope so as to catch the climber on the other end in case of a fall or a slip.
Bent-gate carabiner
Sport-climbing carabiner used on the rope-clipping end of a quickdraw. The bent gate provides a larger opening than straight-gate carabiners provide for clipping in the rope.
Beta
Information about a climb. “Running beta” is information given while the climb is being executed.
Bight
A bend in a rope or a folded section of rope.
Big wall
Extended, multi-pitch rock climb that often takes several days to complete.
Biner
Short for “carabiner”.
Bivouac
A usually temporary encampment under little or no shelter. In terms of climbing, an overnight stay on a wall during a multi-day climb, or sleeping without a tent in a bivy sack during a climb.
Bivy
Short for bivouac.
Board-lasted
Shoe construction in which the upper is attached to a stiff insole (also called the board). In board lasting the insole is fixed to the last/form, then the upper of the shoe is wrapped around this assembly. In the final step the midsole, rands and finally the outsole are attached to the shoe.
Body belay
Belay technique using friction of the rope passing around the belayer’s body to slow and hold a fall. It is often painful for the belayer and not effective in every situation, but can be used in emergency situations if no belay device is available.
Bolted route
A route protected with pre-placed bolt anchors rather than removable protection pieces. A sport route.
Bolts
Metal expansion bolts drilled into the rock for use as protection on sport or aid climbs. Hangers are attached to the bolts for clipping in your rope.
Bombproof
A hold or anchor that is thought to offer the utmost security; for example, a top-rope anchor around a large, stable tree trunk or immovable boulder.
Bottleneck
A crack with converging sides. Good for placing tapers or other passive protection.
Bowline
(pronounced BO-lin) A knot frequently used for tying the middle climber onto a glacier rope team, among other uses.
Camming
The act of rotating into place until wedged or tight.
CEN
(European Committee for Standardization)—Establishes the minimum safety requirements for climbing gear. The organization’s stamp (“CE”) must appear on all climbing gear sold in Europe. See ANSI.
Chalk
Carbonate of magnesium, or gymnasts’ chalk, used to keep a climber’s hands dry for better grip.
Chest harness
A harness used in conjunction with a seat harness to keep the body upright in case of a free fall (into a crevasse, for instance). Also supports the body when rappelling with a heavy pack.
Chimney
Wide, vertical crack large enough for a climber to fit inside and climb. A move done inside the chimney by using opposing force with the feet and the body.
Chock pick
See nut tool.
Chockstone
Rock or stone tightly wedged in a crack. Originally used for climbing protection by girth-hitching a runner around it and clipping the rope in. Precursors to metal chocks.
Clean
A route that is free of vegetation and loose rock. Also, to remove protection as you second, or follow, a lead climber.
Climbing
Movement upward on rock, snow, ice, or a mixture thereof.
Core
The center fibers of a climbing rope. See sheath
Crab
Slang for a carabiner.
Crack
A fissure in a rock wall, typically used for hand- and footholds while climbing. Can be paper-thin to larger than body size.
Crag
A small cliff, or the term for a climbing area.
Crux
The toughest move or sequence of moves on a climb.
Daisy chain
Runner with multiple loops for use as an adjustable anchor. Often used by aid climbers.
Dynamic
Climbing rope that elongates or stretches to absorb the impact of a fall. Opposite of static. Also, a climbing move in which the climber lunges or leaps to the next hold. Also called a “dyno move”.
Fisherman’s knot
Knot used for attaching 2 ends of accessory cord or rope together. Can be double or triple (have 2 or 3 wraps), depending on the type of material used.
Flared
Describes a crack with nonparallel sides that diverge upward or inward.
Flash
A red point ascent (first try on lead) utilizing prior inspection, information or beta from others.
Free solo
Climbing without a belay, which is usually very high risk. Unlike bouldering, free soloing goes far above the ground on full-length routes.
Friction
A style of climbing that involves few positive holds and relies on balance, footwork and weight over the feet for grip on the rock face. Friction of climbing shoes is also used.
Friend
The first successful spring-loaded camming device, made by Wild Country. Also the generic term used for spring-loaded camming devices. See SLCD.
Gripped
To be paralyzed by fear or confusion.
Jug
Large, easily gripped hold. Also, to climb up a fixed rope using an ascender.
Nut
Passive protection piece consisting of a wedge-shaped piece of metal affixed to a wire. Originally modeled after railway nuts. See chock.
On-sight difficulty
The test, in a competition, of how far a climber can progress on a wall with no prior knowledge of the climb.
Passive protection
Any piece of climbing protection that does not have moving parts. Examples include chocks, stoppers, nuts or any other wedge-shaped pieces that fit into cracks, as well as hexentrics and tricams that are rotated to fit tightly into cracks and holes.
Quickdraw set
A quickdraw sold with carabiners attached.
Route
The path or moves up a specific climb.
SLCD
(Spring-loaded camming device)—A piece of active climbing protection composed of a number of cams on a stem with a trigger bar. When the bar is pulled back, the cams compress to a size small enough to fit inside a crack or pocket. When the bar is released, the cams flare outward and rotate/wedge into place, providing protection. The rope is then clipped with a runner to this piece of protection. See Friend, Camalot, TCU.
