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Glossary of climbing terms relates to rock climbing (including aid climbing, lead climbing, bouldering, and competition climbing), mountaineering, and to ice climbing. [1] [2] [3]
The terms used can vary between different English-speaking countries; many of the phrases described here are particular to the United States and the United Kingdom.
The technical difficulty grading system for aid climbing (both for "original" and an adapted version for "new wave"), which goes: A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and up to A6 (for "new wave"). See C-grade . [4]
A type of anchor used in abseiling especially in winter and in ice climbing.
A term used to describe a progress capture device or a self-locking device such as a Petzl GriGri that immediately locks if the rope travels through it quickly in a specific direction. See auto belay .
A technique by which a climber descends via a fixed rope that is firmly attached to a fixed anchor point, which is also known as an "abseil station". See tat and cord .
Type of protection that dynamically changes to absorb the shape and strength of a fall; active protection is the opposite of passive protection. See cams and friends.
Part of the alpine climbing system for grading the technical difficulty of alpine climbing routes, which goes: F ("facile/easy"), PD ("peu difficile/little difficult"), AD ("assez difficile/fairly hard"), D ("difficile/difficult"), TD ("très difficile/very hard"), and ED ("extrêmement difficile/extremely difficult"); ED then goes ED1, ED2, ED3, .. etc. [4] [6]
A type of abseiling technique performed face first; used for military purposes. [9]
A hollow telescopic tubular device manufactured by Trango for use as protection in off-width crack climbing. [18]
A crude overnight camp or shelter on a climbing route; on a sheer vertical wall, a portaledge can be used.
Where the belayer uses their body, and not a mechanical belay device, to increase braking force when belaying; usually involves wrapping the rope around their waist or hip. [19]
A piece of metal that is pre-attached to a bolt (i.e. before the bolt is screwed in) into which quickdraws can be clipped.
A highly secure anchor, or a particularly solid handhold or foothold. [1] [2] [21]
The technical difficulty grading system for aid climbing that is "clean" (i.e. no hammered pitons or bolts), which goes: C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5; also has an A-grade equivalent of the "original" aid grades for "new wave". [4]
An aluminum loop with a spring-loaded gate used to attach various load-bearing climbing devices together. [1]
An Australian term for a metal hex-headed machine bolt that functions like a bolt but with no fixed bolt hanger; climbers attach to the carrot bolt by using a version of a rivet hanger or by attaching a removable bolt hanger plate. [25]
A stone wedged in a crack that can be threaded to create a point of protection in traditional climbing. [1] [2] [28]
A device for removing jammed protection equipment, especially nuts, from a route.
General term for the wide range of specialized ropes that are used in all forms of climbing. [30]
The process of attaching the rope to protection (usually via a carabiner), to belay devices, or to other anchors. See tie in.
A small nut on a loop of wire with a head made of metal (often copper), soft enough to deform during placement, which is often with a hammer; commonly used in aid climbing as a point of placement, remaining fixed in-situ after placement.
A short piece of thin climbing rope used for various purposes in climbing, including for creating abseil stations. See tat . [30]
A hold which is only just big enough to be grasped with the tips of the fingers. [1] [2] [12]
Where mixed climbing routes are completed in fully dry conditions (i.e. no ice or snow), the "M" suffix of the M-grade is swapped for a "D".
An object which lies horizontally, buried in the snow, serving as an anchor for an attached fixed rope. [34]
A mechanical device that enables a controlled descent on a fixed rope; belay devices can be descenders. [2]
A drug to treat high-altitude cerebral edema (HACE) and high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). [36]
Friction from the rope running over the rock and through the lower protection. See slack and double ropes . [39] [40] [41]
A type of anchor used in soft rock instead of bolts that uses a "baby angle" (piton) hammered into a drilled hole, which some think is better in soft rock than bolts that can crack the rock. [42] [43]
An advanced rock-climbing technique where the knee is dropped downwards to twist the hips—and the centre of gravity—closer to the rock face, thus increasing the amount of upward reach and torque available to the climber; the unique stresses on the knee can lead to serious injuries. [1] [11]
Type of dry-tooling with additional restrictions and particularly a prohibition on yaniro moves.
A piece of protection equipment used in via ferrata climbing to absorb the energy of the arrest of any fall. See lanyard .
A peak that appears to be the pinnacle of the mountain but upon reaching, it turns out the summit is higher (and further ahead).
An advanced climbing technique in which the climber hooks a leg over the opposite arm (which needs to be in a good handhold), and then pushes down with this leg to achieve a greater vertical reach; more common in mixed climbing. [2]
A variation of the figure-four move where the "same-side" leg is used instead of the "opposite" leg. [2]
A knot commonly used to tie in a climber's harness to the climbing rope.
A type of jam using the fingers in a crack. [1]
The first successful ascent of a new route by any means, including aid climbing (i.e. not via free climbing).
The first ascent of a new route without aid, following the free climbing criteria of a redpoint.
The first female to complete a free ascent of a route that has already had an FFA.
The French grade system for bouldering, which goes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A, 7B, 7C, .... , to 9A; with the American V-grade system, is the most common worldwide boulder-grading system. Font grades are often confused with French grades. [6]
A technique of jamming the foot into a large crack by twisting so that the heel and toes touch the sides.
The French grade system for sport climbing, which goes: 5a, 5b, 5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 7a, 7b, 7c, .... , to 9c; with the American YDS system, is the most common sport climbing grading system. French grades are often confused with font grades. [6]
Ascending a sport climbing route but only using traditional climbing protection (e.g. Principle Hope ). See redpoint . [49]
Where a lead climber falls and hits the ground, either because their protection failed (e.g. zipper fall), the runout was too great, or the belayer failed to arrest or hold the rope. [2]
A training device to increase the climber's arm and finger strength. See campus board . [50]
To hang on the rope, or a piece of protection, after falling, and then start reclimbing without returning to the ground. [51]
A severe and often fatal form of altitude sickness caused by physical exertion without sufficient oxygen. [36]
A severe form of altitude sickness caused by physical exertion without sufficient oxygen. [36]
A sewn nylon webbing load-bearing device that is worn around the climber's waist and thighs, and to which the climbing rope, and other load-bearing climbing devices, can be attached. [2]
Top-roping a traditional climbing route before lead climbing it to practice the moves. See redpoint . [49]
A combination of a toe hook and heel hook to hold the body onto the climbing route.
A protective device consisting of an eccentric hexagonal nut attached to a wire loop.
A mechanical piece of climbing equipment used in aid climbing. See also skyhook .
Lightweight rigid aluminum ladders are used in expedition style mountaineering to cross crevasses or on difficult sections as a form of aid climbing support (this can also be done with flexible bachar ladders). See also aider .
Climbing an edge by side-pulling with both hands and using opposing friction for the feet. [1] [2] [11]
A form of climbing in which a lead climber clips their belay rope into protection equipment as they ascend. [1] [2]
The individual ascending the route in lead climbing; the other person is the belayer. [1] [2]
Part of the mixed climbing system for grading the technical difficulty of mixed climbing routes, which goes: M1, M2, M3, M4, M5, M6, and up to M14. [4] See also D-grade .
A simple hitch used for belaying without a mechanical belay device.
A North American grading system used mainly in big wall climbing and alpine climbing; goes from I, II, III ... to VII.
The easiest and most frequently used route for ascending and descending a climb. [60]
See cleaning tool .
An adjustable attachment point from a climber to a fixed anchor, give them flexibility to perform other tasks.
A hold, which must be "pinched" between the fingers to use it. [2] [12]
A flat or angled metal blade of steel for protection that incorporates a clipping hole for a carabiner or a ring in its body that is hammered into cracks; comes in a wide range of designs and types for different crack types and widths; common in aid climbing, big wall climbing, and alpine climbing. [1] [2] See also RURP .
Forcefully exhaling to facilitate O2/CO2 exchange at altitude.
Used in bouldering to describe the sequence of moves to be overcome. [2]
A mechanical climbing device that allows the rope to move through it in only one direction, examples being the Petzl Micro Traxion or the Camp Lift; PCDs are used in many climbing tasks including gear hauling, belaying, top rope solo climbing and in simul-climbing. [63] [64] See also Self-locking device .
An attempt over time to climb a new (worldwide or personal) route or boulder problem as a "project".
The lightweight mechanical pully that has wide application in climbing including big wall climbing (especially gear hauling) and crevasse rescue and in tyrolean traverseing.
The accumulation of metabolic waste products in the forearm(s) so that holding a basic grip becomes impossible. [2]
A piece of climbing protection that is used to attach a running rope to an anchor or a bolt. See permadraw . [1] [2]
A screw-type oval-shaped stainless steel carabiner which is smaller than the normal carabiner.
Secondary or intermediate fixed anchor point(s) along the length of a fixed rope (i.e. in addition to the main anchor at the top of the fixed rope) that is used to avoid edges that could increase rope wear. [66]
Free climbing a route by leading it after having failed it or practiced it beforehand (e.g. by hangdogging, headpointing, or top roping). A route climbed on the first-ever attempt (and no practice), it is an onsight or a flash. See first free ascent . [1] [2]
A removable protection bolt, similar in concept to a sliding nut, but shaped to fit into a drilled hole; popular in aid climbing.
A light metal plate with several holes that can be used as a multi-anchor device that several items can be attached to at a belay station, notable versions include the Petzl PAW.
A piece of aid climbing equipment used by the lead climber to attach to bolt runner rivets in the rock. See also carrot bolt .
A lightweight hammer with a short handle used for inserting pitons, bolts, and copperheads in aid climbing and big wall climbing. See also ice hammer .
Part of the deep-water soloing system for grading the objective danger difficulty of DWS climbing routes, which goes: S0, S1, S2, and S3. See also X .
A small climbing hold screwed onto the wall on a climbing wall.
The act of using a mechanical device for belaying in solo climbing. See self-locking device .
The involuntary vibration of the leg due to fatigue and/or panic and stress. [2]
An advanced technique in which two climbers move simultaneously upward, with the leader placing protection that the second removes as they advance. A protection capture device (PCD) may also be used. [73]
A type of active protection device used in crack climbing. See cam . [2]
The act of taking the slack out of a rope; also a climbing command by a lead climber to the belayer. [1]
Adhesive tape that is wrapped around the fingers and hands to protect the skin; particularly useful in crack climbing.
To physically attach the harness to the climbing rope, usually via a figure-eight knot. See clip in .
To belay from a fixed anchor point above the climb; if the climber falls, they just hang. See hangdogging. [2] [1] [3]
A style of lead climbing where protection is placed as the lead climber ascends; opposite of sport climbing. [2] [3]
A big wall climbing technique where the lead climber carries an additional static rope (in addition to their dynamic climbing rope) that hangs (or "trails") behind them as they ascend; the trail rope enables the belayer to pass equipment to the leader during the ascent, and for the leader to haul up equipment as the belayer ascends. [22] [62]
The UIAA grade system for rock climbing, which goes: ... VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, .... , to XII; is less common than the French grade system or the American YDS grade system, but still used in Germany and parts of Eastern Europe. [6]
A downward hold which is gripped with the palm of the hand facing upwards. [1] [2] [11]
A grading system for bouldering problems invented by John Sherman, which goes: V0, V1, V2, V3, V4, V5, V6, V7, ... , to V17. The V-scale and the French font scale are the most common boulder grading systems in use worldwide. [1] [6]
A type of abseiling point used especially in winter and in ice climbing.
Part of the ice climbing system for grading the technical difficulty of ice climbing routes, which goes: WI1, WI2, WI3, WI4, WI5, WI6, and up to WI13. [4] See also M-grade .
A traditional climbing ground fall where all the protection gear fails in sequence (i.e. opens like a "zip"). [2] [81]
