Glossary

Adze:  flat, wide end of the head used for chopping steps in hard snow and ice. 

Aid Climbing: climbing using placed or fixed protection to hang, climb and/or rest on.

Alpine Start: an early start that ranges from starting at 11:00 pm of the night before on long routes to not long before sunrise for shorter routes or faster parties.  

Anchor: the means by which the climber is secured to the rock, snow, or ice (boulder, tree, chock, piton, snow bollard, fluke, deadman, picket, ice screw, etc.). 

Approach: The route or walk in to the base of a climb 

Autoblock: A rope device that is clipped to the harness and used as a friction hitch on the rope (often used in ascending a rope or rappelling) as a backup in the event of an emergency 

Belay: procedure for protecting or securing a climber using a rope and/or anchor(s). Can be from above or below the climber, depending on the system used.

Bivouac (Bivy): an overnight stay, sometimes unplanned (unplanned often referred to as “benighted”).

Bollard: a type of anchor built of snow or ice.

Bomb-Proof: a very safe anchor or combination of anchors (also called “bomber”).

Camming Device: rock protection that by rotating increases the jamming force of the device, can be mechanical or non-mechanical (also called cams).

Carabiner : an aluminum alloy ring with a spring-loaded gate used to connect climbing equipment (e.g. harness to rope, rope to anchor etc.). Can be locking or non-locking.

Chock: a wedge or mechanical device placed in a rock crack for anchor (also called stopper, nut).

"CLIPPING!": A command used to indicate to another climber when clipping their personal protection through/around an anchor or carabiner

Cordelette: a longer piece of cord (usually 5.5 to 7 millimeter diameter) used for anchor building and friction hitches.

Cornice: an overhang of snow caused by wind drifting, generally off the leeward side of a ridge—dangerous to be out on or under.

Crampon: a metal traction device with spikes that attach to footwear to assist climbing on snow or ice. May have 10 or 12 points and be rigid or hinged.

Crevasse: a crack in the surface of a glacier, may be hidden by snow cover.

Crux: the most difficult section of a climb or pitch.

Deadman: an anchor built by burying something (e.g. pack, picket, ice axe, bag of snow, etc.).

Dehydration: the absence of a sufficient amount of water in your body.

Exposure: the subjective feeling of unease associated with a route, related to the visible distance between the climber and the ground.

Edge: a small rock ledge or the act of standing on a small edge with the side of your foot.

Fixed Line: a line anchored in place so that climbers can self-belay from the line.

Free Climb: to climb using only hands and feet (the rope is for fall protection not as a climbing aid).

Gaiters: a piece of clothing wrapped around the ankle and upper boot to prevent snow and/or rock from entering the boot at the boot-pant interface.

Glacier: a river of ice flowing, and creeping, down a mountain; formed in areas where more snow falls than melts.

Glissade: a controlled slide down a snow slope, usually sitting or standing.

Ice Axe: a mountain climbing tool consisting of a head with adze and pick, a shaft, and a spike. Used for self-arrest, self-belay, and a cane.

Jam: wedging feet, hands, fingers, or other body parts into a rock crack for a hold.

Kick Step: see Step kicking.

Lead: to be the first person on a climb, the one who places protection for the followers.

Picket: an aluminum stake driven into the snow as an anchor.

Pitch: the section of a climb between belays.

Piton: metal spike hammered into rock for an anchor.

Plunge step: down climbing method where the heel of the boot is placed firmly into the slope to gain purchase for the next step.

Protection (Pro): the anchors used to safeguard the climber

Prusik: a hitch, also a method for climbing a rope using cord loops tied to the climbing rope with prusik hitches. This hitch tightens in the direction of the pull, yet can be moved, slid, when un-weighted or in the opposite direction of the weight.

Quickdraw: short sling with carabiners, minimizes drag when clipping the climbing rope to anchors.

Rappel: descending by sliding down a rope.

Rest Step: a climbing step that includes a brief hesitation to gain momentary rest.

"ROCK!": A warning of falling rocks, gear, or other debris. Cover your head and don't look up!

Runner (Sling): a webbing or cord loop used to connect climbing equipment, as in anchor to carabiner, carabiner to runner, runner to carabiner to rope etc.

Scree: mountain slope consisting of small loose rock fragments.

Second: (Follower): member(s) of rope team not leading a pitch.

Self-Arrest: the act of halting a slide down a snow or ice slope generally using an ice axe.

"Slack!": A Command used when a climber needs a little extra rope to make a move. The belayer is signaled to allow slightly less tension on the rope.

Sling: see Runner.

Spike (Ice Axe): the sharp bottom point of the ice axe that penetrates snow and ice. 

Step Cutting or Chopping: A snow climbing technique where a small platform is chopped (cut) into hard snow or ice with an ice axe while moving up or down a slope.

Step kicking: a snow climbing technique where a small platform is kicked into the snow with the boot while moving forward and upward.

Talus: accumulation of debris in sheets or cones at the bases of rock walls.

Top-rope: a climb when the climber has a belay rope and anchor from above, often used in practice situations. Depending on the system the belayer can be above or below the climber.

Traverse: to climb sideways with or without vertical progress.

"WATCH ME": A command from a climber when they are about to make a difficult move and need an attentive belay.

Webbing: flat profile nylon (almost always tubular) used to make tied or sewn slings.

Yosemite Decimal System: This system categorizes terrain according to the techniques and physical difficulties encountered.