Abseil: The process by which a climber may descend on a fixed rope. Also known as Rappel.

Aid climbing: A form of rock climbing that requires artificial assistance, i.e. ropes, to ascend.

Alpine Start: To make an efficient start on a long climb by packing all your gear the previous evening and starting early in the morning, usually before sunrise.

Altitude sickness: A medical condition that is often observed at high altitudes. Also known as Acute mountain sickness, or AMS.

Anchor: A fail-safe attachment point for protection.

Approach: The path or route to the start of a technical climb. Although this is generally a walk or, at most, a scramble it is occasionally as hazardous as the climb itself.

Arête: The outside corner of rock. See also dihedral.

Ascender: A device for ascending on a rope. A mechanical ascender is called a jumar.

ATC: A proprietary type of belay device. ATC stands for Air traffic controller.
"B"-grade. A grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Gill. Now largely superceeded by the "V" grading system.

Back-clipping: A hazardous mistake that can be made while lead climbing. The belay rope is clipped into a quickdraw in the wrong direction causing an increase in friction on the rope and an increase in the likelihood of the rope becoming unclipped during a fall.

Bail: To give up on a climb.

Belay: Protecting a climber from falling using a rope.

Belay Device: A mechanical device used to create friction when belaying by putting bends in the rope. Many types of belay device exist, including ATC, gri-gri, Reverso, Sticht plate, eight, tuber, and the Munter hitch. Some belay devices may also be used as descenders.
Belay slave: Someone that volunteers for, or is tricked into, repeated belaying duties without partaking in any of the actual climbing.

Bergschrund: A crevasse that forms on the upper portion of a glacier where the moving section pulls away from the ice cap.

Beta: Advice and/or instructions on how to successfully complete a particular climbing route.

Beta Flash: Ascent of a climb on the first attempt with some knowledge beta of that climb, with no falls or hang-dogging. Also see on-sight.

Bolt: An anchor-point permanently drilled into the rock. [1] (http://www.climb.co.nz/References/Bolting/Bolting.htm)

Bomb-Proof Anchor: A totally secure anchor, or set of anchors. Also known as a bomber. Sadly, anchors are often misclassified as such.

Bouldering: The practice of climbing on large boulders. Typically this is close to the ground, so protection takes the form of crash pads and spotting instead of belay ropes.

Bounce: A deadly fall.

Bucket: A huge handhold.

Buildering: The art of climbing on buildings. Note that this is often illegal.

Buttress: A prominent feature that juts out from a rock or mountain.

Cam: 1. To affix using counter-pressure. 2. A spring-loaded device used to place protection. See Spring loaded camming device.

Campus Board: Training equipment used to build finger strength and strong arm lock-offs.

Carabiner: Metal rings with spring-loaded gates, used as connectors. Also known as crab or biner.

Chalk: A compound used to improve grip by absorbing sweat. It is actually gymnastics chalk, usually magnesium carbonate. Its use is controversial in some areas.

Chalk bag: A hand-sized holder for a climber's chalk that is usually clipped or tied onto the climber's harness for easy access during a climb.

Chock: A mechanical device, or a wedge, used to attach anchors into cracks.

Clean: 1. To remove equipment from a route. 2. A route that is free of loose vegetation and rocks. 3. To complete a climb without falling or resting on the rope. Also see redpoint.

Cleaning Tool: A device for removing jammed equipment, especially nuts, from a route. Also known as a nut key.

Climbing Area: A region that is plentiful with climbing routes.

Climbing Command: a short phrase used for communication between a climber and a belayer.

Climbing Gym: Specialized indoor climbing centers. See gym climbing.

Climbing Shoe: Footwear designed specifically for climbing. Usually well fitting, with a rubber sole.

Climbing Technique: Particular techniques, or moves, commonly applied in climbing.

Climbing Wall: Artificial rock, typically in a climbing gym.

Clipping In: The process of attaching to belay lines or anchors for protection.

Col: A small pass between two peaks.

Couloir: A steep gully or gorge frequently filled with snow or ice.

Cornice: An overhanging edge of snow on a ridge.

Crack Climbing: To ascend on a rock face by wedging body parts into cracks, i.e. not face climbing. See jamming.

Crag: A small area with climbing routes, often just a small cliff face or a few boulders.

Crampons: Metal framework with spikes attached to boots to increase safety on snow and ice.

Crank: To pull on a hold as hard as possible.

Crash Pad: A thick mat used to soften landings or to cover hazardous objects in the event of a fall.

Crater: Hitting the ground at the end of a fall instead of being caught by the rope.

Crimp: 1. a small but positive hold. 2. the process of holding onto a crimp.

Crux: The most difficult portion of a climb.

Daisy Chain: A type of sling with multiple sewn, or tied, loops. In many situations this can be more versatile than a normal sling.

Dead Hang: To hang limp, such that weight is held by arm tension rather than muscles.

Deadman: A dynamic climbing technique in which the hold is grabbed at the apex of upward motion. This technique places minimal strain on both the hold and the arms.

Deadman Anchor: An object buried into snow to serve as an anchor for an attached rope. One common type of such an anchor is the snow fluke.

Deadpoint: The apex of an upward dynamic move.

Deck: 1. The ground. 2. To hit the ground, usually the outcome of a fall.

Descender: A device for controlled descent on a rope. Many belay devices may be used as descenders, including ATCs, eights, or even carabiners.

Dialed: To have complete understanding of a particular climbing move or route.

Diamox: A drug used to inhibit the onset of altitude sickness. Otherwise known as Acetazolamide.

Dihedral: The inside corner of rock. See also arête.

Downclimb: To descend by climbing downward, typically after completing a climb.

Dynamic Rope: A slightly elastic rope that softens falls to some extent. Also tend to be damaged less severely by heavy loads. Compare with static rope.

Dyno: A dynamic move to grab a hold that would otherwise be out of reach. Non-climbers might call this a lunge.

Edge: A thin ledge on the rock.

Edging: Using the edge of the climbing shoe on a foothold.

Egyptian: A climbing technique used to reduce tension in arms while holding a side grip.

Eight: A belay device or descender. Named from its appearance as the digit "8".

Eight-Thousander: A mountain that tops 8,000 metres.

Exposure: State of openness with relation to the distance of a fall.

Face Climbing: To ascend on a rock face using finger hold and edges, i.e. not crack climbing.

Fall: Undesirable downward motion. Hopefully stopped by a rope, otherwise see mountain rescue.

Finger Board: Training equipment used to build grip strength and arm strength.

First Ascent: The first successful completion of a route.

Fist Jam: A type of jam using the hand. See climbing technique.

Fixed Rope: A rope which has a fixed attachment point. Commonly used for abseiling or aid climbing.

Flake: A thin slab of rock detached from the main face.

Flapper: An injury consisting of a piece of loose (flapping) skin. A climber will usually just repair these with sticky tape.

Flash: To successfully and cleanly complete a climbing route on the first attempt.

Follow: What the second does.

Fourteener: Mountain that tops 14,000 feet in the contiguous United States.

Free Climbing: Climbing without unnatural aids, other than used for protection.

Friction: Climbing technique relying on the friction between the sloped rock and the sole of the shoe to support the climber's weight, as opposed using holds or edges, cracks, etc.

Friend: A name brand of a type of spring loaded camming device (SLCD]), sometimes used to refer to any type of spring loaded camming device.

Gendarme: A pinnacle or isolated rock tower frequently encountered along a ridge.

Glissade: A usually voluntary act of sliding down a steep slope of snow with or with out a mountaineering axe to slow the decent.

Grade: Intended as an objective measure of the technical difficultly of a particular climb or bouldering problem. More often is highly subjective, however.

Gri-Gri: A belay device designed to be easy to use and safe for beginners because it is self-locking under load. Invented and manufactured by Petzl.

Gripped: Scared.

Grovel: 1. To climb with obviously poor style or technique. 2. A climbing route judged to be without redeeming virtue.

Gumby: An inexperienced climber.

Gym climbing: Climbing indoors, on artificial climbing walls. This is typically for training but many people consider this a worthwhile activity in its own right.

HACE: High Altitude Cerebral Edema - a severe form of altitude sickness.

Hand Traverse: Traversing without any footholds.

Hangdog: While lead climbing, to hang on the rope or an anchor for a rest.

Hanging Belay: Belaying at a point such that the belayer is suspended.

HAPE: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema - a serious form of altitude sickness.

Harness: Climbing equipment used for attaching a rope to a person.

Haul Bag: A large and often unwieldy bag into which supplies and climbing equipment may be thrown.

Headwall: The region of a cliff or rock face that steepens dramatically.

Helmet: Also known as a brain bucket. It can save your life, but only while worn.

Hexcentric: A protective device. It is a hexagonal nut attached to a wire loop. The nut is inserted into a crack and it holds through counter-pressure. Often just termed Hex.

Honed: To be in peak mental and physical fitness for climbing.

Hook: 1. Equipment used in aid climbing. 2. A climbing technique.

Ice Axe: A handy tool for safety and balance.

Ice Screw: A screw used to protect a climb over steep ice or for setting up a crevasse rescue system. The strongest and most reliable is the modern tubular ice screw which ranges in length from 18 to 23 cm.

Jamming: Wedging a body part into a crack.

Jug Hold: A large hold, also known just as a jug.

Jumar: A mechanical ascender.

Klemheist Knot: An alternative to the prussik knot, useful when the climber is short of cord but has plenty of webbing.

Knots: Climbers rely on many different knots for anchoring oneself to a mountain, joining two ropes together, slings for climbing up the rope, etc.

Lead Climbing: A form of climbing in which the climber places anchors and attaches the belay rope as they climb.

Lieback: Or layback. A climbing move that involves pulling on the hands while pushing on the feet.

Locking Carabiner: A carabiner with a locking gate, to prevent accidental release of the rope.

Mantle: A move used to surmount a ledge or feature in the rock in the absence of any useful holds directly above.

Match: To use one hold for two limbs, or to swap limbs on a particular hold.

Moat: A crevasse that forms where the glacier pulls away from a rock formation.

Mountain Rescue: A friendly team of people that will come and rescue you after an injury or accident. Also see coroner.

Move: Application of a specific climbing technique to progress on a climb.

Multi-Pitch Climbing: Climbing on routes that are too long for a single belay rope.

Munter Hitch: A simple hitch that is often used for belaying without a mechanical belay device. Otherwise known as an Italian hitch or a Friction hitch.

Névê: Permanent granular ice formed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Nunatak: A mountain or rock that protrudes through an ice field.

Nut: A metal wedge attached to a wire loop that is inserted into cracks for protection. See hexcentric.

Off-Width: A crack that is too wide for effective hand or foot jams.

On-Sight: A clean ascent, with no prior practise or beta.

Open Book: An inside angle in the rock.

Overhang: A section of rock or ice that is angled beyond vertical. See roof.

Pinkpoint: To complete a lead climb without falling or resting on the rope (hangdogging), but with pre-placed protection and carabiners. Also see clean and redpoint.

Pitch: The portion of a climb between two belay points.

Piton: A metal spike that may be hammered into ice or flaws in rock.

Plunge Step: An aggressive step pattern for descending on hard or steep angle snow.

Protection: 1. Process of setting equipment or anchors for safety. 2. Equipment or anchors used for preventing falls. Commonly known as Pro.

Prusik: 1. A knot used for ascending a rope. 2. To use a prusik knot for ascending a rope.

Quickdraw: Used to attach a freely running rope to anchors or chocks. Sometimes called quickies with Brit, Aussie and Kiwi climbers.

Rack: The set of equipment carried up a climb.

Rappel: The process by which a climber may descend on a fixed rope. Also known as Abseil.

Redpoint: To complete a lead climb without falling or resting on the rope (hang-dogging). Also see clean and pinkpoint.

Roof: Horizontal overhang.

Rope: An essential item of climbing equipment.

Route: The path of a particular climb, or a predefined set of moves.

Runner: Another term for sling.

Runout: 1. The span between two points of protection. 2. A long portion of a route without adequate protection.

Saddle: A high pass between two peaks, larger than a col.

Scrambling: Non-technical climbing.

Screamer: 1. A long and loud fall. 2. A buddy’s girlfriend who is very vocal during lovemaking in camp while everyone else is trying to get some sleep for the Alpine Start the next morning.

Scree: Loose, broken rock that climbers can never avoid.

Second: A climber who follows the lead, or first, climber.

Serac: A large ice tower.

Sewing Machine Leg: The involuntary vibration of one or both legs resulting from fatigue or panic. Also known as "Elvis Presley Syndrome", or "Disco knee".

Sharp End: The end of the belay rope that is attached to the lead climber.

Side Grip: Use of a horizontal hold.

Sirdar: Head Sherpa mountain guide.

Sit Start: Starting a climb from a position in which the climber is sitting on the floor. This is common on short sport climbing routes and in climbing gyms in order to fit an extra move into the climb.

Slab: A relatively flat and featureless block of rock.

SLCD: Abbreviation for spring loaded camming device, a type of protection device. These are better known by the term cam.

Sling: Webbing sewn, or tied, into a loop.

Smearing: To use friction on the sole of the climbing shoe, in the absence of any useful footholds.

Snow fluke: An angled aluminum plate attached to a metal cable. The fluke is buried into snow, typically used as a deadman anchor.

Solo Climbing: Climbing without any protection (VERY, VERY Stupid!!).

Sport Climbing: A form of climbing where grace and technical (or gymnastic) ability are considered more important than danger, exhilaration or brute strength. Sport climbing routes tend to be well protected with pre-placed bolt-anchors.

Spotting: An alternative to belaying commonly used during bouldering. A friend of the climber stands beneath them and prevents awkward falls or falls onto hazards.

Static Rope: A non-elastic rope. Compare with dynamic rope.

Stem: The simultaneous use of two, widely spaced, footholds.

Sticht Plate: A belay device consisting of a flat plate with a pair of slots. Named after the inventor Franz Sticht.

Stopper: 1. A wedge-shaped nut. 2. A knot used to prevent the rope running through a piece of equipment.

Summit: The high point of a mountain or peak, Used as a verb to indicate that a person reached the top. e.g. I summitted Mt. Athabasca.

Top Rope: To belay from a fixed anchor point above the climb.

Tuber: A belay device.

Traverse: To climb in a horizontal direction, A feature of a rock that allows, relatively, easy progress in a horizontal direction.

Undercling: A hold or flake that is upside down.

"V"-grade: A technical grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Sherman.

Verglas: A thin coating of ice that forms over rocks when rainfall or melting snow freezes on rock. Hard to climb on as crampons have insufficient depth for reliable penetration.

Wand: A bamboo stick with a small flag on top used to mark paths over glaciers and snow fields.

Webbing: Hollow and flat rope, mainly used to make runners and slings.

Weighting: Resting by hanging on the belay rope.

Wired: To have the moves required for completing a climb memorized.

Woodie: A homemade plywood climbing wall.

Yosemite Decimal System: A numerical system for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs in the United States. The rock climbing (5.x) portion of the scale is the most common climb grading system used in the US.

Zipper fall: A fall in which each piece of protection fails in turn.

Z-pulley: A configuration of rope, anchors, and pulleys used to extricate a climber after falling into a crevasse.