Ever head to the gym or crag and hear some terms thrown around that you may not quite understand? well i’ve compiled a list of some of the more common ones and defined them.
Abseil - Same as Rappel, to decend using rope to control your decent.
Active Protection – also called Active Pro. Active protection has moving parts such as spring loaded cams which expand to fill the crack which prevents it from slipping through.
Arete – the outside corner of rock.
Aproach – the path or trail leading up to a climb or crag.
Back Clipping – a clipping mistake where the rope lays next to the gate instead of the spine of the carabiner, this is a problem that can lead to the the gate opening in the event the leader takes a fall.
Belay Device – a friction device that allows control of the rope that is attached to a climber.
Beta – info related to a climbing route or problem.
Bight – an unclosed loop or rope used for many knots.
Bomber – seemingly indestructible handhold or gear placement.
Campus - climbing only using ones hands and arms.
Chock – passive protection made of flared piece of metal with wire running through it. also known as a nut.
Choss – junky or loose rock.
Crux – the hardest move or section of a climb
Deck – the ground
Dihedral – right angled, inside corner where to walls join.
Dyno – dynamic movement, upward leap for a hold.
Flash – completing a climb on the first try with some info gained either by watching someone else do it, or someone telling you how to do the moves.
Hang dog – frequently hanging or resting on the rope.
Hexcentric – Passive Protection similar to a nut but shaped hexagonally.
Onsight – Climbing a route without falling or previous beta.
Redpoint – to make a clean ascent or a sport or trad route even if the climber has fallen on previous attempts.
Send – to complete a climb successfully.
Tricam – Passive Protection with camming properties.
If you think that I missed any of the important ones, feel free to email me. Patrick@campthesummit.com
Patrick is a lover of all things adventure and photography. When he is not at home in Northeast PA, he can be found traveling with his camera and climbing. One of his most memorable experiences outdoors is his recent summit of Mount Rainier.
