A grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Gill. Now largely superceeded by the "V" grading system.

A piece of training equipment used to improve campusing and core strength.

A potentially hazardous mistake that can be made while lead climbing. The rope is clipped into a quick draw such that the leader's end runs underneath the quick draw as opposed to over top of it. If the leader falls, the rope may fold directly over the gate causing it to open and release the rope from the carabiner.

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.

To give up on a climb.

A copperhead intended for pounding into a crack

Protecting a climber from falling using a rope.

A mechanical device used when belaying. Many types of belay device exist, including ATC, grigri, Reverso, Sticht plate, eight, tuber, and the Munter hitch. Some belay devices may also be used as descenders.

Someone that volunteers for, or is tricked into, repeated belaying duties without partaking in any of the actual climbing.

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

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.

An anchor-point permanently drilled into the rock.

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

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.

A deadly fall.

A huge handhold.

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

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A spring-loaded device used to place protection. See Spring loaded camming device.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

A region that is plentiful with climbing routes.

A short phrase used for communication between a climber and a belayer.

Specialized indoor climbing centers. See gym climbing.

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

Particular techniques, or moves, commonly applied in climbing. e.i foot switch, gaston, dyno, flag...

Artificial rock, typically in a climbing gym.

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

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

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

To pull on a hold as hard as possible.

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

A small but positive hold. the process of holding onto a crimp.

The most difficult portion of a climb. Some routes may have multiple crux's

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

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

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.

The apex of an upward dynamic move.

The ground. To hit the ground, usually the outcome of a fall.

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

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

The inside corner of rock. See also arete.

To descend by climbing downward, typically after completing a climb. An alternative to abseiling.

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

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

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A thin ledge on the rock.

Using the edge of the climbing shoe on a foothold.

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

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

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

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

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

Training equipment used to build grip strength and arm strength.

He first successful completion of a route.

A type of jam using the hand. See climbing technique.

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

A thin slab of rock detached from the main face. Sometimes very hollow and scary.

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

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

What the second does. The climber that follows up after the lead climber and has to clean the route.

Climbing without unnatural aids, other than used for protection.

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

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.

Scared.

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

An inexperienced climber.

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

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Traversing without any footholds. Also called "campusing".

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

Belaying at a point such that the belayer is suspended.

Climbing equipment used for attaching a rope to a person.

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

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

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

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.

To be in peak mental and physical fitness for climbing.

Equipment used in aid climbing. A climbing technique.

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See gym climbing.

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Wedging a body part into a crack. i.e hand jam, foot jam etc.

A large hold, also known just as a jug.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Climbing on routes that are too long for a single belay rope.

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

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

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A crack that is too wide for effective hand or foot jams.

A clean ascent, with no prior practice or beta.

An inside angle in the rock shaped like and "open book".

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

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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.

The portion of a climb between two belay points. Typically a length of rope which is approximately 50m - 70m (160ft).

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

Process of setting equipment or anchors for safety. Equipment or anchors used for preventing falls. Commonly known as "Pro."

A knot used for ascending a rope. To use a prusik knot for ascending a rope.

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Used to attach a freely running rope to anchors or chocks. Sometimes called quickies. Usually to carabiners with a "bone" (runner) between them. A long runner may be used as well to help with rope drag.

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

To complete a lead climb without falling or resting on the rope (hangdogging). Also see clean and pinkpoint.

Horizontal overhang.

An essential item of climbing equipment for free climbing or aid climbing. Rope May either be dynamic or static.

The path of a particular climb, or a predefined set of moves. Routes usually have ratings as well.

Another term for sling.

The span between two points of protection. A long portion of a route without adequate protection. This is only encountered by lead climbers

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Non-technical climbing.

A long and loud fall. Or a runner that is placed between your quickdraw carabiners that tears away under pressure to help relieve the force.

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

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

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

Use of a horizontal hold.

Starting a climb from a position in which the climber is sitting on the floor. This is common on short sport climbing routes, boulder problems, and in climbing gyms in order to fit an extra move into the climb. Another name for a Sit start, a "Yabo start'" was named after John "Yabo" Yablonski.

A relatively flat and featureless block of rock. It is typically low angle

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

Webbing sewn, or tied, into a loop.

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

Climbing without any protection.

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.

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

A non-elastic rope. Compare with dynamic rope.

The simultaneous use of two, widely spaced, footholds.

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

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

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To belay from a fixed anchor point above the climb.

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

A belay device.

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A hold or flake that is upside down.

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A technical grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Sherman.

A type of abseiling point used especially in winter and ice climbing. Also called as Abalakov Thread.

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

Resting by hanging on the belay rope.

To have the moves required for completing a climb memorized.

A homemade climbing wall.

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Another name for a Sit start, a 'Yabo start' was named after John 'Yabo' Yablonski.

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 USA.

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Clipping into an anchor with the segment of rope from beneath the previous anchor, resulting in an unsafe configuration of the belay rope.

A particular configuration of rope, anchors, and pulleys typically used to extricate a climber after falling into a crevasse.

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

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