
Abseil or Rappel:
controlled descent on a fixed rope

Accessory Cord:
small diameter static cord used additional e.g. as pruzik

Active Camming Device:
protection device that secures in cracks

Aid Climbing:
opposite of free climbing

Ancors:
a point of attachment for the climbing rope

Approach:
the route to the base of a climb

Ascender:
device that slides upward on a fixed rope but not

Auto Lock Carabiner:
the carabiner gate lock by itself when the gate is closed


Barn Door:
Swinging away from the rock in order to maintain balance

Bashies:
malleable small anchors used into cracks

Belay:
what stops climbers from falling. It includes the rope, the anchors, the belay device and the belayer

Belayer:
the person who manages the rope and secure the climber in case of fall

Bent Gate Carabiner:
Carabiner mostly used in sport climbing as the rope clipping end of a quickdraw

Big Wall:
Multi-pitch rock climb that isn't complete in one day only

Bight:
a bend of the rope

Bivouac:
Over night stay on a wall in a multi day climb

Boby belay:
technique used to belay someone in case of emergency and lack of equipment

Bolted Route:
a route with pre-placed bolt anchors

Bolts:
metal expansion drilled in rock , used for climbers' protection

Bouldering:
climbing near the ground, on low high rocks or traversing a route, without the use of rope

Bowline:
a most frequently used knot


Camalot:
Spring-loaded camming device

Camming:
The act of rotating into place until tight

Camming Device:
Climbing protection usually placed into cracks

Cambered Sole:
A curved sole with a down-turned toe, useful in advanced climbing

Carabiner:
Metal loop used for connecting various parts of a climbing system

Chalk:
Carbonate of magnesium used to keep climbers' hand dry

Chalk Bag:
Small pouch worn on the harness to hold climbers' chalk

Chimney:
Vertical wide crack

Chock:
Passive protection piece wedged into cracks

Chock Pick:
Tool used to release chock from cracks

Chock Stone:
Rock or stone tightly wedged in a crack

Climber:
Every person who climbs

Clove Hitch:
a knot used to secure the climbing rope to an anchor, mostly when belaying the next climber

Core:
the inner fibers of the climbing rope

Crack:
a fissure in a rock wall in variable sizes

Crux:
the most difficult move or moves on a climb


Daisy Chain:
belt with multiple loops very helpful in aid climbing

Dihedral:
when the rock plane an angle with two faces. Imagine an open book

Drag:
friction that is created when the protections are not lined. It can be difficult for the leader climber but there is a way to avoid it

Dry-treated:
the rope is being processed with water repellent chemicals. Better use of the rope in snow and ice, and longer life.

Duodess:
each half of the rope has a different color or pattern. An easy way to find the center

Dynamic Rope:
the capacity of the rope to elongate in order to absorb the shock of a fall

Dyno:
a move where the climber jumps to the next hold


Edging:
standing at the edge of the shoe on small cracks of rock or artificial holds


Face:
a smooth side of a rock

Figure 8:
a common knot in climbing mostly used to tide the rope to climber's harness

Fisherman's Knot:
Knot that attaches two ends of the rope together

Flared:
crack with nonparallel edges

Follow:
the climber that follows the leader and collects the protection

Free Climbing:
climbing by hand and feet and using the rope only as protection

Free Rappel:
a rappel in which the climber has no contact with the rock

Free Solo:
climbing without belays, usually in high routes. Extremely dangerous

Friction:
a way of putting hands and feet on the rock in order to create the necessary balance for body during the climb

Friend:
a spring loaded camming device


Girth Hitch:
Is a way to connect a loop of webbing or cord to a fixed point

GriGri:
is a belay device with assisted braking and anti-panic handle


Half Ropes:
are thinner than normal 'single' ropes, and are designed to be used as a pair

Hangdogging (rock climbing slang word):
hanging from a climbing rope while working on the hard moves of a difficult route

Hanging Belay:
In multipitch climbs it is necessary to belay while sitting in a harness and anchored to the wall. It requires carefully rope management

Harness:
secures a person to a rope or an anchor point

Hexentrics:
they are intended to be wedged into a crack or other opening in the rock, and do not require a hammer to place


Jamming:
Is a technique were you wedge body parts into cracks

Jugs:
Are large, easy to grab holds. They can be held with the entire hand (and sometimes both)

Jumar:
See Ascender


Kernmantle:
Kern=core and mantel=sheath
The two parts of the rope. The interior core is protected by en exterior sheath designed to optimize strength, durability, and flexibility
Kevlar:
a heat-resistant and strong synthetic fiber

Kilonewton:
Is a Unit of force
kN ratings are shown on all the climbing gear: nuts, cams, slings and carabiners.
kN stands for kilo Newtons. 1kN is about 100kg or 220lbs

Lead climber:
the climber has a rope attached to the harness and is putting up the protection (quickdraws) and clipping the rope

Leg Loops:
Part of the climbing harness

Liebacking:
While Climbing a vertical edge and side-pulling the edge with both hands the climber relies on friction or very small holds for the feet

Lower:
The way in which a belayer brings a climber down from a climb


Mantel:
A transfer of motion from pulling to pushing while rock climbing

Multipitch:
A high altitude route is divided in pitches- because they are too long for a single belay rope. Therefore they are characterized as a multipitch routes

Munter Hitch:
or the Crossing Hitch, is a simple adjustable knot control friction in a life-lining or belay system


Offwidth crack:
cracks that are too big to finger jam or fist jam, but too small for you to fit inside and chimney climb

On sight:
Climbing a route for the first time, without seeing anyone else climbing or getting any tips


Passive protection:
Is referring to the gear that does not have moving parts

Pitch:
The distance between two belays that requires a rope’s length

Piton:
Metal spike into a crack

Prusik Knot:
is a friction hitch or knot used to attach a loop of cord around a rope


Quickdraw:
Consists of two carabiners connected by a semi-rigid material. It allows the climbing rope to run free through the one carabiner while the other is attached to the bolt anchor or other protection


Rappel:
is a controlled descent by using a double rope

Redpoint:
Is to successfully free climb a route without falling after a previous unsuccessful attempt

Redundant Anchor:
Anchors should consist of multiple components in case one or more components were to fail

Retire:
To stop using a piece of climbing gear (for climbing) due to age or damage

Ring bend (water knot):
joining two ends of webbing together, for instance when making a sling

Runner:
is an item of climbing equipment consisting of a tied or sewn loop of webbing

Runout:
The distance between a climber and the last piece of protection


Screwlock:
A carabiner with a screw locking system

Second:
The climber who follows second and is always secured by the rope above

Slippers:
Climbing shoes without laces or Velcro, usually characterized as the most comfort

Smearing:
is the act of pressing the sole of your climbing shoe directly to the rock or slab and using friction to gain vertical ground

Sport climbing:
Is a type of rock climbing where permanent anchors are fixed to the rock for protection

Stemming:
When the right foot or hand pushes one wall and the left another

Sticht plate:
The first mechanical rope break. Is getting less popular over the years

Swami:
Traditional climbing harness made by wrapping webbing around the waist

Hey, this is a nice, informative, and creative collection of photos, stories, and information. It was fun to read, but I am sure it took you alot of time. so thank you for the nice article! It was almost exhausting to read if it wasn’t so informative!! thank you.
Thank you Eric, that reminds me that I still have to complete my glossary of climbing terms.