Rock Climbing Glossary and Terminology with Pictures – A to Z

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

Flash:

a red point ascent using prior inspection or information from others

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

​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.

​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 cli​​​​mb

​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