Dictionary of Climbing Words

Definition of Abseil, a climbing word for rappelling or descending by sliding down a rope.

Definition of Aid Climbing, a climbing word for ascending cliffs by using the aid of gear for upward progress.

Definition of Alpine Start, climbing words for getting an early start on a climbing day in the mountains.

Definition of Alpine Style Climbing, climbing words for climbing fast and light in the mountains.

Definition of Anchor, a climbing word for a piece of gear or natural object that ties or anchors a climber to a face.

Definition of Approach, a climbing word for hiking and scrambling to rock faces and mountain peaks.

The autoblock knot is an important climbing knot that is used as a safety back-up on a rappel rope.

The Bachmann Knot is a friction knot with a carabiner handle that is used in climbing to ascend fixed ropes.

Definition of Belay Ledge, climbing words for a ledge or shelf on a route where a climber sets up a belay station.

Definition of Belay, a climbing word for the process of securing and safeguarding a rope for a climber.

Definition of Big Wall, climbing words for a tall cliff that usually takes several days to ascend.

Definition of Bight, a climbing word for an open loop or bend in a climbing rope.

Definition of Bivouac, climbing word for a temporary campsite in the open.

Definition of Boulder Problem, climbing words for describing short routes done on boulders.

Definition of Bouldering, a climbing word for ascending boulders and small cliffs.

Definition of Bucket, a climbing word for a large handhold.

Definition of Cairn, a climbing word for a stack of stones that marks a trail or summit.

Definition of Chipping, a climbing word for creating and altering hand and footholds.

Definition of Clean, a climbing word for removing gear from a route, climbing it without any aid moves, or aid climbing without pitons.

Definition of Climbing, a climbing word for ascending boulders, cliffs, ice falls, and mountains.

Definition of Clipping, a climbing word for attaching a carabiner or quickdraw to a piece of gear.

Definition of Clove Hitch, climbing words for a knot to tie a rope to a carabiner, anchor, or tree.

Definition of Crack Climbing, climbing words for ascending fissures or cracks in rock faces by jamming or wedging body parts into them.

Definition of Crimp, a climbing word for a fingertip handhold

Definition of Double Figure-8 Fisherman’s Knot, climbing words for the best knot to tie 2 ropes together.

A Double Fisherman’s Knot is a good rock climbing knot used for tying two ropes together for rappelling.

Definition of Double Overhand Knot, climbing words for a knot used to tie 2 ropes together for rappelling.

Definition of Downclimb, a climbing word for descending a rock face or mountain using hands and feet.

Definition of Dry-Tooling, climbing words for climbing rock with ice climbing gear.

Definition of Dyno, a climbing word for a dynamic movement to a handhold.

Definition of Edge, a climbing word for a small ledge used for a handhold or foothold.

Definition of Edging, a climbing word for standing on a small edge foothold with a rock shoe.

Definition of Exposure, a climbing word for the air under your rock shoes.

Definition of Face Climbing, climbing words for ascending a rock face using edges, pockets, and other handholds.

Definition of Fall, a climbing word for plunging off a route.

Definition of Figure-8 Follow-Through Knot, climbing words for the best and most used knot for tying a rope into a harness.

Definition of Figure-8-on-a-Bight Knot, climbing words for a secure knot used to tie a climber to an anchor.

Definition of Finger Crack, climbing words for a finger-sized crack that is ascend by jamming or wedging a climber's fingers into.

Definition of Finger Jam, climbing words for climbing a thin finger-sized crack by jamming or wedging fingers into it.

Definition of Fingerlock, a climbing word for a specialized finger jam that holds or locks the climber into a thin finger-sized crack.

Definition of First Ascent, climbing words for the first person or people to ascend a climbing route or mountain peak.

Definition of Fist Crack, climbing words for a crack that is as wide as a climber's fist.

Definition of Fist Jam, climbing words for a crack climbing technique using a climber's fists.

Definition of Fixed Rope, climbing words that refer to a rope that is left in place on a route or mountain.

Definition of Flagging, a climbing word for using a leg to stay in balance rather than weighting it.

Definition of Following , a climbing word for when a climber follows or comes up second on a route.

Definition of Foothold, a climbing word for a point on a cliff face where a climber places his foot.

Definition of Free Climbing, climbing words for ascending a rock face using hands and feet and gear for protection.

Definition of Free Soloing, climbing words for free climbing a rock face without a rope or any safety gear.

Definition of French Free Climbing, a climbing word for making occasional aid moves when free climbing a route.

Definition of Front Pointing, climbing words for ice climbing with the points or spikes on the front of a pair of crampons.

Definition of Glissade, a climbing word for a controlled sliding descent with an ice axe down a snowfield.

Definition of Hand Crack, climbing words for a hand-sized crack that is ascended by jamming or wedging a climber's hands into.

Definition of Hand Traverse, climbing words for horizontal movement using hands and arms rather than legs.

Definition of Handhold, a climbing word for a point on a cliff face that a climber uses with her hands to make upward progress.

Definition of Hanging Belay, climbing words for when a climber belays in aiders because no ledge is available.

Definition of Heel Hook, climbing words for an advanced technique when a climber's heel hooks onto a hold.

Definition of Hold, a climbing word for a point on a cliff face where a climber uses hands and feet to progress upwards.

Definition of Hypothermia, a climbing word for when the temperature of the human body drops below normal.

Definition of Hypoxia, a climbing word that means a deficiency in oxygen at high altitudes.

Definition of Jamming, a climbing word for ascending a crack by wedging or "jamming" different parts of a climber's body into it.

Definition of Klemheist Knot, climbing words for a friction knot used to ascend and descend a fixed rope.

Learn all about the Münter hitch, a climbing knot used for rappelling and belaying, especially in emergency situations.

Definition of Pitch, a climbing word for a length of climbing that is usually defined by the rope.

Definition of Pocket, a climbing word for a hole in a rock face that is used as a handhold.

Definition of Prusik Knot, climbing words for a friction knot used to ascend a fixed rope.

Definition of Rappel, a climbing word for descending fixed ropes.

Definition of sastrugi, a climbing word for hard-packed, wind-blown snow.

Definition of spotting, a climbing word that describes a bouldering technique used to safeguard a falling climbing.

Definition of Square Fisherman’s Knot, climbing words for a knot used to tie 2 ropes together for rappelling.

A stopper knot is tied in the ends of a rappel rope to keep a climber from rappelling off it.

Definition of Top-Rope, a climbing word that refers to the rope being above a climber, the act of climbing a route with the rope above, or a type of route that is climbed with a top-rope.