Part I   -   Expressions | A | B | C | D | E 

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"belay on"

phr.

When the belayer is ready to belay the climber up, he yells "Belay on". (At least in the US, "belay on" would only confuse the hell out of an Irish climber who prefers to hear "Climb when ready").

"below"

phr.

Used in Ireland by those 'in the know' to warn for impending impact with objects coming from above (e.g. falling rock). "Rock" in the US.

"bonne grimpe !"

phr.

An alpine greeting to climbers when they start a climb. In Ireland, a wide variety of greetings are likely from a shrug of the shoulders to "howya" with a shake of the head. To understand more see: http://homepage.eircom.net/~nobyrne/openers.htm (Part of my slang dictionary!)

"climb when ready"

phr.

The equivalent of "Belay on" used in Ireland.

"climbing"

phr.

What the climber shouts after the belayer screams "Belay on".

"falling"

phr.

Yelled when a climber is (about to) fall.

"got me?"

phr.

A wake up call for the belayer, used to warn her that you are about to put some weight on the rope.

"help"

phr.

The vocal alternative to 6 whistle blast signals a minute. In far away countries, try S.O.S. it does not mean anything but is understood by most.

"off belay"

phr.

Yelled when the climber no longer requires a belay (e.g. because she/he has reached a stance). Once the belayer hears "off belay", he/she removes the rope from the belay device and yells "belay off". In Ireland, UK, Australia and New Zealand "Safe" should be used.

"oh f***!"

phr.

expression uttered on realisation of a serious mistake.  (A fuller exploration of the word F*** is here)

"on belay ???"

phr.

Query to verify if the belayer is ready to secure the climber (US only).

"rock"

phr.

Scream let out to warn people down below that a piece of rock has been overcome by gravity. The loudness, number of repetitions, and/or panic in voice with which this word is uttered is often an indication of the seriousness of the rock. In Ireland, you're more likely to hear "Below", beware! "look-out"

"rope"

phr.

Should be yelled when a rope is about to be thrown to the base of the crag (though most of the time it seems like "rope" is shouted about 1-2 seconds after the rope is thrown). In Ireland, shout "Rope below".

"safe"

phr.

The equivalent of "Off Belay" used in Ireland.

"slack"

phr.

Yelled when the climber needs more rope

"take in"

phr.

The equivalent of " Up Rope" used in Ireland.

"take"

phr.

American monosyllable for "Up Rope". Also used by top-ropers and sports-climbers to indicate that they have reached the top and want to be lowered.

"taking in"

phr.

Heard often from serious Irish experts, meaning the climber is "off belay" and about to pull up the slack between him and the belayer.

0-9

10 essentials

n.

That part of your hiking or climbing gear you don't want to leave at home. But are there only 10?

A

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abseil, to

v.

descending by sliding down a rope. Americans usually call this rappelling.

adze

n.

The flat cutting end of the ice axe head.

aid climbing

Moving up a rock using fixed or placed protecting as a means of progression (and not just for protection). Also known in the US as sixth class climbing.

aid route

Route that can only be ascended using aid climbing techniques

aider

n.

Webbing ladder used for aid climbing. The word was probably coined by someone who couldn't spell the french word étrier.

air rappel

n.

an accidental fall down a pit.

alcove

n.

A belay ledge that is surrounded by vertical rock on all sides.

alpine butterfly

n.

butterfly knot

AMS

n.

Acute mountain sickness. (Ask your medical doctor.)

anchor

n.

Point where the rope is fixed to the rock.

arete

n.

A narrow (more or less - but often more less than more - horizontal) ridge.

armchair hiker

n.

one who talks about hiking more than going out on the hills.

ascenders

n.

Devices (e.g. Jumars) to ascend a rope.

avalanche

n.

Lots of snow or ice sliding down a mountain very fast.

B

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bail, to

v.

To give up on a rock climb or a summit attempt because of bad weather coming in.

bandit

n.

Someone who is accused of doing something nonsensical.

barf

v.

to vomit.

barn door, to

v.

To lose the foot and hand holds on one side of the body. Usually causes the climber to swing like a barn door.

base camp

n.

The lowest and largest fixed camp on a major ascent (or multiple ascents in the same area).

batman and robin

n.

inseparable. May also mean that one person is the leader and the other is the sidekick.

beer

n.

An essential fluid on all climbing trips. Consumed in large quantities after climbing. Can prove fatal if consumed in high quantities.

belay betty and belay bob

n.

The girl or boyfriend of an addictive rock climber.

belay station

n.

A safe stance consisting of an anchor, a rope, and a belayer (aka "the belay")

belay, to

v.

To secure a climber.

belayer

n.

The person at the belay station securing the climber.

beta

n.

Insider information about a climb. Running or auto beta is someone telling you how to do the moves as you go (as in "can you please shut up with that running beta, I want to find out myself").

beta flash

v.

Leading a climb with no falling or dogging, but with a piece of previous knowledge hints on how to do those crux moves. Even seeing someone do the climb already classifies as 'previous knowledge'.

BFR -big f*cking rock

n.

A bomb-proof anchor; bad news if it really isn't! Can also refer to an obstacle on a hike

big one, the

n.

Death

big sleep, the

n.

Death (a term coined by Chandler)

big wall

n.

Rock climb that is so long and sustained that a normal ascent lasts several days.

bivouac

n.

Or shortened to 'Bivi', A place to sleep for the night. Can be uncomfortable sleeping place in the middle of a route.

bivvie

n. v.

A small shelter constructed from branches and twigs or poor living accommodation.

bivvie bag

n.

large brightly coloured plastic bag intended to provide emergency shelter or to be used for signalling to rescuers, but is mostly valued for sitting on during "drum-up" so as to preserve a reasonably dry rear-end.

black ice

n.

Old ice that was exposed to extremely cold temperatures, scree, and snowfall. Usually found deep in shady couloirs, or on steep north faces. Very hard and dense ice that is difficult to climb.

blast, to

v.

To begin a big wall, after the line fixing is done. "We're gonna blast on Tuesday morning after we get the first three pitches fixed".

blue ice

n.

Very dense ice with a watery hue and few air bubbles.

BNH - big-name hiker

n.

(usually complimentary, but sometimes connotes self-styled importance, or a pedopolitician).

bog-trotter

n. adj

a hiker with a preference for routes over ground which is predominantly very soft and wet

bomb proof

n. adj.

(1) suitable natural rig point for mountaineering.
(2) any belay(rock climbing) which has a vast overkill of security, or any sort of shoring or other equipment whose safety in no doubt.
(3) the illusion that an anchor is infallible

bomber

adj

Used to indicate that something is exceptionally solid, e.g. an anchor, a hold. See also bombproof.

bong

n.

An almost extinct species of extra wide pitons. Now, large chocks are usually used instead.

bootie

n.

Rock climbing or mountaineering gear (nuts, cams, etc.) that was left behind on a climb by the previous party.

boulder, to

v.

Climbing unroped on boulders or at the foot of climbs to a height where it is still safe to jump off.

bounce

v.

To crater / fall from an extreme height. Usually hurts or is lethal.

brain bucket

n.

Aka helmet. That all important hard shelled thing that covers our (second?) most valuable asset.

bucket

n.

A large hold (Aka "jug", esp. in UK)

buildering

v.

To climb the outside of buildings

bunny boots

n.

boots resembling those worn by Mickey Mouse, large, white and featureless, named for the layer of rabbit fur that's reputed to be part of the insulation (it's really only wool felt). They are heavy, but very very very warm.

bury the foot

v.

To suddenly accelerate very fast.

butterfly knot

n.

Interesting but rarely used climbing knot.

buttress

n.

The part of the mountain or rock that stands in front of the main mountain face.

buzz

n.

euphoric feeling. Commonly used after a particularly hard
passage is successfully completed. "I got such a buzz after that uphill
grunt."

C

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cardboard hiker

adj

a hiker who turns around at the first sign of
wetness - so that his/her layers don't delaminate

cheese grater, to

v.

To slide down a slab while scraping the knees, hands, and face.

chest harness

n.

Bra-like looking harness (to be used with waist harness)

chickenhead

n.

Sometimes phallic shaped, protruding lumps that make excellent hand or footholds on granite, etc.

chilled off

adj

Killed

chimed

adj

Exhausted. "This climb has got me chimed."

chimney

n.

A wide crack that accommodates (most of) the body of the climber.

chimney, to

v.

A climbing technique used to conquer chimneys. Usually requires the use of the back and feet, arms, head and other body parts.

chipped hold

n.

A hold created with a hammer and chisel by a moron incapable of doing the climb as it is.

chockstone

n.

A stone wedged between a crack, a chimney, etc.

choss

n.

In Australia, this means poor rock (you can take all the holds home...). In the UK, choss is dirt and vegetation found in cracks

chute

n.

A very steep gully. The word chute is french for fall and refers to the rockfall that is very common in a chute.

cirque

n.

A deep and steep-walled basin on a mountain usually forming the blunt end of a valley. From the French word for circus.

class

adj

A number designating the overall technical level of a route. The first number in the YDS designates the class of the climb.

clean

v.

to climb or negotiate a trail successfully without falling or dogging. "I cleaned
that last section."

clean, to

v.

To remove the pro from a route. Usually done by the follower.

clear!

phr

imperative v., Danger! (U.S.)

cliff

n.

A vertical piece of rock good for climbing (see also Crag).

cliffhanger

adj

Not just a silly film with Wolfgang Güllich and Ron Kauk, but also the name for a small hooking device used to aid climb up small ledges and pockets.

climbing gym

n.

The second best thing to real rock (Aka " climbing wall" in Ireland ).

climbing shoes

n.

Shoes made of sticky rubber that would have fit you comfortably when you were ten.

climbing wall

n.

The phrase often used in Ireland for a climbing gym.

clip, to

v.

The reassuring action of putting the rope through a karabiner (that is attached to a piece of pro).

clove hitch

n.

A useful, easily adjustable climbing knot usually used to tie the rope into a karibiner.

col

n.

A steep, high mountain pass.

cord

n.

Thin static rope (5, 5.5 or 6 mm)

corn snow

n.

Unconsolidated granular snow that has gone through a short freeze-and-thaw process. This type of snow is prevalent throughout the High Sierra in April and May.

corner

n.

Inside corner (see dihedral) or outside corner. In the Ireland, a corner is always an inside one.

couloir

n.

A steep gully which may have snow or ice.

crab

n.

Short for karibiner.

crack, in rock

n.

A gap or fissure in the rock varying in width from nail to bodywidth.

crag

n.

Name for a (small) climbing area.

crampons

n.

Very pointy footwear used to walk glaciers or climb ice.

crank, to

v.

To pull on a hold as hard as you can, and then some.

crater, to

v.

To fall and hit the ground, as in "I almost cratered".

crest

n.

The very top of a ridge or arete.

crevasse

n.

cracks and fissures in the ice, frequently snow-covered and not readily visible

crimper

n.

A very small hold that accepts only the finger tips. In the Ireland, this is often just called a crimp.

Croak

v.

To kill; to die

crux

adj

The hard bit.

Cut

adj

muscular, usually due to the absence of fat

D

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daisy chain

n.

A sling sewn (or tied) with numerous loops, used as an adjustable sling in aid climbing.

Deadpoint

n.

A dynamic move where the next hold is grabbed at the very top of the motion (if you lunge upwards, that is just before you start falling again). By grabbing a hold in its 'deadpoint', you place the smallest possible loads on the holds.

Death march

n.

particularly gruelling hike

death wobbles

adj.

The eerie sensation of jittery legs. Aka Elvis to Elvis or the sewing machine.

Deck

n.

The usually unfriendly surface that welcomes you at the end of a grounder.

Descender

n.

Device used for rappeling.

Dog (to dog a move)

v.

Climbing, lowering, climbing again till a certain move is made (the usual mode of ascent...).

double fisherman's knot

n.

Solid knot used to tie two ropes or pieces of webbing together (Aka grapevine knot).

Double rope

n.

Same as a half rope. Also the technique using two half ropes.

Downclimbing

v.

Descending the difficult way.

Drink out of the same flask, as in "we used to drink out of the same flask."

v.

We were close friends

drop science

V

to share knowledge or information.

Drum-up

n.

stop for packed lunch or refreshment during a hike

dry tool, to

v.

To ascend a section of rock using ice tools - very common in mixed climbing.

Dynamic belay

v.

A belay method in which some rope is allowed to slip during severe falls. A dynamic belay can severely reduce the impact force from a serious fall, but can also severely kill you if not done properly.

Dyno

v.

Dynamic movement towards a distant hold.

E

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edge

n.

A sharp edge on a rock face.

Edging

v.

Foot technique where one uses the edge of the climbing shoe to stand on small footholds. The opposite of smearing.

e-hiker

n.

one who experiences hiking or hill-walking electronically. Usually via a computer,
E-Mail, the Internet, BBSs, etc.

elvis, to

v.

To have a sewing machine leg. Named after "Elvis, the King", who suffered from this problem when singing before a crowd of screaming women.

Endo

n.

the manoeuvre of flying unexpectedly from a hill. Short for "end over end." "I tripped over that rock and went endo like nobody's business."

Epic

n.

The story of a well planned climb that turned into a gruelling adventure that turned out well in the end. As these stories are told over and over again - and they always are - the details get stretched to supernatural proportions for dramatic effect.