Climbing Terms

Climbing Terms

Trade route- A well travelled climb that everyone does often defined by polish and starts in a guidebook e.g Little Chamonix in Borrowdale

Sandbag- Can mean two things; 1. The best type of climb a route totally undergraded and a lot harder than you think  e.g every Joe Brown Route 2. To sandbag someone give them the wrong beta to through them off e.g the wrong size piece of gear to protect the route

Beta- Information/tips and tricks on how to do a route e.g telling the person what cam to use on a route

Cam- A cam or camming device is a mechanical piece of protection first developed by Ray Jardine and Wildcountry and utilising angles and lobes to protect flared cracks. There is a great video about this on epic tv called a brief history of friends.

Bouldering- Climbing bits of rock up to 6m(or higher but that is highball bouldering) high above a foam stuffed crash pad, its a great way to try hard moves without the fear of death.

Soloing- Climbing without a rope also called free soloing easier in the UK as most of our cliffs are usually only 18m high. See Alex Honnold for 'real' soloing.

Multi-Pitch- Climbing involving 2 or more pitches a pitch is defined as when the leader stops and sets up an anchor so in multi pitch climbing then the second has another pitch to lead after this first anchor.

Trad- I talk mainly about trad or traditional climbing this involves protecting a route with bits of metal placed in cracks or breaks.