Climbing Terms

ATC: “Air Traffic Controller” —refers to a belay device used to belay climbers.
Beta: Information that will help a climber to complete a climb.
Belay: The act of managing the rope for the person climbing, preventing the climber from falling to the ground.
Bouldering: Low level climbing done without any ropes. This type of climbing focuses on strength and movement to finish routes referred to as problems.
Campus: Climbing without using any feet.
Carabiner: A metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate. The loop part opposite the gate is referred to as the spine. Carabiners are most commonly used with a belay device or to hold your chalk bag to your harness. (Buy the most expensive one for this!)
Crux: The most difficult area or move of a route.
Dead point: A dynamic move, which involves precision movement in order to catch the hold at the peak of the move before momentum waivers and gravity starts
Dyno: Short for dynamic. Usually refers to a move where the climber will jump for the next move.
Flash: To climb a route on the first attempt without ever climbing that route before, but having beta in order to do that route.
Harness: A piece of gear a climber wears that the rope is tied into to protect the climber in the instance of a fall.
Lead Climbing: Climbing in which the climber clips into protection (a quickdraw in the gym) as they ascend up a route.
Multipitch: A climb that is longer than the length of a climbing rope and must be climbed in stages.
On-sight: to climb a route on the first attempt without ever climbing that route before and having no beta.
Quickdraw: A short sling with a carabiner clipped to each end. Mostly used when leading a route.
Rappel: Descending a rope using a various number of methods.
Red point: Climbing a route from bottom to top in one attempt.
Send it: An emphatic statement to someone encouraging him or her to hang in and finish a route without falling.
Sport Climbing: Climbing routes protected by bolts.
Spotter: A person designated to slow the fall of a boulderer, with the intent to minimize injury.
Trad: Short for “Traditional Climbing” refers to climbing using natural protection, instead of bolts.
Toproping: A style of climbing where the rope is hung at the top of the climb, thus allowing the climber and the belayer to be on the ground.