Basic Terms for the Climbing Enthusiast
(or How to Speak Like a Dirtbag)
Dirtbag doesn’t always mean what you think it means. Among a community of climbing enthusiasts, dirtbag is simply the slang term for an avid climber whose life revolves around climbing. If you are interested in taking on the rocky challenges of the great outdoors, read through the terms below and learn the lingo. After all, you don’t want anyone to call you a gumby, do you?
- AMS
- Acute Mountain Sickness
- Anchor
- The spot at which the climber secures his/her rope using fixed bolts, non-fixed equipment, rocks or trees.
- Approach
- The trek to the base of your climbing route.
- Barn Door
- To “barn door” means that a climber has lost his/her foot and hand holds on one side of his/her body, causing the climber to swing much like a barn door. Barn doors can often lead to falls.
- Base Camp
- The main, fixed camp on a long, major climb. Base camp is located at the lowest point of the trek.
- Beta
- Information regarding the climb.
- Bivi or Bivy
- Short for bivouac, an uncomfortable, unexpected sleeping area in the middle of a route.
- Bomber
- A hold or piece of climbing equipment that is very good, dependable and considered “bomb proof”.
- Chicken head
- A protruding knob, often found in granite, used as holds for hands or feet.
- Crag
- The steep, rocky slope or cliff used as the climbing area.
- Dirtbag
- A dedicated climber.
- Dyno
- A dynamic jump or leap that allows the climber to successfully grab a hold that would normally be out of reach.
- Elvis
- Due to fear or over tensing the muscles, the novice climber may find his/her legs shaking uncontrollably, much like the dance moves of the King of Rock. The climber who encounters Elvis leg may find himself/herself in danger of being dislodged.
- Flash
- Successful completion, without falls, of one’s first attempt to climb a route.
- Fish Dance
- Futile effort to coolly recover from an embarrassing fall.
- Goby
- A gross, scabbed sore on the hand, created during crack climbing.
- Gumby
- The obviously novice climber.
- On-sight
- A successful climb, with no falls, on the first try and with no beta.
- Party ledge
- A large, safe ledge used for resting during a difficult climb.
- Rap
- Short for rappel, meaning to descend by use of fixed ropes.
- Runout
- A portion of the route with an inadequate amount of protection.
- Send
- A successfully completed climb.
- Sewing machine leg
- Same as Elvis.
- Smear
- Placing the foot against the rock where there is no foot hold.
- Spray
- Boasting or bragging.
- Stem
- Climbers stem by carefully balancing their weight between and placing outward pressure against the foot holds. This allows the climber to transition body weight from his/her upper body to the lower body.
- Whipper
- A very long fall.
Just knowing these terms will not be enough to give you the training you need to become a proficient climber. It’s important to train under the guidance of a professional. For information on how to find a climbing instructor or school in your area, visit your local library, contact your local parks and recreation department or visit the website for the American Mountain Guides Association at www.amga.com.
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