Glossary of Climbing Terms

"B"-grade: A grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Gill. Now largely superseded by the "V" grading system.
Bachar ladder: A piece of training equipment used to improve campusing and core strength.
Back-clipping: A potentially hazardous mistake that can be made while lead climbing. The rope is clipped into a quickdraw such that the leader's end runs underneath the quickdraw as opposed to over top of it. If the leader falls, the rope may fold directly over the gate causing it to open and release the rope from the carabiner.
Bail: To retreat from a climb.
Barn-door: If a climber has only two points of contact using either the right or left side of his body, the other half may swing uncontrollably out from the wall like a door on a hinge.
Bashie: A copperhead intended for pounding into a crack
Belay: To protect a roped climber from falling by passing the rope through, or around, any type of friction enhancing belay device. Before belay devices were invented, the rope was simply passed around the belayer's hips to create friction.
Belay device: A mechanical device used to create friction when belaying by putting bends in the rope. Many types of belay devices exist, including ATC, grigri, Reverso, Sticht plate, eight and tuber. Some belay devices may also be used as descenders. A Munter hitch can sometimes be used instead of a belay device.
Belay off: Called by belayer to confirm belay has been removed from climbing rope. Response to Belay off request.
Belay on: Called by belayer to confirm belay has been (re)applied to climbing rope. Response to Belay on request.
Belay slave: Someone that volunteers for, or is tricked into, repeated belaying duties without partaking in any of the actual climbing.
Benightment: An unscheduled overnight bivouac often due to an epic.
Bergschrund (or schrund): A crevasse that forms on the upper portion of a glacier where the moving section pulls away from the headwall. Also called a 'shrund.
Beta: Advice on how to successfully complete (or protect) a particular climbing route, boulder problem, or crux sequence. Some climbers believe that beta 'taints' an ascent.
Beta flash: The clean ascent of a climb on the first attempt, having previously obtained beta or while having beta shouted up from the ground en route. Also see on-sight.
Big wall: A climb on which most parties will spend more than one day.
Biner: See Carabiner.
Bivy (or bivvy): From the French "bivouac". A camp, or the act of camping, overnight while still on a climbing route off the ground. May involve nothing more than lying down or sitting on a rock ledge without any sleeping gear. When there is no rock ledge available, such as on a sheer vertical wall, a portaledge that hangs from anchors on the wall can be used.
Bivy-bag: A lightweight garment or sack offering full-body protection from wind and rain.
Bollard: A large knob of rock or ice used as a belay anchor.
Bolt: A point of protection permanently installed in a hole drilled into the rock, to which a metal hanger is attached, having a hole for a carabiner or ring.
Bolt chopping: The deliberate and destructive removal of one or more bolts.
Bomb-proof anchor: A totally secure anchor. Also known as bomber. Bomber can also refer to a particularly solid hand or foot hold (a "Bomber Jug")
Booty: Gear left behind at a climbing area.
Bosun's chair: To reduce pains from heavy-duty using harness such as long-time belaying or bolting a new routes, climbers attached their harness with a special type of chair which is usually a lighter one with highly endurance multiple straps and buckles. Similar types are also be used in industrial climbing.
Bouldering: The practice of climbing on large boulders. Typically this is close to the ground, so protection takes the form of crash pads and spotting instead of belay ropes.
Bridging: see Steming
Bucket: A large handhold.
Bummer: A slang word, referring to a difficult or uncomfortable hold, often one that tears the skin on the hand.
Bump: To quickly move up a hand or a foot a small distance from one useful hold to another.
Buildering: The art of climbing on buildings, which is often illegal.
Buttress: A prominent feature that juts out from a rock or mountain.