Rock Climbing Vocabulary

A _______________ is the specific route one takes when climbing up a gym bouldering wall or an outdoor boulder.

• Bouldering

• Boulder Problem

• Multi Pitch Climbing

• Crux

The discipline of climbing boulders without a rope.

• Top Rope Climbing

• Bouldering

• Lead Climbing

• Trad Climbing

A belayer's bottom hand, which holds the rope below a belay device

• Brake Hand

• Go Hand

• Climbing Hand

• Crimp

Small edge hold that is grabbed with the fingers bent at middle joint and secured with thumb.

• Undercling

• Pinch

• Sloper

• Crimp

Like the name implies, an ______________ is any hold you grip from the bottom so you can pull up.

• Crimp

• Horn

• Undercling

• Pocket

______________ are big bulges with no positive angle for your hands to grip.

• Pocket

• Slopers

• Crimp

• Edge/Ledge

Any piece of rock that you can pinch with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other.

• Sloper

• Pocket

• Pinch

• Undercling

_________are big, open holds that you can get your whole hand around. These are most people’s favorite because they’re so easy to grip and they provide an excellent rest.

• Sloper

• Pocket

• Edge/Ledge

• Jug/Bucket

__________________ are protrusions of rock that you can get your hand behind. They’re great holds because they’re usually very easy to grip. Sometimes you can even throw a sling around them to use as protection.

• Flake

• Horns

• Undercling

• Pocket

Hardest move or set of moves on a route or a pitch

• Crux

• Boulder Problem

• Core

• Crimp