Part II -  F | G | H | I | J | K | L  

Word / Phrase

F

face climbing

v.

Not crack climbing.

Face plant

n.

hitting the ground face first. "Joe tripped on a fence and did a spectacular face plant."

Fake

v

to fail to meet someone at a designated location. ("Don't fake on me.")

fall

v.

The dynamic retreat from a hike or climb.

Fall factor

The length of the fall divided by the amount of rope paid out.

Fall, to

v.

A dynamic retreat from a climb (free-solo rappel). Note that it is never the fall that kills, it's the landing.

Falling

phr.

Usually yelled by the climber just before he falls.

Fecofile

n.

A PVC tube used to store solid human waste on big walls. Aka the Shit Tube.

Feet

n.

Footholds.

Fifi hook

n.

An open hook used to allow easy clipping during aid climbing. Usually found on aiders, daisy chains, etc.

fingerlock

n.

Masochistic technique to twist and wedge the fingers into a crack.

Firn

n.

Old, well consolidated snow. Often a left-over from the previous season. Closer to ice than snow in density, it may require the use of crampons.

Fisherman's knot

n.

Simple knot to tie two ropes together. The double fisherman knot, however, is more popular.

Fixed pro

n.

Bolts, rings, pitons, stuck nuts and cams and other piece of unremovable pro that may be found on a climb. Use at your own risk.

Flail

Poor (or energy wasting) climbing technique. "I saw this guy try to get over a lip and he was flailing all over the place!"

flail, to

v.

To become very unsure and sketchy. When the flailing goes into frantic grabbing for holds, a fall is not far away.

Flake

n.

A thin bit of rock that is detached from the main face.

Flapper

n.

A piece of skin torn off your hand that creates a bloody wound. Usually happens when holding on too hard when gravity is winning.

Flared

n.

A crack or chimney with sides that are not parallel, but instead form two converging planes of rock.

Flash, to

v.

To lead a climb with no falls or dogging and with no previous attempts on the climb. Two variations exist: the onsight flash (where the climber has never seen the climb before) and the beta flash (where the climber has studied the climb before or has seen someone do the climb).

Flop

v.

Go to bed

following

v.

Not leading a hike.

Free climbing

v.

Moving up a rock using only hands, feet, and natural holds. Ropes and pro are only used for protection of the climber and not for progression.

Free solo

v.

Free climbing while using no ropes for protection. You fall - you die.

G

Back to the top

gas

n.

The stuff your car and muscles run on. If you run out of gas....

gasper

n.

Cigarette

giggle juice

n.

Liquor

glacier

n.

A slowly moving permanent mass of ice.

God-save-me

n.

The type of hold one lunges for hoping it will be the perfect bucket.

Grade

n.

denoting the seriousness of a route (not to be confused with the rating of climb, which describes the technical difficulty). In Ireland, however, the word grade means both grade and rating.

Grapevine knot

n.

Fisherman's knot

gravity check

n.

a fall.

Grigri

n.

Nifty but somewhat controversial belaying device made by Petzl.

Grinder

n.

a long uphill climb.

Gripped

Paralysed with fear and utterly confused.

Grounder

n.

A fall where the kinetic energy is not absorbed by the rope and pro, but rather by mother earth itself. Can hurt badly.

Grunt

n.

a very difficult climb.

Gully

n.

A wide, shallow ravine on a mountainside.

H

Back to the top

HACE

High Altitude Cerebral Edema.
Liquid in the brain as a result of high altitude exposure. Few people live to tell what it is like.

Half rope

n.

A rope of 9 or 8.5 mm that has to be used together with a second rope when leading a climb.

Half-pint

n.

A very short person.

Half-track

n.

a trail so narrow and/or overgrown that you'd hesitate even to call it singletrack

handjam

Slightly masochistic technique where the hand is wedged into a crack.

Handle

n.

Big banana-shaped hold often found in indoor gyms. Great for waving hello to admiring bystanders. It may sound bizarre, but I've never seen one of those outdoors...

hangdog, to

v.

see Dog.

HAPE

High Altitude Pulmonary Edema.
Liquid in the lungs as a result of high altitude exposure. Pretty serious condition that can quickly lead to HACE if a descent to lower altitudes is not made immediately. See also HACE.

Hard

Tough

harness

Piece of clothing that identifies you as a climber. The coolness factor can be significantly enhanced by hanging things from the harness that go 'clink clink'.

Haul bag

n.

Large and robust bag used to haul food, water, climbing gear, sleeping bag, television, satellite dish, and other essential equipment that is required, up a big wall. Also know as "the pig".

Headwall

n.

Where the face of a mountain steepens dramatically.

Helmet

n.

Solid plastic device that can sometimes protect the head from falling stones or impact (Aka a brainbucket).

Herbish

The opposite of grodle. Not all that awesome.

High budget

adj

of extreme high quality, expensive to a point that it becomes unattainable. ("The equipment was totally high budget.")

HOHA

n.

Bikers term for hikers. Hateful Old Hikers Association. "HOHA members hate mountain bicyclists with a fervour exceeding that of rabid wolves."

Hold

n.

Anything that can be held on to.

Hoof-it

v.

To move very quickly (normally running).

Horn

n.

Spike of rock that can be for a great hold or not so great protection. The same as a chickenhead.

Hurtin unit

n.

That member of the climbing team that is suffering from severe exposure to alcoholic beverages the night before.

Hydrothermia

hypothermia from being submerged in water.

I

Back to the top

ice axe

n.

Device used for ice climbing, glacier crossing, or scaring away burglars.

Ice screw

n.

A protection device for ice climbing. Looks like a large bolt that can be screwed in hard ice.

J

Back to the top

jam, to

v.

Wedging body parts in a crack.

Jamesways

n.

canvas and wood "tents", possibly Korean War surplus, that are used as semi-permanent shelter at field camps along long distance walking routes.

Jug

n.

Very large hold (short for jug handle) (Aka "bucket" in the US).

Jug, to

v.

To jumar up a line (big wall lingo).

Jugs

n.

Big wall lingo for Jumars or any other type of ascenders.

Jumar

n.

A type of rope ascending device.

Jumar, to

v.

To ascend a rope using ascenders.

K

Back to the top

keyboard-hiker

n.

one who experiences hiking or hill-walking electronically. Usually via a computer, e-mail, the Internet, BBSs, etc.

knobbly dog

n.

like half of a wire ladder. It has a single length of wire and the "rungs" are drilled in the centre, threaded into the wire and fixed by any convenient means.

Knobbly knee

The eerie sensation of jittery legs on a difficult climb or descent

L

Back to the top

Layback / lieback

v.

somewhat clumsy looking climbing technique where hands and feet work in opposition.

Lead, to

v.

to walk a route safely with a group following.

Leader

n.

person who leads a hike.

Ledge

n.

flat bit on a rock (can be miniature or gigantic).

Legend

n.

a much liked person.

Leg-less dwarf

n.

a very short person.

Lid

n.

hat / helmet.

Lip chap

n.

lip balm.

Loaf

n.

brain

lock-off

v.

to hold on to the rock with one bent arm while using the other arm to reach up for the next hold or to place or clip protection. Lockoffs on small holds will get you pumped in a hurry.

Long hike

n.

a tough, fast treck across the mountains where there is every encouragement to climb as many hills in the shortest possible time(the primary objective), where views are only incidental to the hike, and conversation only possible if you can keep up with anyone to talk to, and provided it doesn't interfere with the primary objective. You are NEVER likely to experience a 'tea-party' on a long hike (see 'short hike' for contrast)

lowering

v.

to descend something or somebody.

Lox bread

adj

indestructible.