Domain Specific Vocabulary

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Cornelius Stanley
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Name PEAK A Domain Specific Vocabulary AMS: Acute Mountain Sickness. A cluster of symptoms brought on by lower blood levels of oxygen at higher altitudes.

Anchor: Point where the rope is secured to the rock with either fixed bolts, rocks, trees or non-fixed gear to provide protection against a fall. ABC: Advance Base Camp.

1 Name PEAK A Domain Specific Vocabulary AMS: Acute Mountain Sickness. A cluster of symptoms brought on by lower blood levels of oxygen at higher altitudes. Symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, malaise and disturbed sleep. Anchor: Point where the rope is secured to the rock with either fixed bolts, rocks, trees or non-fixed gear to provide protection against a fall. ABC: Advance Base Camp. next permanent camp up the north side of the mountain. Acclimate: to become accustomed to a new climate or environment. Base Camp: The lowest, largest (and most luxurious) fixed camp on a major ascent. Belay: A rope wrapped around an a pin or cleat to secure a climber Bivouac: A temporary camp sometimes planned, often not that provides little or no shelter from the elements. Bivy, or Bivi, for short. Black Ice: Permanent ice found in shady couloirs or on steep north faces that is usually extremely hard, dense and difficult to climb. Bolt: Stout metal pin drilled in the rock of steep routes to provide permanent protection for climbers. Boulder: To climb short, hard routes on low-lying rocks without protective gear. Buttress: A rock formation that projects out from the line of a face. B Cam: Generic term for mechanical spring-loaded devices of varying sizes and manufactuer (Friends, Camalots, TCUs, etc) which can be inserted in cracks to secure a climbing rope. Carabiner: Forged aluminum or steel devices of various shapes (oval, D-ring, etc.) with a spring-loaded gate through which a climbing rope can be threaded. The most basic all-around tool on a climber's rack, they are used variously for such activities as belaying, rappelling, prusiking and clipping into safety anchors. (Common usage: "Biner"). C

2 Chute: A very steep gully. (Chute is French for "fall," and refers to the rockfall often found in such gullies.) Clipping in: The act of a climber using a carabiner to connect to belays and anchors or to connect ropes to protection. Crampons: Spiked metal devices which attach to climbing boots to provide purchase on ice and firm snow slopes. Crank: To pull on a hold with maximum force; to expend total effort in any endeavor. Crevasse: A crack in a glacier surface of varying width and depth, caused by the movement of the glacier over underlying irregularities in terrain. Crux: The most difficult section of a climbing route. Deck: The ground. Double Fisherman's Knot: A solid and reliable knot used to tie two ropes or pieces of webbing together. D Edging: A climbing technique in which the thin edges of the climbing shoes are used to stand on small footholds. Exposure: The condition of being on high vertical rock with full consciousness that nothing exists between you and the distant ground but thin air. E Face Climbing: Ascending rock that is predominantly made up of finger pockets and thin edges. Figure Eight Knot: The basic climber's knot. When retraced, it is used to attach a climber's harness to the rope. Fixed rope: A rope anchored to a route by the lead climber and left in place for all who follow. Flapper: A large piece of detached skin, often field-repaired with Super Glue or duct tape. F Gendarme: A sharp pinnacle of rock on a ridge. Gumby: A rookie climber. G

3 H HACE: High Altitude Cerebral Edema is the most serious form of altitude sickness, involving swelling of brain tissue. Symptoms include loss of memory and coordination, vision disturbances and hallucinations, paralysis and seizures. Immediate evacuation and treatment is imperative. HAPE: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, is a dangerous form of altitude sickness involving fluid buildup in the lungs. Symptoms include breathlessness, fatigue, pink sputum and increased heart rate. Going to lower altitude is highly recommended. Harness: A strong belt made of nylon webbing with leg and/or chest loops used to secure the climber to the rope and to provide a repository for gear. Haul Bag: Large, heavy, unwieldy bag used to carry food, water and gear on big wall climbs. Also know as a "Haul Pig," or just "Pig." Headwall: The point where a cliff or mountain's face steepens dramatically. Hooks: Small metal devices used to grip tiny ledges or small holes. Hypothermia: Abnormally low body temperature caused by exposure to cold and wetness, symptoms of which are sluggishness, reduced mental capacity and apathy. Hypoxia: A debilitating lack of oxygen. Ice Axe: A mountaineering tool of varying lengths Ice Fall: A feature of a mountain's terrain in which a glacier falls so steeply that it creates a series of crevasses and ice pinnacles. Usually one of the most dangerous features encountered on a mountain climb. Ice screw: A threaded piton made of aluminum or some other light metal designed to bore into ice securely enough to act as a protective anchor. I Jumar: Trade name for a mechanical sliding/braking device used to ascend a rope. J Knifeblade: Long thin wedge used to fit into cracks too narrow for even the tiniest of nuts. K Lead: To be the first climber up a pitch, placing protection in the rock along the way while being belayed by a partner from below. L

4 Locking Carabiner: A carabiner whose gate can be screwed or locked tight for increased security. Moraine: An accumulation of stones and various debris pushed into a large pile by a glacier. M N. Névê: Permanent granular snow formed by repeated freeze-thaw cycles which is found above the head of a glacier. O "Off Belay!": Vocal signal from a climber who has reached a safe stance and no longer requires protection from his or her partner. Piton: Metal spike or peg of various shapes and configurations that can be hammered into the rock for protection, primarily in aid climbing. P Rappel (or "Rap"): To descend a fixed rope by means of mechanical braking devices. Rime: A thin crust of icy snow which accumulates on the surface of rocks. Roof: An overhanging rock ceiling. Rotten Rock: Unreliable rock which has a tendency to break off under a climber's weight. R Saddle: A high pass between two peaks. Screamer: A long fall. Scree: Small loose rocks that gather on the slope at the base of a cliff. Sherpas: An ethnic group of Tibetan origin living below Mt. Everest in the Solo Khumbu area. From the Sherpa's effective monopoly as high-altitude porters, the name has come to be applied generically to all who work in that profession. Sirdar: The head Sherpa on an expedition. S Talus: An accumulation of rocks and boulders that have fallen from a crag or face to form a steeply sloping fan at the base. T

5 Top Rope: A climbing rope that is anchored from above. Traverse: Moving sideways across a section of terrain instead of directly up or down. "Up Rope": Command shouted by a climber when he or she desires a tighter, more secure belay. U Verglas: A thin coating of ice on rock which makes for extremely difficult climbing conditions. V Webbing: Flat nylon tape or tubing used for slings. Windslab: A type of avalanche which occurs when a snow layer compacted by wind settles insecurely atop old snow; when it detaches it falls in large slabs or blocks of snow. W

Within Reach. My Everest Story. Anchor Text Introduction Author Mark Pfetzer

Within Reach. My Everest Story. Anchor Text Introduction Author Mark Pfetzer Within Reach My Everest Story Anchor Text Introduction Author Mark Pfetzer Overview In May 1996 the media scrambled to document the gripping story of sixteen-year-old Mark Pfetzer's expedition to Mount