Mountaineering terms are important to know when one decides to go for a high altitude trek. The climber should be familiar with the ice and rock terrain around him/her. Knowing some basic terms helps in an easy flow of communication and efficiency while in emergency. Arete - Arete Is A Sharp Ridge Of A Mountain Top. Buttress - Buttress Is A Cliff Which Is Attached To The Main Mountain. Cap Stone - The Stone That Shelters Above The Crack Is Called A Cap Stone. Choke Stone - A Stone That Is Stuck Between The Chimney Or Crack Is Called A Choke Stone. COL - The Space / Saddle Between 2 Mountains Is Called COL. Couloir - A Term Used For Bigger Gully. It Is A Steep Gorge Filled & Blocked With Snow, Ice, Stones And Pebbles. Pass - The Way That Goes Through COL Is Called Pass. GAP - A Space Between 2 Mountains Or Ridge Is Called GAP. Slack - A Slack Is A Loose Rope Between 2 Climbers. It Is Preferably Minimized During Belay. Cornice - Cornice Is An Ice Overhang Which Is Formed Due To The Winds On The Ridge Line. Glacis - 30 Degree Slope Which Can Be Climbed Easily Gully - A Cut Between The Mountain From Where Water Can Flow Or A Man Can Walk. Ledge - The Small Platform On The Slopes Of A Mountain On Which A Climber Can Stand Is Called A Ledge. Moraine - The Dirt And Pebble Brought By The Glacier Is Called Moraine. Types - Lateral, Medial, Terminal Rib - Rib Is A Segment That Is Separated From The Main Rock Face

1. Unique Mountaineering Terms And
What Do They Indicate
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2. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Mountaineering terms are important to know when one
decides to go for a high altitude trek. The climber should be
familiar with the ice and rock terrain around him/her.
Knowing some basic terms helps in an easy flow of
communication and efficiency while in emergency.
Acclimatization - Acclimatization is a process in which you
prepare your body, according to the environment of a high
altitude. This is very important as without acclimatization, a
person can face problems like AMS, HAPO, HACO, etc. High
altitude starts from 9000ft.
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3. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Anchor - Anchor is a device/method that helps climber to
attach itself to the climbing surface like a rock, Ice or any
other wall. This ensures the safety of the climber as it arrests
him/her at the time of a fall.
Arete - Arete is a sharp ridge of a mountain top.
Avalanche - When abundance of snow slides down on a
sloping surface, it is called avalanche. It also brings down
rock, trees, etc., along with it. Avalanche is highly dangerous
and life threatening.
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4. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
There are 3 types of Avalanche –
1. Loose snow Avalanche (Dry, Wet)
2. Packed snow avalanche
3. Combination of both
Belay - Belay is a technique is which a person called belayer
safeguards a climbers fall. In case the climber falls, the
belayer can arrest/freeze him/her with the help of belay
rope and device.
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5. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Bergshrund - A bergschrund is a crack/crevasse that divides
the glacier. It is a serious obstacle for mountaineers.
Bivouac - Bivouac is a place where mountaineers can make
a temporary shelter and rest for some time. It could be a
natural shelter or improvised shelter.
Buttress - Buttress is a cliff which is attached to the main
mountain.
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6. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Cairn - If you have gone for a Himalayan trek, many a times
you might have noticed a group of stones built one above
the other.
It is big at the bottom and small and the top, making it a
triangular shape. Such a group of stones is called Cairn.
They are used to make directions or landmark.
Cap Stone - The stone that shelters above the crack is called
a cap stone.
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7. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Chimney - A chimney is a space on a rock wall/mountain
which is wider than crack. A man can easily fit in the
chimney.
To climb such a structure, the climber, often jams his/her
body to apply opposite pressure on the vertical walls.
Choke Stone - A stone that is stuck between the chimney or
crack is called a choke stone.
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8. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
COL - The space / saddle between 2 mountains is called
COL.
Couloir - A term used for bigger gully. It is a steep gorge
filled & blocked with snow, ice, stones and pebbles.
Pass - The way that goes through COL is called Pass.
GAP - A space between 2 mountains or ridge is called GAP.
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9. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Saddle - A saddle is a flat space or a pass between 2
mountains. It is usually at a height and it is larger than COL.
Snow Bridge - The ice bridge that forms naturally on the
crevasse or cracks is called a snow bridge. It is typically
formed by snow drift, which first creates a cornice and then
gradually grow to reach the other side of the opening.
Snow Line - Snow line is an imaginary line above which
snow is always found throughout the year.
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10. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Snout - Snout is the base/end of the glacier from where
water flows. Since glacier is constantly moving, the snout
also keeps moving.
Stance - The climber positions itself with belay while
standing/ sitting on the ledge. It is called stance.
Slab - A slab is a slope which is significantly less than a
vertical section of rock. Usually it is a 30 to 70 degree slope.
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11. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Slack - A slack is a loose rope between 2 climbers. It is
preferably minimized during belay.
Tarn - A Tarn is a mountain lake formed due to the
atmospheric condition around. Roopkund, Satopanth tal,
Bhrigu lake are some of the examples of tarn.
Timber Line - Timber line is an imaginary line above which
trees are not found. It is usually a point where there isn’t
enough air, heat, or water to keep trees alive.
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12. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Cornice - Cornice is an ice overhang which is formed due to
the winds on the ridge line.
Cravasse - The crack which forms in the glacier are called
cravasse. There are usually 3 types of cravasses - Diagonal,
Longitudinal and Transversal.
CWM - Cwm is a cliff-lined semi-circular basin hanging on
the upper part of the main valley glacier. One of the most
famous cwms is the Western Cwm on the Khumbu Glacier
below Mount Everest in Nepal.
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13. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Free Climbing - A climber that climbs without any
mountaineering equipments is called free climbing.
Artificial Climbing - A climber that climbs with any
mountaineering equipments is called artificial climbing.
Fixed Rope - The rope which is fixed to the rock face/
mountain wall with the help of pitons is called fixed rope.
Gendarme - Gendarme is a tower looking rock face or a
pinnacle on the ridge of a mountain. It is frequently
encountered along a ridge.
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14. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Glacier Streams - Due to high temperature, the glacier melts
and flows down in a form of stream.
Glissade - Glissade is usually a voluntary act of sliding down
on a steep slope of snow. It can be either in sitting or
standing position. Ice axe is very important to have so as to
arrest the fall.
Glacis - 30 degree slope which can be climbed easily
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15. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Gully - A cut between the mountain from where water can
flow or a man can walk.
Hanging Glacier - The small glaciers which are separated
from the main glacier on the mountain slopes
Ledge - The small platform on the slopes of a mountain on
which a climber can stand is called a Ledge.
Moraine - The dirt and pebble brought by the glacier is
called Moraine. Types - Lateral, Medial, Terminal
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16. Unique Mountaineering Terms And What
Do They Indicate
Pitch - a pitch is the portion of a climb between 2 belay
points on the difficult ice wall/ mountain.
Rib - Rib is a segment that is separated from the main rock
face
Scree - Small, loose, broken rocks, often at the base of a cliff.
They are separated from the main mountain.
Serac - Serac are the ice cliffs on the ice wall. These Ice
towers are dangerous and should be avoided.
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