Reading University Mountaineering Club - RUMC

Pages: Club terminology - Climbing equipment - Outdoors kit - Rock type/features - Climbing terminology - Climbing techniques - Other stuff

Page 4 : Rock types/features

Arete
A relatively sharp ridge of rock that juts out from the surrounding rock, or where you have a sharp change in direction of the rockface (e.g. the corner of a cube is an arete).

Break
A horizontal crack that splits a face. Commonly found on gritstone.

Chimney
A wide crack that you can fit your whole body into.

Choss
A derogatory term used to describe any loose crumbly nasty scary rock.

Crack
Obvious really! These come in all sizes from tiny to bigger than your body and provide holds and gear placements.

Crimp
A small positive hold that you can just use your fingertips (or less!) on.

Diedre
This is a term used to describe a corner that looks like an open book.

Flake
Used to describe a rock feature that appears to be a flat piece of rock that has become slightly detached from the main face, allowing the climber to use the edges of it as holds.

Granite
Another varied rocktype from the very rough and rounded type found in south-west England to the smoother and more positive type found in the Alps and Yosemite.

Gritstone
God's own rock. Slopey, grippy, short and demands good technique and strength. Found in the Peak district, Yorkshire and Lancashire.

Jug
Any large hold that you can easily use or hang from.

Limestone
An incredibly varied type of rock. Often not very grippy and can get very polished but has hundreds of small holds all over it.

Mono
A tiny pocket that can only be used with one finger.

Off-width / offwidth
A crack that is bigger than the width of your fist, and really hard to climb!

Overhang(ing)
Rock that is more than vertical.

Overlap
A small section of overhanging rock on an otherwise verical or slabby route.

Pocket
A small hole in the rock that may make for a good hold. Often painful to use.

Roof
A large overhanging horizontal section of rock. Requires a lot of strength to climb!

Sandstone
A soft rock, similar to gritstone but less grippy. The softest is found in the south east of England (southern sandstone) but harder varieties are found in Northumberland and Fontainbleau.

Scree See also ' Scree running'
A slope of broken and loose rocks.

Slab
Any bit of rock that is less than vertical.

Sloper
Any sloping hold.

Thread
A hole or constriction (between two boulders, for example) that a rope or sling can be threaded through to make a good anchor.

Tufa
This is an odd rock formation that looks like the dribble of wax that runs down the side of a candle. They are found on limestone and give interesting and unusual climbing.

Words to define:   ridge