Glossary of Climbing Terms - T

T

Take

Called by a climber when requesting that the belayer remove all slack. See hang dogging.

Talus

An area of large rock fragments on a mountainside that may vary from house-size to as small as a small backpack. The area, if older and consolidated, may be stable, or the rocks may be precariously balanced. Talus is distinguished from scree in that it is larger and may feature solid interlocking of the rocks, while scree is by definition loose.

Teabagging

When, after a whipper, or long fall, a climber falls past their belayer, who is generally lifted up off the ground.

Technical climbing

Climbing involving a rope and some means of protection, as opposed to scrambling or glacier travel.

Tension

A technique for maintaining balance using a taut rope through a point of protection.

Thrutching

Poor technique or 'body climbing', often making a move more difficult than it need be. Also: A grunting, heaving action synonymous with climbing.

Top rope

To belay from a fixed anchor point above the climb. Top-roping requires easy access to the top of the climb, by means of a footpath or scrambling.

Top-out

To complete a route by ascending over the top of the structure being climbed.

Track

to use holds specified out for you in any route, usually used in gym climbing.

Traditional climbing

A style of climbing that emphasizes the adventure and exploratory nature of climbing. While sport climbers generally will use pre-placed protection ("bolts"), traditional (or "trad") climbers will place their own protection as they climb, generally carried with them on a rack.

Training

Getting prepared to climb on difficult mountains.

Tramming

A technique that is typically used while lowering and cleaning gear from an overhanging and/or traversing route. A quickdraw is clipped between the climber's harness and the rope that is threaded through the gear. As the climber is lowered by the belayer, the quickdraw holds the cleaner close to the wall and following the line of the route. Without the quickdraw, the climber would lower straight down, further and further from the remaining gear to be cleaned. Also known as trolleying.

Traverse

1. To climb in a horizontal direction.
2. A section of a route that requires progress in a horizontal direction.
3. A Tyrolean traverse is crossing a chasm using a rope anchored at both ends.
4. A pendulum traverse involves swinging across a wall or chasm while suspended from a rope affixed above the climber.

Tricam

A simple camming protection device that has no moving parts.

Tuber

A belay device.

Tufa

A limestone rib formation that protrudes from the wall which can sometimes fit within the pinching grasp of a climber's hand; alternatively: a plastic, bolted on bouldering hold designed to replicate such a formation on an indoor climbing wall.