Jasper Hiking Terms

Abalakov thread
Aseiling point used in winter and ice climbing.

Ablation zone
Area of glaciers where yearly melt exceeds annual snow fall.

Abseil
Process which a climber descends fixed rope. Also - Rappel.

ACR (Alpine Cock Ring)
Anchor method that is dynamically equalizing, employing a cord and a rappel ring.

Adze
Thin blade mounted perpendicular to an ice axe handle, used for chopping footholds.

Alpine start
Packing all your gear the previous evening and starting early in the morning; being efficient.

alpine zone
An ecozone that does not contain trees because it is at high altitude.

aiguille
High rock face that has seen rockfalls, which have considerably affected the structure of the mountain and destroyed a number of routes.

arete
Thin ridge of rock which is typically formed when two glaciers erode parallel U-shaped valleys. The arete is a thin ridge of rock that is left separating the two valleys.

arrest (self)
Maneuver - a climber that is falling; on snow slope arrests (stops) the slide by himself or herself without recourse to a rope or other belay system.

Ascend
Climbing.

Ascender
Device for ascending rope.

Aspect
Direction a slope faces.

bare-boot
Hiking without use of crampons, showshoes, skis, or other traction aids.

belay
Mechanical pieces of climbing equipment used to control a rope. Belays are designed to improve hiking safety.

backcountry camping
Camping backcountry should be lightweight and durable. Harsh conditions such as cold weather and strong winds may need to be endured. Backcountry hikers may have to carry portable stoves and may require permits.

bergschrund
A bergschrund is a crevasse that forms where moving glacier's ice separates from stagnant ice above.

biner
Carabiners, widely used in ropework sports such as rock climbing, slacklining, sailing, hiking, and canoeing; and in industrial rope access work, such as construction or window cleaning. Carabiners used in sports and especially for recreational rock climbing tend to be lighter than carabiners used in industry.

bivouac
May refer to a bivy sack or bivy bag; extremely lightweight alternative to traditional hiking tent systems.

bivy
short for bivouac.

blaze
A possible mark used to identify a hiking trail.

book time
Estimated time required for hiking a trail; also.. Reservations required with possible fees for hiking in Jasper. You may book hiking time up to three calendar months in advance of your visit to Jasper.

bushwhack
Hiking; making your own hike trails. Please stick to Jasper's marked hiking trails.

"B"-grade
Grading system for bouldering problems. Mainly superseded by the "V" grading system.

Bail
Retreating from a climb.

Belay on
Belayer confirming belay has been (re)applied to climbing rope.

Bergschrund (or schrund)
Crevasse forming on upper portion of glaciers, where moving sections pull away.

Beta
How to complete a particular climbing route.

Beta flash
Clean ascent of a climb on the first attempt.

Bouldering
Climbing large boulders. Typically this is close to the ground.

Buttress
Prominent feature jutting out from a rock or mountain.

break trail
verb: in winter, to hike in the lead position, or establishing a passable trail no trail existed before.

cairn
Man-made pile of stones, often in conical form. Cairns are often erected as landmarks. They can be placed on junctions or places where the hiking trail direction is not obvious, may mark a burial site. In Coastal areas, cairns may have been used at times as lighthouse-like holders for fires that guided boats.

camp
Outdoor hiking accommodation. Campsite or campground: recreational outdoor sleeping and eating place of restore.

Campus board
Equipment used to build finger strength and strong arm lock-offs.

car-camp
"Car camping" is camping in a tent, near your vehicle / car.

carabiner
Ger. karabiner - metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate. The carabiner loop part opposite the gate is referred to as the spine.

Chalk bag
Holder for a climber's chalk; for easy access during a climb.

chimney
Gaps between vertical rock faces.

Choss
Loose rock.

Clipstick
Bolted climbing - extendable pole that allows climbers to reach the first bolt from the ground.

Cordelette
Long cord loop used to tie multiple anchor points.

crampon
Attachments to outdoor footwear, featuring metal parts to provide traction on snow and ice. Crampons can be made of hardened steel, or light weight aluminum.

Crux
Difficult portion of a climb.

Death triangle
Anchor created by connecting closed loop of cord between two points of protection and suspending the rope clipped to one strand of anchor. Dangerous, ineffective anchor.

Deck
Ground.

Dihedral
Inside corner of rock; more than a 90-degree angle between rock faces.

drumlin
Elongated rolling hill formed by glacial ice acting on underlying ground moraine.

duck
Cairn pointing in the direction of your hiking route.

Dynamic rope
Slightly elastic rope that softens falls.

Flake
Thin rock, detached from main mountain face.

Friction
Climbing by relying on the friction between sloped rock and the climber's weight.

GPS
Global Positioning System. Satellite-based radio navigation system. Sometimes used while hiking.

Glacier travel
Walking or climbing on a glacie.

Grade
Measure of technical difficulty of a hike.

Grovel
Hiking with poor style or technique.

HAPE
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema; serious altitude sickness.

highpoint
Highest elevation in a hike.

Horn
Pointed protrusion of rock that can be slung; makes a good hand hold.

Jug hold
Large, easily held hold.

krummholz
Feature of subarctic and subalpine tree line landscapes. Freezing winds cause vegetation to become stunted and deformed. Under these conditions, trees can only survive where they are sheltered by rock formations or snow cover.

lean-to
Shelter with a sloping roof.

moraine
Glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris.

needle
Pointed spire of rock.

notch
Route through a mountain range or over a ridge.

orienteering
Sport requiring navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain.

pass
Can locally be the highest or lowest point on that hiking route...easiest to navigate.

peak
Highest point on a varying mountain waveform.

peak bagging
Activity in which hikers and mountaineers attempt to reach the summit of some collection of peaks.

Peel
Falling.

piton
Metal spike that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock, which acts as an anchor to protect the climber against the consequences of a fall.

Plunge step
Aggressive descending step pattern.

prominence
Measure of how far a mountain peak rises above its neighbor(s).

rappel
Controlled descent down a rock face using a rope.

Redpoint
Completing lead climbs / hikes without falling.

scree
Accumulation of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, or valley shoulders.

Slack
Rope that is minimized during belay.

SLCD
Spring-Loaded Camming Device.

Static
Style of climbing or hiking.

summit
Highest point or part of a hill, line of travel, or any object; highest point of attainment or aspiration.

talus
Sloped portion of a fortified rock wall.

tent
Portable shelter, as of canvas, stretched over a supporting framework of poles with ropes and pegs.

tentsite
Location for pitching a tent; Portable shelter, as of canvas, stretched over a supporting framework of poles with ropes and pegs.

Thrutching
Poor technique.

Trad Rack
Equipment used for Traditional hiking.

treeline or timberline
The edge of the habitat at which trees are capable of growing at altitude.

Undercling
Hold gripped by palm of hand facing upwards.

"V"-grade
A technical grading system for bouldering problems, invented by John Sherman.

walk-in camping
Hiking to camp sites that can only be reached on foot.

Webolette
Webbing with eyes sewn into ends; can be used in place of a cordelette.