NUTS AND BOLTS OF CLIMBING

Bashies--Thin wire cables with a small copper or aluminum chunk head. Bashies are hammered into the rock to hold a rope. Because of bashies’ unreliability, their production has dropped considerably, given way to friends, anchoring devices that are spring loaded into a crack and easily removable.

Bolts--Drilled into rock for anchoring carabiners.

Carabiners--(care-ah-bean-ers). They also are known as biners. “D” or oval-shaped aluminum devices that connect the climber from the rope to the rock via a bolt, friend or piton.

Chalk bag--Small pouch used to carry chalk that keeps hands dry while climbing. Usually strapped around waist or to belt loops.

Chochs--A “soft” form of protection, wedges into a crack or crevice for easier roping.

Derived from chochstone and sold in a variety of natural rock colors for matching authentic ecological rock colors.

Harnesses--Lightweight nylon webbing that straps around waist and legs and connects directly to rope.

Pitons--Strong metal rods, driven like railroad spikes into rocks to anchor carabiners. Used as little as possible because of the wear and tear on the rock.

Ropes--Used in all forms of climbing but free soloing. Also knowns as Lifesavers.

Slings--A loop of nylon webbing used to connect carabiners to another protection device en route to the rock itself.