- carabiner n.
- A D-shaped clip with a spring-hinge used to connect ropes in mountain climbing.
- crampon n.
- Spiked metal device that attaches to a mountain climber's boot and provides sure footing on ice and snow.
- crevasse n.
- A huge, deep crack in the ice of a glacier.
- Geneva Spur n.
- Anvil-shaped rib of black rock on Mount Everest, starting at about 24,000 feet.
- glacier n.
- A large, slow-moving mass of ice in a high mountain valley, formed by the accumulation of compacted snow as it moves down from higher altitudes.
- hypothermia n.
- The condition of having a body temperature substantially below normal.
- jet stream n.
- A high-speed wind current in the earth's upper troposphere -- the lowest layer of the atmosphere at six to twelve miles high. The current typically moves in a meandering path at speeds over 250 miles per hour, at about 30,000 to 40,000 feet above the earth's surface.
- Jumar ascender n.
- The most common type of ascender, a mechanical safety device used to ascend on a rope when climbing mountains. The device locks onto the climber's ropes and attaches to his or her harness. As the climber moves up the rope, the device slides up, gripping the rope to prevent the climber from sliding backward.
- juniper n.
- A cone-bearing evergreen shrub of the genus Juniperus having blue berries that are used to make medicine and gin.
- lama n.
- In Tibetan Buddhism, a spiritual leader or monk.
- rappel v.
- To descend a steep surface, such as a cliff, using a double rope secured above and placed around the body.
- sampa n.
- A ground gray-colored flour made from roasted barley. A staple of traditional Tibetan and Nepalese food, it is used to make a fried dough and eaten with tea.
- serac n.
- A tall peak of ice on the surface of a glacier, usually formed where crevasses intersect.
- sherpa n.
- When capitalized, refers to an ethnic group living in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. Lowercase "sherpa" refers to local people who work as guides to mountain climbers in the Himalayas.
- South Col n.
- Mountain pass in the Himalayas between Mount Everest and Lhotse, the first and fourth highest mountains in the world. The pass, or "col," forms a saddle between the mountains.
- trek n.
- A journey on foot that involves considerable effort.
- Western Cwm n.
- Pronounced "western coom." The large, glacial valley basin below Mount Everest and Mount Nuptse in the Himalayan Mountains in Nepal. Cwm is a Welsh word meaning "bowl-shaped valley."
- Yellow Band n.
- Feature of the Lhotse Face of Mount Everest characterized by layers of hard rock.
