Verglas is a thin, often nearly invisible layer of ice that forms on rock, ground, or other surfaces, typically when rain, melting snow, or moisture freezes on contact with cold surfaces. Treacherous because it's hard to see and offers almost no grip, verglas turns easy terrain slick and dangerous, complicating both hiking and climbing and sometimes requiring crampons on otherwise non-technical ground.
An objective hazard is a danger in the mountains that exists independently of the climber's own skill or decisions — environmental risks like rockfall, avalanches, falling ice (seracs), crevasses, lightning, and sudden weather. Unlike subjective hazards (which arise from the climber's choices, fitness, or errors), objective hazards can't be eliminated, only avoided or minimized through route choice, timing, and exposure management. Understanding and respecting objective hazards is central to mountain safety.
Exposure, in climbing and mountaineering, refers to the degree to which a climber is positioned above big drops and open space — how far you could fall and how dramatically the terrain falls away beneath and around you. Highly exposed terrain (like a narrow ridge or an airy ledge with a sheer drop) can be psychologically intimidating even when the moves are easy, because the consequences of a slip are severe. Managing exposure is as much mental as physical. (Note: 'exposure' can also mean exposure to harsh weather/cold.)
A whiteout is a weather condition in which falling or blowing snow and fog reduce visibility and eliminate contrast so completely that the horizon, the ground, and the sky blend into a uniform white. It removes the visual cues needed to judge terrain, slope, and direction, making navigation extremely difficult and disorienting — a serious mountain hazard.
Strap-on crampons (also called universal or 'flexible' crampons) attach to the boot with adjustable straps and a flexible toe and heel cradle, allowing them to fit almost any footwear — including boots without welts and even some hiking boots. This versatility makes them the most accessible crampon type for general snow travel and easier mountaineering, though they offer a less rigid, precise attachment than step-in crampons and aren't ideal for technical ice climbing.
Step-in crampons (also called automatic or 'auto' crampons) attach to the boot with a wire toe bail at the front and a tensioned heel lever (clip) at the back, requiring boots with both a toe welt and a heel welt. They provide the most secure, precise, rigid attachment — ideal for technical ice and steep climbing — but only work with fully crampon-compatible mountaineering boots (B3 boots). They contrast with strap-on crampons, which fit a wider range of boots.
Monopoint crampons are crampons with a single front point (rather than two) protruding from the front, prized for precision on steep ice and mixed climbing because the single point can be placed accurately into small ice features, pockets, and rock edges. The trade-off versus dual-point crampons is less stability and security on lower-angle snow and ice, so monopoints are favored by technical ice and mixed climbers, while dual-points suit general mountaineering.
An ice tool is a short, curved, aggressive ice axe designed specifically for technical climbing on steep and vertical ice and mixed terrain — distinct from the longer, straighter ice axe used for general mountaineering. Ice tools feature a curved shaft (often with an ergonomic grip), a sharp, replaceable pick optimized for hooking into ice and rock, and are used in pairs, one in each hand, to swing into the ice and pull up steep ground.
A jumar is a handled mechanical rope ascender — a device with a toothed cam that grips the rope when weighted and slides freely when pushed up the rope, allowing a climber to ascend a fixed rope. Used in pairs (with foot loops), jumars enable 'jumaring' or 'jugging' up ropes in big-wall climbing, expedition mountaineering on fixed lines, and self-rescue. 'Jumar' is a brand name often used generically for ascenders.
A picket is an aluminum stake (typically 2–3 feet long) used as a snow anchor, either driven into firm snow at an angle or buried horizontally as a 'deadman' in softer snow, to hold a load for glacier travel, crevasse rescue, belaying, and rappelling on snow. The picket's holding power depends heavily on snow conditions and placement method, so choosing the right technique — driven versus buried — for the snow is a key mountaineering skill.
