GLOSSARY

Arroyo A deep gully cut by an intermittent stream; a dry gulch.

Balloon A hike configuration composed of a loop and an out-and-back section.

Belay The securing of a rope on a rock, or other projection, or by a partner during climbing.

Berm A natural or man-made raised bank of earth that forms a low ridge.

Bushwhack General term for off-trail travel, not necessarily involving going through bushes.

Bouldering Basic or intermediate climbing practiced, usually without rope, on relatively small rocks that can be traversed without great risk of bodily harm in case of a fall.

Cairn A stack of rocks created as trail markers or as a memorial. Hikers often construct cairns to mark the way on faint trails.

Canyoneering A sport in which participants travel within a canyon, involving a combination of hiking, swimming, scrambling, climbing, and rappelling. Also known as canyoning.

Class-# A reference to the Yosemite Decimal System for ranking difficulty of climbs.

Deadfall Downed trees or brush obstructing the trail.

Desert Varnish A thin layer of clay minerals and manganese oxides, activated by bacteria over thousands of years, that impart a bronze or dark-brown color on exposed surfaces of rocks and boulders in the desert. Also known as rock varnish or patina.

Exposure Vulnerability, used to describe the potential for physical harm in the event of a fall.

Fourteener Popular nickname for a mountain whose summit elevation exceeds 14,000 feet. Within the 48 contiguous U.S. states, there are 54 such peaks in Colorado, 15 in California, and 1 in Washington.

Hoodoo A strangely eroded rock column usually found in clusters.

Javelina A small wild hog (tayassu tajacu) with a range from the southwest United States to northern Argentina, having a gray and black coat with a white band from the back to the chest. Also known as collared peccary.

Mountaineering The sport of climbing mountains. Often refers to technical ascents involving roped climbs or glacier traversal.

Orienteering A cross-country race in which competitors use a map and compass to navigate between checkpoints along an unfamiliar course.

Petroglyph A carving or line drawing on rock, especially one made by prehistoric people.

Patina See desert varnish.

Ramada An open or semi-enclosed permanent shelter designed to provide shade, often covering benches, picnic tables, and grills.

Riparian Zone Vegetation corridors adjacent to streams or rivers.

Scree Loose rock debris.

Shale A fissile rock composed of layers of clay-like, fine-grained sediments.

Talus A sloping mass of rock debris at the base of a cliff.

Use Trail An unofficial trail that develops from frequent foot traffic.

Yosemite Decimal System A popular rating system used to rank difficulty of climbs. Classes 1-4 do not require ropes, while class-5 has subdivisions between 5.0 and 5.13 for increasing difficulty of technical climbing. For purposes of this book, class-1 means hiking on a trail, and class-2 means some route-finding is necessary and the hiker may need to use hands for balance. Class-3 requires scrambling over rocks or obstacles, and class-4 means a very steep, exposed, and potentially hazardous scramble requiring climbing skills. Ropes and belays may be used for safety on class-4 routes. There are no class-5 routes in this book.