Beta (climbing)

Beta is a climbing term that designates information about how to ascend a climbing route (e.g. such as, "grab flake on left while moving the right foot to edge on the right").[1][2]

Climbers at the World Cup 2017 inspecting a boulder problem in order to figure out the beta.

Description

The complexity of beta can range from a small hint about a difficult section (referred to as "some" beta), to a step-by-step instruction of the entire climb (referred to as "the" beta).[1][3] In rock climbing this may include information about a climb's difficulty, crux, style, length, quality of rock, ease to protect, required equipment, and specific information about hand or foot holds. For mountaineering, beta may include information about the length and difficulty of the approach, availability of water on the climb and the approach, ease of exiting the route before completing it, descent information, perhaps even useful logistic information for climbs in foreign countries. Sometimes beta is also drawn in the form of a beta-map.[4][5] It is not uncommon for climbers to have different betas for the same climb. In other words, more than one possible solution that can get the climber to the top. These can vary in terms of difficulty. It is not uncommon for climbs to get downgraded in their difficulty rating once easier beta is discovered.[6]

Origin

The original use of the term beta in climbing is attributed to the late Shawangunks and Texan climber Jack Mileski from the early 1980s. "Beta" was short for Betamax, an old videotape format largely replaced by the VHS format. Reputedly, Mileski would record climbers ascending routes on Betamax tape and then share these tapes with other climbers, resulting in the term becoming synonymous with getting information on how to climb a route.[7][8]

References
  1. "Climbing Terminology". Rock and Ice - Climbing Magazine. Archived from the original on May 19, 2018.
  2. "Rock Climbing Terms & Glossary". betatogether.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2019.
  3. "50 MOST IMPORTANT (AND COMMON) CLIMBING TERMS". aceraft.com. Archived from the original on Oct 19, 2017.
  4. "Learn This: Mental Training for Climbers". climbing.com. Archived from the original on Feb 18, 2019.
  5. Pesterfield, Heidi. Traditional Lead Climbing: A Rock Climber's Guide to Taking the Sharp End of the Rope. Wilderness Press. ISBN 9780899974422.
  6. "Inflating Grades and Egos: A Climbing Difficulty Discussion". climbing.com. Archived from the original on Sep 10, 2017.
  7. Samet, Matt (August 2011). The Climbing Dictionary: Mountaineering Slang, Terms, Neologisms & Lingo. Mountaineers Books. p. 30. ISBN 978-1594855023. Origin: The late Shawgunks and Texan climber Jack Mileski known for his colorful neologisms. Mileski coined the term at the Gunks in 1981 when films were offered for home viewing in both VHS and Betamax formats. Let me run the 'Betamax' tape for you, Mileski once told Mike Freeman, describing the 5.12 Kansas City, and then added "So Mike, here's the beta!"
  8. Pesterfield, Heidi (2007). Traditional Lead Climbing: A Rock Climber's Guide to Taking the Sharp End of the Rope (2nd ed.). Wilderness Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-0899974422.
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