beta

Beta is a climbing term that designates information about how to ascend a climbing route (e.g. "grab hold of the flake on left while moving the right foot onto the edge on the right"). Traditionally sourced in climbing guidebooks, online databases and apps now provide very detailed climbing beta (e.g. videos of climbers completing the route). The term is attributed to Texan climber Jack Mileski. When a climber completes a route on their very first attempt and without falling, it is called an onsight if they had no beta, or a flash if they had beta (a completion after several attempts it is called a redpoint). New grade milestones in onsighting and flashing routes are actively followed in the climbing media. The discovery of new beta has led to the re-grading of many notable and historic climbing routes. Description The complexity of beta can range from a small hint about a difficult section (i.e. referred to as "some" beta), to a step-by-step instruction of the entire climb (i.e. referred to as "the" beta). Sometimes there is more than way to climb a route and thus more than one beta; climbers can follow different route beta depending on their body shape (e.g. whether they have a long or short reach), and/or their preferred style and technique (e.g. may not have the power to overcome a roof, and thus take a different route). Multiple route options–and thus betas–are particularly common on long multi-pitch climbing and big wall climbing routes, for example on the famous Yosemite route Freerider and its optional "Huber boulder problem".