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I was inspired by the question "What should one do when climbing if someone above you yells ROCK?" to ask what the equivalents are around the world.

So, what would I shout to warn someone below me of falling rocks?

Equivalently, what word should I react to when I hear it shouted?

I've created an answer as a Community Wiki to accumulate knowledge from everyone; please contribute to that.

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  • 6
    This question in general is interesting for climbers but it's not really fitting in the scope of Stackexchange. Questions which generate list-type answers aren't prefered here. Similar is this one which was closed too. I am sorry but I vote to close therefore.
    – Wills
    Apr 5, 2017 at 18:56
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    I think this is a very useful question. Lets protect it and make one community answer and everyone contributes there.
    – imsodin
    Apr 5, 2017 at 19:54
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    This is the kind of question whose answer could be very helpful. The alternative is to have dozens of more specific questions - would that be a better resource? I've made my answer a CW as that is better than one answer per region and can be curated for consistency, but I'm open to suggestions that would improve this and make it a valuable contribution to The Great Outdoors. Apr 5, 2017 at 21:45
  • 2
    @imsodin Good idea, voted to reopen then :)
    – Wills
    Apr 6, 2017 at 5:18
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    Really, @Guran? Do you manage them all before the rock lands?! Apr 7, 2017 at 11:25

1 Answer 1

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North America

English Canada / United States

"ROCK!" (pronounced /rɒk/)

French Canada

"ROCHE!" (pronounced /ʁɔʃ/)


Europe

European Alps

"CAILLOU !" (pronounced /ka.ju/)

It's French but also sometimes used by non-francophone climbers and hikers in the Alps. This word is used to warn when a hiker (or a goat!) up the trail loosens a rock that crosses the trail lower down. Fun fact: Literally it means pebble.

"STEIN!" (pronounced /ʃtaɪn/)

Used in German speaking regions. Exact pronunciation varies in between regions due to dialects, but should be recognisably similar.

Great Britain

"BELOW!" (pronounced /bɪˈləʊ/)

Used in climbing and in caving; amongst others (e.g. scramblers), knowledge of it is variable.

Sweden

"STEN!" (pronounced /ste:n/)

Mainly used in climbing and caving.


Asia

India

"Loose rock!"

and/or

"Watch out!"

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