Climbing Ratings Systems

MAKING THE GRADE

On rock

The rating of a climb is a subjective indication of the technical difficulty of the route or pitch to which it applies. All rating systems (apart from the British system) use the difficulty of the crux (the most difficult move or series of moves) to determine the rating, at least in principle. Often though, the rating is upped a bit if a climb is sustained (i.e. has a very long series of difficult moves).

Generally, the climber who makes the first ascent determines, or at least suggests, the rating. After a few ascents adjustments are not uncommon.

Note: The U.K grading system. Although bolted sport climbs tend to be given a single French grade, traditional climbs in Britain are graded using two figures, an adjectival and a technical grade. The adjectival grading says something about the overall difficulty of the climb, although this can be a bit vague as it can include things like how strenuous, sustained and bold the climb is. The technical grading says something about the most difficult move of the climb. For example, a well-protected climb with a hard crux will have a low adjectival grade, but a high technical one, e.g. E4 6c. Aid Climbing For most purposes, the following general aid rating scale is used:

A1: All placements are rock solid and easy.

A2: Placements are still solid, but the placements are awkward and a few may be difficult.

A3: Many placements are difficult, but there is the occasional solid piece.

A4: There are several placements in a row that will hold nothing more than body weight.

A5: 20 meters (60 ft) or more of body placements in a row.

However in the US, modern equipment and the relentless drive to climb bigger and more difficult routes, has pushed aid climbing to limits that were unimaginable a few decades ago. This has also led to a changed interpretation of the rating scales. This is how John Long and John Middendorf interpret the modern aid climbing ratings it in their 'Big Wall' book:

A0: Hanging from gear, stepping on pitons, pulling up on nuts, etc. Everything that doesn't require aiders and can't be honestly called 'free climbing'.

A1: Easy aid. Placements are easy and solid. Each piece should hold a fall.

A2: Moderate aid. Solid, but often awkward and strenuous placements. Maybe a difficult placement or two above good protection. Falls pose no danger.

A2+: Moderate aid, but with more tenuous placements above good protection. There is a potential for serious falls.

A3: Hard aid. Requires many tenuous placements in a row and pieces need to be tested before weighting them. There should be solid placements within the pitch, but they are rather few and far between. During a fall, up to eight pieces of pro may rip out, but there generally is little serious danger. Takes several hours to complete a pitch.

A3+: A3, but with a dangerous fall potential.

A4: Serious aid. Most placements hold little less than body weight and falls are serious affairs. Being 10 to 15 meters (30 to 50 ft) above the last solid piece is not uncommon.

A4+: Very serious aid. Placements are often very marginal and pitches require many hours to complete.

A5: Extreme aid. No piece in the whole pitch can be trusted to hold a fall. No bolts or rivets in A5 pitches.

A6: A5 with poor belays that won't hold a fall. The leader pops and the whole team are airborne. No one sane has ever done this, and no one insane who tried came back to tell us about it.

Ice Climbing

Ice ratings can be nebulous, because the medium constantly changes. When a waterfall first freezes each season, the ice can be thin and the climbing desperate. Later in the season it may become thicker and easier to climb and protect, even the time of day, weather and the prevailing wind can affect the nature of the ice. Generally the appearance of the route before you attempt to climb will be more indicative than the grade given in a guidebook.

The ice rating system in North America uses three categories: WI for water ice, AI for alpine ice, and M for mixed. Water ice grades currently go from WI 1 to WI 8.

WI 3: At this grade climbs are suitable for a fit beginner to top-rope.

WI 4: The ice approaches vertical.

WI 5: Climbs will have extended sections of vertical ice.

WI 6: Climbs are steep and technical.

WI 7: Steep, technical, and often dangerous. Marginal pick placements usually mean marginal protection, so as difficulty increases, so does the danger.

Mixed Climbing

Mixed climbs are commonly rated on the "M" scale that runs from M1 to M10. The M grade considers technical difficulties, such as how strenuous and tenuous the moves are, and how sustained the climbing is overall. Correlating standard rock-climbing grades to the M scale is misleading. For those of you who would like to compare them.

[M4 = 5.8] [M5 = 5.9] [M6 = 5.10] [M7 = 5.11] [M8 = 5.11/12] [M9/10 = 5.13]

Alpine Climbing

In the mountains, factors like temperature, wind, precipitation, etc. can change so quickly and cause such a variation in the difficulty of a climb that a route's rating must always be considered in the context of prevailing conditions. There are several different scales used to evaluate alpine difficulties and many alpine guidebooks will use a combination of them, if applicable.

Theoretically, the Alpine Ice (AI) and Water Ice (WI) prefixes are interchangeable. Alpine ice is generally formed via the recrystallisation of snow on glaciers, snowfields, and in couloirs and only rarely exceeds 70 degrees. Steeper ice in the alpine environment typically results from the refreezing of melt water, and thus a WI rating is more appropriate.

AI 1: Flat ice, like a typical glacier surface. Requires crampons.
AI 2: Sections of moderately steep (60-70 degrees) ice. Can be climbed with one tool.
AI 3: Sustained 70-80 degree ice. Requires two tools.
WI 4: Vertical sections of ice interrupted by ramps or ledges.
WI 5: Sustained, strenuous sections of vertical ice. Ice quality is usually good.
WI 6: Sustained pitches of vertical ice can often require a hanging belay. The ice may be delicate or of poorer quality. Protection is difficult.
WI 7: Sustained vertical ice, which may be thin, detached, or rotten. Protection is difficult or nonexistent.

For evaluating rock pitches on an alpine route, standard rock grades can be used (often based on the US grading system i.e. 510, 5.11 etc.). Although the grades are the same as at sea level, they fail to reflect the effects of altitude and things like melt water, or loose rock.

The Alpine Grade (NCCS system), which is often found in conjunction with technical ratings, considers all the technical and objective difficulties of a mountain route, and distills them into an estimate of how long a competent party will take to complete the route.

I: Several hours
II: a half-day
III: Most of a day
IV: A very long day
V: A climb of one-and-a-half to two days, at least one bivouac required.
VI: Two or more days, several bivouacs required.