Climbing grades are used to describe the difficulty and length of climbs. Difficulty ratings are subjective, and usually the grade assigned to a route is a consensus of multiple climbers who have climbed it. There are many different grading systems that vary according to the country. The Yosemite Decimal System was developed in the 1950s for rating the difficulty of hikes and climbs, and is widely used in North America.
Class
- 1st class - walking
- 2nd class - hiking trail
- 3rd class - scrambling, low injury potential
- 4th class - exposed scrambling, serious injury potential, rope often recommended
- 5th class - climbing, death potential, rope required
Difficulty
An additional number is appended to class 5 routes to indicate difficulty. The relative difficulty can vary a lot by location. Gyms are known to have "softer" grades compared to outdoor areas, and outdoor areas also vary. Familiarity with the climbing style of the route (e.g. crack, slab, etc.) also plays a role in the perceived difficulty.
- 5.0-5.5: easy
- 5.6-5.9: intermediate
- 5.10a-d: advanced
- 5.11a-d: expert
- 5.12a-d: elite
- 5.13a+: world class
Protection Rating
- PG/PG13 - some serious sections with long fall potential
- R - serious run-out climbing, sections with high chance of hitting ledges or ground
- X - many sections where fall likely to result in death or serious injury
Grades
These indicate the length and overall seriousness of the route.
- I - 1-2 hours of climbing.
- II - Less than half a day
- III - Half a day
- IV - Full day
- V - 2-3 days
- VI - 4-6 days
- VII - Week or longer