RockyMountainSummits.com Class Ratings

Dan's Class Ratings

My class ratings are based on the Yosemite Decimal System. The Yosemite Decimal System is a set of numeric ratings describing the difficulty of climbs. Here are an explanation of the ratings you will find on my site:

Class 1:	The hike is on trail, hands are not needed for balance.
Class 2:	Hike is cross-country and hands are occasionally needed for balance.
Class 3:	Scrambling. Requires use of hands. Hand and footholds are plentiful and easily found. A fall would cause minor injury.
Class 4:	Scrambling w/ exposure. Hand & footholds are easily found. A fall would lead to serious injury or may be fatal. Some may want a rope.
Class 5:	Pure rock climbing. Usually the use of a rope and artificial protection by a leader to protect against a serious fall are used.

Snow climb ratings:

Easy:	Less than 30 degrees.
Moderate:	30 to 45 degrees.
Steep:	Above 45 degrees.

*** Classes can change based on weather conditions. A class 4 climb in dry weather could become a class 5 climb when wet because handholds are less useful.

*** Likewise, a moderate snow slope with icy conditions or hazards like crevasses may be more dangerous than a steep snow slope, with no obstacles other than steepness.