Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Section


	The Alpine Club of Canada - Vancouver Section

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Alpine Club of Canada Vancouver Section - Difficulty Ratings

It is challenging to quantify the difficulty rating for various events. Each activity has its challenges. A more detailed explanation of each rating is described in detail below. Note that:

In the winter or other challenging conditions, difficulty levels may be increased by 1-2 levels according to coordinator discretion/understanding of the conditions.
All difficult and advanced trips will only be open to those who meet the event coordinator's criteria; if this is your first event with that coordinator, you may be contacted before being allowed to participate.

Mountaineering (Alpine) Skiing Training

Scramble Snowshoeing Meeting

Hike Ice Climbing Social Event

Rock Climbing

Mountaineering (Alpine)

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Easy mountaineering with few difficulties - IFAS* Facile (F)
2	Moderate	Moderate mountaineering and climbing - IFAS Peu Difficile (PD) "a little difficult".
3	Difficult	More Difficult mountaineering with harder climbing, steep snow or ice - IFAS Assez Difficile (AD) "fairly difficult".
4	Very Difficult	Very Difficult mountaineering with steep sustained technical climbing on rock, snow or ice - IFAS Difficile (D) "Difficult".
5	Extremely Difficult	Serious technical climbing IFAS Tres Difficile (TD) and harder.

* IFAS = International French Adjectival System

Scramble

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Gentle slopes. Travel on trails over fairly level terrain. Use of hands not required. Roughly YDS* Class 1.
2	Moderate	Moderate slopes. Simple scrambling with occasional use of hands. Roughly YDS Class 2.
3	Difficult	Travel in mountainous terrain. Use of hands required. Increased exposure. Roughly YDS Class 3.
4	Very Difficult	Travel in difficult mountain terrain. High exposure. Most parties will want a rope. Roughly YDS Class 4.

* YDS = Yosemite Decimal System

Hike

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Gentle slopes. Travel on trails over fairly level terrain.
2	Moderate	Moderate slopes. Hiking may be off trail. Some route-finding.
3	Difficult	Hiking in mountainous terrain. Steep slopes likely. Complex terrain and route-finding.

Rock Climbing

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Easy YDS* climbing grades up to 5.5
2	Moderate	Moderate climbing YDS grades 5.6 to 5.8
3	Difficult	More difficult climbing YDS 5.9 to 5.10
4	Very Difficult	Very difficult climbing YDS 5.11 and harder.

* YDS = Yosemite Decimal System

Skiing

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Gentle slopes - "green" runs. Beginner to intermediate skiing ability. ATES* "Simple" terrain classification. No glacier travel.
2	Moderate	Moderate slopes - "blue" runs. Intermediate skiing ability. ATES "Challenging" terrain classification. Possible glacier crossings.
3	Difficult	Difficult slopes - black diamond runs. Intermediate to advanced skiing ability. ATES "Complex" terrain classification. Glacier travel likely.
4	Very Difficult	Very difficult slopes - double black diamond runs. Advanced/expert skiing ability. ATES "Complex" terrain classification with steep snow, ice or exposed glacier skiing.

* ATES = Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale

Snow Shoe

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Gentle slopes. Snowshoeing on fairly level terrain. On trail or easy route-finding.
2	Moderate	Moderate slopes. Snowshoeing on steeper trails or routes. Intermediate ability. Some route-finding.
3	Difficult	Snowshoeing on steep slopes. Complex terrain and route-finding.

Ice Climbing

Difficulty (D) #	Name	Description
1	Easy	Grade 1 (WI1) - Low angle ice. Easy climbing.
2	Moderate	Grade 2 (WI2) - Steeper ice with short sections up to 80 degrees. Moderate climbing.
3	Difficult	Grade 3 (WI3) - More sustained steep ice up to 80 degrees.
4	Very Difficult	Grade 4 (WI4) - Sustained full pitches of off-vertical or shorter lengths of vertical ice.
5	Extremely Difficult	Grade 5 (WI5) and higher - Extremely difficult climbing. Full vertical pitches.

Training

Training difficulty ratings will depend on the activity(ies) planned for the course or workshop. Refer to each activity and the course description for specific descriptions about the difficulty levels.

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