Course Grading
These levels are designed to help when you are browsing through the courses. To choose the right course for you, depending on your current experience and future aspirations, please read the course description carefully. In addition, a knowledge of the French Alpine Grading system, Scottish Winter grades and rock climbing grades will also help you choose the right course or expedition. An overview of these grading systems is given below the table.
C?Any Level
| Trip name | Region | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Ice - Chamonix and Cogne | European Alps | 5 |
| Alpine Ice Private Guiding | European Alps | 5 |
| Alpine Summer Private Guiding | European Alps | 4 |
| Slovenian Ice | European Alps | 6 |
| Expedition Training - The Peak District | Peak District | 1 |
| Trek Day - The Peak District | Peak District | 1 |
| UK Private Guiding (Scottish Winter) | Scotland | 5 |
| UK Private Guiding (Summer and Rock) | Wales | 2 |
C3Advanced Level
| Trip name | Region | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Climber | European Alps | 6 |
| Alpine Improvers | European Alps | 6 |
| Alpine North Faces | European Alps | 6 |
| Eiger Summit | European Alps | 6 |
| Matterhorn Summit | European Alps | 6 |
| Hard Rock Weekend | Wales | 2 |
C2Intermediate Level
| Trip name | Region | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Mont Blanc Summit | European Alps | 6 |
| Oberland 4000ers | European Alps | 6 |
| Saas 4000ers | European Alps | 6 |
| Zermatt 4000ers | European Alps | 6 |
| Skye Munros | Scotland | 6 |
| Winter Mountaineering and Climbing | Scotland | 5 |
| Classic Rock Weekend | Wales | 2 |
C1Introductory Level
| Trip name | Region | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Diploma in Mountain Medicine Course Arolla | European Alps | 8 |
| Alpine Introduction - Arolla | European Alps | 6 |
| Alpine Introduction - Chamonix | European Alps | 6 |
| Haute Route - Chamonix to Zermatt | European Alps | 8 |
| Italian Haute Route | European Alps | 7 |
| Mont Blanc Extension | European Alps | 3 |
| Mont Blanc Summit Private | European Alps | 6 |
| Oberland Traverse | European Alps | 6 |
| Introductory Long Weekend | Scotland | 3 |
| Introductory Winter Mountaineering | Scotland | 5 |
| Shetland - Islands of the Edge | Scotland | 1 |
| Winter Summits | Scotland | 5 |
| Rock Introduction Weekend | Wales | 2 |
| Scrambles for the Alps | Wales | 2 |
Alpine Grades
The French Alpine grading system encompasses the technical difficulty, length and level of commitment required for the climb. If you are preparing for an expedition overseas of grade 2A and above, you should become familiar with this grading system, as it will help you assess your experience in relation to the requirements for each trip. Read more »
'F' (Facile/easy) - easy angled snow and ice / glaciated terrain. Ice axe and crampons are normally required, but the ground should not be steeper than approximately 35°.
'PD' (Peu difficile/not very difficult) - longer routes, often with more complex glaciated terrain, with scrambling on mixed ground (snow, ice and rock). Snow slopes are not normally steeper than 45°. Short sections of grade 1 and 2 scrambling, though potentially in exposed situations.
'AD' (Assez difficile/fairly difficult) - more committing routes with steeper snow and ice up to 55°, though normally just one axe and crampons will be required. Rock sections can be sustained with lots of grade 2 scrambling and short sections of British VDiff or Severe which may be pitched.
'D' (Difficile/difficult) - snow and ice up to 75°, requiring the use of an ice axe and hammer. Rock climbing up to British grade Very Severe. Lots of pitching with confidence required moving together on grade 3 scrambling ground in exposed situations.
'TD' (Tres difficile/very difficult) - routes of a much more serious undertaking, with sustained sections of ice climbing and difficult rock climbing, possibly including aid climbing.
Scottish Winter Grades
British mountaineers are also familiar with the Scottish Winter grading system. We frequently use Scottish Winter grades to describe the necessary technical experience required for a particular expedition. Read more »
I - Snow gullies and easy ridges. Not normally steeper than 45° and often used as descent routes. One axe required to ascend these routes.
II - Steeper snow with short sections of ice or 'mixed' ground (rock/ice). Ridge climbs would normally be grade I and II scrambles in summer. One axe is normally adequate, but two may be necessary on some routes or where cornices are likely.
III - More sustained and steeper routes, generally following gullies or buttress (ridge) lines. Two axes required to overcome short, steep technical sections of ice or rock.
IV - Snow and ice routes will have longer sections of steep climbing (60-70°) or short, very steep sections. 'Mixed' or buttress climbs on snowed-up rock will require more advanced techniques, such as torquing the axes into cracks.
V - Sustained steep ice of 80°, or climbing on snowed up rock routes, which would warrant rock climbing grades of Severe - Very Severe in summer.
VI - Long vertical ice, often serious and snowed up rock routes of Very Severe and above.
Rock Grades
An understanding of scrambling and rock climbing grades is useful when deciding the level of Alpine Mountaineering course (where rock climbing is often required) or on expeditions where rock climbing ability is essential (for example, Carstensz Pyramid or Ama Dablam). Read more »
Scrambling grades:
Grade 1 - short steps of rock, where you need to use your hands to make upward progress. Ropes not normally used.
Grade 2 - more frequent sections of rock, with longer sections requiring the use of hands to climb upwards. A rope might be used to safeguard difficult sections.
Grades 3 and 3s - exposed, often with rock climbing 'moves' such as those encountered on routes of British grade Diff - VDiff (see below). Lots of moving together using a shortened rope and short pitches of more difficult sections.
Rock Climbing grades:
The British rock climbing grading system ranges from 'Moderate' to 'Extreme' (with Extreme as an open-ended scale from E1 to, currently, E12). Below is a brief outline of the overall adjective grades to describe the difficulty. Numerical grades accompany routes of Severe and above to describe the hardest single 'move' (these are not included below).
Moderate - a similar standard to grade 3 and 3s scrambles.
Diff (Difficult)
VDiff (Very Difficult)
S (Severe)
VS (Very Severe)
HVS (Hard Very Severe)
Extreme (E1 - E12)
If you are used to a different rock climbing grading system, check out the grade conversion page on the ROCKFAX website.
