jon@utcs.uucp (Jon Alexander) (10/03/85)
Thanks kindly for all the info regarding
systems of rating rock climbs (including lots
of articles which I will refrain from
summarising myself.)
Basically, the system I have encountered for
rating the difficulty of rock climbs, which is
a series of numbers 5.1-5.14, is only one class
of a larger system:
1 -- A hike, generally no use of hands or ropes necessary.
2 -- Hike, may require some use of hands and feet to retain
3 -- Climbing, requiring use of hands and feet (steeper than a 2, I
suppose). May require a rope.
4 -- Climbing, requiring use of a rope 'belayed' by a companion
5 -- Climbing, requiring use of belayed rope plus intermediate 'protection
points' (e.g. pitons, chocks) to prevent a fatal fall.
The class labelled '5' includes, I believe, climbs where a 'top rope'
is used (i.e. the rope is fastened at the TOP of the climb while
the climber is on the rock), and is divided up into 14 sub-classes,
5.0-5.13 (there may also be a 5.14).
As well, there is a supplemental system for 'aid' climbing (climbing
with the use of aids such that the climber is in contact with the
aids instead of the rock. An example of this, I think, is the use
of 'etriers', or foot-straps, which are attached to protection). This
system is A1-An, where n is some integer like 5 (I think).
Everybody, please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
--
Jon 'Big J' Alexander, U. of Toronto Comp. Serv.
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
...!{decvax}!utzoo!utcs!jon
{ihnp4 }
BITNET: jon@utorontoeugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (10/10/85)
> 1 -- A hike, generally no use of hands or ropes necessary. > 2 -- Hike, may require some use of hands and feet to retain Think trailless. > 3 -- Climbing, requiring use of hands and feet (steeper than a 2, I Alternate word used is 'scrambling'. > suppose). May require a rope. No 'May' this becomes 4th class. > > The class labelled '5' includes, I believe, climbs where a 'top rope' > is used (i.e. the rope is fastened at the TOP of the climb while > the climber is on the rock), Top rope climbs are not generally rated. To quote a friend from England, there is a big difference at the pointed end of the stick. Actually, there is a double standard here since ratings should be "objective." But for the most part, topping is not rated. > > Jon 'Big J' Alexander, U. of Toronto Comp. Serv. I also forgot to mention, there is a system for rating bouldering problems developed by John Gill, a Colorado State mathematician who is generally acknowledged as the premier boulder. His system is relative and goes B1, B2, B3. B1 is about 5.10 and above. B2 are problems "significantly harder than B1." B3 problems should be problem which are infrequently ascended and which with any frequency become B2 problems. Regarding your comment about shoes. If you are just beginning, developing you skills in balance, finger tip strength, and technical skill are more important than equipment. Face it, in this age of specialization, no single piece of footwear will cover all. Fire's are very popular now. I still have two pairs of EBs. Neither is good for just plan walking. I walk to the base of climbs in my Roos or my Addais (purchase at a fire sale) where I put on ice boots, or EBs, or sometimes just climb in tennis shoes. Some tennis shoes clearly slip off holds. Nikes were real popular in the Valley for a while. Try different things out. From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers: --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,decwrl,allegra}!ames!aurora!eugene emiya@ames-vmsb