Grading Hiking Routes (SAC Hiking Scale)

The Swiss (SAC) Hiking Scale

Die Alpen magazine, No. 4/2002, pages 41-43 brought a new Swiss (Swiss Alpine Club) scale which was later adopted also in other Alpine countries. It combines different difficulty aspects of a hike into a 6 grade scale, as defined below. Link: http://www.sac-cas.ch/unterwegs/schwierigkeits-skalen.html The scale can be to a certain point related to the UIAA climbing scale (UIAA degrees I and II match closely to the difficulty levels T5 and T6) and to the Alpine scale (Alpine F is close to T5 and PD/AD is close to T6). Even if the Swiss Hiking Scale is simple and well defined, all the distinct aspects of a hiking tour are combined and information is not differentiated. One would still want to know whether the difficulty of a tour is in the orientation, psyche or power (leaving effort a bit aside).

Definitions In German (Original)

I propose that "in verbatim" description of each route we describe also the following additional element:

Weitere Elemente, um eine Wanderung zu beschreiben:

Anwendungs- und Interpretationshinweise

Die Touren im Bereich des Berg- und Alpinwanderns werden jeweils unter der Annahme günstiger Verhältnisse bewertet, also bei guter Witterung und Sicht, trockenem Gelände, geeigneter Schnee- und Firnbedeckung usw. Unter bewanderbaren Gletschern versteht die Wanderskala folgendes: Gletscher und Firnfelder, die im Sommer bei normalen Verhältnissen soweit ausgeapert werden, dass Spalten sicher erkennbar sind und ohne Spaltensturzgefahr umgangen werden können. Unter diesen Vorrausetzungen ist eine Hochtourenausrüstung nicht erforderlich. Es versteht sich aber von selbst, dass auf solchen Touren bei ungünstigen Verhältnissen eine elementare Ausrüstung, wie Anseilmaterial oder Steigeisen, und Kenntnisse über deren Anwendung erforderlich sein kann. Ein ernstes und immer wieder zu heiklen Situationen führendes Missverständnis ist die Annahme, dass Wandern dort aufhört, wo die Hochtourenskala einsetzt. In Wirklichkeit ist eine Alpinwanderung im oberen Schwierigkeitsbereich von T5 und T6 in aller Regel bedeutend anspruchsvoller als beispielsweise eine Hochtour mit der Bewertung L. Ein wesentlicher Unterschied zur leichten Hochtour liegt darin, dass im Schwierigkeitsbereich von T5 und T6 selten oder nie mit Seil oder sonstigen Hilfsmitteln gesichert werden kann und deshalb das entsprechende Gelände absolut beherrscht werden muss, was ein hohes technisches wie auch psychisches Niveau erfordert. Typische Beispiele dazu sind extrem steile Grashänge, wegloses Schrofengelände mit schlechtem Fels oder sehr exponiertes Gratpassagen. Auf Grund der unterschiedlichen Merkmale einer typischen Hochtour und einer typischen Extremwanderung lässt sich ein Vergleich kaum anstellen, doch kann man davon ausgehen, dass eine Route mit T6 vergleichbare Anforderungen stellt wie eine Hochtour im Bereich von WS bis ZS.

Definitions In English

(Please advise better expressions)

I propose that "in verbatim" description of each route we describe also the following additional element:

Additional elements to describe a hiking tour:

Application and notes for interpretation

Each mountain and alpine hiking tour must be evaluated under the assumption of good conditions, so in good weather and visibility, dry terrain, good snow and glaciers conditions etc. Under glaciers which can be hiked, the scale understands the following: glaciers and snow fields, which are in summer under normal conditions so much processed (barren) that crevasses are reliably seen and can be detoured without falling in. Under these pre-requirements a gear for high mountaineering is not required. But it is self undersdtood that on such tours in bad conditions elementary gear, like the one for roping or crampons, together with skills how to apply it, may be required. A serious misunderstanding, leading again and again to tricky situations, is the belief that hiking stops where begins the Alpine scale begins. In reality, an alpine hike in the upper range of difficulty of T5 and T6 is usually significantly more demanding than for example an Alpine tour with the rating F. A major difference from an easy Alpine tour is that in hikes of T5 and T6 difficulty rarely or never a protection with rope or other gear can be assured, so such a terrain must be perfectly mastered, which requires a high technical as well as psychological level. Typical examples are extremely steep grassy slopes, pathless steep slopes with bad rock or very exposed ridge passages. Due to the different characteristics a typical Alpine tour and a typical extreme hike can hardly be compared, but one can assume that a hiking route of T6 poses similar requirements as an Alpine tour in the range between PD and AD.

Note

This hiking scale should be distinguished from the scale for ferratas. ferratas are not necessarilly harder, but there is a higher exposition involved. Protection devices in ferratas are intended not only to offer protection, but also to advance up the wall. However easy ferratas are by all means safer than hikes in the range between T4 and T6. Due to different nature of hiking and ferrata tours a direct comparaison can not be made.

Definitions In Slovenian

Dodatni elementi za opis pohodne ture:

Razlaga

• 1. Oceno pogojuje del ture, ki je zanjo najbolj karakterističen.

Pot z Laza na Debeli vrh v glavnem ni zahtevna. Do Lazovškega prevala je T2, naprej T3. Med predvrhom in glavnim vrhom pa je sitna škrbina (lahko jo sicer tudi obidemo), kjer je potrebno plezanje in ima oceno T5. Celotna tura bo še vedno ocenjena s T3, a s ključnim mestom T5, kar označimo takole: T3/T5. In obratno. Za vzpon na Storžič iz Mač je najbolj karakterističen vršni del, ki ima zahtevnost T3. Čeprav je zahtevnost daljšega dela pristopa (do sedla) T2, bomo turo označili samo s T3.

• 2. Ocena velja za dobre razmere (dobro vreme in vidljivost, suh teren).

Če so na primer brezpotne strmine (pa tudi poti) mokre ali celo poledenele, njihova zahtevnost s T3 hitro naraste na T4 ali T5, za turo pa rabimo cepin in dereze. Če nas na turah, ki so že v lepem vremenu orientacijsko zahtevne, zajame megla, so lahko povsem neizvedljive. Itd.

• 3. Na osnovno oceno tehnične zahtevnosti ne vpliva dolžina ture, saj imamo dodatni kriterij: napornost.

Pohodna tura po cestah čez celotno Pohorje bo še vedno T1, čeprav je lahko izredno dolga in naporna.

• 4. Vrtoglavica in izpostavljenost.

SAC pohodna skala pri obravnavanju izpostavljenosti delov pohodne ture predpostavlja, da gorniki nimajo patološkega strahu pred globino. Kljub vsemu je to zelo subjektivno področje. Na izpostavljenost gledamo v luči posledic, ki bi nastale, če bi prišlo do zdrsa ali padca. Seveda tudi pri takem dogodku ljudje lahko različno reagirajo. Nekdo se bo ujel in padec zaustavil, kdo drug bo reagiral napačno, spet odvisno od izkušenj in prisebnosti.

• 5. Če gre pri turi pretežno za ferato, za oceno raje uporabimo lestvico za ferate, kot pa lestvico za pohodne ture.

• 6. SAC pohodna skala se delno prekriva z drugimi skalami.

Ni res, da je med pohodno in plezalno turo ostra meja. Pohodna tura z več plezalnimi mesti do I. stopnje zahtevnosti bo ocenjena s T5. Lahko pa imamo pretežno plezalno turo (od vstopa v steno do izstopa), ki jo potem raje ocenimo s I. stopnjo na UIAA skali. SAC pohodna skala s svojo stopnjo T6 sega nekako do II. stopnje po UIAA skali. Podobno je prekrivanje z Alpsko skalo. Na tej so ture v visokogorje ocenjene s kompleksno oceno F (na primer: Breithorn, F+), na SAC pohodni skali pa bi bile ocenjene s T4 ali T5. Ocena PD na Alpski skali v glavnem sovpada z oceno T6 na SAC pohodni skali. V visokogorju se obe skali uporabljata zlasti za opis zahtevnosti dostopov do koč. Prav tako je določeno prekrivanje SAC pohodne skale s skalo zahtevnosti ferat. Sploh ni nujno, da so ferate že same po sebi zahtevnejše. Na videz je na njih izpostavljenost res večja, a pogosto so lažje ferate zaradi dobrih varoval bistveno manj nevarne kot na primer brezpotne strmali, z zahtevnostmi T4-T6.

Primer

Olševa od Sv. Duha čez Obel kamen. Markirana pot, s 1250 m na 1929 m (skupno cca 725 m višinskih metrov), 3 h. Zahtevnost T3/T4. (Nato bi sledil opis.) Razlaga: Ker se mimo Visoke peči stezica za kakih 50 m spusti, je skupnih višinskih metrov na turi več, kot zgolj razlika med izhodiščem in vrhom. Do Potočke Zijalke je zahtevnost poti T2 (kar v opisu lahko dodamo), naprej pa T3. Vzpon na Obel kamen ter pot naprej po grebenu mimo Visoke peči je vseskozi T3, kar karakterizira celotno turo. Je pa pred sestopom proti Visoki peči krajše krušljivo mesto, ki je zahtevnejše in je nanj treba opozoriti. Zato v opisu navedemo, da zanj velja zahtevnost T4, skupno oceno pa tudi izrazimo v tej obliki: T3/T4.

The Old Grading System I Used

In SPv1 there was a thread which I started about the German (Bergsteiger Magazine) system of grading hiking routes. Some members started to use it, as it is clear, simple and systematic. It states that any hiking or scrambling tour can be rated by four relatively distinct aspects: 1. Endurance. 2. Power. 3. Psyche. 4. Orientation. For all mountain routes (hiking, scrambling), which are easier than climbs of difficulty UIAA III (or AD), either marked or not marked, I am recommending the following description standard:

0. General data: - Start altitude - Summit (end) altitude - Prevailing exposition (S, N, E, W, SE, SW, NW, NW) - Type: rock, snow, etc. (for example: 1 h through woods and grassy slopes, 3h rock, 3h snow/ice) - Protection: is the route marked or not, protected or not - Gear & remark: any further description, i.e.: types of danger, gear, water, etc.

1. Endurance (ascent) means physical load, endurance. It depends primarily on altitude difference, but not exclusively (you can have distance to overcome or ups and downs). Absolute altitude is also important (500 m from 1000 m to 1500 m are not the same as from 4000 m to 4500 m). Measures: elevation, time (I think this is better than a scale from 1 to 5.)

2. Power means physical ability to overcome the hardest details of the route. It depends of the amount of hardest difficulties. Short routes can demand little overall effort (#1), but can be very hard, with great difficulties, requiring power. If the route is protected (ferratas, equipped with pegs, hooks, steel ropes), this lowers the difficulties of hardest details. Measure:

1 – no difficulties: only walking, even if steep.
2 – easy: steep steps, some pulling with hands, snow up to 40 deg.
3 – medium: easy climbing (I), medium hard ferrattas, snow up to 45 deg.
4 – hard: easy climbing (II), hard ferrattas, snow up to 50 deg.
5 – very hard: harder climbing details (>II), very hard ferrattas, snow >50 deg.

3. Psyche means how much the route is exposed, how much depth tolerance it requires, how objectively dangerous it is. Is belaying needed and can it be effective? Measure:

1 – no difficulties: you could go 'blind' (path or road is easy, broad)
2 – easy: some care needed, you already feel depth
3 – medium: depth rising, but in normal conditions belaying not needed
4 – hard: exposed, mistake very likely fatal, belaying recommended
5 – very hard: belay properly! Even though, objective danger exists

4. Orientation means how hard it is to find the route course, providing the visibility is good. If there's no path or on glaciers, fog almost automatically means degree 5. Measure:

1 – no difficulties: road, good path or a weaker one, but marked good
2 – easy: some care needed, still good trail, or if marked, some care is needed
3 – medium: poorly marked or very weak trail; consider general situation (terrain)
4 – hard: constant orientation skill needed, don't go in fog, use compass & GPS
5 – very hard: hard job even with orientation devices, expert escort recommended

We could also use the overall scale – the 4 criteria combined:

1 – very easy,
2 – easy,
3 – medium,
4 – hard,
5 – very hard.

Example Tofana di Rozes, Ferrata Lipella: Overall: hard (big elevation, considerably hard and exposed). 0. General: 2083 m to 3225 m, exposition W, marked, protected rock route. Battery mandatory!

1. Effort: 1200 m, 5 h
2. Power: 4 – hard,
3. Psyche: 4 – hard,
4. Orientation: 1 – no difficulties.