Knowra Climbing grade Climbing grade A climbing grade is a rating that estimates the difficulty of a route or boulder problem. Systems differ by region and climbing discipline, and grades remain partly subjective.
Rock climbing : The sport of ascending natural rock or artificial walls using hands, feet, and climbing equipment. Climbing grades are used to describe the difficulty of rock routes and boulder problems.
Climbing route : A defined line of ascent on rock or an artificial climbing surface. A route is the unit whose difficulty a roped climbing grade summarizes.
Yosemite Decimal System : A North American system for rating hiking and technical rock-climbing difficulty, especially roped routes. Its decimal grades are a familiar North American alternative to European route grades.
Climbing guidebook : A publication describing climbing areas, routes, access, protection, and difficulty ratings. Guidebooks record local grades and the route information needed to interpret them.
Bouldering : A form of climbing on short routes without ropes, usually over protective pads. Bouldering uses its own grade scales, distinct from those for roped routes.
Climbing crux : The hardest move or sequence on a climbing route or problem. A route's most difficult section often strongly influences its grade.
French sport climbing grade : A graded scale used widely in Europe and internationally for sport climbing routes. It is commonly contrasted with the Yosemite Decimal System for roped routes.
Climbing competition : An organized event in which climbers attempt routes or problems under rules and scoring systems. Competition routes are calibrated to challenge athletes, though their grades may not match outdoor scales.
Sport climbing : Roped climbing on routes protected by fixed bolts anchored in the rock. Sport routes commonly receive grades within regional roped-climbing systems.
Redpoint (climbing) : Climbing a route from its start to finish without falling or resting on protection, after prior attempts. A clean ascent provides a common basis for assessing a route's difficulty.
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