Levels of Difficulty
As a guide to help outing leaders and members of the ACC Montreal section with the difficulty levels for outings, the following scale provides a basis for leaders to describe the outing difficulty level, and helps participants to choose outings within their capabilities.
Please note that the scale is for guidance only. Unique features of an outing may change the level of difficulty of an outing.
Activity |
Level |
Description |
|---|---|---|
Rock Climbing |
Beginner | Top roping up to 5.6 Single pitch leading up to 5.4 |
| Intermediate | Top roping up to 5.9 Sport climbing up to 5.9 Single pitch leading up to 5.7 Multipitch leading up to 5.4 |
|
| Strong Intermediate | Single pitch leading up to 5.10 Multipitch leading up to 5.8 |
|
| Advanced | Single pitch 5.10 and above Multipitch 5.8 and above |
|
| Note that remote access or multipitch climbs tend to increase the seriousness of the outing. | ||
Hiking |
Beginner | 8 km or less, under 4 hours Good trails with small elevation gain |
| Intermediate | 8 to 16 km, 4 to 8 hours Mostly on trails with significant elevation gain and some steep sections |
|
| Strong Intermediate | Over 16 km, over 8 hours Trails with some bushwacking or slides Significant elevation gain with steep ascents and/or descents Easy overnights |
|
| Advanced | Over 16 km, over 8 hours Trails/Bushwacking/Slides with significant elevation gain and steep ascents and/or descents Long overnights |
|
Cross-country skiing |
Beginner | Less than 10 km Groomed trails Typically green and blue trails at XC ski areas. |
| Intermediate | 10 to 20 km Groomed with some ungroomed trails Typically blue or easy black trails at XC ski areas |
|
| Strong Intermediate | 20 km or more Mostly ungroomed trails with some steep ascents and descents Moderate overnights |
|
| Advanced | 30 km or more Ungroomed trails with steep ascents and descents and challenging sections Long overnights |
|
Telemark skiing |
Beginner | Less than 8 km Wide trails allowing turns on the descents. Generally shallow descents Green and Blue runs at ski areas |
| Intermediate | 8 to 16 km Narrow sections of trail limiting the freedom for turns on the descents. Some steep descents Blue and Black runs at ski areas |
|
| Strong Intermediate | 16 km or more Double black diamond runs at ski areas Narrow trails with some steep descents Moderate overnights |
|
| Advanced | 20 km or more Narrow trails providing challenging terrain on descents. Steep descents Long overnights |
|
| Where an outing is open to Telemark and Crosscountry skiers the Crosscountry level will usually be at least one level higher than the Telemark level. | ||
Ice Climbing |
Beginner | Single pitch & top roped Up to grade III ice |
| Intermediate | Single pitch up to grade IV ice Multipitch up to grade III ice |
|
| Advanced | Single pitch climbs above grade IV ice Intermediate and above multipitch climbs |
|
Snow shoeing |
Beginner | 8 km or less, under 4 hours Good trails with small elevation gain |
| Intermediate | 8 to 16 km, 4 to 8 hours Mostly on trails with significant elevation gain and some steep sections |
|
| Strong Intermediate | Over 16 km, over 8 hours Trails with some bushwacking Significant elevation gain with steep ascents and/or descents Easy overnights |
|
| Advanced | Over 16 km, over 8 hours Trails/Bush-wacking with significant elevation gain and steep ascents and/or descents Long overnights |
|