A2 aid climbing grades. Usually you will see it written 5.
A2 aid climbing grades. The original meaning of free climbing was “free from direct aid”. Maybe a tenuous placement or two above good pro with no fall-danger. But what goes into climbing grades, and why do they so often involve so many letters and numbers? Jun 25, 2025 · Aid climbing grades worldwide follow a single standard system—A1 to A5 (Australia uses an M0-M8 system. “A” means ‘Aid’ and stands for placements that require a hammer, like pitons and copperheads. Apr 27, 2025 · There are also several other grading systems for different nationalities and different types of climbing (e. americanalpineclub. WI6) and the identical AI ("alpine ice") system (e. 7. Thanks for Jan 28, 2022 · For example, 5. Free Climbing Aid Climbing Grades Hey! By the way… this page contains affiliate links. org. 7 means clean aid 2, free climbing 5. C2 designates clean aid (no hammer), A2 would involve nailing. A2: Moderate aid: placements generally solid but possible awkward and strenuous to place. The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. Dec 1, 2020 · What Is Aid Climbing? Aid Climbing Gear: A Detailed Buying Guide History of Aid Climbing: Fixed Aid Climbing vs. , ice versus aid), but we will be focusing on free climbing grades in this article. A grade of A4 could mean there is one well-travelled and straightforward section of fixed gear in solid rock which is really A2 if you spend time climbing it well (e. . AI6). This chart is designed to be used with the American Alpine Journal to help decipher the difficulty ratings given to climbs. Aid climbing can be used to study a route, but not to climb it. M stands for mechanical, meaning mechanical protection). g. The grading of aid-climbing routes is complex as successive repeats of the route can substantially change the nature of the challenge through the continuous hammering and also the build-up of large amounts of in-situ fixed placements from each ascending party. The topo will have a better explanation, but aid grades basically go The term free climbing is used in contrast to aid climbing, in which specific aid climbing equipment is used to assist the climber in ascending the climb or pitch. C2 F5. “C” means ‘clean’ and stands for placements which are passively placed, like cams,hooks, and nuts. Clean Aid Climbing Aid Climbing vs. The main use of assigning route difficulty is to help other climbers judge whether it is suitable for their level. International rock climbing classification systems are shown in the chart at the right, and below is a comparison of Alpine, Ice, Snow, Aid, and Commitment grading systems. In ice climbing, the most widely used grading system is the WI ("water ice") system (e. Aug 30, 2021 · Simply put, rock climbing grades describe the difficulty of a route. g: crux pitches of Lost in America, Zenyatta Mondatta, many El Cap trade routes). Please visit them on the web at www. 7 C2. So if you make a purchase after clicking one at no cost to you we may earn a small commission. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade Feb 18, 2007 · Click on any of the sample topos in the free topos section on this site and somewhere in the first few pages there will be a pretty good explanation of american aid/free grades. Examples: the Right side of El Cap Tower (nailing), Moonlight Buttress and Space Shot in Zion (clean). National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. Routes designated with C1-C5 ratings indicate “clean aid climbing” routes where the original state must be preserved (clean aid climbing). Aid climbing grades take time to stabilize as successive repeats of aid climbing routes can materially reduce the grade. 8 A2 Grade VI describes a 2+-day big wall climb with moderately difficult traditional climbing, along with sections of aid climbing with lengthy runouts but decent protection. Usually you will see it written 5. nxioabeupnzixsiixdtozuarartoqznmgiprocbntahjy