Grading System

The grading system is designed to help you in making your right decision, before booking your trip. Please read carefully the description of the tour, its rating and what is that means and be sure that you won’t overestimate your abilities.

Grading System For Hiking, Trekking and Backpacking Tours

EASY (LEVEL 1) The trip is easy and suitable for everyone, including children and older people. The trail is clear while the area is mostly flat or slightly sloped with no hazard of falling. In short, if you like long walks,  you’ll certainly adore LEVEL 1 hiking routes. This route also presents one of the best ways of relaxation and spending time in nature. For this type of trekking, you don’t have to be in high body form.

• Duration: 3 – 4 hours;
• Exposure: there are no passages with exposure
• Difference of elevation: up to 400m
• Maximum altitude: 1000m

MEDIUM (LEVEL 2) The trail is a continuous path (generally marked), while the terrain in some sections is steep. This type of activity takes time, so ensure you’re physically able to get enough rest before starting any trips. Talking about the equipment, you need to wear hiking shoes as well as some footedness. 

• Duration: 6 – 7 hours;
• Exposure: There might be spots along de route, where the level of exposure is medium.
• Difference of elevation: 400 -900m
• Maximum altitude: 1800 – 1900m

HARD (LEVEL 3) Physical training before the trip should begin no later than 2 months before. t is important to have physical fitness & endurance. When it comes to the part of equipment, it’s highly important to use good hiking shoes that will protect your ankles. Besides owning a professional fittings, you also need to have a basic alpine experience. The trail in exposed sites may be secured with ropes or chains. Therefore, you’ll be able to use hands for balance. When we talk about the terrain, it may be partly exposed with fall hazard, scree, and pathless jagged rocks as well. 

• Duration: longer than 7 hours;
• Exposure: There might be frequent passages with high level of exposure
• Difference of elevation: over 1000m
• Maximum altitude: over 1900 – 2000m

EXTREME (LEVEL 4) This level is for mountaineering, backcountry and expeditions. It requires more serious physical preparation and previous experience in similar activities like climbing skills. The preliminary stage starts 3-6 months before heading out so that you can get acclimated by running exercises which will help increase endurance. It’s extremely important to have solid trekking boots as well as to be familiar with exposed terrain. First of all, for this type of hiking route you need to own the ability for terrain assessment and alpine experience. The trail requires using hands and climbing up to level one grade. During these activities, we will reach and we will stay, regularly, at very high altitudes, that will determine proper acclimatization.

• Duration: longer than 8-9 hours
• Exposure: The terrain is quite exposed with fall hazard and jagged rocks
• Difference of elevation: over 1000m
• Maximum altitude: over 3000m

Grading System for Via Ferrata routes (in accordance with UIAA, the Italian scale has been adopted as international standard)

F	Equipped path, with low exposure and long walking tracts. Good fixed protections, consisting mainly in metalic ropes (or chains) used only to increase safety.
PD	Short Via Ferrata with low exposure. The itinerary usually presents couloirs, chimneys, short vertical tracts where chains. ropes, pegs and stairs help the progression.
D	Via Ferrata with a medium-long length, requiring a good physical condition and technical competency. Often, the itinerary is vertical and overhangs may be present. Equipped with metallic ropes, chains, pegs and stairs.
TD	The itinerary presents exposed and technical sequences; a very good physical condition and technical competence required. The itinerary is vertical, and overhangs are climbed with few artificial aids. Equipment consists of metallic ropes, with pegs and stairs.
ED	The itinerary presents several exposed and technical sequences, possibly created on purpose; in order to increase the engagement, only few artificial pegs/ stairs are in place. Therefore, a very good physical condition and some climbing technical competences are required.

• F = facile (easy)
• PD = peu difficile (not very difficult)
• D = difficile (difficult)
• TD = très difficile (very difficult)
• ED = extrêmement difficile (extremely difficult)

ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTIONS & GRADES

TECHNICAL ENGAGEMENT	1. Null or low technical difficulty, very good equipment.
	2. Equipped with pegs, stairs, bridges: sometimes it is required to climb using natural holds.
	3. Many vertical or overhanging segments; it is necessary to climb using natural holds; advisable a minimum knowledge of rope techniques.
PHYSICAL ENGAGEMENT	1. It requires a physical effort equivalent to a moderate walking excursion.
	2. It requires a good physical condition (force and resistance).
	3. It requires a very good physical condition (force and resistance).
EXPOSURE	1. Low Exposure
	2. Moderate Exposure, some aerial steps
	3. Very exposed with many aerial sequencese
ENVIRONMENT	1. Low altitude, often warm and safe weather. easy escape.
	2. Mountain environment, altitude between 1000 and 2000 m; beware of thunderstorms, wind and cold weather.
	3. High mountain environment; altitude higher than 2000 m; possible presence of snow section; beware of thunderstorms. wind and cold weather.

Grading System for Snowshoeing Tours