CLIMBING GRADES

  TOUR DIFFICULTY RATING

In this page we explained the relative difficulty of our Mountaineering tours. The difficulty grade is measured by a scale of THREE as Easy, Moderate and Strenuous. Each tour difficulty grade is indicated by our color gauge. On this page, the difficulty grade is listed in ascending order of difficulty.

Please make sure to read the explanation on difficulty grades before booking tours with us.

Obviously, length of the day, terrain, altitude and weather conditions are main factors that contribute to the difficulty of our tours. Since some of those factors are changeable, any system of grades can only provide a general indication of tour conditions. If you have any special physical or health conditions that we must be aware of, please report them when filling in our booking form or by contacting us by email.

EXPLORE GREAT ALTAI’S CLIMBING GRADES
Our mountain climbing tours include an element of climbing, usually on snow, where ropes and other items of mountaineering equipment will normally be used. Difficulty grading here indicates the technical difficulty of the ascent involved and takes into account factors such as overall steepness, exposure and objective dangers.

EASY - our easiest climbs, which are generally on easy angled snow-slopes, with no objective dangers. Depending on the prevailing conditions, mountaineering ice-axe and crampons may be used. Ropes may be fixed on short, steeper sections of ascent.

MODERATE - elements such as crevasses and steep snow slopes may be encountered. A mountaineering ice-axe and crampons will be used. Ropes can be fixed on steeper sections of the climb and group members may need to climb roped together at times.

STRENUOUS - applied to our toughest climbs - involving long climbing days, possibly at high altitudes, with steep snow slopes, exposed ridges and crevassed sections. Full mountaineering equipment and previous mountain climbing experience are required.