Climbing
Basic Alpine Climbing
Basic Climbing Difficulties and Technical & Strenuous Ratings
In addition to the Rock, Alpine and Glacier difficulties below, basic climbs have a Technical and Strenuous rating. For both, the scale is from 1 to 5, with 1 being easiest and 5 hardest. The Technical rating refers to difficulty of climbing moves and exposure. The Strenuousness rating
refers to the level of conditioning required, both aerobic and strength.
Choose a trip with a mileage and elevation gain and technical rating that suits your fitness and ability. Leaders often list pace by "distance" speed like "2.5 miles per hour" or by "elevation" speed like "1,000 feet per hour."
Basic Rock Climb
Alpine rock climbs up to 5.4 and three pitches or less. No glacier climbing skills are required.
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Basic Glacier Climb
Alpine glacier climbs on snow and/or ice up to 30 degrees with no rock climbing and minimal to no rock scrambling.
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Basic Alpine Climb
These climbs involve one of the following challenges: Steep or hard snow, Class 3-4 rock (usually no more than one roped pitch), minor or no glacier travel.
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Find Basic Alpine Climbing Trips
Intermediate Alpine Climbing
Choose a trip with a mileage and elevation gain and technical rating that suits your fitness and ability. Leaders often list pace by "distance" speed like "2.5 miles per hour" or by "elevation" speed like "1,000 feet per hour."
Intermediate Rock Climb - alpine rock climbs from 5.5 on and more than three pitches.
Intermediate Mountaineering Climb - alpine climb (often a basic climb done in winter).
Intermediate Ice Climb - alpine ice climb on 40 degree or greater glacier ice.
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Find Intermediate Alpine Climbing Trips
Rock Climbing
Crag Rock Climb
Rock climbs "close to the road" of any difficulty or length.
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Top Rope Rock Climb
For single pitch rock climbing outings where all participants are comfortable belaying and instructors are comfortable leading on rock whether bolts or gear.
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Indoor/outdoor wall Climb
Rock Climbs on an indoor or outdoor climbing wall at one of our program or outdoor centers or at a local climbing gym. These are for beginners only and have no prerequisites.
Advanced Climbing
Aid Climb
Climbs that involve aid techniques like clipping directly into gear and jugging up fixed lines.
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Water Ice Climb
Waterfall ice and mixed climbs with a Water Ice or Mixed climb rating.
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Already know how to climb?
Are you an experienced climber and want information about equivalency in order to join these trips? Contact our Member Services Team at info@mountaineers.org and we will connect you with an equivalency coordinator.