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[pct-l] climb ratings

 "Robinson, Brian A" <brian.robinson@TANDEM.com> writes:
>Hello Svein,
>Class 1 is the sidewalk outside most people's homes.  Flat, with no
exposure to 
>falling.Class 2 is similar, but with hills.  The PCT itself is at most
class 2.  Class 3 would be described as a "scramble."  

   The system I'm familiar with (the Yosemite Decimal, which is used to
rate climbs in *my* guides), and the empirical observation of me/the
climbers I know differ from the above description a bit...
   Class 1 is "hiking", but the terrain can be far-from-flat. There are
class 1 routes on Mount Whitney, for instance, and many peaks have
cross-country cl1 routes to the summit - from the PCT in the Whitney area
alone: Mt Guyot (12,300'), Mt Langley (14,042), Cirque Peak (12,900'),
etc. I have had to "watch my step" in places on  cross-country high
cl1's... I have *never* encountered anything but easy cl1 on the whole of
the PCT.
   Class 2 is usually difficult cross-country travel. In the Sierra, for
instance, that usually boils down to talus-fields, which some folks find
"fun", but I loathe, especially if the blocks are unstable and the fields
endless. You can definitely get hurt on class 2, and often have to use
your hands for balance on such "hills". Many scary cross-country passe
and non-technical climbing routes are class 2. Any serious talus on the
PCT has a trail blasted through it for walking (or snow covering it
early-season, making walking, not climbing, possible.) 
   In class 3, you use your hands to clutch the rock, and not just for
balance, but the holds are large. In class 4, the holds are small, and
you'd better not slip or you'll crater - belay advised. Etc., etc., but
there's nothing like any of that on the PCT.
   ...Just thought I'd add my $.02, to reassure Class '98-ers. (If they
read that the PCT is cl1-2, then look in a climbing guide for
comparisons, they'll freak! [G] And don't expect any guide-rated cl2
climbs to be as easy as the PCT....!)       bj

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