From www.14ers.com:Hiking:
Class 1 - Easy hiking - usually on a good trail.
Class 2 - More difficult hiking that may be off-trail. You may also have to put your hands down occasionally to keep your balance. May include easy snow climbs or hiking on talus/scree.
Climbing:
Class 3 - Scrambling or un-roped climbing. You must use your hands most of the time to hold the terrain or find your route. This may be caused by a combination of steepness and extreme terrain (large rocks or steep snow). Some Class 3 routes are better done with rope.
Class 4 - Climbing. Rope is often used on Class 4 routes because falls can be fatal. The terrain is often steep and dangerous. Some routes can be done without rope because the terrain is stable.
Class 5 - Technical climbing. The climbing involves the use of rope and belaying. Rock climbing is Class 5. Note: In the 1950s, the Class 5 portion of this ranking system was expanded to include a decimal at the end of the ranking to further define the difficulties of rock climbing. This is called the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). The decimal notations range from 5.1 (easiest) to 5.14 (most difficult). Recently, the rankings of 5.10 through 5.14 were expanded to include an "a", "b", "c" or "d" after the decimal (Example: 5.12a) to provide further details of the ranking. None of the routes described on 14ers.com are Class 5, so I will not go into detail of the expanded decimal system.
Keep in mind that Class 1 through Class 4 rankings are not very descriptive and do not have any further breakdowns like Class 5. Class 2 is very general and includes a wide range of hiking. At time, Class 2 routes may include dangerous terrain (exposure, loose rock, steep scree, etc.). Just because a route is ranked Class 2, does not mean it is safe or easy. The key to Class 3 is that you are almost always using your hands to move up through the steep terrain (snow or rock). In some cases, I may describe a route as "Difficult Class 2" or "Easy Class 3" to provide more detail.
Class 1: Walking with a low chance of injury.
Class 2: Simple scrambling, with the possibility of occasional use of the hands. Little potential danger is encountered.
Class 3: Scrambling with increased exposure. A rope can be carried but is usually not required. Falls are not always fatal.
Class 4: Simple climbing, with exposure. A rope is often used. Natural protection can be easily found. Falls may well be fatal.
Class 5: Technical free climbing involving rope, belaying, and other protection hardware for safety. Un-roped falls can result in severe injury or death.
Also, notwithstanding the above standards, keep in mind that each person's experience and/or comfort level with exposure may vary widely and thus may play a role in how they perceive the assumed class of a particular route (whether or not that perception is accurate). Over the years, I've read descriptions of the Final 400 on both boards that range from "difficult Class 2 with a little Class 3 thrown in" up to "Class 4" (as far as I can remember, I don't think anyone has called it Class 5). These variations have almost always resulted from the widely varying experience (or lack thereof) of the persons involved. Also, the perceived (if not actual) difficulty levels sometimes vary by geographic region, depnding on what people in each region are used to as it relates to the available level of difficulty in each respective region.
CaT
