We use a two scale system to grade expeditions.
A number indicates the technical difficulty
and
a letter indicates the level of fitness required.
These grades are outlined below.
It is always best to phone or e-mail us before booking so that we can answer specific questions about your fitness and experience.
| Difficulty | Fitness |
| Our numerical grade indicates the technical difficulty of the expedition. The higher the grade the more extensive previous experience of walking or climbing you’ll need. |
Our alphabetic grade is an indication of the level of fitness and general commitment you will need to bring to achieve your trek or summit. |
| 1 Walking, or climbing involving only easy rock or snow. No previous experience of climbing is required and we don’t expect to use ropes. |
A Good general fitness the same as for a week of continuous hillwalking in Britain. Only day sacks will be carried (up to 10kg) in the mountains. |
| 2 Ropes are used mainly for glacier travel and perhaps some easy scrambling. Previous roped climbing experience may be useful but is not essential. |
B Good fitness needed with some light training, such as circuits or running. Expedition rucksacks of up to 20kg will be carried occasionally, but only for short periods or downhill or at low altitude. |
| 3 Climbing with short sections of ice where two tools may be necessary, e.g. Scottish II or Alpine PD or rock scrambling to about Diff./Alpine II. A little previous experience of roped climbing is essential. |
C A very high level of fitness and stamina are required. You will need to be able to carry a heavy rucksack (20-25kg) for several days, often at high altitude. Several months of training, particularly for cardiovascular fitness, will be necessary. |
| 4 More difficult or more continuous climbing e.g. Scottish grade III or Alpine AD or rock to about Severe/Alpine IV Extensive experience is required, e.g. several Alpine seasons. |
|
| 5 Highly technical climbing requiring considerable competence from the client. Rock climbing to HVS/E1 or ice to Scottish grade IV. | |
| Ski
Grades
For our ski trips we use a three point technical scale plus the same fitness ratings as above. |
|
|
1 Good downhill ability required, with red runs being skied confidently. No previous off-piste, touring or mountaineering experience is required.2 As for grade 1 but also requiring a little off-piste or ski-touring experience plus some previous mountaineering experience, including use of ice-axe and crampons.3 Excellent downhill skiing ability required, black runs being skied confidently. Previous ski-touring and more extensive mountaineering experience is also necessary, e.g. ropework and climbs to Alpine PD. |
|
As a rough guide for those who have climbed elsewhere in the world the following peaks would be graded by us as follows.
Kilimanjaro 1A
Mera 2A
Mt. Blanc 2B
Pik Lenin 2C
Denali 3C
Matterhorn 4B
Alpine Haute-Route on Skis 2B
| Booking
and Further Information
For further details of any of these ski holidays or expeditions, more information on the mountains of South America or to purchase our guidebooks please contact us at 37a St. Andrew Street v Castle Douglas v Kirkcudbrightshire v DG7 1EN v SCOTLAND Phone v 01556 503929 Fax v 504633 Email v john@andes.com use +44 1556 503929 or 504633 if calling from outside the UK |