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[pct-l] re : Side Climbs



Hello Svein,

The class 1-5 terms refer to degrees of difficulty in mountaineering routes.
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."  
Hand holds are required at times and there is exposure to falls, but not
enough to warrant the 
use of ropes.  Class 4 describes both terrain and the climbing technique
used to travel 
across it.  The climbers are all roped together, but the rope is not
anchored.  This is often 
used to cross glaciers.  One member may fall into a crevasse, but the other
members can hold
the fall.  This technique is faster than class 5 because all members of the
rope team 
move at the same time.  Class 5 is rock or ice climbing.  The rope is always
anchored.  Only 
one member of the rope team moves at a time.  The others use belay technique
to protect the
moving member from a fall.  Class 5 is further refined into 5.1 - 5.9 and
5.10, 5.11 etc. to 
describe various technical climbing challenges.

Brian

> ----------
> From: 	Svein Eriksen
> Sent: 	Monday, April 20, 1998 10:15 PM
> To: 	pct-l@saffron.hack.net; 'ALAN T. JULLIARD'
> Subject: 	RE: [pct-l] re : Side Climbs
> 
> What is the class 2 and class 3 you talk about? I understand it's some
> kind of difficulty rating, but haven't anything to relate it to. I've
> hiked the AT and been on Mt. Thielson and Mt. McLoughlin (never get that
> right). Is any of these even on the scales?
> 
> Svein
> 
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