Technical difficulty
LOW
- Mountaineering: accessible climbing on easy, or at any rate, undemanding slopes with occasional challenging stretches on rocky or snow-covered terrain; snow-covered slopes up to 35°-40° and/or basic rock climbing up to UIAA grade II.
- Hiking: tourist-friendly routes on marked trails in circumscribed areas with good accessibility. Only basic trekking gear required.
- Skiing: suitable for beginners in off-piste skiing who can cope comfortably with red and black slopes with up to 35° gradient.
MEDIUM
- Mountaineering: challenging climbing on rocky and/or icy terrain; snow and ice climbing on slopes between 40° and 50° and/or stretches of rock climbing from UIAA grade III to IV.
- Hiking: trails without specific technical challenges which require proper trekking equipment.
- Skiing: suitable for skilled skiers who can cope with all slope and snow types, can get down black-graded runs with a backpack of about 8 kg, and are experienced enough to deal with short stretches of climbing with crampons (on snow and rock) and have some experience of ski mountaineering (basic techniques).
HIGH
- Mountaineering: high-difficulty mountaineering on rocky and icy slopes; ice walls over 70° and/or stretches of rock climbing from UIAA grade VI upwards.
- Hiking: mountain routes in demanding environments requiring suitable gear for safe climbing; potentially crossing snowfields and glaciers.
- Skiing: for advanced skiers who can cope comfortably with all snow types and slopes up to 40°, who have extensive experience of skiing expeditions and proven ski-mountaineering skills, who are able to tackle slopes while carrying their skis on their backs, and who have experience of climbing on rock, snow and ice with crampons and ice axes.
VERY HIGH
- Mountaineering: extreme mountaineering on rocky and icy terrain, for mountaineers familiar with self-rescue techniques (in theory and practice); ice walls over 70° and/or sections of rock climbing over UIAA grade VI.
- Hiking: fixed rope or otherwise protected routes (or a mixture), with high exposure and technical challenges that require suitable equipment and proven mountaineering experience.
- Skiing: for highly skilled skiers on all types of snow on slopes up to 50°, with proven experience in ski mountaineering and capable of tackling occasional couloir descents and difficult steep stretches.
