Introduction
Granite uses two main categories for summer routes: Hiking and Mountaineering. We made this decision intentionally — not to oversimplify, but to eliminate grey areas that can lead to poor planning decisions in the field.
Our routes are written and reviewed by ACMG guides based on how they would approach each objective with clients. That standard drives everything about how we classify terrain.
🥾 Hiking Routes
Hiking routes can be completed by most experienced hikers without technical climbing gear or ice travel equipment in normal conditions. This may include:
Easy trails — Well-maintained trails with minimal elevation gain
Steep hiking — Steep terrain and off-trail hiking
Easy scrambling — Class 2–3 terrain with low exposure
Moderate scrambling — Class 3–4 terrain with some exposure
An example of a route that falls on the high end of our Hiking classification would be Black Tusk in Whistler, BC.
🏔️ Mountaineering
As soon as a route involves protection such as a rope or ice axe, we classify it as a Mountaineering route. Mountaineering routes involve technical systems, specialized equipment, and the potential for serious consequences. This may include:
Hard / exposed scrambling — High Class 4 terrain with high exposure
Technical terrain — Routes requiring rope, rappelling, or basic alpine techniques
Alpine terrain — Snow, glaciers, and steep snow/ice travel
Alpine climbs — Technical climbs, complex routes, and serious objectives
An example of a route that falls on the low end of our Mountaineering classification would be Sky Pilot in Squamish, BC.
Where Do Scrambles Fit?
Scrambling is not a separate category on Granite. This was a deliberate safety decision. A vague middle category creates ambiguity about what gear, skills, and experience a route actually demands. Our guides classify every scramble into either Hiking or Mountaineering based on the terrain, exposure, and equipment required.
The guiding question our ACMG reviewers use is:
"Would I put the average client on a rope or have them bring ice axes, crampons or glacier gear while planning and packing for this route?"
No → Hiking
Yes → Mountaineering
Typically, a Class 2-4 scramble would fall under our Hiking classification, while 4+ would be a Mountaineering route. However, the decision is ultimately made around equipment and judgement required — rather than pure technical difficulty.
Rating Systems Explained
Routes will reference various international standard rating systems to help you understand the level of experience and risk involved with a route:
Yosemite Decimal System (YDS)
The YDS is the most widely used hiking and climbing rating system in North America. Our ACMG guides use it to communicate terrain difficulty clearly and consistently. It divides terrain into five classes:
Class | Description | On Granite |
Class 1 | Walking on a trail. No hands required. | Hiking |
Class 2 | Off-trail hiking, some use of hands for balance on rough terrain. | Hiking |
Class 3 | Scrambling with frequent use of hands. A fall could be serious. | Hiking |
Class 4 | Steep scrambling. Exposure is significant; many people use a rope. A fall could be fatal. | Mountaineering |
Class 5 | Technical rock climbing. Rope, protection, and belay required. Rated 5.0–5.15 by difficulty. | Mountaineering |
Alpine Grades (NCCS / Commitment Grades)
Alpine grades describe the overall commitment and seriousness of a mountain route — not just the technical difficulty. They account for length, remoteness, objective hazard, and the skills required to complete the route safely. Our authors use these to help users understand what a full day in the mountains actually demands.
Grade | Description | On Granite |
Grade I | A few hours. Simple terrain, low commitment. | Hiking or easy Mountaineering |
Grade II | Half a day. Moderate terrain and commitment. | Mountaineering |
Grade III | Full day. Requires solid mountain skills and good fitness. | Mountaineering |
Grade IV | Full day on difficult terrain. Technical proficiency required. | Mountaineering |
Grade V | Multi-day commitment. Sustained technical difficulties, serious objectives. | Mountaineering |
Grade VI | Multi-day wall climbs or extreme alpine routes at the limit of difficulty. | Mountaineering |
Alpine grades are particularly relevant for routes in the Mountaineering category on Granite, especially ski touring objectives, glaciated peaks, and technical alpine climbs.
French Alpine Grade (Ski Mountaineering)
The French Alpine grading system is widely used by our guides to rate the overall difficulty of ski mountaineering and ski touring routes. It factors in the steepness, exposure, snow conditions, and technical demands of a descent — giving you a clearer picture of what a route requires on skis than slope angle alone.
Grade | Description | On Granite |
Peu Difficile (PD) | Easy skiing on moderate terrain. No significant exposure. Suitable for confident intermediate skiers in good conditions. | Hiking or Mountaineering |
Assez Difficile (AD) | Moderately difficult. Some steeper sections and exposure. Requires solid technique and sound decision-making in variable conditions. | Mountaineering |
Difficile (D) | Difficult. Sustained steep terrain, significant exposure, and technical skiing required. Our guides would assess conditions carefully before committing a client to this terrain. | Mountaineering |
Très Difficile (TD) | Very difficult. Serious, committing terrain with high consequence. Requires expert-level skiing and strong avalanche and route-finding judgment. | Mountaineering |
Extrêmement Difficile (ED) | Extremely difficult. At the limit of what is skied. Sustained exposure, technical cruxes, and serious objective hazard. Only for the most experienced ski mountaineers. | Mountaineering |
The French Alpine grade is most commonly referenced on Mountaineering routes involving ski descents, couloirs, and glaciated terrain — where understanding the full picture of what a line demands is critical to safe planning.