Rating Your Adventure: Understanding Glacier National Park Climbing Ratings
Not all summit routes in Glacier National Park are created equal.
Some involve relatively easy off-trail walking. Others require scrambling, route-finding, exposure and technical climbing skills. Understanding the rating system before you leave the trail is an important part of choosing an adventure that matches your ability and experience.
A Rating System Designed for Glacier
Dr. J. Gordon Edwards, author of the classic A Climber’s Guide to Glacier National Park, developed a climbing classification system specifically for Glacier. The Glacier Mountaineering Society (GMS) expanded the system to include overall route difficulty, the difficulty of the hardest section, round-trip distance and elevation gain.
There is one important thing to remember:
Glacier National Park climbing classifications are specific to Glacier. A Class 3 route in Glacier should not automatically be considered equivalent to a Class 3 route somewhere else.
The Glacier Mountaineering Society system gives you several pieces of information in one compact rating.
For example:
Class III (3) MS
This tells us the overall difficulty, the difficulty of the hardest section, the distance and the elevation gain.
Let's break it down.
Glacier Climbing Classes
Class I (1) — Easy
Trail hiking or off-trail walking that does not require the use of your hands.
Examples from our guidebooks include:
Cataract Mountain — Volume 1
Haystack Butte — Volume 1
Portions of Mount Oberlin — Volume 1
Class II (2) — Moderate
Low-angle scrambling where you may begin using your hands for balance or movement.
Examples include:
Mount Helen — Volume 2
Piegan Mountain routes — Volume 1
Cliff section on Mount Oberlin — Volume 1
Class III (3) — Difficult
High-angle scrambling, moderate cliffs and considerably more exertion. Exposure may become an important factor, and a rope may be appropriate for less-experienced climbers.
Examples include:
Reynolds Mountain — Volume 1
The Dragon’s Tail — Volume 1
Edwards Mountain — Volume 3
Class IV (4) — Very Difficult
Higher-angle cliffs with increased exposure. The GMS classification describes this terrain as requiring a rope for belaying.
Examples include:
The Great Cleft on Pollock Mountain — Volume 1
Portions of Sinopah Mountain — Volume 2
Portions of Painted Tepee Peak — Volume 2
Class V (5) — Severe
High-angle cliffs with severe exposure. Technical climbing experience is necessary, and protection is placed by the lead climber.
Climb Glacier National Park does not include any routes with an overall Class V rating.
Class VI (6) — Extremely Severe
This classification involves direct-aid technical climbing and is reserved for major technical climbs such as the North Face of Mount Siyeh or East Face of Mount Gould.
Climb Glacier National Park does not include any routes with an overall Class VI rating.
Understanding the Number in Parentheses
This is one of the most useful parts of the GMS system.
The Roman numeral describes the overall difficulty of the route, while the number in parentheses identifies the most difficult section of the climb.
For example:
Class II (3)
Most of the route is Class II, but the climber should expect at least one section of Class 3 terrain.
That distinction can make a big difference when deciding whether a particular summit is appropriate for you.
Distance and Elevation Ratings
GMS also rates the physical demands of the trip using S, M and L.
Rating
Round-Trip Distance - Elevation Gain
S — Short = 1–6 miles - Less than 3,000 feet
M — Medium = 6–12 miles - 3,000–4,500 feet
L — Long = 12–20+ miles - More than 4,500 feet
The first letter represents distance and the second represents elevation gain.
Putting It All Together
Consider this example:
Class II (3) MS
The route is primarily Class II with a Class 3 section at its most difficult point. It covers 8 miles (12.8 km) round trip—Medium distance—with 2,800 feet (853 m) of elevation gain—Short elevation.
Now consider:
Class IV (4) LL
This is an overall Class IV climb with Class 4 terrain at its most difficult point. The trip covers 14 miles (22.5 km) and gains 5,000 feet (1,524 m)—Long in both distance and elevation.
With a little practice, those few letters and numbers tell you a tremendous amount about the adventure ahead.
Choose the Right Adventure
One of the great things about climbing in Glacier is the variety. You don't have to tackle the most difficult summit to have an incredible day.
Start with routes that match your experience. Learn how Glacier's terrain and rock feel. Develop your scrambling and route-finding skills gradually. Then move into more difficult terrain as your experience and confidence grow.
The rating system is a valuable starting point—but remember that weather, snow, route conditions, exposure and your own abilities can dramatically change the difficulty of any climb.
Know the rating. Know your abilities. Choose your adventure.
GO EXPLORE GLACIER.
The GMS Rating System is used in the Climb Glacier National Park guidebooks with permission from the Glacier Mountaineering Society.