UIAA
UIAAAlps, DACH · Rock & multi-pitch
Roman numerals from I to XII, often with − / + (e.g. VI+, VII−). The classic in the Alps and in many German-language guidebooks.
ExampleVI+, VII−, VIII
Reference · orientation
Grading systems compared
UIAA, French, YDS, trad, Fontainebleau & co. — plus the scales for protection and seriousness on multi-pitch.
In short
- Grades are a guide — not a measuring tape. Style, rock, weather and local “hardness” make the difference.
- Comparisons between systems are always approximate (a grade either way is normal). Use common tables as a hint — at the crag, feel counts.
- Difficulty ≠ danger: on multi-pitch and trad there are often extra scales for protection, exposure and seriousness.
- Older routes can feel “harder” than their printed grade — scales used to stop much earlier (e.g. UIAA at VI, YDS at 5.9).
Overview
The main systems
Not every number means the same thing — and not every scale rates only the hardest move.
French scale
FREurope (sport) · Sport climbing
Number + letter + optional +: 5a, 6b+, 7c. Very common at sport crags and in modern topos — also alongside UIAA.
Example6a, 6b+, 7a
Yosemite Decimal System
YDSUSA / Canada · Sport & trad
All “real” climbing sits in 5th class: 5.6, 5.10a, 5.12c. Letters a–d from about 5.10. Trad and sport share the same scale.
Example5.8, 5.10a, 5.11c
“Trad” here is the protection style (your own gear), not a separate number scale.
British trad scale
UKUK / Ireland · Trad (own protection)
Two parts: adjectival (e.g. VS, HVS, E1) for overall difficulty including protection and head — plus a technical grade (4a–7b) for the hardest move.
ExampleHVS 5a, E2 5c
The same tech grade can get a higher adjectival grade when protection is poor.
Fontainebleau
FbEurope (boulder) · Bouldering
Number + capital letter + optional +: 6A, 7B+, 8A. The reference scale for European bouldering — named after the area near Paris.
Example6B, 7A+, 8A
V-Scale (Hueco)
VUSA (boulder) · Bouldering
V0 to V17 (with in-betweens like V0+). Standard in North American boulder areas and many apps.
ExampleV3, V6, V10
Saxon scale
Sächs.Elbsandstein · Sandstone trad
Its own I–XII scale for Saxon Switzerland. Traditionally no bolts — grades and ethics differ from “normal” sport areas.
ExampleVIIa, VIIIb, IXc
Don’t compare 1:1 with UIAA — local style and protection weigh in heavily.
Conversion
Rope climbing — approximate comparison
UIAA ↔ French ↔ YDS ↔ British tech grade — up to the current top (about XII+ / 9c / 5.15d). The UK columns are especially rough at the top; protection sits inside the E-grade. The scales are open-ended upwards.
- IIIUIAA
- French
- 3
- YDS (USA)
- 5.4
- UK Tech
- —
- UK Adjectival
- Diff / VDiff
- IVUIAA
- French
- 4a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.5
- UK Tech
- 4a
- UK Adjectival
- Severe
- IV+UIAA
- French
- 4b
- YDS (USA)
- 5.6
- UK Tech
- 4a
- UK Adjectival
- HS
- V−UIAA
- French
- 4c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.7
- UK Tech
- 4b
- UK Adjectival
- HS / VS
- VUIAA
- French
- 5a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.8
- UK Tech
- 4c
- UK Adjectival
- VS
- V+UIAA
- French
- 5b
- YDS (USA)
- 5.9
- UK Tech
- 5a
- UK Adjectival
- HVS
- VI−UIAA
- French
- 5c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.10a
- UK Tech
- 5a
- UK Adjectival
- E1
- VIUIAA
- French
- 6a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.10b
- UK Tech
- 5b
- UK Adjectival
- E1 / E2
- VI+UIAA
- French
- 6a+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.10c
- UK Tech
- 5b
- UK Adjectival
- E2
- VII−UIAA
- French
- 6b
- YDS (USA)
- 5.10d
- UK Tech
- 5c
- UK Adjectival
- E2 / E3
- VIIUIAA
- French
- 6b+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.11a
- UK Tech
- 5c
- UK Adjectival
- E3
- VII+UIAA
- French
- 6c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.11a / b
- UK Tech
- 6a
- UK Adjectival
- E3 / E4
- VIII−UIAA
- French
- 6c+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.11b
- UK Tech
- 6a
- UK Adjectival
- E4
- VIIIUIAA
- French
- 7a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.11c
- UK Tech
- 6a
- UK Adjectival
- E4 / E5
- VIII+UIAA
- French
- 7a+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.11d
- UK Tech
- 6b
- UK Adjectival
- E5
- IX−UIAA
- French
- 7b / 7b+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.12a / b
- UK Tech
- 6b
- UK Adjectival
- E5 / E6
- IXUIAA
- French
- 7c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.12c
- UK Tech
- 6b
- UK Adjectival
- E6
- IX+UIAA
- French
- 7c+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.12d
- UK Tech
- 6c
- UK Adjectival
- E6 / E7
- X−UIAA
- French
- 8a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.13a / b
- UK Tech
- 6c
- UK Adjectival
- E7
- XUIAA
- French
- 8a+ / 8b
- YDS (USA)
- 5.13c / d
- UK Tech
- 7a
- UK Adjectival
- E8
- X+UIAA
- French
- 8b+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.14a
- UK Tech
- 7a
- UK Adjectival
- E8 / E9
- XI−UIAA
- French
- 8c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.14b
- UK Tech
- 7a / 7b
- UK Adjectival
- E9
- XIUIAA
- French
- 8c+ / 9a
- YDS (USA)
- 5.14c / d
- UK Tech
- 7b
- UK Adjectival
- E9 / E10
- XI+UIAA
- French
- 9a+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.15a
- UK Tech
- 7b
- UK Adjectival
- E10
- XII−UIAA
- French
- 9b
- YDS (USA)
- 5.15b
- UK Tech
- —
- UK Adjectival
- E11
- XIIUIAA
- French
- 9b+
- YDS (USA)
- 5.15c
- UK Tech
- —
- UK Adjectival
- E11
- XII+UIAA
- French
- 9c
- YDS (USA)
- 5.15d
- UK Tech
- —
- UK Adjectival
- —
| UIAA | French | YDS (USA) | UK Tech | UK Adjectival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| III | 3 | 5.4 | — | Diff / VDiff |
| IV | 4a | 5.5 | 4a | Severe |
| IV+ | 4b | 5.6 | 4a | HS |
| V− | 4c | 5.7 | 4b | HS / VS |
| V | 5a | 5.8 | 4c | VS |
| V+ | 5b | 5.9 | 5a | HVS |
| VI− | 5c | 5.10a | 5a | E1 |
| VI | 6a | 5.10b | 5b | E1 / E2 |
| VI+ | 6a+ | 5.10c | 5b | E2 |
| VII− | 6b | 5.10d | 5c | E2 / E3 |
| VII | 6b+ | 5.11a | 5c | E3 |
| VII+ | 6c | 5.11a / b | 6a | E3 / E4 |
| VIII− | 6c+ | 5.11b | 6a | E4 |
| VIII | 7a | 5.11c | 6a | E4 / E5 |
| VIII+ | 7a+ | 5.11d | 6b | E5 |
| IX− | 7b / 7b+ | 5.12a / b | 6b | E5 / E6 |
| IX | 7c | 5.12c | 6b | E6 |
| IX+ | 7c+ | 5.12d | 6c | E6 / E7 |
| X− | 8a | 5.13a / b | 6c | E7 |
| X | 8a+ / 8b | 5.13c / d | 7a | E8 |
| X+ | 8b+ | 5.14a | 7a | E8 / E9 |
| XI− | 8c | 5.14b | 7a / 7b | E9 |
| XI | 8c+ / 9a | 5.14c / d | 7b | E9 / E10 |
| XI+ | 9a+ | 5.15a | 7b | E10 |
| XII− | 9b | 5.15b | — | E11 |
| XII | 9b+ | 5.15c | — | E11 |
| XII+ | 9c | 5.15d | — | — |
Conversion
Bouldering — Fontainebleau ↔ V-Scale
European boulder grades (Fb) and the North American V-Scale — up to about 9A / V17. Again: a guide, not an exact equation; the scales stay open-ended.
- 4FontainebleauV0V-Scale
- 4+FontainebleauV0+V-Scale
- 5FontainebleauV1V-Scale
- 5+FontainebleauV2V-Scale
- 6AFontainebleauV3V-Scale
- 6A+FontainebleauV3 / V4V-Scale
- 6BFontainebleauV4V-Scale
- 6B+FontainebleauV4 / V5V-Scale
- 6CFontainebleauV5V-Scale
- 6C+FontainebleauV5 / V6V-Scale
- 7AFontainebleauV6V-Scale
- 7A+FontainebleauV7V-Scale
- 7BFontainebleauV8V-Scale
- 7B+FontainebleauV8 / V9V-Scale
- 7CFontainebleauV9V-Scale
- 7C+FontainebleauV10V-Scale
- 8AFontainebleauV11V-Scale
- 8A+FontainebleauV12V-Scale
- 8BFontainebleauV13V-Scale
- 8B+FontainebleauV14V-Scale
- 8CFontainebleauV15V-Scale
- 8C+FontainebleauV16V-Scale
- 9AFontainebleauV17V-Scale
| Fontainebleau | V-Scale |
|---|---|
| 4 | V0 |
| 4+ | V0+ |
| 5 | V1 |
| 5+ | V2 |
| 6A | V3 |
| 6A+ | V3 / V4 |
| 6B | V4 |
| 6B+ | V4 / V5 |
| 6C | V5 |
| 6C+ | V5 / V6 |
| 7A | V6 |
| 7A+ | V7 |
| 7B | V8 |
| 7B+ | V8 / V9 |
| 7C | V9 |
| 7C+ | V10 |
| 8A | V11 |
| 8A+ | V12 |
| 8B | V13 |
| 8B+ | V14 |
| 8C | V15 |
| 8C+ | V16 |
| 9A | V17 |
Multi-pitch & trad
Protection & seriousness
The free grade says how hard the move is — not how bad a fall will be. On trad and alpine multi-pitch there are often extra notes beside it.
YDS Protection Rating
R / XUSA / Canada · Trad (own protection)
Example 5.9 R, 5.11a X
Addon to the YDS grade (e.g. 5.10a R). It rates protection quality and spacing — how bad a fall can get — not the move. The letters come from US film ratings on purpose.
GGood
Safe, frequent good gear — falls are usually well held.
PGPretty Good
Mostly solid protection, but a few spots with poorer or more distant gear.
PG13PG-13
A bit runout — often not right at the crux. Longer falls possible, usually without extreme injury risk.
RRunout
Very runout / little gear — a fall with injury risk.
XExtreme
Extremely runout — a fall with life-threatening risk (ground fall, ledge, almost no gear).
G and PG often don’t appear in topos — from PG-13, R or X it is usually explicit. Some legends skip PG and list only G / PG-13 / R / X.
British adjectival scale
UK AdjUK / Ireland · Trad
Example HVS 5a vs. E2 5a
The “danger” is already in the overall grade: VS, HVS, E1 … rate technique, protection and head together. The tech grade (5a, 5c) is only the hardest move.
Mod–SModerate to Severe
Beginner to moderate trad — protection is usually still readable.
HS / VSHard Severe / Very Severe
Solid trad level — protection and line-finding start to matter more.
HVSHard Very Severe
Demanding — often already serious protection or runout passages.
E1–E3Extreme
Serious trad — runouts, fiddly cams, a lot of seriousness. The same tech grade as HVS can be much more dangerous here.
E4+Hard Extreme
Very serious — high demands on head, protection and experience.
Same tech grade, higher E-grade = usually worse protection or more head — not simply a harder move.
Engagement / seriousness
I–VIAlps (FR / IT / CH) · Alpine multi-pitch
Example TD V+ / Eng. IV
Cotation d’engagement: how serious is the tour overall? Retreat, protection, length, objective hazards — independent of the hardest free grade.
ILow
Short, well protected or easy retreat — little alpine consequence.
IIModerate
A normal alpine multi-pitch — route-finding and solid stance management needed.
IIISerious
Longer or more exposed — retreat is involved, protection is not comfortable everywhere.
IVVery serious
High commitment / little retreat — poor protection possible, objective hazards, hard to bail.
V–VIExtreme
Very long, serious lines — often with runouts, complex retreat and high alpine hazard.
Labelling varies slightly by guidebook; always read the legend in the book.
Obligatory grade
obl.Europe (multi-pitch) · Sport & alpine routes
Example 6b (5c obl.)
Two numbers: free max grade (hardest bit, often with a rest/bolt) and obligatory grade — what you must climb if you don’t want to fall on a bolt / pull A0, or if gear is sparse.
freiMax. free grade
Hardest bit of the route — e.g. 6b. Can be short and well protected.
obl.Obligatory
Sustained level with no “escape” onto bolts — e.g. 5c obl. What matters for leading it safely.
p.a.Point d’aide
1 p.a. = one aid point. A move you may cheat — e.g. step or pull on a sling in the draw / bolt.
A 6b with 5a obl. is often calmer than a 6a with 5c obl. and long runouts. “6 (5c obl.)” means: you can cheat the 6 (bolt, A0), but you must free at least 5c.
Protection in DACH topos
Absich.Alps / DACH · Multi-pitch
Example VI+ · well protected · AD
Often no fixed letter scale, but plain text or symbols for protection quality — alongside UIAA/FR and sometimes the alpine overall grade (F–ED).
goodGood / Plaisir
Closely bolted or reliably protectable — a typical pleasure multi-pitch.
fairFair / alpine
Bigger bolt gaps, own gear useful, alpine attention needed.
poorPoor / serious
Long runouts, loose rock or sparse gear — trad experience and a calm head.
R / XExplicitly dangerous
Some modern topos borrow R/X from the US system for clearly runout lines.
Stars (*) in guidebooks often mean tour quality — not automatically good protection.
Topo
What the guidebook says
Beside the grade there are often abbreviations about cheating, aid points and the age of the line.
6 (5c obl.)
Max grade 6, obligatory 5c: the hard bit is technically cheatable (bolt, A0), but you must sustain at least 5c.
1 p.a. / point d’aide
One aid point — a move you may solve with a sling in the draw or on the bolt. More p.a. = more aid terrain.
First ascent
From about 1980 usually modern protection and a clearer line. Before about 1950: bigger holds/cracks, often where you could protect then — the line can wander.
Alpine tours
Overall difficulty (F–ED)
On top of the UIAA/FR grade and protection: how serious is the tour overall — length, route-finding, glacier, objective hazards?
FFacile
Easy — simple glacier/rock routes, little technical climbing.
PDPeu Difficile
Not very difficult — short climbing sections; route-finding and alpine experience needed.
ADAssez Difficile
Fairly difficult — longer climbing passages, often UIAA III–IV in the mix.
DDifficile
Difficult — a serious alpine tour, sustained climbing / steep ice.
TDTrès Difficile
Very difficult — long, demanding lines; a lot of experience needed.
EDExtrêmement Difficile
Extreme — high overall difficulty, often with hard cruxes. Guidebooks often split ED1–ED4; ABO (Abominablement) sits above that.
Scale history
Why old routes often feel “harder”
For a long time the scales had a hard ceiling — anything harder landed in the top available grade. Later the scales opened upwards; the old numbers often stayed. That’s why a classic grade can feel a grade (or more) harder today.
until the late 1970s
UIAA (Alps / DACH)
Then-top gradeVI / VI+
VI+ was “the limit of the possible”. The scale only opened upwards in 1977–1979 (including grade VII — e.g. Pumprisse in the Wilder Kaiser in 1977).
Older VI / VI+ routes can hold bits you’d call VII or more today — the grade often stayed historical.
1950s until about the early 1960s
YDS (USA)
Then-top grade5.9
The Yosemite Decimal System (originally Tahquitz) was meant as a true decimal 5.0–5.9. 5.9 was to be the hardest free grade; above that it was often just 5.9+. Only later came 5.10, 5.11 … and in the early 1970s the letters a–d.
Classic 5.9 / 5.9+ lines from before the opening can feel like modern 5.10. Rule of thumb: first ascent in the 60s/70s → expect it stiff, unless it was regraded.
any area with history
In general
Then-top gradethen-top grade
New top grades were often given reluctantly. Plus: better shoes, training and sport climbing shifted the yardstick — modern areas can feel “soft”, old trad areas “stiff”.
Same number ≠ same feel. Read first ascent, area and style — not just the number.
Practical tip
Check the first-ascent year in the guidebook. Course rule of thumb: from about 1980 “modern”; older than about 1950 often the big features (where you could protect then) — the line can wander. If the route was later regraded, that is sometimes noted.
In practice
What you see where
Alps / DACH
UIAA or French for the moves — plus often protection text, an alpine overall grade (AD, D …) and sometimes an obligatory grade.
USA
YDS for difficulty, plus G–X for protection. “Trad” = own gear; 5.9 R can be more dangerous than 5.11a G.
Bouldering
Europe ≈ Fontainebleau, USA ≈ V-Scale. Apps and guidebooks often convert — still feel it at the crag.
UK Trad
Adjectival (HVS, E2 …) already includes danger and head. The tech grade alone says little about protection.
Keep in mind
- A free grade describes the hardest bit — not length, protection, exposure or alpine hazards.
- R, X, E-grade, engagement and “obligatory” are where topos warn about consequence.
- First ascent in the 50s–70s? The grade can be historically “squeezed” — read the first-ascent year in the guidebook.
- Sandstone, limestone and granite “climb” differently. The same grade can feel completely different.
- Local hardness: some areas are known for grading “stiff” or “soft”.
- Alpine overall grades (AD, D, TD …) are the tour’s overall difficulty — alongside UIAA/FR for the climbing bits.
What a grade assumes (usually redpoint) and how the words fit together: Terms & styles → · Read topos better: SicherAmBerg videos → and Tour planning → · why the same grade feels different on limestone and granite: Rock types →
Conversion tables are a guide from common comparisons — not an official standard. At the crag the local grade and your own feel always count.