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General Climbing Discussion

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More grading debate - oz Ice/Mixed 23-Mar-2005 At 12:35:25 PM ant

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On 23/03/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>I would be more thna happy to re-grade to M(ixed) gardes if I knew anythign
>about the overseas system. I will just base it on your dodgy conversion
>chart for this season i reckon.

Will Gadd describes mixed grades as:
M5 - technical equivalent to WI5 (WI5 is a long pitch of solid ice or a short step of funky stuff )
M6 - a well protected WI6 (WI6 is thin or funky overhanging ice, including free standing pillars)
M7 - 5.9 to 5.10 (which is around 17 to 19)
M8 - Hard 5.10 or easy 5.11 (20 to 23)
M9 - Hard 5.11 or easy 5.12 (24 to 25)
M10 - Mid 5.12 (26)
M11 - Hard 5.12 (27)
M12 - 5.13 depending upon gear/conditions etc (28 upwards)

If a climb does not have decent bolted or rock protection then it also receives a R or X in the rating (runout).

I would prefer the use of M grades as we don't really have an aussie system. The scottish system of grades is rarely used outside of the UK nowdays. New alpine and mixed routes being established in North America, South America and continental Europe are described using the M system.