Field notes · Difficulty grades
Via ferrata difficulty grades, explained.
K1, C, D… A grade only makes sense alongside the name of its scale. These reference points help you read a route description without confusing difficulty with ranking.
Start with the name of the scale.
Reading aids, not an exact conversion chart.
Schall · Austria, Germany
A → F
A letter-based scale, with extensions for the most extreme routes. Always read the route guide’s key: a letter alone is not enough.
German Alpine Club · difficulty scales ↗Hüsler · Swiss Alpine Club reference
K1 → K6
Six grades, from easy to extremely difficult in the Swiss Alpine Club’s table. The K matters: K3 and C belong to different systems.
Swiss Alpine Club · via ferrata grading, June 2015 ↗French scale
F → ED
Abbreviations run from F to ED. Identify the French scale in the route guide: similar letters appear in other systems and do not provide an automatic conversion.
UIAA · history and difficulty scales ↗Italy · system adopted by the UIAA
F → ED + criteria
An overall assessment is supplemented by technical, physical, exposure and environmental criteria. Reading these prevents reducing the route to a single letter.
UIAA · Via Ferrata ↗Beyond the grade
Read about the whole route.
A difficulty grade alone does not describe the duration, approach, descent or escape options. Check which variant is being graded and when the route guide was updated.
For example, a description stating only “D” is missing a useful detail: is it using the Schall, French or Italian system? Find the key in the original document before interpreting that letter.
Confirm current conditions and opening status with the operator. Ask a qualified professional for help choosing a route suited to your experience. This page explains notation; it does not replace training or an assessment of conditions on the route.
Our editorial score
A score out of 100 is not a difficulty grade.
The Top 100 compares story, distinctiveness, intensity, travel interest and evidence. Neither rank nor score tells you the technical difficulty or whether a route suits your ability.
A score of 90/100 is therefore neither a difficulty rating nor a safety percentage. Use the official source linked from each profile to find the route guide and practical information.
Read our ranking method