Ratings are based on either distance travelled OR elevation gain (or both). When choosing a hike, pay attention to each statistic. Some people enjoy long relatively flat hikes, while others prefer gaining elevation relatively quickly.
| RATING | DISTANCE | Elevation Gain | Comments |
| EASY (E) | < 5 km | < 250m | well defined path |
| MODERATE (M) | 5-15 km | 250-500m | well defined path |
| DIFFICULT (D) | 15-20 km | 500-1000m | well defined path |
| EXTREMELY DIFFICULT (XD) | 20+ km | 1000m+ | routefinding may be required |
Basic Requirements: hike 15+ km and/or 1000m+ elevation gain. Routefinding or bushwacking is a possibility on any scramble. Most of our scrambles tend to minimize distance and maximize elevation gain :)
| Difficulty level | Yosemite Decimal System | Description |
Severity of injury if fall |
| Easy | Class II | trekking poles help on descents. no exposure. no need for hands | minimal |
| Moderate | Class III | use of hands required at times. limited exposure (ie won't fall a long way) | moderate |
| Hard | Class III-IV | Exposed. expect views like this when climbing down onto a ledge or walking a ridge (ie. its a long way down before coming to a stop) | severe |