Ladder rating

There's a ladder 1 min from my desk that I've been doing "reps" on every hour or two. It's a metal ladder that is vertical, the ones that are attached to walls. It's about a 20 foot ladder. See pic below. I can get 3-4 reps during my short breaks from the desk job a few times a day. Sounds kind of lame, but hey, it's close and easy. I got to thinking about the YDS, and was wondering, if I rated this ladder where would it fall. I don't climb many 5.0-5.5 so I'm not sure how to rate something that low. But technically, it is vertical and requires hands and feet. And if you think about it, the holds aren't much bigger than gym holds, maybe an inch in diameter. Maybe it would be a v0.

On a side note, how do you rate climbs between 5.0-5.5? It seems everything below 5.5-5.6 would be very simple, what makes a climb 5.3 instead of 5.2?

Thanks yall!

3rd class.

Yeah, 3rd class and against Osha standards to not use a harness/positioning device.

Right on, guess I'll stick to training at the gym and crag.

But, seriously, how are the lower level climbs in the 5.0-5.5 range rated? I know it's very subjective and can depend on exposure and # of pitches....etc, but it seems from the 4th class routes up to the 5.5 routes I've climbed all seem similar in difficulty. It's a lot easier to gauge a 5.9 to 5.10 or 5.11, but its hard to differentiate the lower level ratings.

I'd say a vertical ladder is 5.0. You have jugs for hands and feet whenever you want. I guess I could see 4th class but no way 3rd simply because you could not climb it without hands.

I vote 4th class. A fall would be bad, but competent leaders wouldn't place pro.

As for grading, its always easiest to rate climbs right around one's own standard.
Looking at your ticks, I'd guess you might have trouble telling the difference between a 14c and a 14d. As would I!
But a 5.3 climber will be able to distinguish a 5.2 from a 5.4.
Most of us were there at some point. And at the time it really mattered.

I still say 3rd class. I can't think of one 4th class route that I've been on that was as easy and safe as an actual ladder.

The original Sierra Club rock climbing rating system, dating from the 1930s:

1st class - hiking
2nd class - scrambling and boulder hopping, hands are needed, but generally very little exposure or danger
3rd class - steep scrambling with exposure, ropes are needed for inexperienced people. An unroped fall on 3rd class terrain would likely be fatal.
4th class - steeper scrambling on small holds, ropes are needed for most people, but an experienced climber would normally climb an entire rope length without intermediate protection, then set an anchor and belay other climbers up. Inexperienced people may not be skilled enough to ascend even when belayed from above.
5th class - steep rock climbing where the leader must place intermediate protection, and in case of a fall, the intermediate protection would catch the leader (who will fall twice as far as the distance above the last piece of protection)
6th class - very steep climbing where the climber is unable to ascend the rock without pulling and stepping on rock protection

I think a ladder rings in around 3rd class, maybe borderline to 4th.

csproul wrote:I still say 3rd class. I can't think of one 4th class route that I've been on that was as easy and safe as an actual ladder.

I can appreciate that csproul but, let's imagine the same ladder was 1000 feet tall. It's all the same moves thus the same rating but my bet is after several pitches of vertical ladder you might start to develope a pump.

The grading of a ladder is pretty trivial but I have thought about it before.

5.4 is totally casual wearing climbing shoes or approach shoes if you're in reasonable shape.

A ladder is totally casual regardless of footwear (high heels even) and probably doesn't get strenuous until you're about 50lbs overweight.

I've seen roofers climb a ladder while carrying a 4'x8' sheet of plywood.

Based on that, we have to conclude that the ladder is far easier than 5.4.

It can't really be 3rd or 4th class, even though it's less difficult because it's dead vertical.

If I were asked for a rating, I think I'd call it a ladder.

Don Ferris wrote: I can appreciate that csproul but, let's imagine the same ladder was 1000 feet tall. It's all the same moves thus the same rating but my bet is after several pitches of vertical ladder you might start to develope a pump. The grading of a ladder is pretty trivial but I have thought about it before.

I still think that most climbers would climb a 1000ft ladder without a significant pump and most would do so without a rope. Per the definitions above I think that falls under 3rd...but just like all rating, there is obviously some subjectivity.

youtube.com/watch?v=XzgAm1t…

5.0 and yes this is subjective, but having climbing hundreds of sub class 5 mountains. My thoughts are as such.

-making moves where your knees go higher than your hips
-placing at least 50% weight on hand holds
-vertical
-ever so slight possibility for some protection

Deserves a class 5 just as a base for everything else.

Side note: I've humped gear up to summit blocks that are "rated 5.6-5.7" and not need any gear, likewise I've been on "class 4 scrambles" that I finished and thought, I'm gonna die. When mountaineering you can't just run back to the car for different gear, that's why the lower level ratings matter.

God damn this is funny

You could sew that ladder up. No shortage of pro opportunities. I'll bet you didn't get the FA on it.

I'd lead it, but I'd be scared.

looks like 4.10b

Hilarious thread

5.Ladder X

easy.... its 3rd class. Don't matter how hi....

"On a side note, how do you rate climbs between 5.0-5.5? It seems everything below 5.5-5.6 would be very simple, what makes a climb 5.3 instead of 5.2? "

Its to bad Gyms use the YDS.... or you would know the difference.

5.0 to 5.5 ... come play at Taquitz Rock... climb "Angeles Fright" a climb first done in 1937.... straight up 5.4 on jugs with fixed pins for pro. A 5.6 right next to it "Trough Direct 5.6" ... requires a few hand jams and good foot placements.

there is a difference, gym climbing is completely 2 dimensional and one misses out on the subtle differences.

But do run the ladder, it will help pump you up.......

Story Alert....

Back in the day, The StoneMasters... the real ones, John Long, Richard A. Richard H. and Rob Muir would run up and down a 300 foot tall Hi-tension power pole out in Ontario CA.(before the wires were hung on that sucker) It was named appropriately, EL CAPITAN. It was a giant "A" shaped deal and one would climb up one side... walk across the top... it was about 36 inches wide... and go down the other side. I never did it cause I was to chicken! Long would say "Come-on its only 3rd class with a walk across a sidewalk you can't fall off unless your drunk..."

So 3rd class can be very scary and dangerous....

In the Gunks.....

Eric Engberg wrote:In the Gunks.....

this would be the step to get to the outhouse.

I would call it 4th or 5.0.

The problem is most ladders are short so don't require protection but if you were to go up a 500ft ladder you would be protecting it.