Canyon Grading (English Translation of French System)

Chucky's attempt at translating the French Canyon Grading into English.. (a work in progress)

The canyons are listed in the following manner: The letter v 1 followed by Arabic numeral 1 to 7 (Left wide open upwards) for the difficulty in the vertical nature. The letter was followed by Arabic numeral 1 from 1 to 7 (Left wide open upwards) for the difficulty in the water. 1 Roman numeral for the commitment and scale: from I to VI (Left wide open upwards).

Only one of the following criteria, for each column, determines belonging to a category of difficulty. On a route, and the avoidance of an obstacle or develop a specific technique (recall guided…) could lead to a lower rating. The jumps are, in general, considered optional.

Table DIFFICULTIES

	V: Vertical character	A Aquatic character
1 Very easy	No rappels, rope normally unnecessary for progress. No climbing or down climbing.	No water or walking in calm water. Swimming optional.
2 Easy	Rappel anchors are very easily reached. Rappels are very easy <= 10m. Easy climbing and down climbing with little exposure.	Swims less than 10m in calm water. Simple jumps less than 3m. Short, low angled slides
3 A little Difficult	Low Vertical flow. Rappels land in pools with calm water. Rappel anchors are easily reached. Rappels are easy. <= 30m. Rappels are separated by enough room to regroup. Setting hand lines is easy. « Marche » technique qui nécessite une attention particulière (pose des appuis précis) et une recherche d’itinéraire sur terrain pouvant être glissant ou instable ou accidenté ou encombré ou dans l’eau. "Walk" technique that requires special attention (poses specific support), and a route search on land that may be unstable or slippery or rough or cluttered or in the water. Climbing moves to grade 12. A little exposure, which may require the use of a rope.	Swims less than 30m in calm water. Slight current in places. Simple jumps between 3 and 5m Long or moderately angled slides.
4 Difficult	Low to moderate vertical flow that can begin to cause imbalance or entrapment. Rappels anchors are difficult to reach and/or Rappels > 30m Setting handlines is difficult and delicate. Mulit-pitch rappels with relatively spacious re-belay stations Rough rock edges requiring rope wear management. Rappels with obscured sections and/or landings pools. Landing pools have current. Climbing moves to grade 15 or A0. Exposed and/or requires belaying and protection. until 4c or A0, presentations and / or requiring the use belaying techniques and progression.	Prolonged immersion in cold water Moderate current in places Simple jumps between 5 and 8m Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of less than 5m. Siphons of less than 1m in length and / or depth. Large or steep slides.
5 Quite Difficult	Medium to high vertical flow. Crossing the flow requires correct route selection and balance. Multi-pitch Rappels with hanging re-belays. Requirement to cross pools with current during the descent. Canyon surface is slippery and/or has significant obstacles Retrieving the rope is difficult or has to be done whilst swimming. Exposed climbing moves up to grade 18 or A1.	Prolonged immersion in cold water resulting in a substantial heat loss. Current strong enough that it could effect a swimmers path through the water. Hydryaulics such as eddies, recirculations, holes may trap a Canyoner for a short period of time.. Simple jumps between 8 and 10m. Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of 5 to 8m. Large Siphons up to 2m in length and / or depth.
6 Very difficult Exposed	Strong to very strong vertical flow Sustained waterfalls Crossing the flow is very difficult, requiring effective management of selected route and / or balance. Installation de relais difficile : mise en place délicate d’amarrage naturel (bloc coincé, …). Installation of relays difficult establishment delicate natural mooring (block…). Requirement to build advanced and/or delicate natural anchors Rappell anchors are very difficult to reach. Setting hand lines is very difficult and very delicate. Exposed climbing moves to grade 19 or A2. Support très glissant ou instable. Canyon very slippery and unstable. Rappel landing pools are turbulent and/or with significant current.	Moderate current that makes a selected swimming path or stopping point difficult to achieve. Hydryaulics such as eddies, recirculations, holes may trap a Canyoner for a moderate period of time.. Simple Jumps between 10 and 14m Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing of 5 to 8m. Siphon of up to 3m depth and / or length. Siphon technique jusqu’à 1m maxi avec courant éventuel ou cheminement. Siphon technology with up to 1m Maximum potential or current path.
7 Extremely Difficult Very Exposed	Very strong to extremely strong vertical flow Very sustained waterfalls that lead into one another without a gap. Crossing the flow is extremely difficult; requiring anticipation and specific rope management, maneuver, balance, support and pace. Exposed climbing moves > grade 19 or A2 Limited visibility of route and frequent obstacles. Requirement to move through powerful current at the end of a rappel or rappel landing in a very turbulent pool with powerful current. Control of breathing: sections where you must hold your breath.	Strong current that makes a selected swimming path or stopping point extremely difficult to achieve Hydryaulics such as eddies, recirculations, holes may trap a Canyoner for a prolonged period of time.. Simple jumps greater than 14m Jumps with difficult trajectory and/or landing greater than 10m. Siphons over 3m in length and / or depth. Siphon technique et engagé de plus de 1m avec courant ou cheminement ou sans visibilité. Siphon technical and hired more than 1m with current or funnel or no visibility.

COMMITMENT / DURATION

. Caution, this time reference should be weighted by the actual profile of the group.

COMMITMENT DURATION	CRITÈRES CRITERIA
I	Able to get out of a flood quickly. Escape is easy throughout the Canyon Total time (approach, descent, return) less than 2 hours.
II	Able to get out of a flood in less than 15 mins Escape takes up to 30 minutes. Total time (approach, descent, return) is between 2 and 4 hours.
III	Able to get out of a flood in less than 30 minutes. Escape takes up to 1 hour. Total time (approach, descent return) is between 4 and 8 hours.
IV	Able to get out of a flood in less than 1 hour. Escape takes up to 2 hours. Total time (approach, descent return) between 8 hours and 1 day.
V	Able to get out of a flood in less than 2 hours. Escape takes up to 4 hours. Total time (approach, descent return) is between 1 and 2 days.
VI	Getting out of a flood takes more than 2 hours Escape requires more than 4 hours. Total time (approach, descent return) is more than 2 days.