Originally Posted by Al K
Hi MTBers,
Whitewater kayakers have a well-defined system for rating the difficulty of running rapids. Each rapid on a river is given a rating from I to VI based on its technical difficulty and potential consequences (injury, drowning) of messing up the rapid.
Do MTBers have a well-defined system for rating trail sections? What is it?
I think the rapid system is standardized because the feds only allow outfitters to guide on a certain difficulty of river. A screwup on a class 5 rapid can easily get you drowned. The same level of peril doesn't really exist for ski or mountain biking.
Thus, one needs a consistent system of grading rapids to comply with the law.