TRIP RATING SYSTEM

Difficulty & Solitude Ratings

The Trip Rating System is crafted to assist you in selecting a trip that aligns with your safety and enjoyment preferences. It encompasses two primary ratings: Difficulty and Solitude.

Difficulty: This rating is determined by five key subcategories:
1. Daily Hiking Distances: The length of hikes each day.
2. Backpack Weight: The typical weight you'll carry.
3. Walking Terrain: The ruggedness and type of trail surfaces.
4. Daily Elevation Gain: The amount of ascent encountered daily.
5. Heights Exposure: The proximity to steep drop-offs or cliffs
6. Vehicle Terrain: The ruggedness and type of road surfaces.

Each of these subcategories is rated on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 being the least challenging and 5 the most demanding. The overall Difficulty rating reflects the aggregate of these factors.

Solitude: This rating indicates the expected level of solitude during the trip, ranging from 1 (least solitude) to 5 (most solitude).

Understanding these ratings can help you choose a trip that matches your desired experience.

Difficulty Sub-Criteria

Hiking Distances

Backpack Weights

Walking Terrain

Daily Elevation Gain

Heights Exposure

Vehicle Terrain

Examples

Notice that the below examples are both Level 3 difficulty, but they are both very different types of trips:

Example 1

Example 1 trip has the following ratings:

Daily Hiking Distances: 1
Backpack Weight: 2
Terrain: 4
Max Daily Elevation Gain: 4
Heights Exposure: 4
Vehicle Terrain: 4
Overall Difficulty: 3

This trip is an off roading adventure. The vehicle terrain would be quite rugged. Since your equipment would be in the car, it would have relatively light backpacks, feature short daily hikes on rugged, off-trail terrain, with drop-offs or cliff edges 2-4 feet away at times.

Example 2

Example 2 trip has the following ratings:

Daily Hiking Distances: 5
Backpack Weight: 4
Terrain: 2
Max Daily Elevation Gain: 2
Heights Exposure: 1
Vehicle Terrain: 1
Overall Difficulty: 3

While this trip also has a rating of 3, it is very different from the first example. The character of this trip is a multi-day backpacking adventure with very long, full-day hikes on maintained, mostly level hiking trails, with a heavier backpack and very little heights exposure.

Solitude Rankings Explained

Our Solitude Ratings are based on a scale of 1-5, tours with a 1 rating having the least amount of solitude, tours with a 5 rating having the most.

Level 1: Social Hub- Highly Frequented areas with constant human activity.

Level 2: Semi-Quiet Zones- Areas that offer occasional respite from crowds but still experience regular visitation

Level 3: Quite Retreats- Locations that provide a balance between accessibility and solitude

Level 4: Remote Wilderness- Hard-to-reach areas that require effort to access, but are semi-popular. You may occasionally see other people.

Level 5: Deep Wilderness- Hard-to- reach areas where you will likely not see any other groups during your whole trip.

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	Daily hiking distances of up to 2 miles total.
	Daily hiking distances of up to 4 miles total.
	Daily hiking distances of up to 5-10 miles total.
	Daily hiking distances of up to 10 miles, some difficult terrain.
	Daily hiking distances of more than 10 miles or very difficult terrain.

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	Short Day Hikes: snacks and 1L of water + camera gear
	Full Day Hikes: 15-25 lbs one or two meals 2-3L of water + camera gear
	1-3 day backpacking setup: 25-35 lbs + camera gear
	3-5 days backpacking setup- 35-50 lbs + camera gear
	5-8 days backpacking setup 55+ lbs + camera gear

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	Mostly paved or boardwalk hiking trails.
	Lightly Rugged. Maintained dirt and rock trails with well built steps.
	Moderately Rugged. Unmaintained trails made of dirt, rock and sand, may include off-trail hiking. Not for people with mobility or balance issues.
	Significantly Rugged. Mainly off trail and can include steep, loose and/or slippery sections. Need to have advanced balance and fitness. Trekking poles advised.
	Extremely Rugged. Entirely off trail, may involve scrambling with hands and feet on very steep terrain. Need to have advanced balance and fitness. Workshop leader will provide additional information.

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	Daily elevation gains of up to 250 feet.
	Daily elevation gains of up to 750 feet.
	Daily elevation gains of up to 2000 feet.
	Daily elevation gains of up to 3000 feet.
	Daily elevation gains of more than 3000 feet.

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	No height exposure.
	Light Exposure. Cliffs edges or drop-offs 10+ feet away.
	Moderate Exposure. Cliff edges or drop-offs 4-9 feet away.
	Significant Exposure. Cliff edges or drop-offs 2-3 feet away.
	Extreme Exposure. Walking next to or on cliff edges and drop-offs.

RATING	DESCRIPTION
	Mostly paved, level roads
	Lightly Rugged. Some well-maintained dirt roads, with gentle grades. Few obstacles in the road.)
	Moderately Rugged. Dirt roads that may not be maintained. Potentially shallow water crossings, small ledges and obstacles under 12 inches.
	Significantly Rugged. Narrow, rough trails with steep grades and potential for washouts. Larger rocks, deepr ruts, and water crossings that may be impassable after rain.
	Extremely rough terrain with large boulders, steep inclines, and deep water crossings. Obstacles exceeding axle height, near-vertical grades, and potential for vehicle damage.