Using the Yosemite Decimal System, how difficult is Everest?
I've often heard that it is the altitude and exposure that makes Everest most challenging, but technically speaking, it's not a very challenging climb at all. Supposedly, if base camp for Everest were at sea level, then summitting Everest, for the most part, would be a simple walk up to the top.
What would the different sections of Everest be rated using the Yosemite decimal system? (i.e. Trek into base Camp, Khumbu Icefall up to Camp 1, Camp 1 to Camp 2, Lhotse Ice face, Yellow Band, Hillary Step, etc...)
Note: The accepted answer will preferably do something cool like; list of all the sections of the climb to the summit and their classes, draw a rad doodle with arrows and labels, make a piechart, etc... Links to articles or other posts will only get upvotes.
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This post provides a YDS rating for various sections of the Everest climb. Recall that the YDS rating system begins at class 1 for easy trail walking, class 4 is like climbing a ladder, and technical climbing begins at class 5.
Overall, it seems like the climb up Everest is not very technical--it's mainly the altitude and weather that make it so difficult. Here are some sections taken from the article:
The trek to Everest Base Camp is mostly class 1 intermixed with brief class 2 sections.
Some of the route from Camp 2 at the base of theLhotse Face to the South Summit is class 3 but mostly class 2 via the fixed ropes.
I would rate the Khumbu Icefall overall as class 4 due to the crevasse danger and the need to use hands and feet on ladders and climbing over ice formations. However, a large part of the Icefall is on somewhat smooth terrain which would be rated class 2, however at 19,000'.
With the route fixed, almost none of the South Col route meets these definitions [of class 5] even though an axe and crampons are used. However, obviously, there are much more difficult routes on Everest that significantly exceed the South Col and Northeast Ridge difficulty
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/7129. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
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