RATING SYSTEM FOR TECHNICAL CLIMBING There are two types of ratings for the technical climbs: Star = overall quality on a 1 - 5 star rating. Numerical = difficulty ratings using the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). Rating Systems for Bouldering Bouldering difficulty ratings maybe even more speculative and varied than climbing ratings. The Vermin Bouldering Scale (V Scale), developed by bouldering madman John Sherman, is unquestionably loose and should be used as a guideline only. Class Rough hiking. Steep scrambling. Steep, unroped, hazardous climbing. Roped in sections, often moving together over varied terrain: the rope is employed only on the tough parts. The climber has a stationary belayer, and the climb is so hard that protection must be set between the climber and the belayer to reduce the length of a potential fall. Aid climbing. V Scale coverted to YDS V0- V0 V0+ V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 5.9 5.9-5.10b 5.10c 5.10d-5.11a 5.11a-5.11b 5.11b-5.11c 5.11d-5.12a 5.12b-5.12c 5.12d 5.13a 5.13b 5.13c 5.13d 5.14a 5.14b 5.14c 5.14d-5.15a