How do I correctly rate a route?

Each of your routes requires an assessment of the difficulty and terrain. Those who choose your route rely on your assessment, so it should be as objective as possible and made with the average person in mind.

Things to know about route evaluation

Sometimes, it is not so easy to be objective, because everyone judges things differently - for example, depending on their own physical fitness. We have collected some recommendations that can help you to evaluate your routes correctly.

The stars (1 to 6) are a guideline that offers a good point of reference, but are adapted to the region and sport. For example, the scales in flat landscapes and coastal regions differ significantly from those in an alpine landscape. An "easy" route in the alpine region is therefore naturally associated with more altitude meters than an equally rated route in a flat region.

Difficulty

The difficulty of a route is indicated as easy, medium and difficult and is calculated from the entered values for fitness and technique.

One and two points represent easy, three and four points represent medium, and five and six points represent hard. Whenever either condition or technique is given a more difficult level than the other, the system automatically selects the higher difficulty level.

 

Condition

  • 1 star: The route is easy and doable for everyone even without pre-training. The time required (without breaks) is less than an hour.
  • 2 stars: The route is easy and can be done without preparation. The time required (without breaks) is less than two hours.
  • 3 stars: The route is slightly demanding; basic fitness is required; the time required (without breaks) is between two and four hours.
  • 4 stars: The route is moderately difficult; basic fitness is required; time required (without breaks) is between four and six hours.
  • 5 stars: The route is demanding; good physical condition is required. The time required (without breaks) is between six and eight hours.
  • 6 stars: The route is very demanding, a very good physical condition is required. The time required (without breaks) is more than eight hours.

Technique

  • 1 Point: The terrain of the route is very easy and can be completed by anyone without specific practice.
  • 2 points: The terrain of the route is easy and can be completed without specific practice and with little previous experience.
  • 3 points: The terrain of the route is varied and rarely difficult. Prior experience is helpful and valuable.
  • 4 points: The terrain of the route is varied and sometimes difficult. Prior experience in the terrain is necessary.
  • 5 points: The terrain of the route is challenging and often difficult. Specific prior practice and appropriate experience in movement is necessary.
  • 6 points: The terrain of the route is very demanding and difficult over long distances. Prior technique training is essential.

Attention: The difficulty levels always correspond to the route in optimal conditions. Weather factors such as wet, ice, fog and wind can make a route immensely difficult. For routes combining several levels, always indicate the highest level. Exceptions to the above table are alpine activities and mountain bike routes. For the classification of these we use internationally recognized rating scales.

 
Classifying the difficulty of alpine routes - UIAA and IFAS
Classifying the difficulty of mountain bike routes using the Single Track Scale

Authors' reviews

Experience

  • 1 star: The route does not offer any interesting sightseeing or rest opportunities and no tourist highlight. There is no possibility to stop for refreshments.
  • 2 stars: The route offers a few interesting sightseeing opportunities and hardly any tourist highlights. Refreshment opportunities are available at the start and/or finish point.
  • 3 stars: Along the route you can learn interesting facts about the landscape, region or history in a museum, on display boards or at information points. There are rest and refreshment stops along the way.
  • 4 stars: The route offers some interesting sightseeing opportunities. Along the route there are places to stop for refreshments and scenic rest areas. There is a tourist highlight (e.g. climbing park, toboggan run, children's playground).
  • 5 stars: The route offers numerous attractive resting places and typical regional refreshment stops. Special features of the landscape, region and history are vividly presented along the way. Several tourist highlights are available.
  • 6 stars: The route offers numerous attractive rest areas and typical regional refreshment stops. Special landscape, regional and historical features are vividly presented along the way. Many tourist highlights round off the experience of the route.

 

Landscape

  • 1 star: The route leads through boring landscape and almost exclusively through built-up areas. There are no natural highlights.
  • 2 stars: The route often leads through built-up areas or past buildings. The landscape is not very varied and offers few views worth seeing or natural highlights.
  • 3 stars: The route also runs through built-up areas, but offers scenic variety. In some places you will find beautiful views and unspoiled flora and fauna. Culturally historic buildings (castles, palaces, mills, old manors) are part of the landscape.
  • 4 stars: Although the route passes through built-up areas in places, it still offers notable scenic highlights and beautiful views. Landscape-disturbing elements such as mining and industrial areas or an accumulation of recreational facilities such as mountain ski lifts, ski resorts, recreational facilities are rare.
  • 5 stars: The route leads through varied natural areas (e.g. forest, meadows, mountains, valleys, gorges, heath, coast, rivers, lakes) and offers numerous highlights. Sections through built-up areas that are disruptive to the landscape are reduced to a minimum.
  • 6 stars: The route runs through varied natural areas with distinctive value. It offers beautiful views, and the flora and fauna are diverse. There are cultural-historical monuments in the area, but it is in no way built-up in a way that is disruptive to the landscape.

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