Scrambling • Trips

Alpine Scrambles

To participate in Scrambles you must be a Mountaineers Scramble Course or Climbing Course Graduate or have approved equivalency. Definitions of trip ratings are given below.

Scramble Trips

Trips are posted on the club's main website. Click here to see all Everett trips.

Winter Scrambles (WS)

To participate in Winter Scrambles you must be a Mountaineers Scramble Course or Climbing Course Graduate or have approved equivalency. Snowshoes and ice axe are required. For some trips crampons may be required at the leader's discretion. It is highly recommended that you have a shovel. An avalanche beacon is generally recommended and may be required by the trip leader. Warm clothing is particularly important for winter outings. Winter Scrambling trips do not have ratings because of changing weather conditions. Mileage and elevation gain figures are very approximate.

Everett Scramble rating system

Ratings for scrambles consist of a letter, followed by two digits. Letter: R, rock scramble; S, snows cramble; SR, snow and/or rock; O, other--not enough rock or snow to count as R or S. First digit: strenuousness rated from 1 (easiest) to 5 (toughest). Second digit: technical difficulty rated from 1 (least technical and exposed) to 5 (most technical and exposed).

The strenuousness rating is an overall assessment of many factors that contribute to the strenuousness of the scramble. The rating reflects mileage, elevation gain and difficulty of the terrain (steepness, off-trail travel, brush, etc.).

The technical difficulty rating does not correspond to the class rating system. However, a trip rated as "1" will not likely exceed class 1, a "5" trip likely includes some class 3, and trips rated in between are likely class 2.

The ratings assume optimal conditions. Bad weather, getting off route or very soft snow, for example, can make a scramble more difficult than its normal rating.

The letter rating denoting the type of scramble will still be used for graduation requirements. Students need to remember that the letter rating of a scramble route may change as the season progresses.

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