01
NO CHALK · NO BUFFS
Buffless
3a–5c+Routes in this range can be completed without buffs or chalk.
Maximum Buffless grade5c+
06
The Cairn Catalogue Field Guide
Chapter 06
Grading
Cairn Catalogue uses the French climbing grade scale, adapted around the resources required to complete a route.
The Basic Idea
Difficulty matters. Resources matter too.
Cairn uses the real-life French climbing grade system, beginning at 3a and continuing through 9c+.
In Cairn, however, the resources required to finish a route also determine which part of that scale the route belongs to.
Full Grading Reference
Visit the Grading Guide.
The original Cairn Catalogue Grading Guide provides the full visual grading reference, including the complete French scale and Cairn's resource thresholds.
01
First Principle
Find the resource band first.
Before deciding whether a route feels like a 5b, 6c, or 8a, determine what resources are actually required to climb it. That places the route into its grading range.
Cairn-Specific Grading
Three major resource bands.
The grade range reflects what the climber must use in order to complete the route.
02
CHALK REQUIRED
Chalk
6a–6c+Beginning at 6a, chalk is required to complete the route, but food, drink, and pill buffs are not.
Buffs requiredNo
03
CHALK + BUFFS
Full Resources
7a–9c+Beginning at 7a, both chalk and buffs are required to reach the top.
Highest Catalogue grade9c+
French Grade Scale
Every step matters.
Difficulty increases from left to right and continues downward through the scale.
3a
3a+
3b
3b+
3c
3c+
4a
4a+
4b
4b+
4c
4c+
5a
5a+
5b
5b+
5c
5c+
6a
6a+
6b
6b+
6c
6c+
7a
7a+
7b
7b+
7c
7c+
8a
8a+
8b
8b+
8c
8c+
9a
9a+
9b
9b+
9c
9c+
The letter and plus symbol are part of the grade. 6a is easier than 6a+ which is easier than 6b.
Choosing the Exact Grade
Resource range first. Comparison second.
Once the route's resource band is established, its movement and overall difficulty determine where it belongs inside that range.
Check required resources.
Determine whether the route is Buffless, requires chalk, or requires both chalk and buffs.
Compare existing routes.
Compare the movement and overall difficulty against established Catalogue routes within the same resource band.
Use the full scale.
Use the letters and plus grades to place the route precisely. Intermediate grades should not be skipped.
Important
Grade does not tell the whole story.
Cairn's grading scale assumes the normal resource usage associated with each grade band.
Because a Buffless climber is giving up chalk and buffs entirely, the techniques required to send a 5c+ Buffless may rival techniques found on routes with much higher grades.
Aid Notation
French grade + Aid rating.
If a route requires pitons, its Aid requirement is shown alongside the normal climbing grade.
The French grade describes the route's climbing difficulty. The Aid rating describes the number of required pitons.
Merely choosing to use a piton on a route does not make the route Aid. The piton must be necessary to ascend the route.
Example7a (A3)
7a climbing difficulty · 3 required pitons
1 PitonA1
2 PitonsA2
3 PitonsA3
4 PitonsA4
Four pitons is the maximum.
Read about Aid routesA route requiring more than four pitons does not qualify for the Catalogue as an Aid route.
02
Route Review
The submitted grade is a recommendation.
When you submit a route, the grade you provide is useful information and gives the Catalogue a starting point.
The final Catalogue grade is determined by Catalogue administrators, who have the most experience applying the scale consistently across established routes.
Your grade still matters.
A well-considered submitted grade helps with review. Learning the scale makes route submissions more accurate and community feedback more useful.
Grades Can Change
A grade is not untouchable.
As more climbers become familiar with a route and the grading scale, community experience may show that an existing grade is too high or too low.
When good evidence and climber feedback support a change, the Catalogue can update the route's grade.
Quick Reference
The grading system at a glance.
Grade RangeChalkBuffsClassification
3a–5c+Not requiredNot requiredBuffless
6a–6c+RequiredNot requiredChalk
7a–9c+RequiredRequiredFull Resources
Remember
Grade the route that actually exists.
Start with the resources required to complete it, compare the difficulty against established routes in the same range, and use the full French scale to place it as accurately as possible.
Continue Reading
Adding Routes
Learn what qualifies for the Catalogue, what your submission needs, and what happens during route review.