Difficulty levels
Each tour is graded so you can see whether it fits your fitness and experience. Ski touring uses the uphill scale. Hiking and trekking use the trekking scale.
Uphill & fitness experience levels
Beginner / Rookie
- Uphill fitness
- 3- to 4-hour ascent at ~300m vertical gain per hour; total daily gain of 600m to 800m (< 2 hours to half a day).
- Uphill technique
- Little to no prior experience with climbing skins or kick turns; guided learning required.
Intermediate
- Uphill fitness
- Steady pace covering 600m to 1,000m of vertical gain per day (2–4 hours of skinning).
- Uphill technique
- Comfortable using skins, executing basic kick turns on moderate gradients, and handling short bootpacks with skis on the pack.
Advanced
- Uphill fitness
- High endurance; around 1,000m of vertical gain per day (5+ hours) at a faster pace.
- Uphill technique
- Reliable kick turns on steep terrain, and comfortable bootpacking with skis on the pack.
Expert
- Uphill fitness
- High endurance; 1,000m to 1,300m+ of vertical gain per day (5+ hours) at a faster pace (400m/hour+).
- Uphill technique
- Fluid and reliable kick turns on steep terrain (> 35°), proficient with crampons, ice axes, and scrambling or bootpacking up ridges.
Standard trekking difficulty scale
Easy / Tourist (T1)
- Distance & time
- 1 to 5 miles (5 to 10 km) per day; 1 to 4 hours of walking.
- Elevation gain
- Minimal (under 300–500 meters).
- Terrain & altitude
- Smooth, well-marked paths, low altitudes (under 2,200–2,500m).
- Who it's for
- Beginners, families, or anyone with basic daily health.
Moderate (T2)
- Distance & time
- 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km) per day; 3 to 6+ hours of walking.
- Elevation gain
- Moderate climbs (500 to 1,000 meters).
- Terrain & altitude
- Uneven or rocky trails, moderate inclines, occasional higher altitude passes.
- Who it's for
- Regular exercisers with a baseline fitness routine.
Challenging / Difficult (T3–T4)
- Distance & time
- 8 to 15+ miles per day; 6 to 10 hours of walking.
- Elevation gain
- Significant climbs (1,000+ meters).
- Terrain & altitude
- Steep, rocky, rough, or loose terrain, high exposure, potential for basic scrambling, and high-altitude elements (e.g. Everest Base Camp or Salkantay).