New RR4W Moab trail ratings for EJS

[Cherokeester]

I got the EJS 2007 magazine yesterday and the rr4w are going to a new trail rating system. Who has seen it? They want it to go from 1-10 instead of 1-5 and now have both ratings on each trail description. They have changed some of the trails quite a bit. Fins is a four, Pritchett an 8 and so on. Any opinions on this? I kinda like it.

 

[Kiel]

5 more numbers I'm already confused

 

[Stephen]

Thats very strange, the 1-5 made sense to me. I haven't picked up my paper from my parents yet, so I dont know. Did they do away with +'s and 1/2's? If they did that, then I can kinda understand a 1-10 scale just to make it easier for new people.

 

[Cherokeester]

This would get rid of the + and - system from what I understand. All the 1-10 ratings are clearly defined in the newsletter, it is very descriptive.

 

[allterrain]

East Coast and Southern wheelers have used it for years. I guess it makes sense so that others can understand our western trails better.

 

[Houndoc]

Makes since to me....3 1/2 vs 4 vs 41/2+....too much info was put into too few numbers. But of course any change takes some getting used to.

 

[kkemp]

The part I thought was interesting is that some of the trails are being re-rated in the new system. I don't have the paper in front of me but, there are cases where a trails was a 3 and is still a 3 in the 1-10 scale. Now I find that confusing. A trail should just get easier just because it's a different scale.

If a trail was a 3 on the Moab scale, then it should be whatever matches on the new scale. So it should be probably 5, but not a 3.

However, I do thing the ratings on the 1-10 scale are probably more accurate. I don't buy some of the ratings in their current system.

 

[spencurai]

The part I thought was interesting is that some of the trails are being re-rated in the new system. I don't have the paper in front of me but, there are cases where a trails was a 3 and is still a 3 in the 1-10 scale. Now I find that confusing. A trail should just get easier just because it's a different scale.

If a trail was a 3 on the Moab scale, then it should be whatever matches on the new scale. So it should be probably 5, but not a 3.

However, I do thing the ratings on the 1-10 scale are probably more accurate. I don't buy some of the ratings in their current system.

People's attitude towards trail difficulty has changed...as well as the actual difficulty. Some trails have gotten harder with use and some have gotten easier. Some obstacles have disappeared under flash flooding and some have amplified....such is the nature of the beast.

 

[kkemp]

People's attitude towards trail difficulty has changed...as well as the actual difficulty. Some trails have gotten harder with use and some have gotten easier. Some obstacles have disappeared under flash flooding and some have amplified....such is the nature of the beast.

That's certainly true, but both scales should reflect that. Supposedly, they have been keeping the old scale up to date, but it's not consistent with the new scale. That makes it difficult to decide if a trail is right for you, if one makes it sound easy and the other makes it sound more difficult. It's like two independent groups rated the trails with the two systems.

 

[1993yj]

I thought the old system worked fine, but I haven't seen the new one yet. My philosophy is why fix something when it aint broke (although I am always doing something to my jeep when it isn't broke). I am sure that there will be complaints, as there always are when change occurs.

 

[Spork]

I can see it now...
That's funny the old book I have said this one was a 4. I was expecting to run it in my minivan...

 

[rockreligious]

I can see it now...
That's funny the old book I have said this one was a 4. I was expecting to run it in my minivan...

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[Marshall]

I personally like both systems, but the new one will simplify it a little. We are always discussing trail difficulty and what defines it, it will be nice to have a scale that has enough "levels" to be able to accurately rate a trail in a simple way, without having to add in "1/2" and +/-. I think it is a good move.

 

[Herzog]

I personally like both systems, but the new one will simplify it a little. We are always discussing trail difficulty and what defines it, it will be nice to have a scale that has enough "levels" to be able to accurately rate a trail in a simple way, without having to add in "1/2" and +/-. I think it is a good move.

I agree.

 

[grntaco]

Has it definately changed though. In my magazine it said "proposed new trail rating" at the bottom and they still had the old rating by the trail?

 

[Crinco]

I don't care which system they use as long as it is Universal and everyone agrees to a system and sticks with it.
Is it 2.5 Kilometers up the road or 1 mile, make up your mind.
CR

 

[waynehartwig]

I agree... I'd also hate to see the new system do that again. instead of saying 4, they say 3.5. I'm sure the 5 system started out as only 5 numbers, and then was turned into 3.5 later as people were describing a trail. It's not quite a 4, but it's more than a 3. I know, it's a 3.5!

 

[DevinB]

If Pritchett was previously a 5 on a 1-5 scale, but is now an 8 on a 1-10 scale, where does that put other trails that were a 4 or 4+ like Hell's Revenge or Cliffhanger? 7? 6? I've ran enough trails to know the old rating system so it won't be hard to convert to the new as long as I can associate a known trail with a new rating.

 

[DOSS]

ok so is any of these trail ratings posted online anywhere? for somereason I don't have the newsletter

 

[waynehartwig]

If Pritchett was previously a 5 on a 1-5 scale, but is now an 8 on a 1-10 scale, where does that put other trails that were a 4 or 4+ like Hell's Revenge or Cliffhanger? 7? 6? I've ran enough trails to know the old rating system so it won't be hard to convert to the new as long as I can associate a known trail with a new rating.

I thought Prichett was a 4 or maybe 4+? If so, that would make sense on the 8. But if it was a 5 before, making it an 8 makes no sense now. ...Unless they have found more difficult trails than Pritchett making them a worthy candidate for the 10..Or 10+ Which I could see happening... I'm sure there are a lot more difficult trails out there than Pritchett, not that Pritchett is an easy trail mind you....