Trail rating system

[RockMonkey]

What is the best, easiest to understand way to rate a trail? In case you haven't been following along with the class, we are making signs for Rattlesnake, and Constrictor, and included on these signs will be a trail rating. The rating needs to be intuitive enough that a person viewing the sign can tell what to expect of the difficulty of the trail. The options are as follows:

1. Ski slope rating system-Green circle means beginner, Blue square means intermediate, Black diamond means expert, and double black diamond means insanely difficult.

2. The 1-5 rating system used in Moab for the Easter Jeep Safari by the Red Rock Four Wheelers. 1 is pavement, 5 is insane.

3. A 1-10 system, 1 being the easiest, and 10 being the hardest.

4. Other, please explain.

Remember that no explanation of the rating system will appear on the signs, people need to be able to look at the one or two character rating and have a good idea of how difficult the trail is.
The thread that contains the details of the project is here:
http://www.rockymountainextreme.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5935

 

[Shawn]

wow,, good question.

I feel that most wheelers know the 1-5 rating from Moab and unless you are a skier you may not know that color rating. I say keep it 1-5.

 

[mbryson]

I'm in on the Moab scale. Easily understood, most are acquainted and comfortable with it.

 

[SammiGrrl]

I'm for the Moab scale. I think offroad trails should have a little consistency. I've never seen a trail use ski ratings, but then, I've never seen a sign of difficulty ratings on any trail, just read or heard how difficult it is, normally accompanied by a 1-5 number. if you want some idiot driving by to understand the sign, numbers, shapes, etc. might not tell him much, and just words of caution like "dangerous terrain ahead" or "vehicle risks body damage beyond this point" might be better. but it sucks to have to make everything idiot-proof. I personally like the Moab scale, though.

 

[EZRhino]

BTW, mountain biking trails use the ski scale quite extensively as well. Remember that we are not the only people on the trail. ATVers don't use the Moab scale on the piute trail as far as I know. A ski scale is more universal and widely known among other recreationists, whereas the Moab 1-5 is well known among RMEers but what about others? All I'm saying is consider the others....notice otis.

EZ

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by EZRhino
BTW, mountain biking trails use the ski scale quite extensively as well. Remember that we are not the only people on the trail. ATVers don't use the Moab scale on the piute trail as far as I know. A ski scale is more universal and widely known among other recreationists, whereas the Moab 1-5 is well known among RMEers but what about others? All I'm saying is consider the others....notice otis.

EZ

Well if I se an ATVer on The Con I will bow down.

 

[Caleb]

ok, so say we use a 1-5 and its rated a 4...some that think its a 1-10 may think its an easy trail...but really its rather difficult...what do you think about that, is it even a possibility for it to be misunderstood

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I still say have Skye and Ollie look at it... of they understand it, then we are good to go...



(just kidding)

 

[EZRhino]

Hmmm....that poll graphic looks like it's flipping someone off.......

EZ

 

[SammiGrrl]

any of these systems have a possibility of being misunderstood. If you use the 1-10, and the trail is rated a 5, I probably wouldn't want to take my truck on it until I got a winch, 35" tires, super low gears, etc...

 

[Shawn]

Can't you just make a small notation on the sign that say

Scale Rating:
1-5


??????

 

[EZRhino]

No we can't. It takes up too much space.

EZ

 

[Hickey]

Originally posted by Shawn
Can't you just make a small notation on the sign that say

Scale Rating:
1-5


??????

no, you can't

 

[RockMonkey]

For the record, I voted for the Moab Scale, because I think it is the most widely understood and intuitive scale used by the people who will be using these trails. I would point to the discussion in the RS and CON thread about what to rate the trails (stay tuned for that poll). Even EZ was suggesting ratings for RS using the Moab scale. I think this scale is what we generally use when trying to put the difficulty of a trail into words. I think it is irrelevant what Mt, bikers, Skiers, Scuba Divers, White Water Rafters, ATVers, Dog Sledders, and ice skaters use, because the people we are making the sign for are four wheelers, and the one to five presidence has already been set in our community.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by EZRhino
No we can't. It takes up too much space.

EZ

ya know EZ,,,

I had no idea you were such a negitive person.

Have you even been to Constricter?

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by RockMonkey
For the record, I voted for the Moab Scale, because I think it is the most widely understood and intuitive scale used by the people who will be using these trails. I would point to the discussion in the RS and CON thread about what to rate the trails (stay tuned for that poll). Even EZ was suggesting ratings for RS using the Moab scale. I think this scale is what we generally use when trying to put the difficulty of a trail into words. I think it is irrelevant what Mt, bikers, Skiers, Scuba Divers, White Water Rafters, ATVers, Dog Sledders, and ice skaters use, because the people we are making the sign for are four wheelers, and the one to five presidence has already been set in our community.

Amen!!

 

[RockMonkey]

Originally posted by Shawn
Can't you just make a small notation on the sign that say

Scale Rating:
1-5


??????

WE could prolly do that with the 1-5 or the 1-10 system, but it woudl be more difficult to do that with the Ski system.

 

[Hickey]

Originally posted by Shawn


ya know EZ,,,

I had no idea you were such a negitive person.

Have you even been to Constricter?

wow, this could be like the east versus west thread... those who have been to the CON, and those that haven't.

I once saw a mountain bike at five mile... once.

 

[EZRhino]

Originally posted by Shawn


ya know EZ,,,

I had no idea you were such a negitive person.

Have you even been to Constricter?

The question is, have YOU been there? I think you've been photoshopping yourself into all those posted pics!

EZ

 

[SammiGrrl]

I agree with Rockmonkey. I was familiar with the 1-5 scale before I joined RME, and many people in Utah who drive offroad are also familiar with this. People with 4X4's are the ones that will be using it primarily, so it makes sense.