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In the USA for roped climbing most climbers rate the difficulty with the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS).

First to explain the five in a "5.14d" understand the below:

Class 1: Walking with a low chance of injury.
Class 2: Simple scrambling, with the possibility of occasional use of the hands. Little potential danger is encountered.
Class 3: Scrambling with increased exposure. A rope can be carried but is usually not required. Falls are not always fatal.
Class 4: Simple climbing, with exposure. A rope is often used. Natural protection can be easily found. Falls may well be fatal.
Class 5: Technical free climbing involving rope, belaying, and other protection hardware for safety. Un-roped falls can result in severe injury or death.


So that explains the "5" in a 5.14d

Now 5.1-5.9 with each .1 you have another level of difficulty. From 5.10-5.15 you have 5.10a,5.10b,5.10c,5.10d and so on. Each letter change represents a full level or degree of difficulty.

Thus the difference between a 5.14a and a 5.14d is the same difference between a 5.6 and a 5.10a - or four levels of difficulty. While this may seem subjective climbers usually come to a consensus regarding the grade of a route over time.

Most people I would consider in reasonable shape can climb 5.6-5.8 in the first few times they climb. In contrast I have been climbing for about sixteen years and I climb about 5.13a (with many many attempts!).

Pure imagination may cater to Sasha's particular climbing style - thin crimpy moves. She is amazingly strong.


That said I have been to the base of this route and am amazed ANYONE is able to climb it.

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I say "promote" it to high heaven. You *have* to allow people to make sensible assessments of risk. No one's going to rush into free-climbing after seeing this and no one is going to have the balls to replicate these feats.

This film seems more effective in making us aware of a remarkably talented and unique individual. I'm not seeing anything in there that says this is the next level to aspire to. It's all about admiring the talent to do something that very, very few individuals would even attempt. Checking out the comments on YouTube I don't even see a single person stating they would copy this or aspire to do so. There's a general appreciation and awe of an exceptional talent.

My "specious" argument is intended to put into perspective the risks that are more likely to affect greater numbers of people. The kind of risks we need to care about. A few free climbers dying every year? Something they chose to do? That doesn't worry me at all. No more than the guys who die on Everest. I respect their choice and desire to experience something new and to take a risk.

http://videosift.com/video/Free-climbing-400-feet-in-just-over-4-minutes

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