Rating the Difficulty of Hikes
Other organizations have developed rating systems for trails or routes and KHC initially used another system, but we soon found out that there were lots of factors to consider.  A hike that might be moderate at one time of the year may be difficult at another time of year.  Variations in a route can make it easier or harder.  Many of our routes are off trail so the trail surface is a big factor.  In the end, we chose to use a descriptive approach to a proposed hike (snowshoe, paddle, backpack).
We now provide a general rating of:
- distance
- estimated time on the trail
- the climb (elevation gained)
- the terrain or trail type
- a regular trail or some off-trail sections
- proposed pace
- additionally the leader can add notes about steepness, risks, hazards, and conditions
- the Location/Trail link also takes us to a page with more information on the trail/route to be used
Since we provide descriptive listings of hikes, not prescriptive ones set by someone, each hike leader may interpret the hike differently so he/she may call it moderate when someone else describes it as easy or harder.  Members can contact the leader to get more information if the listing does not have enough information.
We can also compare trails to get a sense of difficulty.  For example:
Easy – Tranquille Creek, the Rivers Trail, Roderick Haig Brown, Adams River, Salmon Arm Foreshore, and shorter/flatter trails
Moderate – Deep Lake, Mara Trail, Barnes Lake, Sage Trail, Sunset Trail, Battle Bluff, Barren Hills, Neskonlith Meadows, Mt. Baldy, etc.
Moderate-Harder – Mara Mountain by the west or northeast, Upper Batchelor Hills, Coal Hill, most Pineview Trails, some of the Peterson Creek trails, etc.
Harder – Dewdrop Trail (to Red Plateau), Mara Canyon, Mara Mountain from the south, north, Wheeler Mountain, Estekwalan Mountain,
Difficult – Trophy Mt. Summit, Mt. Peter, Stoyama Mountain, Red Plateau Traverse, and many more
- Kamloops Hiking Club - September 5, 2021
- March 2021 KHChronicles - March 20, 2021
- February 2021 KHChronicles - February 20, 2021