The ice climbing grades are:

• WI-1: No tools required to climb
• WI-2: Good protection, tools required in some spots
• WI-3: Sustained climbing with good rests and protection
• WI-4: Continuous steep or vertical ice
• WI-5: Long, vertical, strenuous ice
• WI-6: Highly technical, long, and vertical, with no rests
• WI-7: Long, technical, and on bad ice

Ice climbing grades are based on a system that takes into account several factors, including the steepness and quality of the ice, the amount of protection you can place, and how technical the movements are.

Ice Grades: WI 1-7

WI 1

• Description: Embrace the ease of low-angled ice, where crampons become your trusted companions.
• Details: Develop a foundational level of technical expertise to navigate this gentle ascent safely. The general angle gracefully beckons at 50 degrees, offering a welcoming introduction to the world of ice climbing.

WI 2

• Description: Step into moderate terrain with low-angled water ice and occasional bulges.
• Details: The decision to engage front-point crampons is at your discretion on this 60-degree slope. This stage demands a nuanced approach, where protection and anchors come into play, marking the transition into more challenging icy landscapes.

WI 3

• Description: Encounter steeper water ice, adorned with extended bulges for added thrill.
• Details: Strike a balance between continuous front pointing and strategic resting places on the 70-degree incline. Master the art of placing protection and crafting belays as the ice quality elevates, requiring a more adept approach.

WI 4

• Description: Elevate your climb to sustained challenges, featuring vertical sections interspersed with secure belays.
• Details: Navigate through technical ice formations, including the occasional chandelier, while enjoying the assurance of dependable protection. The 80-degree angle heralds a more demanding but gratifying experience.

WI 5

• Description: Embark on a lengthy, demanding journey up a steep, columnar pitch, testing your endurance.
• Details: Face sustained difficulties with limited opportunities to rest on the 90-degree slope. Recognize the intricacies of diverse ice formations like chandeliers and cauliflowers, requiring heightened efforts in protection placement. Be prepared for occasional run-outs above protection, adding an element of strategic challenge.

WI 6

• Description: Tackle a serious lead on severe and/or thin ice, featuring long vertical and overhanging sections.
• Details: Confront extremely sustained difficulties on the 90+ degree incline, where ice quality may vary. Develop expert technique and a resilient mindset to navigate thin, chandeliered ice, often presenting challenges in protection placement. Embrace the occasional hanging belay, further testing your mettle.

WI 7

• Description: Confront ice that is very thin, long, overhanging, or intensely technical.
• Details: Summon creative techniques to conquer this highly physical and emotional pitch. This level of commitment demands total engagement, especially as protection may be scarce. Expertise reaches its pinnacle at the 90++ degree angle, making WI 7 the domain of a select few, attempted only by world-class climbers on routes that defy convention.

Note: WI 7 is revered as the outer space of ice climbing, where only a handful of elite climbers venture into its formidable realm.