Trek Grading

Our Trek Grading

Choosing the right trek for you

Your experience in the beautiful European Alps is paramount to us, therefore your choice of trek is very important. Each trek has its own level of demand, it is essential that you choose a trek that suits your level of experience and fitness.

We grade our treks using a four-point scale (1-4, low to high) to help you choose the correct experience. Bespoke day treks with flexible itineraries and a return to a base and are generally graded one (easy) and two (moderate). Our multi day journeys are graded three (difficult) or four (toughest) depending on their intensity, duration of each daily challenge and the trek’s level of remoteness. It’s important to remember that the level of challenge of each trek is quite personal, reflecting our physical and mental state, appropriate body composition, preparation, and prior experience in mountain environments.

Once you have decided on which trek is best for you, you will have time to get in good shape before you arrive in the Alps. For more tips & advice of how best to do this, take a look at our Fitness & Preparation page and if you have any questions about whether you are fit enough for a trek in the mountains we are here to help.

Need any further advice on trek fitness and preparation? It is in our interest to support your preparation for the best trekking experience possible. Mindset, fitness, nutrition, hydration and maybe more... It may be just confirming what you already know makes sense for trekking in high places but we will be available to try and answer your questions and offer ideas to get you ready to go.

Get in touch with us for any advice and help with trek suitability, health & fitness preparation:info@montblanctreks.com.

Take a look at the grading below, it will give you further information on each grade.

Our trek grading considers:

Endurance

Needed to complete our average daily itineraries for each trek. This took into account walking duration, intensity and length of ascents and descents.

Strength, Agility & Balance

Both lower and upper body; for example, in a person of reasonable body composition to move with economy of effort, or carry a pack.

Robustness

Health and wellbeing needed for a person to meet the challenges associated with mountain days, bearing in mind perhaps the daily remoteness level of each trek.

Mental Toughness

Resilience needed to complete the day’s journey, sometimes in challenging or changing conditions for example weather or terrain.

Previous Experience

For example, confidence in managing exposed or steeper sections, more remote accommodations, local foods.

How We Grade Our Treks

  1. EASY

    General walking fitness on flat and easy terrain, no previous walking experience required. Low level, Easy pace for 2-4 hrs on well-marked tracks and trails with gentle inclines.

    Strength, Agility & Balance

    • Basic level of fitness and endurance, frequent options for rest/recovery

    • Strength to carry a small day rucksack (5-10% body weight)

    • Well balanced and able to follow a trail on foot

    Mental Toughness

    • Minimal prior experience required to enjoy walking each day

    • Self-reflective and adaptable to options each day

  2. MODERATE

    A reasonable level of fitness is required for example; at home, you do regular exercise each week. Moderate pace for 3-6 hours on tracks and trails, rolling terrain with more sustained inclines.

    Strength, Agility & Balance

    • Moderate level of fitness and endurance, options for rest and recovery

    • Strength to carry a day sac

    • Well-coordinated and balanced with and without poles

    • Appropriate health and wellbeing to hike for most days

    Mental Toughness

    • Confident to walk steadily in middle mountains on mixed terrain

    • Some hiking experience, comfortable with use of cable cars to support walking each day

    • Self-reflective and adaptable to options to options each day

  3. DIFFICULT

    These treks are difficult and a good level of fitness is needed before you arrive. Good paced hiking carrying day sac plus more. Repeated seven-hour mountain days on mixed terrain with short breaks. Limited options for rest days. Difficult level of challenge. Not an off-the-couch activity!

    Strength, Agility & Balance

    • Good level of aerobic and anaerobic endurance

    • Strength: Resilient and robust lower body for sustained climbing and descending

    • Upper body and lower body strength well balanced to manage steeper, exposed and varied terrain confidently (e.g. rocks, loose ground, roots)

    • Ability to carry day sack (10% body weight)

    • Well managed general health and well-being

    Mental Toughness

    • Seasoned hikers with full days trekking experience in high mountains

    • Concentration to manage long climbs and descents

    • Experience of hiking in challenging, changing and sometimes remote environments

    • Toughness to embrace both the challenge of finishing a big day in the mountains and achieve your final destination

    • Self-reflectiveness, ability to follow sound advice

    • Maintain strategies for good sleep, nutrition and hydration to recover

  4. TOUGHEST

    These treks are the toughest treks and an excellent level of fitness needed before you arrive. Sustained trekking carrying day sac plus more for serial seven-hour days at higher altitudes on mixed terrain. No options for rest days. Our toughest trekking challenges. Definitely not an off-the-couch activity!

    Strength, Agility & Balance

    • Very good level of aerobic and anaerobic endurance

    • Strong, resilient lower and upper body for multiple days of sustained climbing and descending

    • Agility and balance to manage steep, exposed and varied terrain confidently (e.g. boulders, steps, rocks, loose ground, roots, mud, snow and ice)

    • Ability to carry day sac (10%+ body wt)

    • Tolerance of altitudes above 2500m/800 feet

    • Robust general health and well being to recover for the next day

    Mental Toughness

    • Seasoned hikers with a lot of high mountain trekking experience

    • Ability to finish a series of sustained climbs and descents every day

    • Ability to hike in harsh, challenging and remote environments including extremes of heat, cold, rain, ice or snow

    • Toughness to embrace both the challenge of finishing a big day in the mountains and achieve your final destination

    • Tolerance of high-altitude local accommodation and food

    • Self-reflective of performance and will follow sound advice

    • Maintain good sleep, nutrition and hydration to recover

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