Grade I

Snow gullies and easy ridges. 

Grade II 

Steep snow where two ice tools may be required but technical difficulties are short. Possible difficult cornice exit.

Grade III

Mixed ascents of moderate rock routes; icy gullies; sustained buttresses.

Grade IV

Steep ice with short vertical steps or long pitches up to 70º, or mixed routes requiring advanced techniques.

Grade V 

Sustained ice to 80º or mixed climbs with linked hard moves. Climbs are difficult, sustained, and/or serious.

Grade VI 

Vertical ice and highly technical mixed routes. Grade VI and above routes have exceptional overall difficulties.

Grade VII

Multi-pitch routes with long sections of vertical or thin ice, or mixed routes with lots of highly technical climbing.

VIII-IX

The hardest routes in Scotland. Canadian Winter

Scottish Technical Grade 

Grade IV and above (and some mixed grade III routes) get an additional grade for pitches within the climb. For example, a grade V climb might look like V 4, V 5, V 6 or even V 7. The average within them is the V 5 which could be seen as a benchmark grade V. The V 6 and V 7 will be hard, and V8 very hard and intricate climbing, but should have good protection. If the number is lower though, such as V 4 then the route may not be as technical as it is serious. We can use this knowledge to our advantage when choosing routes where we want to push our technical grade but still be reasonably well protected.