Ferrate routes rating

Italian FERRATE

Here you can find some simple explanations about how to interpret the acronyms you can find in Italian Guide Books speaking about ferrate

The acronyms of the ratings are the same as for climbing difficulties, so I would suggest to add a Fer- as first letters to avoid confusion.

so while a route Fer-D can be climbed by a fit and prepared hiker, a route classified D requires a good mountaneering skill and should be made in a roped team

just to make a kind of equation :
a Ferrata graded Fer-D is as demanding as a rock route graded PD-AD
a Ferrata graded Fer-TD is as demanding as a rock route graded AD-D
a Ferrata graded Fer-ED is as demanding as a rock route graded D-TD

warning !
being able to climb a ferrata graded TD doesn't mean being able to climb a rock route graded D

in the next section the rating (unofficially) used by Alpine and Speleo Rescue team

some good samples can be found in this page

routes rating

F - Facile - Easy
high protection - complete marking out - low exposure
The metallic wires or chains are useful only to improve the safety, but may be ignored by trained people
For beginners

PD - Poco Difficile - Low difficulties
some easy rocky steps or crossing in low exposure
Metallic wires and chains, some rungs and ladders that can be used only to improve the safety.

AD - Abbastanza Difficile - Rather difficult
some vertical and exposed steps along channels and chimneys
Metallic wires and chains, rungs and ladders must be used
For experienced hikers using Ferrata gear

D - Difficile - Difficult
course mostly vertical and structured - some pieces with high exposure.
Metallic wires and chains, rungs and ladders must be used even by experienced rock climbers

till here the routes can be done by experienced and fit hikers using the Ferrata gear
the last two grades are only for experienced rock climbers and should better be climbed using a rope (making pitches and belayes ... like on a rock route)

TD - Molto Difficile - Very difficult
very steep rock passages without good toeholds - some overhanging steps - high exposure
Only for trained and experienced rock climbers

ED - Estremamente difficile - Extremely difficult
course all vertical or overhanging - no artificial toeholds - high exposure
Required a good muscle strenght

conversion table Austria - Italy

A - F (easy)
B - PD
C - D
D - TD
E - TD
F - ED (most difficult)

info coming from DoJo

useful link

here a very good page with a complete list of all the Ferrate routes