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AVA Trail Ratings Effective January 1, 2012 All AVA sanctioned walk and bike events have a trail difficulty rating assigned to the route.  The rating is in two parts.  The first part is a numeric value (1-5) that describes the total cumulative amount of incline along the route.  The second part is an alphabetic value (A-E) that attempts to describes the terrain the route passes through. The rating is a subjective assignment and everyone might not agree with it.  Use it as a guide.
1	Very small hills or very little stair climbing. Probably suitable for strollers and wheelchairs. Elevation gain from Starting Point: up to 500 feet.	A	Almost entirely on pavement. Probably suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
2	Some moderate hills and stair climbing. Probably suitable for strollers. May not be suitable for wheelchairs. Elevation gain from Starting Point: 500 - 1500 feet.	B	A significant part of the route is on well -groomed trails with very few obstacles. Probably suitable for strollers but may not be suitable for wheelchairs.
3	Some significant hill or stair climbing. Not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. Elevation gain from Starting Point: 1500 - 2500 feet.	C	A significant part of the route is on somewhat difficult terrain (rocky / rooted paths or soft sand). Not suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
4	Lots of significant hills or stair climbing. Elevation gain from Starting Point: 2500 - 3500 feet.	D	A significant part of the route is on very difficult terrain.
5	Many steep hills. Elevation gain from Starting Point: more than - 3500 feet.	E	The majority of the route is on very difficult terrain.

 

AVA Trail Ratings Current Rating System Will be changed to above system effective January 1, 2012 All AVA sanctioned volksmarching (walking) events have a trail difficulty rating assigned to the route.  The rating is a numerical value on a scale of 1 through 5, with 5 being the most difficult.  Sometimes a plus sign "+" is also used to indicate that the route is a bit more difficult than the definitions below might indicate.  The rating is a subjective assignment and everyone might not agree with it.  Use it as a guide.
1	An easy route. This type of route is normally on pavement or well-maintained trails. There are no significant hills. The trail is usually suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
2	A fairly easy route. This type of route normally has some pavement and some woodland and poorly maintained field trails. There is no significant difficulty because of hills. This trail is probably not suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.
3	A moderate route. This type of route is in a setting with some difficult terrain and one or more substantial hills and/or steps. The suitability of this trail for strollers and wheelchairs is questionable.
4	A difficult route. This type of route is in a natural setting with poorly maintained trails and steep or hilly inclines. This trail is not suitable for strollers, wheelchairs or people with severe health problems.
5	A very difficult route. This type of route is on rough fields, trails, or roads. There are many steep hills, high altitude, very rough and uneven terrain, and steep or unstable inclines. This trail is not suitable for any person who is not in good physical condition.