• Difficulty Grades

Technical Difficulty and Commitment Rating

Les cotations utilisées sont constituées de la cotation de difficulté internationale (FIC) légèrement adaptée, plus une cotation d'engagement. Ce dernier se définit comme la confrontation au risque.

Difficulté technique et notion de risque sont ainsi dissociées, permettant une cotation plus pertinente des parcours.

Technical difficulty

Les définitions de cotation de difficulté sont tirées directement de celles de la FIC, desquelles ont été enlevées les notions de risques.

Class Definition
I Easy - Fast current with small waves. Few obstructions, which are obvious and easily avoided with a little training. Easy recovery in case of a problem.
II Beginner - Easy rapids with clear channels, not requiring scouting. Occasional maneuvering required, but rocks and medium-sized waves are easily avoided by trained paddlers. Swimmers seldom injured.
III Intermediate - Rapids with moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid. Complex maneuvers in fast current and good boat control in tight passages or around ledges are often required. Large waves or strainers may be present but are easily avoided. Strong eddies and powerful current effects can be found, particularly on large-volume rivers. Scouting advisable for inexperienced parties. Injuries while swimming are rare; self-rescue is usually easy but group assistance may be required to avoid long swims.
IV Advanced - Intense, powerful but predictable rapids requiring precise boat handling in turbulent water. Depending on the character of the river, it may feature large, unavoidable waves and holes or constricted passages demanding fast maneuvers under pressure. A fast, reliable eddy turn may be needed to initiate maneuvers, scout rapids, or rest. Rapids may require "must" moves above dangerous hazards. Scouting may be necessary the first time down. Risk of injury to swimmers is moderate to high, and water conditions may make self-rescue difficult. Group assistance for rescues is often essential but requires practiced skills. A reliable Eskimo roll is highly recommended.
V Expert - Extremely long, obstructed, or very violent rapids which expose a swimmer to above average endangerment. Drops may contain large, unavoidable waves and holes or steep, congested chutes with complex, demanding routes. Rapids may continue for long distances between pools, demanding a high level of fitness. What eddies exist may be small, turbulent, or difficult to reach. Scouting is recommended but may be difficult. Swims are dangerous, and rescue is often difficult even for experts. A very reliable Eskimo roll, proper equipment, extensive experience, and practiced rescue skills are essential.
VI Extreme and exploratory - These runs have almost never been attempted and often exemplify the extremes of difficulty, unpredictability and danger. The consequences of errors are very severe and rescue may be impossible. For teams of experts only, at favorable water levels, after close personal inspection and taking all precautions.
X Unrunnable - Unrunnable passage until proven otherwise. If a voluntary run in a canoe-kayak is successfully completed under normal conditions, the passage is downgraded to 6. A temporary obstacle that makes an otherwise runnable rapid unrunnable does not affect the rating (e.g. a tree across a class 3 rapid).

Reference runs for technical difficulty:

Classe Référence manoeuvrier Référence volume
I
II Drôme (ME) Saillans -> Crest Véneon (HE, juin) St-Christophe -> Plan du Lac
III Aude (7 m3/s) gorges de Saint Georges Isère (35 m3/s) Bourg -> Bellentre Orne (30 m3/s) gorges de Saint Aubert
III+ Allier (ME) Monistrol -> Prades Doron de Bozel (60 cm) gorge aval de Brides les Bains
IV Hérault (ME) Canyon de St Guilhem Agout (18 m3/s) Escalier de la Peyre -> Brassac Isère (35 m3/s) Bellentre -> Aime
IV+ Adour de Lesponne (30cm échelle pont D935) Chiroulet -> Lesponne Ubaye (30 m3/s) Fresquières -> Martinet
V Tarn (margelle affleurante) Ravin de Manuber -> la Vernède
V+ Dourbie (ME) Grande gorge Dourbie, La grande gorge - classe V+
VI Dora Baltea (ME) Courmayeur -> Champex

Reference rapids for technical difficulty:

Classe Référence manoeuvrier Référence volume
2 Ardèche (ME) le Charlemagne
3 Eyrieux (20 m3/s) la Barque Durance (ME, juillet) le rapide du pont SNCF
3+ Chalaux (4 m3/s) la Piscine à billes Isère (25 m3/s) la Machine à couper le jambon
4 Chalaux (4 m3/s) le Courtibas
Vézère (14 m3/s) la Goujonnière Vézère, passage de la Goujonnière - classe 4 les Serpents Vézère, passage des Serpents - classe 4 		Ubaye (40 m3/s) la Dent de requin
4+ Verdon (18 m3/s) l'Estellier Doron de Bozel (80 cm) le Vélodrome Doron de Bozel, passage du Velodrome - classe 4+
Pallaresa (30 m3/s) Pallaressa, passage du 4 x 200 m à 30 m3/s - classe 4+
5 Agout (13 m3/s) l'Escalier de la Peyre Agout, L'escalier de la Peyre - classe 5
Taurion (6 m3/s) fin de la Rigole du Diable
5+ Souloise (ME) les Gillardes
Tarn (margelle affleurante) la Trompette Tarn, Passage de la trompette - classe 5
6 Tarn (margelle affleurante) le Gouffre des Meules Tarn, Le gouffre des meules - classe 6

Commitment

La cotation d'engagement est tirée d'un article de Pierre Peschier dans CKM n° 132, avril/mai 96.

Commitment Definition Reference
E1 Low commitment, no particular risk except in exceptional circumstances. Durance St-Clément -> Embrun
E2 Committed, risk of injury or bad swim. Tarn Pt de Monvert -> La Vernède
E3 Very committed, the consequences of a mistake can be serious or even fatal. Verdon le Canyon
E4 Maximum commitment, same as E2 and E3 but portaging is impossible in some cases: the rapid must be run. Cannobino, the gorge

The rating system

General case :

La cotation de difficulté technique d'un passage est notée en chiffres arabes. La cotation de difficulté technique moyenne des parcours est notée en chiffres romains, plus optionnellement entre parenthèses la cotation de difficulté technique des passages qui sortent du lot, plus la cotation d'engagement. On peut utiliser plusieurs chiffres si la difficulté n'est pas homogène.

Unrunnable rapids :

  • X -> un ou plusieurs infrans,
  • X? -> un ou plusieurs infrans supposés,
  • 1X -> un infran,
  • 2X -> 2 infrans,
  • etc.

Un obstacle temporaire qui rend infranchissable un rapide franchissable en temps normal doit être mentionné littéralement dans le topo (la cotation de difficulté n'est pas affectée).

Example

Guiers Vif (80 cm), Gorge du Pas du Frou : classe III-IV (5, X?), E2 (E4).

Sur ce parcours et au niveau d'eau indiqué, la difficulté générale alterne III et IV, on trouve un ou plusieurs passages de difficulté 5, il y a un ou plusieurs infrans possibles ; l'engagement généralement rencontré est E2, ponctuellement E4.