UKC

Having recently done my first VF I have had an idle thought. Everest seems a lot like a via ferrata with all the fixed ropes so what VF grade is it?

I'm guessing 6 on a 1-6 scale for seriousness and C on an A-E scale for difficulty, so 6C

Seems like a sensible assessment. Fixed ropes and ladders all the way up, definitely a big via ferrata.

I'd guess a 5b. If K2 ever ends up with all fixed lines and ladders, that'll need a step up in the seriousness grade.

It's the other way round, isn't it, the number is the difficulty and the letter is the seriousness?

That is, 3A would be technically difficult but very safe, but 1C would be technically really easy but large fall potential, missing sections of wire etc.

Edit: it seems guidebooks all have their own way of doing it!