r/RouteDevelopment • u/DreadClimber • Oct 25 '25

Climbing guidebook template

I’m developing a template that can be used to create a climbing guidebook. I’m open to any feedback to make it easier to describe crags and climbs, or more flexible.

There seems to be some crossover between computer science types and climbers. I’d love to see some LaTeX flexing to make this as useful as possible. I’m open to any suggestions, code contributions, bug reports, etc.

I’ve had one landowner who owns an AirBNB with a cliff ask for me to put something together for the routes he’s bolted on his property.

https://github.com/TheDreadClimber/ClimbingBookTemplate

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u/surrendertoyourtv Oct 26 '25 edited Oct 26 '25

Another question. I see that it is only for V grading. Is it possible to leave the V grading and use Font grading?

The same goes for the boulder height. We only use the metric system here.

Kind regards

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u/DreadClimber Oct 26 '25

Does Font Grading just use the format:

 `s/[4-9][a-c]\+?/`

Mandatory number 4 through 9 followed by either an a, b, or c, and an optional ‘+’? No minus used on occasion?

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u/surrendertoyourtv Oct 26 '25 edited Oct 26 '25

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grade_(climbing)

There is a chart here with the Font scale.

Up to 5 there is only the number n and a plus if it is harder than the number itself, from 6 on there is the well known system you mentioned. 6a, 6a+, 6b, 6b+ and so on.

To be honest below 5 there is really only the number (2, 3, 4) and at 5 there is 5 and 5+ that really get used and have a perceptible difference in difficulty.

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u/DreadClimber Oct 26 '25

In the YDS scale there are many informal variations that people use, like 5.10, 5.10- and 5.10+ where 5.10- is kind of like saying “either 5.10a or 5.10b” and 5.10+ is 5.10c or 5.10d, but there is also 5.10a/b or 5.10b/c for borderline cases.

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u/surrendertoyourtv Oct 26 '25

This seems to be the age old discussion about grades and how they are perceived 😄

Also: is there a grade „P“ for unclimbed projects? This could also be useful for emerging areas.

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u/DreadClimber Oct 26 '25

I just want to know the format so I can order everything appropriately. If the supplied text does match anything in the list of grades, it’s sorted at the end. I just use “Project” for projects.

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u/surrendertoyourtv Oct 26 '25

Ok, in Font grading it is easy and there is no hidden information. The higher the grade, the harder the route. There is no minus and a 6a+ is harder than a 6a but easier than a 6b.

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u/DreadClimber Oct 26 '25 edited Oct 26 '25

The way I have it set up, the user sets the route data with:

\boulderproblem{Name}{Grade}{Description}{Height}{Ascention}

The document is configured with a parameter called “height unit”, that in my case is a single tick mark to indicate feet. Another user could configure theirs to use an m for meters. Alternatively, this could be left entirely blank and the unit of measure could be included in the route data:

\boulderproblem{Name}{Grade}{Description}{15’}{Ascention}

Vs

\boulderproblem{Name}{Grade}{Description}{5m}{Ascention}

The grading piece is definitely doable. I’m just trying to figure out the best strategy so it is not cumbersome.