What does A5 in the name A5 Series mean?
The “A” in A5 is an abbreviation for the term Aid Climbing. Aid climbing is defined as the use of mechanical devices placed in rock to assist in upward movement. A5 is the most difficult climbing rating suggesting that extreme aid is necessary. On a climb with an A5 rating, nothing is trustworthy of catching a fall for an entire pitch, or the length of one rope. This most difficult rating is reserved only for pitches with no bolts or rivets (holes) for the entire pitch. Examples: pitches on the Jolly Roger and the Wyoming Sheep Ranch on El Capitan in Yosemite, CA; Jim Beyer routes in Arches National Park, and the Fisher Towers, UT.
