Proposal:Cai scale

CAI - Club Alpino Italiano (Italian Alpine Club) path classification scale
Proposal status:	Inactive (inactive)
Proposed by:	AlfredoSP
Tagging:	cai_scale=* Data item
Applies to:	Relation
Definition:	Difficulty classification of the routes according to the Club Alpino Italiano
Statistics:
Draft started:	2016-06-03

Proposal

The idea is to introduce a tagging localization in Italy for path difficulty classification. Same meaning of sac_scale=* but based on the local alpine club classification (CAI - Club Alpino Italiano)

Rationale

Italian hikers are used to the italian classification.

Foreign hikers could find it useful since it's widely diffused on the Italian maps and corresponds to indication on the ground.

sac_scale mainly refers to mountain trails while in other places of the world (Italy is an example) there are a lot of trails in flat areas or hills areas that cannot be classified properly with it.

Trails classified with sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking or more, in Italy can be split in 2 categories:

1. protected trails (so called "vie ferrate") that are protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc
2. alpine routes that have a different classification and very often are unmapped.

It's not meant to replace sac_scale nor to duplicate it, it's rather a proposal of integration and gaps filling limited to the Italian territory. sac_scale applies properly to the single ways whike cai_scale apply to the whole itinerary.

Ideally the mappers who are familiar with it should encode both and cai_scale tag should be added as much as possible from the official classification found on the signs.

Moreover it's a way to involve more actively the CAI itself to become a more active contributor to OSM.

Examples

Tag	CAI Scale	Description	Requirements	Gap	Illustration
cai_scale=T	T	Touristic Typically these paths (often tracks) are flat with no dangers, might be thematic or storic and do not require particular efforts	Hiking shoes, enough water, snacks, proper clothes	Although this can be classified with sac_scale=hiking is in reality a step below therefore it represent a gap
cai_scale=E	E	For hikers These are typically paths (often with signs).	Besides hiking shoes, proper clothes, etc it's required some orientering capabilities and enough training	This can be classified with sac_scale=hiking therefore it represent the first step of sac_scale
cai_scale=EE	EE	For expert hikers Paths can be signed but may be on slippery grass, jagged rocks, some not difficult passages with snow	Beside the standard adequate equipment mentined above, it's required training and knowledge of the alpine environment	This covers sac_scale=mountain_hiking and sac_scale=demanding_mountain_hiking
cai_scale=EEA	EEA	For expert hikers with equipment Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:easy Not very exposed and with long portions of hiking	requires helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, etc	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation
cai_scale=EAI	EAI	Hiking in snowy conditions Paths can be partially protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc.	requires snow shoes, harness, daisy chain, ropes, axes, crampons, etc	This covers (or in between) sac_scale=demanding_mountain_hiking and sac_scale=alpine_hiking
Below a proposal to extend the cai_scale also to Proposed features/via ferrata. The values are approved by the Club Alpino Italiano, as of CC n.89 20 November 2021. Please note that the CAI approved a version with hyphen while the proposed (and used) values in OpenStreetMap are with a colon.
cai_scale=EEA:F	EEA-F	Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:easy Not very exposed and with long portions of hiking	It's required helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, etc	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation
cai_scale=EEA:PD	EEA-PD	Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:medium Long and exposed but not very challenging	It's required helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, and a good training	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation
cai_scale=EEA:D	EEA-D	Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:difficult Athletic passages, some overhanging passages	It's required helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, good training, strength	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation
cai_scale=EEA:MD	EEA-MD	Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:very difficult Acrobatic passages, overhanging passages, challenging	It's required helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, excellent training, strength, resistance	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation
cai_scale=EEA:E	EEA-ED	Trail surely protected with chains, ropes, bolts, etc. Difficulty:extremely difficult Acrobatic passages, overhanging passages, challenging, some dangerous passages	It's required helmet, harness, daisy chain, ropes, excellent training, strength, resistance	These are all protected trails that may fall in a a range between sac_scale=demanding_alpine_hiking and sac_scale=difficult_alpine_hiking but in reality there is no easy relation

Applies to

After various discussions it appeared logical to apply this tag only to the relation because it represents a judgement of the itinerary as a whole. Applying to the single ways doesn't make any sense since it' already espressed by the sac_scale

Rendering

The CAI has already some guidelines on how the paths should be rendered based on the difficulty that could be easily applied if the relations are tagged accordingly.

External Discussions

http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.comp.gis.openstreetmap.region.it/48665

See also

https://www.cai.it/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/del_CC_89_21.pdf approved with resolution CC n. 89 of 20 November 2021

Comments

Please comment on the discussion page.