What would it take for a Difficulty 5?

[Blue_Stone]

OK, so I'm planning a cache, and I'm thinking its gonna be a Diff 4.5.....Then I got to wondering, what would it take to make a Diff 5 cache.

 

Besides a really difficult puzzle cache that requires a professional background in cryptology, (we've had a spate of these around here lately. Thanx TazD and MickEMT.LOL), what ideas might justify a Diff 5?

 

Does anyone know of any example caches that are a 5?

Post them up.

Edited July 15, 2007 by Blue_stone

[+Knight2000]

Check out the rating system. Edited July 15, 2007 by knight2000

[+Miragee]

Here is one. You have to find two different Travel Bugs, figure out the codes on those, find one half of the final coordinates in one location, then find the other half of the coordinates in another location. I think we worked on this cache for more than a month.

 

What fun!!!

 

Here is a cache that is a Terrain '5' without needing "special equipment."

[+TrailGators]

Here is one. You have to find two different Travel Bugs, figure out the codes on those, find one half of the final coordinates in one location, then find the other half of the coordinates in another location. I think we worked on this cache for more than a month.

 

What fun!!!

 

Here is a cache that is a Terrain '5' without needing "special equipment."

4.5 is the most difficult terrain rating. All caches rated with a 5 terrain are supposed to require special equipment. As far as "difficulty of 5," 5s are the most difficult. I would suggest running a PQ to look at a bunch of 5s. The example of "Zis Is KAOS, Ve Don't Bush-vaak Here!" is a good example of one. Edited July 15, 2007 by TrailGators

[Jackmerlin1]

a lot of guts

[+StarBrand]

Think one of those mr. magneto tiny black caches stuck to the bottom of a railroad caboose - also freshly painted black all the way across. Coords place you between 2 of them......no hints.

 

Several hours and several trips later.......

 

And even this example fails because some would like find it much faster even if some never located it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Difficulty 5 requires 'special equipment'. I looked at one yesterday with a 4.5 rating. You can use the free kayaks nearby, or you can swim to it. (Thanks, but I'm not up to swimming 250' into the Hudson River...) Seems a classic example of 4.5. I'm waiting for my sister to come to visit, and kayak with me.

As to 5 Terrain rating, there's one nearby thats 45 ' up a tree. Plus, of course, the kayaking caches...

[+briansnat]

4.5 is the most difficult terrain rating. All caches rated with a 5 terrain are supposed to require special equipment

 

5 is certainly the most difficult terrain rating and though special equipment makes it a 5, it is not required.

 

The definition for 5 says: "Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, or is otherwise extremely difficult."

 

To answer the OP, what makes up a 5 difficulty can vary. It may or may not include a very difficult puzzle or riddle. No matter what it involves, it should take several days or weeks to find for it to be a true 5 difficulty.

 

For some reason I've seen people rate caches that are easy to find, but involve very tough terrain a 5 for difficulty when in reality they should be a 1/5 or 1.5/5.

 

I've seen numerous people rate the difficulty very high (anything 3+) and see in the logs telling a different story with many "easy find" and "found it quickly " logs.

 

There are very few true 5 star difficulty caches out there and even fewer true 5/5s.

[+TexasGringo]

A Diff "5" ... is ANYTHING I can't Find.

[+CrkrJim]

[+Renegade Knight]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

[CoyoteRed]

4.5 is the most difficult terrain rating. All caches rated with a 5 terrain are supposed to require special equipment

 

5 is certainly the most difficult terrain rating and though special equipment makes it a 5, it is not required.

 

The definition for 5 says: "Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, or is otherwise extremely difficult."

I agree. Most 5/5's aren't that difficult, but because of the way the ratings were set up it's actually fairly trivial to create a 5/5.

 

Because of this, some of the hardest caches are 4.5's.

 

There are very few true 5 star difficulty caches out there and even fewer true 5/5s.

I've mentioned plenty of times previously that I'd rather the "specialized" equipment statement be removed from the equation. "Highly specialized training required," IMHO, should be the test. SCUBA-only dives and not free diving unless it's deep free diving would be one example. Difficult technical mountain climbing or climbing gear required, not just advised, would be another.

[CoyoteRed]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

That is if it were a traditional.

 

Difficulty comes from knowing were the cache is located--either by putting eyes on it and retrieving it or knowing the general location. The puzzle in front of the cache adds to the difficulty.

 

We've found most folks assume the puzzle is all of the difficulty and sometimes have a hard time when they solve a puzzle and then expect an easy find. It doesn't always happen that way.

[+Kit Fox]

4.5 is the most difficult terrain rating. All caches rated with a 5 terrain are supposed to require special equipment

 

5 is certainly the most difficult terrain rating and though special equipment makes it a 5, it is not required.

 

The definition for 5 says: "Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, or is otherwise extremely difficult."

 

To answer the OP, what makes up a 5 difficulty can vary. It may or may not include a very difficult puzzle or riddle. No matter what it involves, it should take several days or weeks to find for it to be a true 5 difficulty.

 

For some reason I've seen people rate caches that are easy to find, but involve very tough terrain a 5 for difficulty when in reality they should be a 1/5 or 1.5/5.

 

I've seen numerous people rate the difficulty very high (anything 3+) and see in the logs telling a different story with many "easy find" and "found it quickly " logs.

 

There are very few true 5 star difficulty caches out there and even fewer true 5/5s.

 

I'm with Briansnat on this. There are very few 5 star difficulty traditional caches. There are only so many places to hide a cache container. The "Mr. Blinky" is about the closest example that I can think of.

 

As for terrain five I use "cumulative value" to determine this: or is otherwise extremely difficult."

 

My 100th placed geocache requires four hikes in extreme terrain with a combined distance of over 20 miles. Add to the fact that the "minimum driving distance" for all four spots is over 250 miles. Since it takes several days to find, and because of the extreme terrain, I rated it a 5/5

[+Kit Fox]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

That is if it were a traditional.

 

Difficulty comes from knowing were the cache is located--either by putting eyes on it and retrieving it or knowing the general location. The puzzle in front of the cache adds to the difficulty.

 

We've found most folks assume the puzzle is all of the difficulty and sometimes have a hard time when they solve a puzzle and then expect an easy find. It doesn't always happen that way.

 

There was a great forum thread awhile back with the request for a "third column" for puzzle caches.

 

Difficulty of finding the cache.

Difficulty of solving the puzzle.

Difficulty of the terrain.

[+Team GeoBlast]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

That is if it were a traditional.

 

Difficulty comes from knowing were the cache is located--either by putting eyes on it and retrieving it or knowing the general location. The puzzle in front of the cache adds to the difficulty.

 

We've found most folks assume the puzzle is all of the difficulty and sometimes have a hard time when they solve a puzzle and then expect an easy find. It doesn't always happen that way.

 

There was a great forum thread awhile back with the request for a "third column" for puzzle caches.

 

Difficulty of finding the cache.

Difficulty of solving the puzzle.

Difficulty of the terrain.

 

Or difficulty in retrieval.

[+Renegade Knight]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

That is if it were a traditional.

 

Difficulty comes from knowing were the cache is located--either by putting eyes on it and retrieving it or knowing the general location. The puzzle in front of the cache adds to the difficulty.

 

We've found most folks assume the puzzle is all of the difficulty and sometimes have a hard time when they solve a puzzle and then expect an easy find. It doesn't always happen that way.

 

Fair point. Puzzle caches have two points of "find difficulty". One for the puzzle to even get the coordinates, and another for the find itself.

[Uberquandary]

I've seen a few 4X4 caches where the owner must have classified a four wheeler as 'special equipment'...but the hike up wasn't more than a three star at most, and well, the necessity of a four wheeler was quite debatable IMO.

[+Miragee]

Yup . . . we've got one of those here. Terrain is rated '5' and it is less than 400' up a steep hill to the cache . . .

[+TrailGators]

4.5 is the most difficult terrain rating. All caches rated with a 5 terrain are supposed to require special equipment

 

5 is certainly the most difficult terrain rating and though special equipment makes it a 5, it is not required.

 

The definition for 5 says: "Requires specialized equipment and knowledge or experience, or is otherwise extremely difficult."

 

To answer the OP, what makes up a 5 difficulty can vary. It may or may not include a very difficult puzzle or riddle. No matter what it involves, it should take several days or weeks to find for it to be a true 5 difficulty.

 

For some reason I've seen people rate caches that are easy to find, but involve very tough terrain a 5 for difficulty when in reality they should be a 1/5 or 1.5/5.

 

I've seen numerous people rate the difficulty very high (anything 3+) and see in the logs telling a different story with many "easy find" and "found it quickly " logs.

 

There are very few true 5 star difficulty caches out there and even fewer true 5/5s.

 

Thanks for the clarification. It's weird how climbing an twelve foot ladder and climbing Mount Everest are the same terrain rating. I've always thought that there should be an attribute for specialized equipment and that the terrain rating be left alone.

[+TrailGators]

Yup . . . we've got one of those here. Terrain is rated '5' and it is less than 400' up a steep hill to the cache . . .

I once got a 5, 4.5, 4, 3.5 and a 3 all on the same day and they were all short or fairly short hikes off a bumpy dirt road in the desert. Edited July 16, 2007 by TrailGators

[Uberquandary]

Thoughts on 'special equipment' for making a five star terrain:

 

A cache hidden on the face of a cliff: wouldn't want to do anything other than rappel down. Specialized equipment is required; five stars.

 

Whereas, a cache is hidden off of a daunting 4X4 trail: wouldn't mind walking right up to it, even if driving there would be an issue. Specialized equipment, therefore, is not required. Mebbe three stars.

 

Actually, I'm having a hard time imagining a hide where a four wheeler would be required in the strictest sense. I think that calling one specialized equipment for the purposes of terrain ratings is a little daft.

 

But that's just me.

[CoyoteRed]

A true 5 difficulty would stump almost all seekers in that they flat out can not find the cache even after repeated trips. It's hidden that well.

 

As has been said, there are few 5's in the world for sheer hide difficulty.

That is if it were a traditional.

 

Difficulty comes from knowing were the cache is located--either by putting eyes on it and retrieving it or knowing the general location. The puzzle in front of the cache adds to the difficulty.

 

We've found most folks assume the puzzle is all of the difficulty and sometimes have a hard time when they solve a puzzle and then expect an easy find. It doesn't always happen that way.

Fair point. Puzzle caches have two points of "find difficulty". One for the puzzle to even get the coordinates, and another for the find itself.

Well, like mentioned just above you post, the retrieval can sometimes be the sticking point.

 

How about a cache where you know where it is, but the difficulty is in the getting to it. Similar to a Vinny & Sue cache, on the surface it looks like the cache is grossly over rated until you get within 30'. You find yourself on an abandoned road bridge that is still used for fishing and other recreational activities. The GPS is pointing 90º to the bridge. You look over. You mutter to yourself, "%$@*&!!!" You can see the nice large ammo can. Only it's 30' down and 30' out on an old pylon with sheer sides in deep water. You get out your binoculars and discover the can is chained to an old bolt. There is nothing around the pylon to stand on.

 

The puzzle here is to figure out how to get your butt over there. Crane barge, maybe? Pontoon boat and an extension ladder?

[EHDT]

fighting chuck norris is somewhere around 6.5

[+Redcap the Druid]

Here is my idea of a true 5/5...

 

Sleeping With the Brine Shrimp

[+SidAndBob]

Runic Unique is truly a 5/5. The fact that only one team has managed to find it within a 48 hr period (an incredible achievement), most taking months, is testiment to it's difficulty. Despite this, the final cache is a simple find. As it's a puzzle cache I can't say any more though.

[+Fuchsiamagic]

There's a 5/5 cache near where I live and the co-ords given are actually about half a mile from the actual cache! You have to work out where it is without any clues! I have found it now, but getting to it is another matter. I've got all the gear I need, so I hope to bag it this weekend.

[+trainlove]

Difficulty 5 does not require special equipment.

Terrain 5 does.

 

A Difficulty 5 could be a very hard hide of a very small pico, or a very hard puzzle.

The reviewers are supposed to make sure that Terrain 5's really do require special equipment like a kayak or climbing rope or helicopter or so on.

 

But then again they are supposed to make sure that Terrain 1 really is accessibly by people in wheelchairs.

[Tahosa and Sons]

Difficulty is the brain not brawn of a cache. How well it is hidden etc. etc. is what makes it rather difficulty.

Terrain in the physical aspect of the hide, a 5 with use of a jeep can be a cake walk once you drive the back roads to find the 50 ft. walk. To make a cache with any level of 5 takes a lot of work and effort on the hider and be ready for a lot of non lookers for they are not a lamp post cache.

I have hidden several 5 x 5 or something close to that:

1. The Dessert

2. Mac's Mountain Delight

[+MickEMT]

Blue Stone,

Shoot me a PM or email me through my profile, I've got some ideas for a true D5 T5 and a D5 T1 for our area that I'll let you in on.

[+briansnat]

Difficulty 5 does not require special equipment.

Terrain 5 does

 

Terrain 5 does not require special equipment, though it is very likely that if it is a true terrain 5 you will need it.

[+Mr_Mikey]

This one is only a 4 but could be listed as a 5 quite easily. You climb about a thousand feet per mile, hike across a boulder field at about 10 thousand feet elevation, if you get stuck there over night unprepared you can freeze to death. But it is beautiful country. And there are bears to eat you if you fall asleep.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gmnearest.a...p;lon=-111.6602

[dawbjw]

I hid one that I thought was a 5. I think I may need to change that number though. Only thing is, it HAS to be difficult, or it costs me a hundred bucks for every find! Now, after seeing this thread, I'm afraid of bankruptcy. lol Anyone up for a puzzle challenge? Fittingly, it's called ..... wait, why would I post it's name? That will just cost me more in the long run. lol

[+tomfuller & Quill]

After doing more than half of the 4.5 and 5/5 caches in Oregon last year in a geocaching contest, I decided it was time to to put in one of my own. The difficulty for my cache would have been 3.5 if I had not added a puzzle component. The terrain rating for the cache that is on the top of Mt. Ray is 4.5. You can reach that cache by following a course not exceeding 30%. My cache is down a 64% slope so I felt the terrain qualified for a 5.

I named the cache Slope Distance. To solve the puzzle you have to figure out the horizontal (map) distance.

The slope distance is 1188 feet from the cache on the top of the mountain. It's not the most difficult puzzle I've ever solved, but combined with my hide no one who finds it will complain about the 5/5 rating.

Some of the difficulty 5 caches that I have done were the 5 to 5.5 category. Others didn't really fit my idea of what a difficulty 5 is.

[+Paleoman52]

Hey Bluestone, you pose a good question! To me a level 5 difficulty and not level 5 terrain would be a cache that requires the cacher to possibly have to make more than one trip and to search for a long period of time. If this is a multi I believe it would be easier for it to be a 5 difficulty because you have to find more than one hide, so the more the stages a multi has the higher the difficulty should be, that is of course if each stage is made to be very difficult to recognize and find. Also another factor for difficulty could be how little info you provide as to what a cacher is looking for. Is it a set of concealed coordinates written on a magnetic strip, are they written on a twig on a small tree, is it hidden in a knothole with moss put over it so that nothing shows and everything looks natural? The possibilities here are endless. So to answer this question a 5 difficulty requires this; a lot of time to find it, very little info on what you are looking for, and a clever hide that blends in totally with its surroundings and does not draw any attention to itself. I hope that I don't have to look for too many of these but I have a strong feeling that I will be looking for one soon. -Paleoman52-

[+MickEMT]

Hey Bluestone, you pose a good question! To me a level 5 difficulty and not level 5 terrain would be a cache that requires the cacher to possibly have to make more than one trip and to search for a long period of time. If this is a multi I believe it would be easier for it to be a 5 difficulty because you have to find more than one hide, so the more the stages a multi has the higher the difficulty should be, that is of course if each stage is made to be very difficult to recognize and find. Also another factor for difficulty could be how little info you provide as to what a cacher is looking for. Is it a set of concealed coordinates written on a magnetic strip, are they written on a twig on a small tree, is it hidden in a knothole with moss put over it so that nothing shows and everything looks natural? The possibilities here are endless. So to answer this question a 5 difficulty requires this; a lot of time to find it, very little info on what you are looking for, and a clever hide that blends in totally with its surroundings and does not draw any attention to itself. I hope that I don't have to look for too many of these but I have a strong feeling that I will be looking for one soon. -Paleoman52-

 

YEP!!!!!!

[+Kit Fox]

Hey Bluestone, you pose a good question! To me a level 5 difficulty and not level 5 terrain would be a cache that requires the cacher to possibly have to make more than one trip and to search for a long period of time. If this is a multi I believe it would be easier for it to be a 5 difficulty because you have to find more than one hide, so the more the stages a multi has the higher the difficulty should be, that is of course if each stage is made to be very difficult to recognize and find. Also another factor for difficulty could be how little info you provide as to what a cacher is looking for. Is it a set of concealed coordinates written on a magnetic strip, are they written on a twig on a small tree, is it hidden in a knothole with moss put over it so that nothing shows and everything looks natural? The possibilities here are endless. So to answer this question a 5 difficulty requires this; a lot of time to find it, very little info on what you are looking for, and a clever hide that blends in totally with its surroundings and does not draw any attention to itself. I hope that I don't have to look for too many of these but I have a strong feeling that I will be looking for one soon. -Paleoman52-

 

YEP!!!!!!

 

I describe these as "needle in a haystack hides" . I've found one cache where the hiding spot was a large planter of juniper shrubs, completely covered in ivy. The cache was a fake ivy leave hanging from one of the juniper branches. Several "experienced cachers" DNFed on this cache (multiple time). I was lucky, and spotted the cache on my first trip.

 

Here is an example of a "extremely difficult" traditional cache Ross Mountain. I'm saving this cache for my 1100th find. To access this cache, you have climb over the top of Scouting's Highest Honour - Mt. Baden-Powell which is a 2800 foot elevation gain. Then you descend an additional 2100 feet down to Ross mountain. With almost 5000 feet of elevation gain, and losses, most cachers would consider this "extremely difficult."

[Blue_Stone]

Hey Bluestone, you pose a good question! To me a level 5 difficulty and not level 5 terrain would be a cache that requires the cacher to possibly have to make more than one trip and to search for a long period of time. If this is a multi I believe it would be easier for it to be a 5 difficulty because you have to find more than one hide, so the more the stages a multi has the higher the difficulty should be, that is of course if each stage is made to be very difficult to recognize and find. Also another factor for difficulty could be how little info you provide as to what a cacher is looking for. Is it a set of concealed coordinates written on a magnetic strip, are they written on a twig on a small tree, is it hidden in a knothole with moss put over it so that nothing shows and everything looks natural? The possibilities here are endless. So to answer this question a 5 difficulty requires this; a lot of time to find it, very little info on what you are looking for, and a clever hide that blends in totally with its surroundings and does not draw any attention to itself. I hope that I don't have to look for too many of these but I have a strong feeling that I will be looking for one soon. -Paleoman52-

 

HEY!...You've been peeking inside my head....

 

And, yes, I think you WILL be looking for one juuusssttt like that, soon...

[Blue_Stone]

Hey Bluestone, you pose a good question! To me a level 5 difficulty and not level 5 terrain would be a cache that requires the cacher to possibly have to make more than one trip and to search for a long period of time. If this is a multi I believe it would be easier for it to be a 5 difficulty because you have to find more than one hide, so the more the stages a multi has the higher the difficulty should be, that is of course if each stage is made to be very difficult to recognize and find. Also another factor for difficulty could be how little info you provide as to what a cacher is looking for. Is it a set of concealed coordinates written on a magnetic strip, are they written on a twig on a small tree, is it hidden in a knothole with moss put over it so that nothing shows and everything looks natural? The possibilities here are endless. So to answer this question a 5 difficulty requires this; a lot of time to find it, very little info on what you are looking for, and a clever hide that blends in totally with its surroundings and does not draw any attention to itself. I hope that I don't have to look for too many of these but I have a strong feeling that I will be looking for one soon. -Paleoman52-

 

YEP!!!!!!

OK...make that:

And, yes, I think you WILL be looking for TWO juuusssttt like that, soon...

LOL

Edited July 26, 2007 by Blue_stone

[+Machuco]

Here's one up in my area that me and my team are just about to finish. It's a 7 stage multi with a puzzle thrown in for good measure. Each hike has been about 10 miles with 2600 feet of elevation gain and we have had to make 4 of them so far.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...5356f&log=y

[+Don&Betty]

I specialize in interesting and devious puzzles, usually involving mathematics. Here's one (GC92D0), the complete puzzle statement for which is: "The cache touches two steel fence posts where the line of points whose longitudes equal twice their latitudes heads 124.039727 degrees true." I rate this one 4*. The math isn't very tough, using the "big hint" math figure I include. To come up with that math figure yourself though, to figure the approach to the solution for the coords, probably would take some 5* head scratching.

Edited July 26, 2007 by Don&Betty

[+Cache U Nutter]

I have read all the different threads with great interest. I have placed a few 5/5 caches and as a climber it is clear that this grading system is really insufficient to give a realistic assessment of the true nature of the challenge. At 5/5, specialist equipment may well be required to reduce the risk i.e abseiling gear / scuba equipt. This would make it a 5/5.

However there is a requirement for an additional grade system beyond 5/5 which for those who regularly are in this environment will fully understand. This involves the element of RISK.

If the overall risk is taken into account,there are occasions where e.g risk of fall, being hit by falling stones, running out of air,being biten by something nasty e.t.c are all examples where a new classification would be usefull.

I have one cache @ 5/5 where a abseil is required. At all times the cacher will be securely roped up and degree of risk is low [still warranting a 5/5 grade however]

Another cache just published involves a free climb with no top rope possible where a fall would probably result in death [also 5/5] hence new system required.

 

The system I am now using is an Extreme classification grading which reflects the objective danger [risk of death or serious injury] ranging from E1 - E10 Call it a 'Grip factor' if you like !

This is similar to the British climbing grading system but adapted to the requirements of the Geocaching community.

If you are looking at 5/5 be aware that there is a new and varied challenge awaiting you!!!!

[+Cache U Nutter]

Whoops a repeat and I cannot delete !

Edited July 27, 2007 by Cache U Nutter

[+SidAndBob]

Doesn't it make you laugh when you see some D T ratings.

I did a D4 T5 that took me 0.5hr door to door. The cache was on a bit of a slope, but so what. Then a few weeks later I did a 22 mile hike through the Welsh mountains along a multi to find a camoflaged rock-micro. This was a D2 T3.5. As you can tell from the ratings, the latter was much easier.

[+BigWhiteTruck]

[Blue_Stone]

 

Hey, is that MaMa Bear?

[+J-Dog]

Blue_Stone...I believe youre right. Looks like Mama Bear to me.

[+MickEMT]

I have read all the different threads with great interest. I have placed a few 5/5 caches and as a climber it is clear that this grading system is really insufficient to give a realistic assessment of the true nature of the challenge. At 5/5, specialist equipment may well be required to reduce the risk i.e abseiling gear / scuba equipt. This would make it a 5/5.

However there is a requirement for an additional grade system beyond 5/5 which for those who regularly are in this environment will fully understand. This involves the element of RISK.

If the overall risk is taken into account,there are occasions where e.g risk of fall, being hit by falling stones, running out of air,being biten by something nasty e.t.c are all examples where a new classification would be usefull.

I have one cache @ 5/5 where a abseil is required. At all times the cacher will be securely roped up and degree of risk is low [still warranting a 5/5 grade however]

Another cache just published involves a free climb with no top rope possible where a fall would probably result in death [also 5/5] hence new system required.

 

The system I am now using is an Extreme classification grading which reflects the objective danger [risk of death or serious injury] ranging from E1 - E10 Call it a 'Grip factor' if you like !

This is similar to the British climbing grading system but adapted to the requirements of the Geocaching community.

If you are looking at 5/5 be aware that there is a new and varied challenge awaiting you!!!!

 

The "E1 to E10" system does sound like a good idea. To me a "5" for difficulty or terrain should mean that special equipment and/or training/knowledge is required, such as SCUBA gear, rappelling/climbing gear, radiation suit etc....