Editing Climbing guidebook (section)

===Sandbagging===

The grading of modern climbing routes is increasingly concentrated around a small number of dominant systems, such as the [[Yosemite Decimal System]] and the [[Grade (climbing)#V-grade|V-scale]] in North America, and the French [[Grade (climbing)#French numerical grade|sport system]] and [[Grade (climbing)#Font grade|Font-scale]] in Europe.  An aspect of climbing guidebooks is the consistency of applying these dominant grading systems with that of other climbing areas and guidebooks so that visiting climbers to an area can accurately assess the scale of a route's challenge.  Where a guidebook's grades are materially 'easier' than what they should be so that the listed grades underestimate the challenge and difficulty of the routes, it is known as 'sandbagging'.<ref name=CN>{{cite web | magazine=Climber | url=https://www.climbernews.com/what-is-a-sandbag-in-climbing/ | title=What Is A Sandbag In Climbing? – Climbing Jargon Explained | date=15 January 2021 | accessdate=6 May 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/places/get-sandbagged-7-routes-to-do/ | title=Get Sandbagged! 7 Notoriously Tougher-than-Advertised Routes | date=9 September 2013 | accessdate=6 May 2024 | first=Eddie | last=Schermerhorn}}</ref>

'Sandbagging' is a source of debate amongst climbers, some consider it a source of unnecessary danger to visiting climbers, while others consider 'sandbagging' a reflection of local customs and historical grading that should be preserved in guidebook grades.<ref name=CN/><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/people/the-wright-stuff-the-art-of-the-sandbag/ | title=Cedar Wright on 'The Value of a Good Sandbag' | first=Cedar| last=Wright| date=27 June 2023 | accessdate=6 May 2024}}</ref> Certain climbing areas are notable for systemic sandbagging (i.e. most of the grades in their guidebooks understate the true difficulty of their routes), with examples in North America being [[Yosemite]], [[Shawangunk Ridge]] (the "Gunks"), and [[Eldorado Canyon State Park|Eldorado Canyon]].<ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/places/numbers-game-historic-sandbagged-crags/ | title=Numbers Game: Classic Sandbags at 4 Historic Crags | first=Liz | last=Drummond| date=2 March 2023 | accessdate=6 May 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | website=HardClimbs | url=https://hardclimbs.info/sandbagged-climbing/ | first=Zak | last=D | date=22 August 2023 | accessdate=6 May 2024 | title=What does sandbagging mean in climbing}}</ref> Some guidebooks will try to alert the reader on sandbagged routes (e.g. "often considered sandbagged at the grade"), or with more subtle wordings to avoid upsetting local climbers such as "stiff at the grade".<ref>{{cite web | magazine=UKClimbing | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/guidebooks_what_they_say_vs_what_they_mean-12323 | title=Guidebooks: What They Say vs. What They Mean Article | date=10 October 2019 | accessdate=6 May 2024 | first=John | last=Sagar}}</ref><ref name=CM2/>