Opinion: No One Cares What Grade You Climb—And Neither Should You

Let’s get one thing straight: No one cares what you climb.

Not the stranger watching you try-hard a V5 for the seventh time. Not the kid gleefully sending a juggy V1 in rented shoes. Not even the boulder you’re projecting—that thing’s been there for a million years and it still doesn’t care.

And yet, somewhere along the way, we let grades become our identity. We started acting like our climbing grade is our résumé, as if the number next to a route name is a reflection of our worth—not just as climbers, but as people. We turn progress into pressure. Instead of asking “Did you have fun?” we ask, “What grade was it?” Like joy can be measured on the V-scale. We downplay easy days because they’re “not “impressive.” And worst of all, we let grades convince us we don’t belong.

I’ve been climbing for 22 years. I competed at a national level for USA Climbing for 10 of those years. And for too long—and honestly, still sometimes—I let the grade of my climbs define me. I’ve let it rob me of joy, ruin sessions, shake my confidence, and even make me question my own self-worth. I’ve cried at crags, skipped rest days I needed, and said no to climbs that looked “too easy” because I didn’t want people to think I wasn’t strong enough. It’s exhausting, and it’s not the reason I started climbing in the first place.

Climbing, at its core, is a relationship. With your body. With fear. With failure. With the people who catch you. Grades can help track progress, but they don’t define your experience—you do. It’s not about numbers. This is about problem solving, perseverance, creativity, and joy. It’s about how you feel when you try something scary and surprise yourself. This is laughing with your friends, eating squished sandwiches, and maybe sending something you didn’t think you could.

The best climbers I know aren’t always the strongest. They’re the ones who show up consistently, who cheer the loudest for everyone at the crag, who get shut down, and laugh it off. They’re the ones who climb with intention—not ego.

Don’t get me wrong—watching climbers make history sending some of the hardest routes in the world is inspiring, but that’s not most of us. Grades give us a way to measure progress, to set goals, to communicate difficulty. But they’re a tool, not a trophy. And when we start letting them dictate our self-worth, we’re missing the point entirely.

So here’s a gentle reminder: You are a climber because you show up. Because you fall off and try again. Whether you’re projecting 5.13 or dancing up 5.7 slabs, if climbing brings you joy—then you’re doing it right. The rock isn’t keeping score, and neither should you.

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