SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/climb-yds-overview

In US rock climbing grades, which grade comes right after 5.9?

5.10, because the numbers after the dot count up like whole numbers.

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  1. 6.0
  2. 5.91
  3. 5.10 ✔

Why: The Yosemite Decimal System is not a real decimal. After 5.9 comes 5.10, then 5.11 and up, and today's hardest routes are 5.15.

Huh, didn't know that: From 5.10 up, grades add a letter from a to d, like 5.10a, to split each level finer.

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Why did the climber read the grade? To know if the route was 5.0 or five point oh no.
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References

Answer: 5.10. The Yosemite Decimal System is not a real decimal. After 5.9 comes 5.10, then 5.11 and up, and today's hardest routes are 5.15.

  1. REI: Climbing and Bouldering Rating Systems www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/climbing-bouldering-rating.html
    Because 6.0 was already designated for aid climbing, ratings of 5.10 and above were added.
    Checked 2026-10-12.
  2. REI: Climbing and Bouldering Rating Systems www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/climbing-bouldering-rating.html
    a sub classification system of letters (a, b, c or d) is used for climbs 5.10 and higher.
    Checked 2026-10-12.

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