The ITRS is an objective way to assess trails and routes from a user’s perspective. The ITRS informs the trail users about the requirements to safely master the various challenges of a trail or an entire route.
For this purpose, four aspects are evaluated in the ITRS, which in their interaction reflect the fascination and complexity of trail based activities:
Technical Difficulty, Endurance, Exposure and Wilderness.
Goals and guiding principles of the ITRS:
More safety for recreational trail users
By linking the technical difficulty of trails and routes with the necessary skills. This enables the content of skills courses to be specifically adapted to the technical difficulty levels. Misjudgements of the necessary riding skills and thus the risk of accidents are reduced.
Thanks to an international dissemination of a uniform and target group-oriented trail rating system. This alone will reduce the risk of accidents as well.
Increased attractiveness and quality of touristic offers for trail users through:
- a new logic and innovative graphic implementation of the rating of entire routes or tours, which illustrates their complex reality in an intuitively understandable way. It makes it easier for trail users to find the right offers for them and to have positive experiences on the trails.
- the introduction of a certification system for the classification of trails according to ITRS in order to achieve a correct and consistent application of the ratings. Destinations will be able to demonstrate that their trails are rated according to the standards and that the trails are professionally maintained.
- Greater consistency of newly built trails, as the ITRS also serves as an additional guideline for trail builders to consistently build recreational purpose built trails according to specific difficulty levels.
Maintaining the adventure vibe
Trail based recreational activities thrive on the variability and unpredictability of trails and routes. The ITRS strives for a balance that leaves outdoor trail based sports with this fascination, but at the same time can contribute to more safety and a positive experience.