Elevation Gain Calculator
Track your vertical climb for hiking, cycling, and fitness activities
What is Elevation Gain?
Elevation gain is the total vertical distance you climb during an activity. It’s a key metric for hikers, cyclists, and fitness enthusiasts to measure workout intensity.
For example, if you hike up 500 feet, then down 200 feet, and then up another 300 feet, your total elevation gain would be 800 feet (500 + 300).
Why Elevation Gain Matters:
- Measures workout intensity
- Helps plan routes and estimate difficulty
- Increases calorie burn (approximately 10 extra calories per 100 feet climbed)
- Improves cardiovascular fitness and leg strength
Hiking Elevation Calculator
Indoor Workout Elevation
Elevation Gain Conversion Tool
Conversion Results:
Feet:
1,000 ft
Meters:
304.8 m
Floors/Stories:
~100 floors
Vertical Miles:
0.19 miles
1,000 feet is approximately the height of the Eiffel Tower’s main structure (984 ft).
Elevation Gain – Know the Facts
For Hikers
Hiking trails are often rated by elevation gain:
- Easy: Less than 500 ft
- Moderate: 500-2,000 ft
- Difficult: 2,000-4,000 ft
- Strenuous: Over 4,000 ft
For Cyclists
Cycling routes are categorized by climb difficulty:
- Category 4: 300-650 ft
- Category 3: 650-1,500 ft
- Category 2: 1,500-3,000 ft
- Category 1: 3,000-4,900 ft
- HC (Hors Catégorie): Over 4,900 ft
Famous Elevations
- Empire State Building: 1,250 ft
- Eiffel Tower: 1,083 ft
- Half Dome (Yosemite): 4,737 ft
- Mont Blanc: 15,774 ft
- Mt. Kilimanjaro: 19,341 ft
- Mt. Everest: 29,032 ft
Tips for Elevation Training
For Beginners: Start with lower elevation gains (300-500 ft) and gradually increase as your fitness improves. Aim for a grade under 10%.
For Experienced Hikers/Runners: Challenge yourself with 1,000+ ft of elevation gain. Incorporate interval training on hills.
For Indoor Training: Set treadmill incline between 5-15% or use a stair climber. A good rule of thumb: 10 flights of stairs ≈ 100 ft of elevation.
Preparation for Mountain Activities: Train with at least 50-70% of your target elevation gain several times before your big hike or climb.
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