Elevation Gain per Mile Calculator

1. Enter the total ascent for the route in metres.
2. Enter the total distance in kilometres.
3. Read the climbing density as metres per kilometre and feet per mile.
4. Check the average grade and the steepness category.

Elevation gain per mile, also called climbing density, is a single number that captures how steep a route is overall. Two trails can be the same length yet feel completely different: one flat and one that climbs constantly. Dividing total ascent by distance turns that difference into a figure you can compare at a glance.

Hikers, trail runners and cyclists all use it to judge how hard a route will be before they start. A high gain per mile warns you that the distance alone badly understates the effort, and that your pace will be far slower than on flat ground. It is also the fairest way to compare trails from different regions: a coastal path and an alpine route may share a distance on paper, but their gain per mile tells you instantly which one will leave your legs burning.

1. Divide total ascent by distance for gain per kilometre.
2. Convert to feet per mile if you prefer imperial units.
3. Divide ascent by the distance in metres and multiply by 100 for the average grade.
4. Compare the result against the steepness bands to judge the route.

The average grade smooths the whole route into one slope. Real trails have flat sections and steep pushes, so the steepest parts will be well above this average. Even so, the single density figure is the quickest way to rank a shortlist of routes by difficulty before you look at anything else.

A mountain route climbs 900 metres over 10 kilometres. The gain per kilometre is 900 divided by 10, which is 90 metres per kilometre. In imperial that is close to 475 feet per mile. The average grade is 900 divided by 10,000, times 100, which is 9 percent. That falls in the hilly-to-steep range, so expect a much slower pace than the 10 kilometre distance suggests.

Total Ascent

More height gained over the same distance raises the density and the effort directly.

Route Distance

Spreading the same climb over a longer distance lowers the average grade and eases the route.

Ascent Profile

The average hides the shape; a route can be gentle then brutally steep, so read the profile as well as the density.

Measurement Source

GPS and map data can differ on total ascent, especially on undulating ground, so figures vary a little between apps.

These bands give a feel for how steep a route is overall.

As a rule of thumb, anything above about 100 metres per kilometre is a serious mountain day whatever the distance.

Comparing Routes

Rank two hikes of the same length by which one actually climbs more.

Judging Difficulty

Decide whether a route matches your fitness before committing to it.

Planning Pace

Use the density as a warning that your pace and time will suffer on a steep route.

1. Judging by Distance Alone

A short route can climb more than a long one; always check the gain per mile.

2. Trusting the Average Everywhere

The average grade hides steep pitches that are far harder than the number implies.

3. Mixing Units

Keep ascent and distance in matching units, or convert carefully between metres and feet.

4. Ignoring Descent

This measures ascent only; a big descent adds its own strain on knees and time.

The maths is exact for the ascent and distance you enter. Its usefulness depends on how accurate your total-ascent figure is.

Divide total ascent by distance. A route with 3,000 feet of gain over 6 miles climbs 500 feet per mile.

Over about 500 feet per mile, or 100 metres per kilometre, is steep. Under 105 feet per mile is fairly flat.

Another name for elevation gain per unit of distance. It captures how much a route climbs relative to its length.

Multiply metres per kilometre by about 5.28. So 90 metres per kilometre is roughly 475 feet per mile.

The whole route slope as a percentage: ascent divided by horizontal distance, times 100. A 9 percent grade climbs 9 metres per 100 metres.

No. The average smooths the route; individual pitches can be far steeper than the average grade suggests.

GPS and map elevation data differ, and small undulations add up differently, so total ascent can vary between tools.

No. It measures ascent only. A route with heavy descent has its own demands on time and on your knees.

No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.

• Grade (slope) (Wikipedia).
• Cumulative elevation gain (Wikipedia).
• Hiking and route difficulty (Wikipedia).