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Elevation Gain on Camino Frances

stevelm1

Past and Future Perigrino
Time of past OR future Camino
CF 2015, CP 2019, Camino Catalan 2023
After I did a search of the site (and the web) I was surprised to not find one post on the total elevation gain while walking the Camino Frances. Perhaps I am just a poor searcher, so if someone can point me to the information that would be great, or if you have it and are willing to share, that too would be wonderful. Thanks in advance.
 
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Thanks, exactly what I was looking for.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
My own checking of GPS tracks and analysis tools show that the cumlative elevation gain from SJPdP to the high points on the Valcarlos and Napoleon routes are about the same. Although the high point of the Valcarlos route is substantially lower than the one on the Napoleon there are a lot more ups and downs.
 
Thanks to everyone for their responses. I am planning on walking the Camino Portugues next year and am starting to plan my training for the walk. I used the height measurement to get an average height gain per week to give me a number to train to for a while (I know they are different trails). I expect to walk more than 1000 training miles before I start the Camino. I can do this because I am retired. ;-)
 
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Thanks to everyone for their responses. I am planning on walking the Camino Portugues next year and am starting to plan my training for the walk. I used the height measurement to get an average height gain per week to give me a number to train to for a while (I know they are different trails). I expect to walk more than 1000 training miles before I start the Camino. I can do this because I am retired. ;-)
Why would you search for Camino Frances elevation/profile info if you are going to walk Caminho Portugues??? :):):)
Use the same links I posted and look at the Portugues... Easy peasy.

Bom Caminho!
 
Our total elevation gain from SJPP to Santiago was 13,000 meters. The hills at the end add up on a daily basis.
 
My biggest elevation gain per a Fitbit was from Ruitelan to Fonfria. That surprised me. It was 200 floors, about 2,000 feet. There is a surprising amount of "undulating" terrain with a couple of known climbs to La Faba and O Cebreiro.
 
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Wait, if you end up with a net elevation gain between SJPP and Finisterre at the ocean, does that mean SJPP is at an altitude below sea level?
 
Thanks to everyone for their responses. I am planning on walking the Camino Portugues next year and am starting to plan my training for the walk. I used the height measurement to get an average height gain per week to give me a number to train to for a while (I know they are different trails). I expect to walk more than 1000 training miles before I start the Camino. I can do this because I am retired. ;-)

Wow that is some serious training for the Portuguese. You could do the Frances twice
 
Wait, if you end up with a net elevation gain between SJPP and Finisterre at the ocean, does that mean SJPP is at an altitude below sea level?

I think they were talking about total/cumulative rather than net elevation gain :):) St Jean sits around 180m above sea level (varies a bit with all its ups and downs). But I'm enjoying the image of a below-sea-level version of the place!
 
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I think they were talking about total/cumulative rather than net elevation gain :):) St Jean sits around 180m above sea level (varies a bit with all its ups and downs). But I'm enjoying the image of a below-sea-level version of the place!
Except that the first link, which the OP said provided exactly what was required said:
  • Elevation Gain: 18,666 meters (61,240 feet)
  • Elevation Loss: 17,778 meters (58,328 feet)
That seems to work out to a net elevation gain, implying that the elevation at the end, on the shores of the Atlantic, is higher than the elevation in SJPP.
 
Except that the first link, which the OP said provided exactly what was required said:
  • Elevation Gain: 18,666 meters (61,240 feet)
  • Elevation Loss: 17,778 meters (58,328 feet)
That seems to work out to a net elevation gain, implying that the elevation at the end, on the shores of the Atlantic, is higher than the elevation in SJPP.
The finish point might be SdC (above sea level) but something still looks off.
 
Except that the first link, which the OP said provided exactly what was required said:
  • Elevation Gain: 18,666 meters (61,240 feet)
  • Elevation Loss: 17,778 meters (58,328 feet)
That seems to work out to a net elevation gain, implying that the elevation at the end, on the shores of the Atlantic, is higher than the elevation in SJPP.

Those figures would seem to imply that, yes! Weird.... Well - unless you and I are both missing something (or the cliffs at Finisterre are a lot higher than I thought!:eek:), I think the guy whose website gives those numbers made a mistake.

Hopefully someone knowledgeable will confirm this (or point out how those numbers could be correct after all!) and perhaps provide a source for accurate elevation gains/losses to help the OP.
 
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OK, so a nice gentle stroll along the Camino Frances involves the equivalent of climbing Everest from sea-level twice (no cheating by starting on the Tibetan plateau). It also involves the equivalent horizontal distance of me walking to my local pub, there and back, on 250 consecutive days. Given the average 34 day Frances that means I'd have to visit the pub 7 times a day with an extra visit on Saturdays.

I'm off to get some training in....
 
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Does anyone know the total elevation gain and loss on the Norte?
I just did a quick check on wikiloc.com and saw a few tracks listed at over 400 miles. The elevation gain for these were about 45,000 feet (which Google says is 13,716 meters).

One of the longer tracks said it was a coastal variant and the gain was almost 50,000 feet.
 
I just did a quick check on wikiloc.com and saw a few tracks listed at over 400 miles. The elevation gain for these were about 45,000 feet (which Google says is 13,716 meters).

One of the longer tracks said it was a coastal variant and the gain was almost 50,000 feet.
Thank you!
 
Does anyone know the total elevation gain and loss on the Norte?

Gain: 20923 m
Loss: 20692 m

Irun to Santiago
Source: Gronze

edit: Just goes to show how misleading feelings can be. I did Norte in 2017 and Primitivo in 2019 and thought Primitivo was much harder. The Primitivo's cumulative gain/loss is 43 m/km. Norte's is 48.
 
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Gain: 20923 m
Loss: 20692 m

Irun to Santiago
Source: Gronze

edit: Just goes to show how misleading feelings can be. I did Norte in 2017 and Primitivo in 2019 and thought Primitivo was much harder. The Primitivo's cumulative gain/loss is 43 m/km. Norte's is 48.
Did you do the math based on Gronze figures, or is there a link to the total elevation gain/loss?
I don't doubt you, I just want to see all the numbers.
 
No, there is no link to the numbers as far as I know. I download the kml files from Gronze and use those for planning, i.e. calculating distance, elevation changes, stops, etc.
 
Did you do the math based on Gronze figures, or is there a link to the total elevation gain/loss?
I don't doubt you, I just want to see all the numbers.

I used the Camino del Norte book by Dave Whitson and Laura Perazzoli

Length 820 km, unpaved 265 km, total ascent 17,500 m and total descent 17,100 m
 
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