Total ascent

[The Plodding Pensioner]

I used the Dintaman & Landis guide to walk the Frances route this autumn and was very pleased with its content.

I appreciate that most guides will give you a general indication of each stage's starting elevation, maximum elevation and finishing elevation, however, I am wondering if any topographically savvy forum member has ever broken down each stage into total ascent (and total descent). To illustrate, a fictional stage may start at 500' elevation; max out at 600' elevation; and finish at 500' elevation. This would normally be reported as having a total elevation of 100', however, if over the course of this stage you walked through 4 valleys that dropped down to 100' elevation and rose again to 600' elevation, the total elevation walked would have been at least 2000'!

So, I'm wondering if anyone has ever broken down each stage into each small ascent and descend in order to total calculate the total amount of ascending (and descending) elevation covered?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Wikiloc.com shows the information you want.

Here is an example screenshot from their app:

 

[Afri-Can]

Good observation and one will be surprised at the difference between the advertised and the actual elevation gain or loss. Although not on the Frances, I had my app going when walking the Baztane this year and found the following.

To get over the Pass of Otsondo we started in Urdax at around 9:15am and only got to the top of the pass (4.5km later) after 2 hours. Another 2 hours got us to Amaiur for 10km in 4 hours. We started at about 90m above MSL with the top of the pass at about 575m above MSL, which is roughly a 485m climb. However, with ups and downs it turned out to be a 583m climb.

To get over the Pass of Belate we started in Ziga at around 9:30am (the owner just shook his head when we explained that we were aiming for Lantz) and only got to the top of the pass (16km later) after 6 hours. Another hour got us to Lantz for 20km in 7 hours. We started at about 303m above MSL with the top of the pass at about 944m above MSL, which is roughly a 641m climb. However, with ups and downs it turned out to be an 1172m climb.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I have an example of how the ups and downs can add up. It shows how there is not much difference in total climb between the Valcarlos and Napoleon routes. Click the picture to get to the page with the data.

Elevation profiles of the tracks from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles

• Rick of Rick and Peg
• Feb 14, 2019
• 10
• sjpp to roncesvalles

If seen in a post click the chart to see a page with comments on the details.

 

[peregrina2000]

Forum members have told me that elevation gains and losses are notoriously unreliable. GPS reports of the same stretch vary tremendously.

I use wikiloc, like Rick, and the first three tracks that come up for this stage illustrate perfectly.

824 m — https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino-del-baztan-ziga-lantz-17249977

1330 m — https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino-baztanes-et-2-ziga-lantz-17206183

791 m — https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/5-ziga-lantz-19766143

I have basically given up on getting a reliable estimate, it makes for more surprises en route!

 

[The Plodding Pensioner]

To the digitally challenged, such as I, you guys are champions! Thanks for your prompt replies. I'll checkout the Wikiloc.com site.

 

[Former member 35551]

I'm a fan of gpsvisualizer. You can upload a track and and it will give you point by point elevation change in a data table or graph. It's free and powerful. But non-intuitive.

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Walkmeter does an accurate job of not only tracking one's specific route that is walked or run, but also elevation gains and losses, total elevation, and total loss.

 

[nycwalking]

Good observation and one will be surprised at the difference between the advertised and the actual elevation gain or loss. Although not on the Frances, I had my app going when walking the Baztane this year and found the following.

To get over the Pass of Otsondo we started in Urdax at around 9:15am and only got to the top of the pass (4.5km later) after 2 hours. Another 2 hours got us to Amaiur for 10km in 4 hours. We started at about 90m above MSL with the top of the pass at about 575m above MSL, which is roughly a 485m climb. However, with ups and downs it turned out to be a 583m climb.

To get over the Pass of Belate we started in Ziga at around 9:30am (the owner just shook his head when we explained that we were aiming for Lantz) and only got to the top of the pass (16km later) after 6 hours. Another hour got us to Lantz for 20km in 7 hours. We started at about 303m above MSL with the top of the pass at about 944m above MSL, which is roughly a 641m climb. However, with ups and downs it turned out to be an 1172m climb.

Ouch!

I thought 117m to 525m leaving Ourense was bad.

I doubt Baztane will ever see me: Yikes!