Elevation Gain Calculator

About the Elevation Gain Calculator

Calculates the total elevation gain (cumulative ascent) and loss along a route from a list of waypoint elevations.

How to use

Enter elevations in order, separated by commas, then click Calculate.

Worked example

100, 250, 200, 400 → total gain 250 m, total loss 50 m.

How to use this calculator

1. Enter the waypoint elevations in order along the route.
2. Make sure the elevations all use the same unit, such as meters or feet.
3. Run the calculator to total only the upward changes between consecutive points.
4. Review the result and compare it with the step-by-step breakdown if you want to check the route.

The formula explained

• \(\text{total ascent}\) = the sum of all upward elevation changes
• \(e_i\) = the elevation at waypoint i
• \(e_{i-1}\) = the elevation at the previous waypoint
• \(\max(0, e_i - e_{i-1})\) = the upward gain between two points, counted only when the route goes uphill

Step by step method

1. Take each pair of consecutive waypoint elevations and find the change from the earlier point to the later point.
2. If the route goes uphill, keep that positive difference as gain.
3. If the route goes downhill or stays level, count that change as zero for ascent.
4. Add all positive differences together to get the total ascent.

Worked example

Suppose a hike has waypoint elevations of 120, 150, 140, and 180 meters.

1. From 120 to 150, the gain is \(150 - 120 = 30\) meters.
2. From 150 to 140, the route drops, so the ascent for that segment is 0.
3. From 140 to 180, the gain is \(180 - 140 = 40\) meters.
4. Add the uphill parts: \(30 + 0 + 40 = 70\) meters total ascent.

Tips and common mistakes

• Use elevations in the same unit throughout the list, such as all meters or all feet.
• The calculator counts only climbs, not descents, so downhill segments do not reduce the total.
• Keep the waypoint order exactly as traveled, because changing the order changes the ascent total.
• If two consecutive points have the same elevation, that segment adds nothing to the total ascent.

Frequently asked questions