Cumulative elevation gain

imported
#1

Has anyone ever calculated the cumulative elevation change on the PCT/CDT/AT??

Hydro Heidi

#2

Was it National Geographic Adventure mag or Outside or Backpacker that did a great comparison piece on the Big Three trails and included a comparison of the elevation change? It was a great article! Does anyone remember what magazine published it and when?

marcia powers

#3

Just a little section:
North Adams to Pinkham Notch = almost exactly 70,000 feet of vertical gain. Yowsa.

climber

#4

Just read an article about a guy who did the triple crown in 2001. It said he gained over a million feet in elevation, but didn’t give an exact number. Averaged out over 365 days, thats just over 2,739 feet of elevation a day. http://www.hikingwithmike.com/triplecrownhike.htm

Josh

#5

is that just elevation gained?? or is that a figure for the total volume of elevation?

Hammock PhD

#6

Marcia, and all-
The June/July 2004 issue of National Geographic Adventure features comparative info on the Big Three. It states that even though the AT is shorter in length and lower in elevation than the PCT and CDT, it gains (and loses) nearly twice the vertical footage.

Total feet gained:
AT - 469,920
CDT - 374,377
PCT - 313,850

The article even sports a quote and pic of Baltimore Jack. If you can get your hands on this issue, it’s a goodie. Couldn’t throw it away myself.

Dimples

#7

Here’s the mile for mile vertical breakdown from the same issue of Adventure Dimples mentions: AT 218 feet per mile, CDT 120 fpm, PCT 118 fpm.

Disco