In the context of hiking, elevation gain refers to the vertical distance increased during a hike. To illustrate, consider a hike beginning at the base of a hill with an elevation of 300 meters. If the hike progresses directly to the summit, the elevation gain is 300 meters, as the distance between the starting point and the summit is 300 meters higher. However, this is not always that straightforward. If the trail goes up and down before reaching the summit, the elevation gain needs to be calculated cumulatively. For instance, if the ascent is 100 meters, the descent is 50 meters, and the subsequent ascent is 250 meters, the total elevation gain is not simply the height of the hill, but 350 meters. This is because the total elevation gain is the sum of all ascents, not just the height difference.
Although the elevation gain does not provide a reliable indicator of the difficulty of a hike, the elevation gain can still be useful in providing an estimation of the overall amount of uphill climbing. This information can be useful when planning a hike, particularly for those who are less experienced or unfamiliar with the demands of ascending and descending hills throughout the day.
