150 hiking times — 10 km with 500 m of climb takes 2 h 50 min
A time up and a time down for every meeting of 15 distances and 10 climbs. On a mountain it is the ascent, not the distance, that sets the clock.
Naismith’s rule is two lines
An hour for every 5 km on the flat, plus an hour for every 600 m of climb. That is the whole rule, written in 1892 and still the standard because two lines get surprisingly close. Ten kilometres with 500 m of climb comes to two hours plus fifty minutes — 2 h 50.
One metre up equals 8.33 flat
This falls out of the two lines. Climbing 600 m takes as long as walking 5 km, so one metre of ascent is worth 8.33 metres on the flat. Add the climb back in at that rate and any route becomes a single number — which is how routes of different lengths can be compared at all.
Coming down turns at 12 degrees
A gentle descent speeds you up: take off ten minutes for every 300 m down. A steep one does the opposite — you brake, you place your feet, and it adds those same ten minutes per 300 m. The line between them is an average slope of 12 degrees. That correction is Langmuir’s, laid on top of Naismith.
The average slope tells you the shape
It is the angle you get by dividing the climb by the distance. A kilometre gaining 1,000 m is 45 degrees; real trails mostly sit between 5 and 25. Remember it is an average — a flat approach followed by a brutal final pitch shows up as the same number as a steady grind.
These figures are a starting point
Breaks and meals are not in here. A heavy pack, snow, or scrambling all add time, and a group moves at the pace of its slowest member. Count backwards from sunset and leave room.
Total climb
- ↑ 0 mAs flat distance 0.00 km
- ↑ 100 mAs flat distance 0.83 km
- ↑ 200 mAs flat distance 1.67 km
- ↑ 300 mAs flat distance 2.50 km
- ↑ 500 mAs flat distance 4.17 km
- ↑ 700 mAs flat distance 5.83 km
- ↑ 900 mAs flat distance 7.50 km
- ↑ 1200 mAs flat distance 10.00 km
- ↑ 1500 mAs flat distance 12.50 km
- ↑ 2000 mAs flat distance 16.67 km
Find it by distance and climb
Time up
1 kmeasy
2 kmeasy
3 kmeasy
4 kmmoderate
5 kmmoderate
6 kmmoderate
7 kmmoderate
8 kmmoderate
10 kmmoderate
12 kmhard
14 kmhard
16 kmhard
18 kmhard
20 kmhard
25 kmsevere
How to read this
- Going up: an hour per 5 km on the flat, plus an hour per 600 m of climb.
- Coming down assumes the same path back, adding or subtracting ten minutes per 300 m depending on the slope.
- Breaks are not included. Even five minutes an hour adds up to more than half an hour over a day.
- Total climb means every metre gained, including the ups after the downs. A map app will tell you.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How long is 10 km with 500 m of climb?
Two hours fifty going up — two hours for the distance plus fifty minutes for the climb.
Q. What is Naismith’s rule?
An hour per 5 km on the flat plus an hour per 600 m of ascent. Written in 1892 and still the working standard.
Q. Why can coming down take longer?
Because a steep descent slows you down. Past an average slope of 12 degrees you add ten minutes per 300 m instead of subtracting them.
Q. What is 100 m of climb worth on the flat?
833 metres. It follows from 600 m of ascent costing the same hour as 5 km of walking.
Q. How should I allow for breaks?
They are not in the table. Even five minutes an hour adds half an hour to a six-hour day.