Ten kilometres can be a stroll or a tough day: it depends on the height gain. How to read distance, height gain, timings and difficulty on a hiking route card, with a real example from Val di Funes.
Before a hike the right question is not how many kilometres is it, but can I do it? The answer is almost always on the route card, as long as you know how to read it: distance, height gain, time and difficulty are four figures to be read together, never one at a time.
In this article I take them one by one, then apply them to a real route card, for a walk I lead in Val di Funes. By the end you have a simple method for judging whether a trail suits you or your group.
Distance on its own tells you almost nothing
Ten kilometres on the flat and ten kilometres with five hundred metres of climbing are two different days. It is the mistake I see most often: judging effort by kilometres, as if you were walking around town.
Distance tells you how long you will be on your feet and how much water to bring. But it is the height gain that decides how hard it will be.
Height gain: up, down and up-and-down
Height gain shows the metres of ascent (positive, with a + sign) and descent (negative, with a − sign) accumulated over the whole route. Two details change how you read it:
- Total height gain is not the difference in altitude. A loop starts and finishes at the same height, but it can still involve hundreds of metres of climbing if it goes up and down several times.
- Going down is not free. Descending costs less breath but more legs: knees and thighs work hard, and on rough ground descent times are nowhere near half the ascent times.
That is why, for the same metres of climbing, a route with lots of ups and downs is harder than a single steady ascent: you climb and descend repeatedly, and your stride never settles into a steady rhythm.
The stated time: what it includes and what it doesn't
The time on a route card can mean two different things: actual walking time, calculated at an average pace, or the overall duration of the outing, with breaks and group pace. Before doing any sums, work out which of the two you are reading.
To estimate walking time there is a rule that has been in use for over a century, Naismith's rule: one hour for every 5 kilometres, plus one hour for every 600 metres of ascent. It assumes fit walkers, good ground and no stops. For a mixed group, with breaks, photos and some rough sections, the real time is noticeably longer.
A real example: the Adolf Munkel Weg
Let's take the route card for the Odle trail that I lead in Val di Funes. It gives these figures: 8.6 km, +360 / −360 m, 3 h 30 min, difficulty easy.
| Figure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 8.6 km | Half a day on your feet, not a short stroll |
| Height gain | +360 / −360 m | A modest climb but spread out: the up-and-down is constant |
| Time by Naismith | about 2 h 20 min | Walking only, fit pace, no stops |
| Duration on the card | 3 h 30 min | Realistic duration with group pace and breaks |
| Difficulty | Easy | No exposed sections, but boots with a lugged sole are needed |
The gap between the two estimates is not a mistake: it is exactly the margin a real group needs, one that stops, looks, drinks and takes photos. The full card, with stages and elevation profile, is the one for the hike on the Adolf Munkel Weg beneath the Odle.
The same trail, walked as a wider loop, comes to about 10 km and 470 metres of height gain for four hours of walking: you will find it compared with three other routes in the valley in the guide to four routes in Val di Funes. It is a good example of how the same name can hide different days: the variant matters, not just the trail.
Difficulty: the T, E, EE, EEA scale
In Italy hiking difficulty is usually given on the scale of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI):
- T – Tourist: lanes, mule tracks or wide paths; short, well-signed routes.
- E – Hiking: signed paths over varied terrain that require a little experience and suitable gear.
- EE – For experienced hikers: steep, slippery or exposed sections that require sure footing and no fear of heights.
- EEA – For experienced hikers with equipment: protected paths and via ferratas that require a harness, via ferrata set and helmet.
Many route cards, mine included, also use a simpler label such as «easy». Remember, though, that difficulty describes the terrain, not the effort: a long easy trail can tire you more than a short, more technical one.
How to tell whether a route suits you
- Start from the height gain. Think of the last outing you did without difficulty: how many metres of climbing did it have? A route with far more height gain than that is a leap, not a step.
- Look at the highest point. The higher you go, the faster the weather changes and the more you feel the cold at stops.
- Read the time as a minimum. Add the breaks you usually take and leave a margin for the return, especially in autumn, when the days draw in.
- Check the surface. An easy trail with roots and stones still calls for shoes with a lugged sole, and a slower pace than expected.
In the guided day hikes with timings and height gain already checked, every card gives distance, height gain, duration and difficulty, and I adapt the pace to whoever is in the group that day.
In September and autumn, with shorter days, the time margin matters even more: I wrote about it in the article on hiking in South Tyrol in September.
Frequently asked questions
How much height gain can a beginner manage?
It depends more on fitness than on experience. An easy route with a few hundred metres of climbing, such as the Adolf Munkel Weg with its 360 metres, is a good starting point; from there you build up gradually.
How do you calculate the time for a hike?
A classic estimate is Naismith's rule: one hour for every 5 kilometres plus one hour for every 600 metres of ascent. It gives the pure walking time of a fit hiker; for a group with breaks it is worth adding a generous margin.
What does the letter E on a trail mean?
On the CAI scale it indicates a hiking route: a signed path over varied terrain, with no demanding exposed sections, requiring a little experience and suitable footwear.
Do the times on signposts include breaks?
As a rule, no: the times on signposts refer to walking. Breaks, photos and group pace need to be added on top.
If you have a route in mind and are not sure whether it suits you or your group, ask me to assess it for a tailored guided hike.