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Help me understand/read grade on a topo map to plan my walk in, and how steep is steep?

Jeremy_D

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2020
Messages
359
Location
Wisconsin
If I understand this right looking at a topo map
I take my distance 1800ft divided by my change in elevation 400ft equals 4.5...what?
and when does this number become to steep to get up. I know its different for everyone but is there some rough guidelines?
 
I believe that would be percent grade, but you can't rely on that. You have to look at how close or far apart the grade lines are. Real close grade lines means steep. Vs grade lines that are spread out means flat.
 
I believe that would be percent grade, but you can't rely on that. You have to look at how close or far apart the grade lines are. Real close grade lines means steep. Vs grade lines that are spread out means flat.
I understand how close/far apart lines are gives you a general idea how steep it is but Id think being able to do the math and knowing that number would be more reliable way of understanding how steep that hill really is while Im at home planning my route. Caltopo has 10' contour lines Onx has 20' contour lines. They look night and day from each other. Maybe Im looking at it wrong but Ive been on hills that looking at the lines seem walkable but when I get there its quiet a bit steeper then I thought.
 
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Contour lines are helpful, but they don't show what is between the lines. East Central Ohio has some terrain with mini cliffs. Some of these cliffs are only 8 feet high and thus, they won't show up on a topo map. But when you get there on foot, they are an impossible road block unless you employ some way of climbing over it.
I have one access that is near perfect. It follows a deep ravine with side cliffs up a little stream. No deer on either side of the ravine can see a human down in there. The only problem is at the head of the ravine is a 9 foot, undercut waterfall. It's basically a box canyon with no way to continue up the stream. But I built a ladder that's strictly for getting up over the falls. None of these topography features show up on a topo map.
There are a lot of terrain details that don't show on any map.
I know of areas that are basically flat, but streams might have a 10 foot vertical bank of pure mud. These banks are impossible to climb without a rope or ladder.

I have another access route that scales a small cliff (that does not show on a topo or even Google Earth). At 1st glance when standing at the top, or bottom of the cliff, it seems impossible to climb. But there in a little ledge that works it's way across the face of the cliff on an upward angle. It turned out to be a fantastic access route because the cliff basically shields me from being seen by deer that are on top in the woods.
There are a lot of terrain details that don't show on any map.


Here is my ladder in the box canyon on a morning after a sudden freeze that followed a substantial rain. The waterfall was splashing water all over my ladder and freezing.
I definitely had a pucker syndrome when I climber it that morning! Ladder ice.jpg
 
Boots on the ground will let you know hoe steep and area is. Keep using the same mapping service and you will be able to tell fairly well how steep areas are,except of course when it comes to things that dont show up.
 
If I understand this right looking at a topo map
I take my distance 1800ft divided by my change in elevation 400ft equals 4.5...what?
and when does this number become to steep to get up. I know its different for everyone but is there some rough guidelines?

You are doing your math backwards to get percent grade. 400' in elevation divided by 1800' distance gives you a 22% grade. Not sure where you live but, Ill try to give you some frames of reference for comparison. In the mountainous area that I live most public roads are limited to 10% or less, most parking lots are 5% or less, most people would call a 15% driveway "really steep". There is a 16% road in a neighboring town and it can get pretty sketchy with a little snow cover in the winter.

A natural slope of 30% is starting to get pretty steep. The southern border of my property is a creek with an extremely steep hillside on the opposite side. The easterly side of the hillside is around 40% slope. When you stand at the bottom it's a slope that you know you can make it to the top but, it won't be fun. The westerly side of the property has an average slope of around 80%. It's a mix of steep slides and rock faces and it's something you couldn't really walk up.

Hope that helps.
 
You are doing your math backwards to get percent grade. 400' in elevation divided by 1800' distance gives you a 22% grade. Not sure where you live but, Ill try to give you some frames of reference for comparison. In the mountainous area that I live most public roads are limited to 10% or less, most parking lots are 5% or less, most people would call a 15% driveway "really steep". There is a 16% road in a neighboring town and it can get pretty sketchy with a little snow cover in the winter.

A natural slope of 30% is starting to get pretty steep. The southern border of my property is a creek with an extremely steep hillside on the opposite side. The easterly side of the hillside is around 40% slope. When you stand at the bottom it's a slope that you know you can make it to the top but, it won't be fun. The westerly side of the property has an average slope of around 80%. It's a mix of steep slides and rock faces and it's something you couldn't really walk up.

Hope that helps.
Thank you!! Tells me exactly what Im needing to know. Now I can measure some places I know and compare it to places I want to go.
 
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