Can anyone give me approximate vertical heights of the first 2 big climbs on the Mt. SAC course (switchbacks and poop out)? Thanks.
Can anyone give me approximate vertical heights of the first 2 big climbs on the Mt. SAC course (switchbacks and poop out)? Thanks.
No, but I may be able to give you the horizontal heights.
To answer your question I mapped the course using Google Earth (using a course map and the obvious aerial/satellite imagery paths, I've never actually run the course so I don't know if my mapped path is 100% accurate but I bet it's really close), you can download this file to see the path along with elevation profile:
http://rapidshare.com/files/417496955/MtSac3mi.kmz
(download and install Google Earth from earth.google.com if you don't already have it)
If you don't care to actually do all of that (you should though, Google Earth is a great tool for things like this, and the recently added built in elevation profile tool is awesome), the profile gave the following data for the three climbs:
start of switchbacks climb: 0.98mi, 716ft
top of switchbacks climb: 1.22mi, 835ft
elevation change: 119ft
distance: .24mi
avg gradient: 9.4%
start of poop out hill climb: 1.7mi, 710ft
top of poop out hill climb: 1.82mi, 783ft
elevation change: 73ft
distance: .12mi
avg gradient: 11.5%
start of reservoir hill climb: 2.3mi, 733ft
top of reservoir hill climb: 2.45mi, 803ft
elevation change: 70ft
distance: .15mi
avg gradient: 8.8%
Of course those numbers are just based off of the elevation profile Google uses combined with my mapping of the course, but I bet they're pretty close to reality.
Thanks a million for taking the time to do that. I tried something similar but my Internet connection is so bad that I gave up. I'm trying to help one of my boys train for the course and am looking for some similar hills around here, so this is really really helpful.
You are a good person. I've often wondered what the stats are for that course.
I have run the course and jogged it and wandered about the hills while watching races, and these numbers certainly seem reasonable.
A minor note: the mile mark is some yards prior to the start of switchback hill. If you watch any of the race videos you should be able to see it on the flat trail leading to the start of the hill.
It seems as if you measured switchback to the top, but I'll just mention after the switchbacks end the hill continues to climb for another 80-100 yards or so before the descent begins. Not nearly so steep in this section.