What this result means
VAM is vertical ascent in metres per hour. Mountain runners and hikers use it to compare climbs of different lengths. This page is the VAM headline on the same engine as vertical speed.
It is not grade-adjusted pace and not a trail race predictor. Pair with elevation gain when you only have start and end elevations.
100 m in 30:00 → VAM 200. 500 m in 2:00:00 → VAM 250.
Steep short hills can produce high VAM with a slow min/km watch pace.
Calculation method
VAM (m/h) = gain_m ÷ hours. Feet per hour use the same conversion as the vertical speed page.
Exact arithmetic on gain and time.
Comparing VAM across very different grades and surfaces is rough. Treat it as a rate, not a fitness ranking.
Frequently asked questions
What does VAM stand for?
Vertical ascent metres per hour — climbing rate. This site reports m/h and ft/h from the gain and time you enter.
How is VAM different from vertical speed?
It is not. Same calculation; different label for how people search and talk about climbing rate.
Is VAM a running pace?
No. Running pace is distance over time. VAM is elevation over time.
Can I plan hill repeats with VAM?
VAM describes the climb rate after the fact. For session clocks from pace, grade, and reps, open the hill repeat calculator.