vertical meter
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vertical meter
A unit of measurement that indicates the total vertical distance covered during an ascent or descent, especially in hiking, mountaineering, or cycling.
Bei dieser Bergtour müssen wir insgesamt 1200 Höhenmeter überwinden.
On this mountain tour, we have to cover a total of 1,200 vertical meters.
The word is made up of 'Höhe' (height/elevation) and 'Meter' (meter), connected by the linking element '-n-'. So it literally means 'meters in height/elevation' and is therefore easy to understand.
Für die Wanderung sind Kondition und Trittsicherheit für 800 Höhenmeter erforderlich.
For the hike, fitness and sure-footedness for 800 vertical meters are required.
This term is typical for mountain sports such as hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, or ski touring. It describes the total of all ascents, not just the difference between the highest and lowest point.
Beim Radmarathon mussten die Teilnehmer über 3000 Höhenmeter bewältigen.
In the cycling marathon, the participants had to manage over 3,000 vertical meters.
'Höhenmeter' (vertical meters) is often combined with verbs that express an achievement or distance. Common formulations are 'Höhenmeter überwinden' (to overcome/cover vertical meters), 'Höhenmeter schaffen' (to manage vertical meters), or, colloquially, 'Höhenmeter sammeln/machen' (to rack up/do vertical meters).
Wir haben heute bei unserer Wanderung fast 1000 Höhenmeter gesammelt.
Today on our hike, we racked up almost 1,000 vertical meters.
height / amount
'die Höhe' and 'der Höhenmeter' both have to do with vertical distance. 'Höhe' refers to the upward distance or the size from bottom to top, for example with a tree, a building, or a mountain. 'Höhenmeter' is a unit of measurement for the distance traveled upward or downward, especially when hiking, cycling, or mountaineering. So you can say that a mountain has a certain 'Höhe' (height), but on a tour you cover many 'Höhenmeter' (vertical meters). Learners may confuse the words because both occur with mountains and numbers. The important point is: 'Höhe' describes a point or an object, while 'Höhenmeter' describes the vertical distance covered.
Am Wochenende laufen wir eine Strecke mit 600 Höhenmetern.
At the weekend, we are doing a route with 600 vertical meters.
Die Höhe des Turms beträgt fast hundert Meter.
The height of the tower is almost one hundred meters.