Trail des Echelles de la Mort.
Twice the long course of the Trail des Echelles de la Mort drops deep into the valley, and twice you have to get back up to around 1,000 metres. Those two returns decide the 36 kilometres at Damprichard, and they are what your preparation should be built around.
Trail des Echelles de la Mort 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The loop starts without a warm-up: from just over 800 metres you climb straight away to nearly 1,000 metres. The course then falls in stages. Past kilometre 7 it sheds height fast and bottoms out at just under 580 metres, the lowest point of the day.
From kilometre 10 comes the first big return uphill: two ramps worth almost 360 metres together. The first aid station at kilometre 12 sits right between them, with the steeper piece still ahead. At the top the course plunges again, down to an almost level stretch at around 620 metres that lasts until kilometre 19.
That is where the heart of the loop begins, a little over 270 metres of gain in just over a kilometre and a half. The course then stays high until kilometre 29, with the second aid station at kilometre 25. A short drop leads to the third at kilometre 30, followed by one last steep ramp before you run back down to start altitude. Of the three trails on this September day in Damprichard, this is the longest and the only one that goes down to the valley a second time.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 0.1 | 2.1 km | 8.3 % | 21.1 % | +175 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 10.2 | 1.5 km | 10.2 % | 31.9 % | +153 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 11.9 | 1.3 km | 16.1 % | 38.1 % | +205 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 13.4 | 0.4 km | 13.6 % | 24.1 % | +48 m | — |
| km 19.5 | 1.6 km | 17.7 % | 41.3 % | +275 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 22.6 | 0.9 km | 7.9 % | 18.3 % | +69 m | — |
| km 27.1 | 1 km | 6.4 % | 15.3 % | +64 m | — |
| km 30.8 | 0.7 km | 13.5 % | 40.4 % | +87 m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Trail des Echelles de la Mort.
Start under control
A good 40 percent of the loop is steep, up and down alike, and only about a tenth is flat. You will not find a steady running rhythm here, so steer by effort rather than speed. Hike the steep ramps briskly from the start, including the first one right after the gun, when your legs are fresh and the field is pulling you along.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided between kilometres 12 and 25. Those 13 kilometres hold no aid station but do hold the hardest part of the day: the long descent, the level valley stretch and the steepest long climb. Fill up properly at kilometre 12 and eat before you need to.
Spend what is left
The trap is the stretch from kilometre 17 to 19. After the descent it feels easy, and anyone chasing time there arrives at the foot of the hardest ramp on empty legs. Run it relaxed and save your strength for higher up, where the course becomes runnable again from kilometre 21.
Training plan for Trail des Echelles de la Mort: 12-week build
Build the base
Depending on your fitness, expect roughly four and a half to six and a half hours. It is a long aerobic effort but not an even one: long spells of hiking uphill alternate with sections where your quads do the main work on the way down.
Train race pace
The key demand is the climb from kilometre 19.5, because you only reach it after about three hours, on legs that already have the hard descents behind them. Build long runs so that the steepest climbing falls in the final third, not at the beginning. Fast hiking on steep slopes is a skill of its own and deserves its own sessions: several repeats of 15 to 20 minutes uphill at a pace you can hold while breathing calmly.
Rehearse the course
The downhill load matters just as much. Several hundred metres of continuous descent are what slow you down by kilometre 30, so train them deliberately: alternate up and down at the end of a run, building the volume gradually and leaving recovery afterwards.
Arrive fresh
With the race on 11 September, your long sessions fall in summer. Use them to practise eating and drinking from what you carry, because those 13 kilometres without aid take far longer in the race than the distance suggests.
Courses
Download the Trail des Echelles de la Mort course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Trail des Echelles de la Mort dynamically
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Everything about Trail des Echelles de la Mort.
How long is Trail des Echelles de la Mort?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort is 36 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Trail des Echelles de la Mort have?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort has around 1,543 m of elevation gain over 36 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Trail des Echelles de la Mort?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort is classified as Mountainous, averaging 42.8 vertical metres per kilometre. 11% of the route is flat, 23% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 21% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Trail des Echelles de la Mort have?
The hardest climb of Trail des Echelles de la Mort starts at kilometre 19.5, runs for 1.6 km at an average of 17.7% and gains 275 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Trail des Echelles de la Mort a loop course?
Yes, Trail des Echelles de la Mort is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Trail des Echelles de la Mort course?
Yes. The Trail des Echelles de la Mort course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Trail des Echelles de la Mort?
Preparation for Trail des Echelles de la Mort should account for 36 km, 1,543 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Trail des Echelles de la Mort?
The pacing strategy for Trail des Echelles de la Mort should reflect 36 km, 1,543 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Trail des Echelles de la Mort take place?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort takes place on September 11, 2027.
Where does Trail des Echelles de la Mort take place?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort takes place in Damprichard, France.
Which distances does Trail des Echelles de la Mort offer?
Trail des Echelles de la Mort offers 3 distances — Trail des Echelles: 36 km; Trail du Moulin de la Mort: 24 km; Trail des Crêtes de la Mort: 12 km.
How do I register for Trail des Echelles de la Mort?
Registration runs through the organiser: traildesechelles.fr. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
