RideMorrow
COURSE PREVIEW · GRAVEL · EMPORIA, KANSAS

Unbound Gravel 100 course preview

The 2026 Unbound Gravel 100 course is 106.0 mi (170.7 km) and finishes where it starts, with 3,814 ft of climbing. RideMorrow finds 10 distinct climbs and 9 descents; the listed climbs account for 26% of the total ascent, and the rest comes from shorter rollers. The hardest climb by FIETS score starts at 18.8 mi: 1.53 mi at an average 2.5%, peaking at 9.8% over 100 m. The second quarter holds the most climbing (31%).

CourseClimbsStart
Distance
106.0 mi170.7 km
Elevation gain
3,814 ft1,163 m
Climbs
109 descents
Steepest 100 m
10.5%On a listed climb
Corners
1047 technical
High point
1,531 ftLow 1,061 ft

Elevation profile

Shaded: every listed climb. Numbered: the hardest.
First quarter1,030 ft0 mi–27 mi
Second quarter1,184 ft27 mi–53 mi
Third quarter721 ft53 mi–80 mi
Final quarter877 ft80 mi–106 mi

The 5 hardest climbs

Ranked by FIETS score
  1. 1
    Climb 4 · from 18.8 mi1.53 mi · 200 ft up · 2.5% average, 9.8% steepest
    0.2
  2. 2
    Climb 1 · from 10.8 mi0.42 mi · 102 ft up · 4.6% average, 9.0% steepest
    0.1
  3. 3
    Climb 2 · from 16.1 mi0.35 mi · 77 ft up · 4.2% average, 5.6% steepest
    0.1
  4. 4
    Climb 3 · from 18.3 mi0.35 mi · 76 ft up · 4.1% average, 5.0% steepest
    0.1
  5. 5
    Climb 5 · from 26.6 mi0.34 mi · 91 ft up · 5.0% average, 7.3% steepest
    0.1

Every climb, in ride order

10 climbs · top 5 highlighted
ClimbStarts atLengthElevation gainAvg gradeSteepest 100 mFIETS
110.8 mi0.42 mi102 ft4.6%9.0%0.1
216.1 mi0.35 mi77 ft4.2%5.6%0.1
318.3 mi0.35 mi76 ft4.1%5.0%0.1
418.8 mi1.53 mi200 ft2.5%9.8%0.2
526.6 mi0.34 mi91 ft5.0%7.3%0.1
631.4 mi0.27 mi72 ft5.0%10.5%0.1
737.2 mi0.82 mi97 ft2.2%6.5%0.1
841.9 mi1.26 mi148 ft2.2%7.2%0.1
969.6 mi0.35 mi70 ft3.7%8.5%0.1
1092.2 mi0.45 mi67 ft2.8%5.6%0.1

Descents

9 descents drop 732 ft in total. The steepest:

  • Descent 5 · from 44.7 mi 0.42 mi at 3.1% average, 7.4% at its steepest
  • Descent 7 · from 71.9 mi 0.59 mi at 2.6% average, 7.0% at its steepest
  • Descent 4 · from 27.9 mi 0.77 mi at 2.4% average, 6.8% at its steepest
  • Descent 9 · from 86.6 mi 0.30 mi at 4.2% average, 6.3% at its steepest
  • Descent 1 · from 11.2 mi 0.64 mi at 2.3% average, 6.1% at its steepest

Corners

104 corners detected from the course geometry, 4 of them on a descent.

  • 1 Very technical
  • 6 Technical
  • 65 Moderate
  • 32 Gentle

Technical corners on descents

  • 26.1 mi 83° right turn on a 5.6% approach · Technical
  • 42.5 mi 43° right bend on a 3.3% approach · Technical

Corners describe the line on the map, not road conditions. Sightlines, grip and traffic aren't known.

Unbound Gravel 100 course FAQ

How much climbing is in the Unbound Gravel 100?

3,814 ft (1,163 m) over 106.0 mi, measured from the organizer's course file with the elevation smoothed and small fluctuations ignored. Other tools may show a different total because they count every small rise.

How many climbs does the Unbound Gravel 100 have?

10 climbs of at least 300 m with 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade, plus shorter rollers. Together the listed climbs gain 1,001 ft.

What is the hardest climb in the Unbound Gravel 100?

Climb 4, starting at 18.8 mi: 1.53 mi gaining 200 ft at an average 2.5%. Its FIETS score is 0.2.

What is the longest climb in the Unbound Gravel 100?

Climb 4, 1.53 mi from 18.8 mi, averaging 2.5%.

How steep does the Unbound Gravel 100 get?

The steepest 100 m on a listed climb averages 10.5%. Grades are measured over 100 m, so short ramps can be steeper.

Where does this course data come from?

From the course Life Time publishes on its official site (https://www.unboundgravel.com/routes/), retrieved 2026-10-12. Organizers change courses, so check their site before the event.

Source and method

Course: 2026 UNBOUND Gravel 100 Mile, published by Life Time. Retrieved 2026-10-12. RideMorrow is not affiliated with the event. Organizers change courses, so check the official site before the event.

Elevation comes from the route file, resampled every 10 m and smoothed. Climbs and descents need at least 300 m of length, 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade. Grades are measured over 100 m. Climbs are ranked by FIETS score: height² ÷ (length × 10), both in metres, without the index's high-altitude bonus. A score of 1 is a solid climb; 5 and above is a mountain pass. Weather, surface conditions, traffic and closures are not included.

All courses →

Racing something that isn't here?

Drop any GPX, FIT or TCX file into the free analyzer and get the same breakdown in seconds. No account needed.

Analyze your own route