Starting Real Ascent The North Kaibab from Cottonwood Camp to Pumphouse station has been relatively flat, with only a minor upward grade. After the pumphouse, though, the trail starts to ascend for real.
This image is from the presentation "Desert Southwest - The Checklist Edition - Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Traverse, Day 3 - Cottonwood Campsite to North Kaibab TH".