Canning at 3,001 ft to 6,000 ft
BWB +10 min · dial 13.0 psi · weighted 15.0 psi
The numbers
- Elevation
- 3,001–6,000 ft (915–1828 m)
- BWB add
- +10 minutes (recipes ≤20 min original time)
- Dial gauge
- 13.0 psi
- Weighted gauge
- 15.0 psi
How to apply this
At 3,001–6,000 ft, water boils 4–8 °F lower than at sea level. BWB recipes need +10 minutes when the original processing time is 20 minutes or less; +20 minutes when longer than 20 minutes (USDA Guide 1, Table 3). Pressure-canner adjustments split: dial-gauge uses 12 psi from 3,001–4,000 ft and 13 psi from 4,001–6,000 ft. The 13 psi value listed here is the conservative value for the whole band. Weighted-gauge canners use the 15-lb weight for the entire band. Denver and the Front Range cities sit comfortably mid-band — verify your kitchen elevation if you're on a foothill above the city center.
Example cities in this band
- Helena, MT (3,897 ft)
- Salt Lake City, UT (4,226 ft)
- Reno, NV (4,505 ft)
- Pueblo, CO (4,692 ft)
- Bozeman, MT (4,795 ft)
- Denver, CO (5,280 ft)
- Albuquerque, NM (5,312 ft)
- Cheyenne, WY (6,062 ft)
City elevations refer to the official downtown / metro center. Hillside neighborhoods can sit one band higher; verify with a USGS map if you live above the city center.
Pickle recipes adjusted for 3,001 ft to 6,000 ft
- Quick Fresh-Pack Dill Pickles — pints process 20 min at this altitude (sea-level recipe: 10 min)
- Pickled Dilled Beans (Dilly Beans) — pints process 15 min at this altitude (sea-level recipe: 5 min)
- Pickled Beets — pints process 40 min at this altitude (sea-level recipe: 30 min)
All altitude bands
- Sea level to 1,000 ft
- 1,001 ft to 3,000 ft
- 3,001 ft to 6,000 ft (current)
- 6,001 ft to 8,000 ft
- 8,001 ft to 10,000 ft
Source
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning — Guide 1, Tables 1, 2, 3. Information provided for educational purposes — verify against the current USDA / NCHFP guidance before canning. Last verified 2026-04-30.