A wearable heart rate monitoring device includes an optical sensor configured to translate test light reflected from a wearer of the wearable heart rate monitoring device into a machine-readable heart rate signal. The wearable heart rate monitoring device also includes an elevation sensor configured to translate an elevation of the wearable heart rate monitoring device into a machine-readable elevation signal. The wearable heart rate monitoring device further includes a heart rate reporting machine configured to output an estimated heart rate based on at least the machine-readable heart rate signal and the machine-readable elevation signal.