Alto de Guacas

Overview

Alto de Guacas is a Colombian category 2 climb that trades brute steepness for patient length. Over 13.7 km the road lifts you from a valley floor at 978 m to a summit of 1502 m, a net elevation gain of 524 m. The average gradient sits at a modest 3.83%, and the total ascent of 515 m confirms this is a climb defined by rhythm rather than by walls. There is a max gradient of 9.6% lurking somewhere in the profile, but for the most part the slope stays well below that ceiling. This is a climb you settle into and grind out, not one that forces you to survive from ramp to ramp.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The headline number is that 3.83% average, but averages hide the story. With a net gain of 524 m against a total ascent of 515 m, the climb barely gives anything back — there are no meaningful descents or false flats stealing altitude, just a steady upward drag across all 13.7 km. That consistency is the defining trait here. The single spike to 9.6% is more than double the average, so expect at least one pinch that briefly breaks your cadence before the gradient relaxes again. Everywhere else, the road hovers close to that 3.83% mean, the kind of shallow, relentless slope that never lets you coast but never truly hurts either.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long and this steady, pacing is everything. Because the average is only 3.83%, riders are tempted to push above threshold early, but 13.7 km rewards discipline. Hold an effort you can sustain to the top and let the steady grade do the work. Your FTP is the right anchor: aim to ride the bulk of the climb just under it, then absorb the 9.6% pinch by briefly dipping into your anaerobic reserve before settling back down. If you do not know your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. The key mistake on Guacas is going out too hard on the gentle lower slopes and paying for it across the final kilometres, where the constant 3.83% drag becomes mentally taxing on tired legs.

Gearing

The gentle average means you will not need your easiest gear for most of the climb — a compact 34-tooth chainring paired with a 34×32 will carry you comfortably across the bulk of the 13.7 km. That combination gives you enough range to spin the shallow gradient without overgearing. If you tend to climb seated at a lower cadence, or you want extra insurance for the 9.6% pinch on tired legs, step up to a 34×34. Either setup is more than adequate for a category 2 climb of this shape; the priority is a gear low enough to keep your cadence smooth and even across the entire steady slope.

Summary

Alto de Guacas is a long, even category 2 effort that rewards a controlled, threshold-based pace and punishes the impatient. Anchor your effort, respect the single 9.6% pinch, and let the steady 3.83% grade carry you to the summit.

Length: 13.7 km
Average gradient: 3.83%
Max gradient: 9.6%
Start: 978 m
Summit: 1502 m
Net gain: 524 m
Total ascent: 515 m
Category: 2