Brasstown Bald

Overview

Brasstown Bald is the kind of climb that offers no hiding place. Over 7.9 km it averages a savage 9.3%, dragging you from a start at 715 m all the way to a 1450 m summit — a net gain of 735 m packed into under eight kilometres. That is a Category 1 effort in the classic sense: not the endless HC grind of an alpine giant, but a short, ferociously steep test where the gradient rarely lets go. With ramps reaching 13.96%, this is a climb measured in matches burned rather than minutes ticked.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the average: 9.3% sustained across the full 7.9 km. On most climbs a figure like that would imply gentle stretches balancing out steeper walls. Here the tight spread between the 9.3% average and the 13.96% maximum tells a harsher story — there is very little relief. The road tips up early and stays tipped up, with the steepest pitches at nearly 14% arriving as sharp accelerations rather than isolated spikes. Expect the effort to feel front-to-back consistent, the sort of gradient profile where your speed collapses and simply stays low. Because the climbing is so concentrated — 735 m of net gain in 7.9 km — there is no rolling recovery to reset your legs.

Pacing Notes

This is a pure power-to-weight problem, and the smart move is to treat it like a sustained threshold test. Ride the first kilometre well within yourself; the 9.3% average will feel deceptively manageable when you are fresh, and overcooking the opening slopes is the single fastest way to blow up before the summit. Anchor your effort to your FTP and aim to sit just below it on the steady sections, spending your reserves only on the 13.96% ramps where holding momentum is worth the cost. If you are not sure of your threshold, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan a target — knowing your ceiling turns this from a survival ride into a paced, repeatable effort. On a climb this relentless, an even effort beats a heroic start every time.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this one. With a 9.3% average and pitches at 13.96%, you want a cassette that lets you spin rather than grind your way up. A compact 34-tooth inner chainring is the sensible baseline; paired with a 34×32, most trained riders can keep a workable cadence on the steady slopes. But given how little the gradient relents, a 34×34 is the safer choice — that extra sprocket buys you a lower gear precisely where the road hits its steepest, letting you protect your knees and your matches across the whole 7.9 km. If your bike accepts it, err toward the easier ratio; you will never regret having a gear you do not use, but you will regret the one you are missing on a 13.96% wall.

Summary

Brasstown Bald is short, brutal, and honest — a Category 1 climb that asks a single question and never changes it: can you hold a hard, steady effort while the road refuses to ease? Gear low, pace to your threshold, and respect the opening slopes.

Length: 7.9 km
Average gradient: 9.3%
Max gradient: 13.96%
Start: 715 m
Summit: 1450 m
Net gain: 735 m
Total ascent: 700 m
Category: 1