Ebbetts Pass

Overview

Ebbetts Pass is a Category 2 climb in the US, running 6.9 km from a start elevation of 2,211 m to a summit of 2,667 m. Over that distance it delivers a net elevation gain of 456 m at an average gradient of 6.65%. Both start and summit sit high, so this is a climb ridden thin on air as much as thin on legs.

The headline number to watch is not the net gain but the total ascent: 646 m against 456 m of net gain. That 190 m gap means the road does not climb cleanly. Somewhere along the 6.9 km you give back close to 190 m of the elevation you earn, then have to reclaim it. The effort is therefore harder than the average gradient suggests, because descents and false flats break your rhythm and force repeated re-accelerations.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 6.65% is a comfortable-sounding figure that hides the real shape of Ebbetts Pass. With 190 m of extra ascent baked into the profile, the climb is not a steady grind but a series of pitches separated by dips. Expect the true climbing sections to run well above the average to compensate for the flatter and downhill stretches.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or drops, letting you spin briefly
• Repeated short climbs that each ask for a fresh surge of power
• The steepest ramp, where the gradient bites hardest and out-of-saddle efforts pay off

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, even-speed pacing is a trap: holding a constant speed means spiking your power on every ramp and coasting on every dip. Ride to even effort instead. Anchor your climbing sections to a sustainable power output you can hold for the full 6.9 km, let your speed rise on the flatter parts, and resist the urge to hammer each short pitch.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you go. Knowing that number turns the 190 m of hidden ascent from a series of nasty surprises into a budget you can spend deliberately.

Gearing

The gradient governs your gearing, and the steep ramps on Ebbetts Pass justify going low. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you an escape gear for the steepest pitches without wrecking your cadence. Check your setup before the ride: confirm your rear derailleur clears the largest sprocket and that the chain length is correct. Discovering you are over-geared halfway up a ramp is a mistake you make only once.

Summary

• Length: 6.9 km
• Average gradient: 6.65%
• Net elevation gain: 456 m
• Total ascent: 646 m
• Category: 2

Ebbetts Pass rewards riders who respect its undulation. Pace to effort, gear low, and treat the 646 m of total ascent — not the 456 m net — as the real day's work.