Fourth of July Summit

Overview

Fourth of July Summit is a Category 4 climb in the United States, running 9.6 km from base to top. It gains 297 m net, lifting you from a start elevation of 643 m to a summit of 940 m. On paper, the 3.1% average gradient reads as gentle — a climb you could tap out without much drama.

The profile is not that simple. While the net gain is 297 m, the total ascent is 448 m. That 151 m difference is climbing you do twice: ground gained, given back on descents and false flats, then reclaimed. The mismatch means the effort is spikier than the average implies. You cannot settle into one steady grind; the road keeps interrupting your rhythm, and every re-ascent costs energy the summary line doesn't show.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 3.1% average across 9.6 km hides both the recovery sections and the sharp pitches. With 448 m of total ascent packed into 297 m of net gain, the climbing is uneven — bunched into ramps separated by flatter or descending stretches. Expect the steep sections to arrive abruptly rather than build gradually.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or tips downhill, dropping the average
• Repeated short climbs that force you back onto the pedals after each respite
• The steepest ramp, well above the average, where the gradient bites hardest and gearing matters most

Pacing Notes

On a smooth, uniform climb you'd hold even effort and let speed vary. Here, the undulation rewards a hybrid approach: hold a steady sustainable power output on the ramps, but don't chase your target number across the flats and descents — coasting or soft-pedaling there conserves matches for the next pitch. Surging on every rise is how riders blow up on a climb this rolling. Know your ceiling before you start; the FTP estimator gives you a working number to pace against so the steep ramps don't push you into the red.

Gearing

Gear for the steepest ramp, not the 3.1% average. The pitches on this climb are steep enough to warrant a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — so you can keep cadence up when the road kicks. Check your setup before the ride: confirm your rear derailleur handles the largest sprocket and that the chain is long enough. Discovering you're over-geared mid-ramp is a costly mistake.

Summary

• Length: 9.6 km
• Average gradient: 3.1%
• Net elevation gain: 297 m
• Total ascent: 448 m
• Category: 4

Fourth of July Summit is easy to underrate. The category and average say modest, but the 151 m gap between net gain and total ascent tells the real story: a rolling climb that punishes riders who pace it like a steady grade. Respect the ramps, ease off the flats, and it rides well.