Kearsarge Pass

Overview

Kearsarge Pass is an HC climb in the US, and everything about its numbers earns that rating. It runs 8.9 km from a start elevation of 2,460 m to a summit at 3,613 m, delivering a net elevation gain of 1,153 m. At an average gradient of 12.98%, this is not a road you settle into — it is a sustained, high-altitude effort that stays steep from bottom to top.

The gap between the numbers tells the fuller story. Net elevation gain is 1,153 m, but the total ascent is 1,411 m — a difference of 258 m. That mismatch means the profile undulates: you give back roughly 258 m of hard-won height and have to reclaim it. The average gradient is calculated against the net gain, so your legs feel more climbing than the headline figure suggests. Budget for it.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 12.98% average this long is brutal, but averages smooth over the spikes. The undulation means some sections ease off while others ramp well past the mean, topping out at a maximum gradient of 26.24% — a pitch that will force you out of the saddle or off the bike if you are undergeared.

• Short recovery or flatter sections where the road gives back elevation before climbing again
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, driving the 258 m of extra ascent
• A steepest ramp at 26.24% that demands your lowest gear and a controlled, seated grind

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, chasing an even speed will wreck you — you will surge on every steep pitch and blow up early. Pace to even effort instead, holding a steady sustainable power output and letting your speed rise and fall with the terrain. Let the flatter sections be genuine recovery; do not spend matches trying to keep the numbers constant.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the FTP estimator before you commit to a target. On a 1,153 m net climb at altitude, a number that is even slightly too ambitious in the first third leaves nothing for the 26.24% wall later.

Gearing

The 26.24% maximum gradient dictates your setup, not the average. Bring a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 as a floor, not a luxury. On the steepest ramp you want cadence, not heroics, and the low gear is what keeps you spinning rather than grinding to a stall.

Check your drivetrain before the ride. Confirm the cassette and chainrings are what you think they are, and that the rear derailleur can actually take up the largest sprocket.

Summary

• Length: 8.9 km
• Average gradient: 12.98%
• Maximum gradient: 26.24%
• Net elevation gain: 1,153 m
• Total ascent: 1,411 m
• Category: HC

Kearsarge Pass is a genuine HC test: steep, long, and undulating enough that the total ascent outruns the net gain by 258 m. Respect the average, gear for the maximum, and pace to effort — that is how you get to 3,613 m intact.