Paso Icachui

Overview

Paso Icachui is not a climb you ease into — it is a wall dressed up as a road. Over 14.9 km it averages a savage 17.41% gradient, dragging you from a start elevation of 1328 m all the way to a summit of 3927 m. That is 2599 m of net elevation gain and 2569 m of total ascent packed into a distance most riders would consider a warm-up on gentler terrain. There is nothing gentle here. The category tells the story: this is HC, hors catégorie, the label reserved for climbs too hard to be ranked against the rest. An average gradient north of 17% for the better part of fifteen kilometres is the sort of number that stops conversations. Prepare for a sustained, high-altitude grind that rewards patience and punishes ego.

How the Gradient Unfolds

With a 17.41% average holding across all 14.9 km, the defining feature of Paso Icachui is relentlessness rather than surprise. The near-identical figures for net gain (2599 m) and total ascent (2569 m) confirm what the profile implies: this is a climb that essentially never descends. You go up, and you keep going up. From the base at 1328 m to the crest at 3927 m, the road claws upward without meaningful respite, and the thinning air of the final stretch above 3000 m compounds every pedal stroke. Expect the gradient to feel heavier as the summit approaches — not because it steepens dramatically, but because altitude quietly taxes your legs and lungs the higher you climb.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this steep and this long, pacing is survival. Treat your FTP as a ceiling you rarely touch, not a target — sustaining anywhere near threshold across 14.9 km at 17.41% is a recipe for cracking early. Ride the lower two-thirds well within yourself so you still have something above 3000 m, where the altitude bites hardest. If you are unsure where your threshold sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you attempt this, then hold a wattage you know you can defend all the way to 3927 m. Steady beats heroic here. The rider who reaches the summit fastest is almost always the one who started slowest.

Gearing

Do not under-gear this climb. With a 17.41% average, standard compact gearing will leave you grinding at crawling cadence and shredding your legs. A 34×32 is the sensible minimum for most riders, and even that will feel tall on the steepest, highest sections. If your bike and derailleur can accommodate it, fit a 34×34 — the extra range buys you cadence, and cadence buys you endurance across 14.9 km of unbroken ascent. Anything that lets you spin rather than mash will pay dividends by the time you clear 3000 m.

Summary

Paso Icachui is a pure test of climbing endurance: an HC ascent with a punishing 17.41% average over 14.9 km, topping out at high altitude. Respect the numbers, gear low, pace conservatively, and the summit at 3927 m is yours.

Length: 14.9 km
Average gradient: 17.41%
Max gradient: n/a
Start: 1328 m
Summit: 3927 m
Net gain: 2599 m
Total ascent: 2569 m
Category: HC