Pino Hachado Pass

Overview

Pino Hachado Pass is a long, moderate-gradient ascent that rewards patience over punch. Across 17.7 km it climbs from 1067 m to a summit of 1879 m, a net gain of 812 m at an average gradient of 4.58%. The total ascent of 804 m — a touch under the net figure, thanks to a few brief levelling stretches — confirms this is an almost relentlessly upward road with little in the way of false descents. Categorised as a 2, it sits firmly in serious-climb territory: not the sustained wall of an hors catégorie ascent, but long enough and high enough to demand respect.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The defining number here is the gap between the 4.58% average and the 8.52% maximum. That spread tells you the climb is uneven: long passages sit comfortably below the average, banked against steeper ramps where the road tilts toward its 8.52% peak. Because the total ascent (804 m) tracks so closely to the net gain (812 m), you can trust that almost every metre of forward progress is also a metre earned upward — there are no significant recovery descents to reset your legs. Expect a rhythm of shallow drags interrupted by sharper kicks, with the hardest pitches likely clustered where the road negotiates the tighter terrain rather than spread evenly across all 17.7 km.

Pacing Notes

On a climb this long, the winning strategy is discipline. The 4.58% average is a gradient most riders can hold for a sustained effort, so anchor your pace to a power target you can defend for the full duration rather than the fitness you feel in the first kilometre. A useful benchmark is your FTP: riding the shallower sections at a comfortable fraction of it leaves headroom for the ramps toward 8.52%, where surging over threshold is what blows efforts apart. If you are unsure where your ceiling sits, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you commit to a pacing plan. With 812 m to gain, a rider who starts controlled and lifts effort only on the steep pitches will reach 1879 m fresher than one who forces the early drags.

Gearing

The 8.52% maximum is the number your cassette needs to answer. For most riders a compact 34-tooth inner ring is the sensible foundation. Pair it with at least a 34×32 to keep a spinnable cadence through the steeper ramps, and if you favour a lighter touch — or you are carrying fatigue, load, or simply want to protect your legs over 17.7 km — a 34×34 gives welcome margin at the summit approach near 1879 m. Since the average sits at a manageable 4.58%, you will spend much of the climb in mid-range gears; the wide ratio exists precisely for those short kicks toward the maximum, not the bulk of the road.

Summary

Pino Hachado Pass is a climb of endurance and rhythm: 17.7 km of near-continuous ascent, a friendly 4.58% average masking sharper pitches to 8.52%, and 812 m of vertical to a high summit. Pace it evenly, gear for the ramps, and the category 2 label becomes an achievement rather than a warning.

Length: 17.7 km
Average gradient: 4.58%
Max gradient: 8.52%
Start: 1067 m
Summit: 1879 m
Net gain: 812 m
Total ascent: 804 m
Category: 2