Poncha Pass

Overview

Poncha Pass is a Category 3 climb in the United States, running 7.3 km from a base at 2,463 m to a summit at 2,748 m. The net elevation gain is 285 m, which tells only part of the story. This is high-altitude riding throughout: even the start sits well above 2,400 m, so thin air is a factor from the first pedal stroke to the last.

What separates Poncha Pass from a simple grind is the gap between its net gain and its total ascent. The net climb is 285 m, but the total ascent is 507 m. That 222 m difference is elevation you earn twice — climbed, given back on descents and dips, then climbed again. The road undulates rather than rising steadily, and every metre of descent inside the climb is a metre you must re-conquer. The effort is therefore harder than the 285 m net figure suggests, and rhythm is difficult to lock in.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.88% average gradient is a poor guide to what your legs will feel. Averages flatten out the rollers, absorbing both the descents and the steep pitches into one misleadingly gentle number. On an undulating profile like this, you rarely ride at 3.88% — you are either coasting a dip or grinding a ramp.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or tips downhill, spinning up the total-ascent count
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, the signature of a rolling profile
• A steepest ramp reaching 16.8%, far above the average and steep enough to force a hard gear change

Pacing Notes

On a steady climb you can hold even effort and let speed take care of itself. Poncha Pass punishes that approach. If you chase even speed across the rollers, you will spike your power on every ramp and blow up early. Instead, pace to even effort: hold a controlled output on the steep pitches and accept that your speed will surge on the descents and flatter sections.

Anchor that effort to your sustainable power output rather than to how fast you are moving. If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you ride, then keep the ramps just under threshold so you have something left when the road kicks up again.

Gearing

Gearing is governed by the steepest gradient, not the average — and the steepest ramp here hits 16.8%. At altitude, with tired legs, that pitch will bury an under-geared setup. Run a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette: a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the room to spin the 16.8% section rather than grind it. Check your setup before the ride. Confirm your low gear and shifting under load — the top of the climb is no place to discover you are one sprocket short.

Summary

• Length: 7.3 km
• Average gradient: 3.88%
• Maximum gradient: 16.8%
• Net elevation gain: 285 m
• Total ascent: 507 m
• Category: 3

Poncha Pass rewards riders who respect its undulation. The modest 285 m net gain masks 507 m of real climbing and a 16.8% sting near the top. Pace to effort, gear low, and treat the rollers — not the average — as the true test.