Pulsatilla Pass

Pulsatilla Pass cycling climb profile

Pulsatilla Pass is listed as an HC climb, and the classification is fully supported by the numbers. The climb runs for 10.4 km, starts at 1483 m, and reaches 2857 m at the summit, gaining 1374 m net. The defining figure is the average gradient: 13.28%. That is not a selective ramp inside an otherwise manageable climb. That is the climb.

The maximum gradient of 35.23% changes the way this has to be approached. On a climb this steep overall, the hardest sections are not just tactical pinch points. They are places where poor gearing, over-pacing, or a missed shift can turn into a forced stop.

How the gradient unfolds

The context does not provide a segment-by-segment roadbook, so the honest read comes from the full-climb geometry. A 10.4 km climb averaging 13.28% cannot include much genuine recovery without demanding even steeper terrain elsewhere. If the road does ease, the rider should treat it as a chance to reset breathing and cadence, not as a place to push on.

From the bottom, the climb is already asking for restraint. Starting at 1483 m and finishing at 2857 m, Pulsatilla Pass is not a climb where the early slopes should be used to establish confidence. The risk is that the average gradient feels just about manageable at first, then becomes progressively more expensive as fatigue builds and the steeper pitches arrive.

The key feature is compression. Over just 10.4 km, the climb packs in 1374 m of net gain. That means the road is doing one thing almost the entire time: going up hard. The listed 35.23% maximum gradient should be treated as a warning that cadence may become the limiting factor before aerobic fitness does.

Pacing and gearing notes

This is a climb for the smallest climbing gear available, not for proving strength on a standard road setup. If a rider is already grinding early, the later ramps will be disproportionately costly. Use gearing that allows seated climbing for as long as possible, and shift before the steepest sections rather than under full load.

Pacing should be conservative from the start. The correct effort is below what feels sustainable in the opening section, because the average gradient leaves little room to recover from an early overreach. On the steepest ramps, the goal is not speed. It is maintaining forward motion, traction, and enough control to avoid repeated surges.

For riders using power, Pulsatilla Pass is a poor place to chase a smooth target. Gradient this steep will naturally create spikes. The better approach is to cap effort on the hardest pitches, keep pressure steady where the road allows, and accept that speed will be low. For a deeper look at how effort targets translate on climbs, see /glossary/ftp.

Pulsatilla Pass is simple in profile but severe in execution: long enough to punish impatience, steep enough to punish the wrong gear, and sharp enough at its maximum gradient to demand respect before the ride even starts.