Rabbit Ears Pass

Overview

Rabbit Ears Pass is a Category 3 climb in the US, running 8.7 km from a start elevation of 2495 m to a summit at 2877 m. Over that distance it delivers 382 m of net elevation gain at an average gradient of 4.41%. The high starting altitude alone tells you this is a climb ridden thin on air, where sustained output is harder to hold than the modest average gradient suggests.

Look closer and the numbers reveal a wrinkle. The net gain is 382 m, but the total ascent is 432 m — a 50 m gap. That difference is undulation: the road dips and rises within the overall climb, so you pay back 50 m of descent by climbing it again. In practice, this means the effort is lumpier than a steady grind, with brief downhills that break rhythm and short re-climbs that never let you fully settle.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 4.41% average is a blend, not a description of any single moment on the road. The 50 m of extra ascent confirms the profile rolls, so the true climbing pitches are steeper than the headline figure — with the steepest ramp reaching 7.59%. Where the road tips downhill, the average is dragged down; where it re-climbs, the gradient spikes above what the average implies.

Expect:

• Flatter and slightly downhill recovery sections that let the average sit at 4.41%
• Repeated short climbs where you regain the elevation you just gave away
• A steepest ramp of 7.59% that demands the most from your gearing and legs

Pacing Notes

Because of the undulation, chasing an even speed will burn you out on the re-climbs and waste effort on the descents. Aim instead for even effort: hold a steady, sustainable power output through the steep pitches and ease back where the road flattens or drops, letting speed rise for free on the descents rather than forcing your legs harder.

If you do not know your ceiling, work it out first with the FTP estimator. Anchoring your pacing to a real number keeps you from over-cooking the early ramps and paying for it near the 2877 m summit, where the altitude makes recovery slow.

Gearing

The steepest gradient here is 7.59%, and at this altitude even that bites harder than it would at sea level. Gear for the ramps, not the average. A compact (34-tooth) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 — gives you a low bailout gear to spin the 7.59% pitches without grinding. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride: a rushed swap at the trailhead is not the place to discover you are undergeared.

Summary

• Length: 8.7 km
• Average gradient: 4.41%
• Maximum gradient: 7.59%
• Net elevation gain: 382 m
• Total ascent: 432 m
• Category: 3

Rabbit Ears Pass is a manageable Category 3 climb on paper, but its 50 m of undulation and 2877 m summit reward even-effort pacing and low gearing. Ride the ramps steady, take the dips for free, and let the numbers — not your ego — set the pace.