Raten Pass

Overview

Raten Pass is a Category 3 climb in Switzerland, running 12.5 km from a start elevation of 634 m to a summit at 1,074 m. On paper it is a moderate ascent: the net elevation gain is 440 m, and the average gradient of 3.53% suggests a steady, unthreatening drag rather than a wall.

The paper number is misleading, though. While the net elevation gain is 440 m, the total ascent is 670 m. That 230 m gap tells you the road does not climb in a single clean line — it undulates, giving back height on descents and false flats that you then have to reclaim. The practical effect is that you do noticeably more climbing than the net figure implies, and your rhythm gets broken repeatedly rather than settling into one long grind.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 3.53% average across 12.5 km hides both the easy sections and the sharp ones. Because the road rolls, long stretches sit below average — and to compensate, other pitches run well steeper, up to a maximum of 12.22%. That steepest ramp is where the effort concentrates.

• Flatter and downhill recovery sections where the gradient drops off or reverses, accounting for the gap between net gain and total ascent
• Repeated short climbs stacked back-to-back, each resetting your rhythm
• A steepest ramp reaching 12.22% — brief, but enough to spike your power if you hit it in the wrong gear

Pacing Notes

On a rolling climb like this, even-effort beats even-speed. Chasing a constant pace forces you to surge on every one of the short kicks, and those repeated spikes drain you faster than the modest average suggests. Instead, hold a steady sustainable power output through the ramps and let your speed rise naturally on the flatter and downhill sections rather than pushing to keep the clock moving.

If you do not know your ceiling, run the numbers through the FTP estimator first. Knowing that figure lets you cap your effort on the 12.22% pitch instead of redlining early and paying for it over the remaining kilometres.

Gearing

Your gearing should be governed by the steepest gradient, not the average. A 12.22% ramp late in a 12.5 km climb rewards spinning over grinding. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you the low end to keep cadence up on the steep pitch without wrenching your knees. Check your setup before the ride; you do not want to discover you are over-geared halfway up the hardest ramp.

Summary

• Length: 12.5 km
• Average gradient: 3.53%
• Maximum gradient: 12.22%
• Net elevation gain: 440 m
• Total ascent: 670 m
• Category: 3

Raten Pass is a friendlier climb than its steepest number suggests, but the 230 m gap between net gain and total ascent means it asks for smart pacing and low gearing. Ride it on even effort, gear for the ramps, and the rolling profile becomes an ally rather than a trap.