Sinclair Pass

Overview

Sinclair Pass is a Category 3 climb in Canada, running 11.9km from base to summit. It starts at 1,110m and tops out at 1,495m, for a net elevation gain of 385m. On paper that reads as a moderate, steady haul: a long-ish climb with a gentle overall pitch and nothing extreme in the headline figures.

The reality is more demanding, and the total ascent figure tells you why. While the net gain is 385m, the climb accumulates 742m of total ascent — a difference of 357m. That gap is undulation: the road repeatedly gives back elevation and forces you to reclaim it. You climb almost twice the net height across the full route, so the effort is roughly double what a naive net-gain calculation predicts. Treat this as a rolling climb, not a single sustained drag.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 3.24% average is misleading. An undulating profile like this averages out steep pitches against flat or descending sections, so the mean tells you little about any given moment. The steepest ramp hits 17.01% — more than five times the average — and that is where the climb is won or lost.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the road eases or briefly descends, letting you spin and reset.
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, which is where the extra 357m of total ascent comes from.
• The steepest ramp at 17.01%, a sharp pitch that demands low gearing and a controlled effort.

Pacing Notes

On a rolling climb, chasing even speed is a trap — you burn matches fighting the steep pitches to hold a target pace, then coast the descents. Aim for even effort instead. Hold a steady, repeatable output near your sustainable power output, let your speed rise on the flatter recovery sections, and accept that it drops on the 17.01% ramp rather than surging to defend a number.

The undulation makes discipline pay off: soft-pedal the descents only enough to recover, and avoid over-cooking the short climbs. If you do not know your threshold, run the FTP estimator first so your effort target is grounded in real numbers rather than feel.

Gearing

The 17.01% maximum gradient dictates your setup. That pitch is steep enough to stall an under-geared rider, so bring range. Run a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you room to keep cadence on the steepest ramp without grinding. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared at 17% is a mistake you make only once.

Summary

• Length: 11.9km
• Average gradient: 3.24%
• Maximum gradient: 17.01%
• Net elevation gain: 385m
• Total ascent: 742m
• Category: 3

Sinclair Pass rewards riders who read the profile rather than the average. Pace for even effort, gear for the 17.01% ramp, and respect the 742m of total ascent hiding behind a modest 385m net gain.