Soldier Summit

Overview

Soldier Summit is a Category 4 climb in the United States, running 7.8 km from a start elevation of 2,011 m to a summit at 2,274 m. The net elevation gain across that distance is 263 m, which works out to the 3.39% average gradient that defines its category. On paper it is a modest ascent at altitude, short enough to attack but long enough to matter in a longer day.

The number that reshapes the effort is total ascent: 342 m against a net gain of 263 m. That 79 m difference is climbing you do twice — undulation, where the road kicks up, gives back, and kicks up again. Every metre you descend inside the climb is a metre you re-earn. The 3.39% average never appears as a steady grade under your wheels; instead you get a sequence of harder efforts stitched together by recovery, which is why the sensation on the road runs hotter than the headline figure suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The average gradient of 3.39% is a blend, not a description. The maximum touches 10.67%, so the steepest ramp is more than three times the mean — the extra 79 m of ascent has to live somewhere, and it lives in the pitches. Expect the profile to swing between easy running and short, sharp walls.

• Flatter and recovery sections where the grade drops well below average and you can spin or soft-pedal
• Repeated short climbs that account for the gap between the 263 m net gain and 342 m total ascent
• A steepest ramp near 10.67% that demands your biggest sprocket and a brief hard effort

Pacing Notes

Do not chase an even speed here. On an undulating climb, holding constant speed means spiking your power on every ramp and coasting the descents — a fast way to blow up early. Instead, pace to an even effort: hold a steady sustainable power output and let your speed rise on the flatter sections and fall on the 10.67% pitches. Push a little over threshold on the steepest ramp only if you know you can recover on the next dip. If you are unsure what number to target, run the FTP estimator beforehand and set a ceiling you can hold across all 7.8 km.

Gearing

The 10.67% maximum is what dictates your setup, not the 3.39% average. On a ramp that steep at 2,000-plus metres, you want gearing that lets you keep cadence up rather than grinding. A compact or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — think 34×32 or 34×34 — gives you the bailout gear for the steep pitches while leaving plenty for the flatter running. Check your chainring and cassette combination before the ride; discovering you are over-geared halfway up a 10% wall is a mistake you only make once.

Summary

• Length: 7.8 km
• Average gradient: 3.39%
• Maximum gradient: 10.67%
• Net elevation gain: 263 m
• Total ascent: 342 m
• Category: 4

Soldier Summit is a short climb that rides longer than its category implies. The gap between 263 m of net gain and 342 m of total ascent is the whole story: pace it to effort, gear for the steep ramp, and the undulation works for you instead of against you.