Cascade Pass

Cascade Pass cycling climb profile

Cascade Pass is a Category 1 climb in the US, and the headline numbers explain why it deserves that rating: 11.5 km in length, an average gradient of 6.08%, and a maximum gradient of 11.69%. It starts at 415 m and tops out at 1113 m, which gives a net elevation gain of 698 m.

That combination points to a climb that is not defined by one brutal wall, but by the accumulation of sustained work. An average just over 6% across 11.5 km is enough to keep you under constant load, while the 11.69% maximum tells you there are sections steep enough to punish poor pacing or overgearing.

How the gradient rides

The available profile data gives the key shape rather than a turn-by-turn breakdown. The important read is this: the climb is long enough that you cannot treat the early slopes like a short punch, and steep enough in places that a steady power target will not always feel steady through the pedals.

At 6.08% average, Cascade Pass sits in the zone where tempo can become threshold surprisingly quickly if you chase speed instead of effort. The steeper pitches near the listed maximum of 11.69% are the real pacing trap. If you enter those ramps already above your sustainable ceiling, they will force anaerobic surges that make the remaining distance feel much longer than the raw gradient suggests.

The total ascent is listed at 657 m, while the start and summit elevations indicate a 698 m net gain. That discrepancy is worth noting if comparing route databases, but the riding conclusion is unchanged: this is a sustained climbing effort with limited margin for repeated spikes.

Pacing and gearing notes

Ride Cascade Pass from the bottom as a controlled aerobic climb, not as a test of how hard you can press at the first steepening. The best approach is to cap effort early, then let the gradient decide where small surges are unavoidable.

For pacing:

• Start below your target climbing intensity for the opening portion.
• Keep pressure smooth through the 6% average terrain.
• Treat any ramps approaching the 11.69% maximum as damage-control sections, not attack points.
• If riding by power, anchor the climb around sustainable output rather than speed. See /glossary/ftp for context on setting that ceiling.

For gearing, bring a low enough gear that you can stay seated and maintain cadence when the road tips into double digits. The climb is long enough that grinding every steep pitch will carry a cost, especially if you are trying to ride the full 11.5 km efficiently.

Cascade Pass rewards restraint. The rider who keeps the first half controlled and avoids overreacting to the steepest ramps will usually reach the summit stronger than the rider who tries to beat the average gradient from the bottom.