Har Meron

Overview

Har Meron is a category 2 ascent that packs a genuine punch into a compact profile. Over 5.1 km it climbs from a start elevation of 724 m to a summit at 1060 m, delivering 336 m of net elevation gain and 335 m of total ascent. That near-identical pairing of net gain and total ascent tells you almost everything about the road's character: it points relentlessly upward with virtually no false-flat recovery or downhill relief along the way. What you gain in altitude, you gain by pedaling, meter after meter.

The headline number is the 6.54% average gradient, but that figure hides a sharper reality. With a maximum gradient of 12.34%, the steepest ramps here are nearly double the average, so this is a climb of sustained effort punctuated by moments that demand real force on the pedals.

How the Gradient Unfolds

Because the 336 m of net gain and 335 m of total ascent are essentially equal, the climb is almost entirely uphill with no dips to reset your legs. Averaging 6.54% across the full 5.1 km makes for a steady grind, but the 12.34% maximum means the road doesn't stay polite. Expect the incline to swing well above the average on its hardest sections, then ease back toward more manageable single-digit gradients elsewhere.

The gap between the 6.54% average and the 12.34% peak — a spread of 5.8 percentage points — is where the climb earns its category 2 status. You'll rarely coast, and you'll want to read the road ahead so a sudden pitch toward that maximum doesn't catch you in the wrong gear.

Pacing Notes

Treat Har Meron as a threshold effort. At 5.1 km with a 6.54% average, most riders will be climbing for a sustained block of time that sits right around or just above their FTP. Start conservatively: the temptation is to attack the lower slopes, but with 336 m still to gain and ramps up to 12.34% waiting, discipline early pays dividends late.

If you don't know your threshold power, run the numbers through the FTP estimator before you plan your pacing. Aim to hold a steady effort just under threshold on the average sections, then accept that your power will spike above it on the steepest ramps toward the 12.34% maximum — that's normal, provided you settle back down afterward rather than blowing up.

Gearing

With sustained 6.54% gradients and pitches touching 12.34%, gearing is your friend on Har Meron. A compact crankset paired with a wide-range cassette is the sensible baseline. A 34×32 will get most fit riders up the climb while keeping a workable cadence on the average slopes, but if you weigh more, ride at a lower fitness level, or simply prefer spinning, step up to a 34×34. That extra sprocket makes a real difference when the road rears toward its 12.34% maximum, letting you keep the pedals turning instead of grinding to a near-standstill over the final meters to 1060 m.

Summary

Har Meron is a concise but honest category 2 climb: 5.1 km of near-continuous uphill at 6.54% average, with a 12.34% sting and 336 m of net gain from base to summit. Pace it like a threshold effort, gear generously, and respect the steep ramps.

Length: 5.1 km
Average gradient: 6.54%
Max gradient: 12.34%
Start: 724 m
Summit: 1060 m
Net gain: 336 m
Total ascent: 335 m
Category: 2