McClure Pass

McClure Pass cycling climb profile

McClure Pass is a category 2 climb in the US that asks for patience more than aggression. On paper, the headline is 20.7 km at an average gradient of 3.41%, rising from 1976 m to 2682 m. That combination tells you a lot about how it rides: this is not a short, punchy climb where you can muscle through a bad pacing decision. It is a long aerobic drag where the cost of going slightly too hard early compounds before the summit.

The listed net elevation gain is 706 m, with total ascent given as 694 m. However the data is smoothed, the practical takeaway is the same: the climb is defined by sustained upward pressure rather than repeated downhills or major interruptions. You should expect a long period of pedaling with limited recovery, which makes rhythm and position more important than raw explosiveness.

How the gradient unfolds

The 3.41% average gradient means much of McClure Pass should feel rideable in tempo gears, especially for a rider who is comfortable sitting just below /glossary/ftp for extended periods. But the max gradient of 8.3% matters. It tells you the climb is not simply a shallow false flat from bottom to top. There are steeper sections where torque demand rises and cadence can drop if you are over-geared.

That spread between the average and the maximum is the key pacing clue. If you ride the opening as if the whole climb will stay near the average, the steeper pitches can push you above threshold without much warning. Those surges may feel manageable in isolation, but across 20.7 km they are what turn a controlled climb into a slow fade.

Pacing notes

Ride McClure Pass like a long, steady threshold-adjacent effort with a governor on the early enthusiasm.

• Start conservatively and let the climb come to you.
• Keep the effort smooth on the gentler terrain rather than trying to bank time.
• Treat the 8.3% ramps as places to cap effort, not attack.
• If riding with power, avoid repeated spikes above /glossary/ftp unless the summit is close enough that you can absorb the cost.

The correct effort should feel almost too controlled at the bottom. That is the point. A 20.7 km climb rewards the rider who can hold pressure without constantly changing pace.

Gearing notes

Because the average gradient is moderate but the climb is long, gearing should prioritize cadence preservation rather than survival gearing alone. You want enough range to stay seated and smooth when the road touches its steeper maximum of 8.3%, especially at the listed summit elevation of 2682 m.

A compact or wide-range setup makes sense for most riders, not because McClure Pass is brutally steep, but because efficient climbing here depends on avoiding unnecessary muscular strain. If your easiest gear forces grinding on the steeper pitches, the damage will show up later in the climb. The best setup is the one that lets you keep pressure on the pedals without turning every ramp into a strength workout.