Big Gate Pass

Big Gate Pass cycling climb profile

Big Gate Pass is a category 2 climb that asks for patience more than panic. On paper, 13.3 km at 4.32% looks manageable, but the key number is the 12.19% maximum gradient. That tells you the climb is not just a long, even drag. The average is moderate because the steep sections are balanced by easier gradients, but those sharper ramps are where riders who pace by feel can get into trouble.

Starting at 21 m and topping out at 594 m, the climb gains height steadily enough to matter. With a listed net elevation gain of 573 m, this is long enough to sit firmly in sustained-effort territory. The tactical mistake is treating the lower average gradient as permission to ride above threshold early. Once the road tips up into its harder pitches, that early overspend becomes expensive.

How the gradient unfolds

The climb should be approached as a rolling sustained ascent rather than a constant wall. The 4.32% average suggests there will be plenty of sections where the bike keeps moving well, especially if you stay seated and keep pressure smooth. But the presence of a 12.19% maximum means the rhythm can be interrupted by ramps steep enough to force a real gear change and a short rise in torque.

That matters because gradient variability changes the physiological cost. A rider holding the same speed into the steeper sections will see power spike quickly. The smarter move is to let speed fall when the gradient bites, keep cadence under control, and avoid turning each ramp into a repeated anaerobic effort. On a climb of 13.3 km, those small spikes accumulate.

Pacing and gearing notes

For pacing, anchor the first part of the climb below your sustainable climbing effort, especially if using /glossary/ftp as a reference. The goal is to arrive at the steeper ramps with enough reserve to ride them seated, controlled, and without having to surge over the top.

Practical approach:

• Start conservatively despite the moderate average gradient.
• Shift before the steepest ramps rather than waiting until cadence collapses.
• Use the easier sections to settle breathing and reset torque, not to chase lost speed.
• If riding with a power meter, cap the steep ramps rather than trying to hold a fixed speed.
• Choose gearing that gives you a usable cadence on gradients above 12%, not just on the 4.32% average.

Big Gate Pass is the kind of climb where the average number can understate the ride. It is not brutally steep overall, but it is long enough and uneven enough that pacing discipline decides whether the final kilometers feel controlled or like damage control.