Traill's Pass

Traill's Pass cycling climb profile

Traill's Pass is short on paper, but the numbers make it clear that this is not a climb to treat like a standard category 1 effort. It is 4.7 km long, averages 12.81%, and rises from 2,641 m to 3,241 m. That combination means the difficulty is concentrated rather than spread out. There is no room to ease into it and wait for the climb to become selective later.

The defining feature is the gradient density. A 12.81% average over 4.7 km tells you the road is persistently steep, not simply a moderate climb with one hard wall. The maximum gradient of 19.93% matters because it changes how the whole climb should be ridden. Even if the steepest section is brief, it forces a pacing reserve. Riders who start at threshold and then meet a near-20% ramp will have very little mechanical or physiological margin left.

How the gradient unfolds

The available profile data does not break Traill's Pass into named sections, so the safest reading is also the most useful one: expect the climb to feel hard from the lower slopes and stay hard to the summit. The start at 2,641 m already places the effort well above sea level, and the summit at 3,241 m comes after 600 m of net elevation gain. With that much vertical change packed into 4.7 km, the climb rewards restraint early and punishes any surge that is not deliberate.

The average gradient is the tactical anchor. On a climb this steep, small changes in slope have an outsized effect on speed, cadence, and torque. A rider who chases pace rather than effort will tend to overreact to every pitch, especially when the road approaches its 19.93% maximum. The better approach is to let speed fall, protect cadence where possible, and keep pressure sustainable through the steepest gradients rather than trying to force momentum that the slope will take away.

Pacing and gearing notes

Treat Traill's Pass as a controlled strength climb, not a climb for a long build. The first priority is staying below the effort that would make the steepest ramps unrideable. If riding by power, anchor the opening effort around sustainable climbing output rather than chasing a target speed. The gradient is steep enough that power spikes can arrive simply from keeping the pedals turning, so smooth torque matters more than aggression. For reference, pacing this type of climb is closely tied to knowing your /glossary/ftp.

Gearing should be chosen for the maximum gradient, not the average. A setup that feels acceptable at 12.81% may become too heavy when the road kicks toward 19.93%. The practical goal is to preserve a seated climbing rhythm for as long as possible, while still having a low enough gear to manage the steepest section without grinding yourself into a stalled cadence.

The key is discipline. Traill's Pass is only 4.7 km, but its average gradient makes it a climb where early overconfidence shows up quickly. Ride the bottom with respect, save a gear and a little oxygen for the steepest pitch, and the summit arrives through control rather than a late rescue effort.