Paso de las Salinas

Paso de las Salinas cycling climb profile

Paso de las Salinas is an HC climb built around duration first, then severity. The headline number is 63.3 km at an average gradient of 5.42%, but the more important figure for how it rides is the 3431 m of net elevation gain from a start elevation of 722 m to a summit elevation of 4153 m.

That combination makes this less of a climb to attack and more of a climb to survive with discipline. A 5.42% average over this distance suggests long periods of rideable climbing, but the 26.99% maximum gradient changes the practical demands. The average tells you the climb is sustained. The maximum tells you there are sections where cadence, gearing, and restraint matter more than ambition.

How the gradient unfolds

From the bottom, the climb already asks for patience because the summit is a long way above the start. There is no tactical value in treating the early kilometres like a standard mountain climb. The cost of going over threshold too soon compounds across 63.3 km, especially when the route ultimately rises to 4153 m.

The middle of the climb is where the average gradient can become misleading. At 5.42%, it is tempting to settle into a steady tempo and assume the effort will remain controlled. But the presence of a 26.99% maximum gradient means the profile is not purely uniform. Even if those steepest pitches are short, they force torque spikes. If you arrive at them already riding too close to limit, they become recovery-killing efforts rather than brief interruptions.

Near the summit, the elevation itself becomes part of the climb. With the top at 4153 m, the same power will feel more expensive than it did at the start. The correct pacing model is therefore not flat effort from bottom to top, but controlled effort early, conservative management through the steepest ramps, and acceptance that perceived exertion will rise late even if power does not.

Pacing and gearing notes

Ride the first part below your sustainable climbing effort, not at it. If you use /glossary/ftp as a pacing anchor, this is the kind of climb where staying under control early is the performance decision, not a sign of weakness.

Use your easiest climbing gear before you need it. The 26.99% maximum gradient makes low-cadence grinding a real risk, and repeated torque surges can drain the legs long before the summit.

Break the climb into effort blocks rather than chasing the full 63.3 km. The scale of the climb makes pacing errors hard to correct, and the 3431 m net gain means every unnecessary acceleration has a long tail.

Bottom line

Paso de las Salinas is defined by the gap between its manageable average gradient and its extreme total demand. The winning approach is not aggression. It is patience, low gearing, and the discipline to keep the steepest ramps from deciding the ride too early.