Alto de los Buitres

Alto de los Buitres cycling climb profile

Alto de los Buitres is a category 2 climb in Chile that looks manageable on average but still asks for discipline. The headline figure is 15.6 km at 3.65%, rising from 13 m to 583 m, with 570 m of net elevation gain and 575 m of total ascent. That tells you the basic character straight away: this is not a brutally steep wall, but it is long enough that poor pacing early will show up before the summit.

How the gradient rides

The average gradient of 3.65% points to a climb that rewards steady aerobic pressure rather than repeated out-of-saddle surges. The total ascent of 575 m compared with 570 m of net gain suggests the route is broadly upward, with very little elevation lost along the way. In practical terms, you should expect a climb where momentum matters. If you overreact to every change in pitch, you risk turning a controlled category 2 ascent into a series of unnecessary accelerations.

The maximum gradient of 8.18% is the key warning. Even though the average is moderate, there are ramps steep enough to push you above threshold if you try to hold speed at all costs. Because the available profile does not place that maximum gradient at a specific point on the climb, the smart assumption is that the steepest section could arrive when fatigue is already building. That should shape the ride from the bottom.

Pacing strategy

Treat the opening kilometres as a settling-in phase, not an invitation to bank time. At 15.6 km, the climb gives enough duration for effort drift to matter. A pace that feels slightly too easy at the base can become the right effort once the road has been rising for a while.

If riding with power, anchor the effort below your limit early and avoid chasing speed on the 8.18% ramps. If riding by feel, keep breathing controlled and cadence sustainable. The goal is to absorb the steeper pitches without needing a long recovery afterward. For a climb like this, the fastest ride is usually the smoothest one.

Gearing notes

Use gearing that lets you stay seated through moderate gradients but still gives you room when the road reaches its steepest ramps. The average gradient does not demand extreme climbing gears, but the 8.18% maximum means you should not arrive over-geared, especially if you are riding after fatigue or carrying extra load.

A sensible approach is to keep one easier gear in reserve for the steepest parts, rather than using your smallest gear too early. That preserves cadence, keeps muscular strain down, and helps hold a more even effort relative to /glossary/ftp. Alto de los Buitres is a climb where patience is tactical: ride the average, respect the maximum, and save the hard work for the sections that actually require it.