Chief Joseph Pass

Overview

Chief Joseph Pass is a Category 2 climb in the United States, running 9.3 km from a start elevation of 1,711 m to a summit at 2,207 m. On paper it is a net elevation gain of 496 m at an average gradient of 5.35% — a mid-length climb that sits comfortably in the range most trained riders can hold at a steady effort without blowing up.

The number that reshapes the ride is total ascent: 770 m against a net gain of just 496 m. That 274 m gap means the road does not climb cleanly. Somewhere across those 9.3 km you give back roughly 274 m to descents and false flats, then have to reclaim it. Undulation like this punishes riders who pace off the average gradient, because the climbing pitches are steeper than 5.35% and the descents offer no real rest at speed.

How the Gradient Unfolds

The 5.35% average is a blend, not a constant. With 770 m of ascent packed into a climb that only nets 496 m, the real climbing sections are noticeably steeper than the headline figure, offset by flatter and downhill stretches that drag the average down.

• Recovery breaks: expect flatter sections and short descents where the gradient goes negative — free speed, but no place to truly rest.
• Repeated ramps: the profile stacks several short climbs rather than one uniform wall, so the effort comes in pulses.
• The steepest pitch reaches 17.01% — a sharp ramp that demands a gear in reserve and a hard, deliberate effort.

Pacing Notes

On an undulating climb like this, do not chase even speed — the descents and flats would force you to bury yourself just to keep the number up. Pace on even effort instead: hold a steady sustainable power output through the climbing pitches and let your speed rise freely on the descents rather than pushing to maintain a target pace.

Know your ceiling before you start. Run the FTP estimator and set a wattage cap you can hold for the full 9.3 km, then ride to that number on the ramps and soft-pedal the descents.

Gearing

The 17.01% maximum gradient governs your setup, not the 5.35% average. Gear for the ramp, not the mean. Use a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 gives you a bailout gear that keeps your cadence up when the road kicks toward 17%. Check your chainset and cassette before the ride; discovering you are over-geared at the base of a 17% ramp is a mistake you make only once.

Summary

• Length: 9.3 km
• Average gradient: 5.35%
• Maximum gradient: 17.01%
• Net elevation gain: 496 m
• Total ascent: 770 m
• Category: 2

Chief Joseph Pass reads as a moderate 9.3 km Category 2 climb, but the 770 m of total ascent against 496 m of net gain tells the truer story: this is a rolling effort with a 17% sting. Pace on effort, gear for the ramp, and it rewards you.