col de Chaude

Overview

Col de Chaude is a Hors Catégorie climb in Switzerland, rising steeply off the valley floor to a high summit. Over 11.5 km it delivers a net elevation gain of 1,261 m, starting at 367 m and topping out at 1,628 m. With an average gradient of 10.95 percent, this is one of the harder short climbs you will find: there is no long approach to warm into, just sustained double-digit slopes from low down to the top.

The total ascent is 1,814 m, which is 553 m more than the net gain of 1,261 m. That gap tells you the road undulates — it kicks up, eases, and climbs again rather than rising at one clean rate. On a climb this steep, those extra vertical metres are meaningful: you pay for every dip with a repeated hard restart, and the descents in between are too short to offer real recovery. Budget your legs for more climbing than the net figure suggests.

How the Gradient Unfolds

An average of 10.95 percent is already severe, but averages flatten out the real shape of the road. The undulation baked into the total-ascent figure means the true climbing pitches sit well above 11 percent, offset by brief flatter or descending stretches.

• Short flatter or recovery sections where the road briefly relents — use them, they are rare
• Repeated short climbs stacked back to back, each demanding a fresh surge of effort
• The steepest ramps, well into the teens, where cadence collapses and you grind

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb, even-effort and even-speed pacing converge. On Chaude they do not. Chasing a constant speed on the steep ramps will spike your power far past your sustainable power output and blow your legs before the summit. Pace to effort instead: hold a steady, repeatable intensity and let your speed sag on the walls and recover on the flatter breaks.

Know your ceiling before you start. Run the FTP estimator, then ride the steep pitches a touch below that number so the undulation does not push you into the red on every kick.

Gearing

Gearing is non-negotiable here. With sustained double-digit slopes and steeper ramps layered on top, a standard setup will leave you mashing at low cadence and cooking your legs. Fit a compact or sub-compact chainset and pair it with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 at minimum, and 34×34 if you have it. Check your chainset and cassette the day before the ride, not at the trailhead; on an HC climb this steep, the wrong gear is a day-ender.

Summary

• Length: 11.5 km
• Average gradient: 10.95 percent
• Net elevation gain: 1,261 m
• Total ascent: 1,814 m
• Category: HC

Col de Chaude is short on distance and long on suffering. Respect the undulation, pace to effort, and bring gears low enough to keep spinning, and this HC wall becomes a challenge you can finish strong rather than a climb that finishes you.