Mount Hermon

Overview

Mount Hermon is a route defined by a single ambition: to climb, and keep climbing, until the road runs out near the roof of the country. Over just 32.3 kilometres, this point-to-point ride amasses a staggering 2035 metres of vertical gain, a ratio that leaves no room for coasting and no place to hide. It is short in distance but colossal in effort, the kind of ride that reduces a day to one enormous, singular purpose. In the Golan of northern Israel, few objectives loom as large — literally and figuratively — as the ascent toward Mount Hermon, and this route exists to point you straight at it.

The Route

Because Mount Hermon is a point-to-point course rather than a loop, every pedal stroke carries you forward and, overwhelmingly, upward. There is no return leg folded into the distance, no long flat run-in to soften the numbers. The 32.3 kilometres are a one-way journey from lower ground to high mountain, and the road commits to that arc almost from the start. With 2035 metres of climbing packed into so compact a span, the average gradient of the whole undertaking is severe — this is a route where the elevation profile reads less like rolling terrain and more like a ramp tilted toward the sky. Riders should plan their logistics around the one-directional nature of the day: where you finish is not where you began, and it is considerably higher.

Key Climbs

The route's defining feature — and the only named climb it passes — is Mount Hermon itself. Everything about the ride is organised around this ascent. It is not a climb sprinkled into a longer day; it is the day. The 2035 metres of accumulated gain are the story of Mount Hermon, a sustained push toward the highest terrain in the region. As Israel's most storied high mountain, Hermon gives the route its identity and its gravity. Approaching it by bike means committing to a long, grinding effort where pacing matters more than power, and where the reward is the rare experience of climbing continuously toward a genuine summit environment rather than a mere hilltop.

Terrain & Surface

The entire route is paved in asphalt, which is a meaningful mercy given the demands of the gradient. There are no gravel sectors, no broken surfaces, and no technical rough to manage on top of the climbing — the road is smooth throughout, letting riders channel every watt into forward motion rather than fighting for traction. That consistent asphalt makes the effort a pure test of legs and lungs. On the ascent, good tarmac means you can settle into a rhythm and hold it; on any descending pitches, it means the road is predictable and fast. The surface never becomes the obstacle. The mountain does that job all by itself.

When to Ride

Given the altitude gained across the route and its finish high on Mount Hermon, timing is everything. This is a route best approached in the warmer, drier stretches of the year, when the upper reaches of the mountain are clear and the asphalt is dry underfoot. High terrain of this kind can hold cold, wind, and weather long after the valleys below have warmed, so riders should watch conditions near the summit rather than assume the base is representative. Start with enough daylight in hand — 2035 metres of climbing takes time — and carry layers for the top, where the air is thinner and cooler than at the start.

Logistics

The point-to-point format is the central logistical fact of Mount Hermon. Plan a shuttle, a vehicle at the finish, or a supported return, because you will end the ride high on the mountain rather than back where you set off. Pack for a long sustained climb: ample food and water, and clothing that can handle both the exertion of the ascent and the cooler conditions near the summit. There are no gravel-specific tyre considerations here — the asphalt surface means a standard road setup is appropriate — but gearing should be chosen for endurance climbing, favouring lower ratios that let you spin rather than grind across those 32.3 relentless kilometres.

Summary

Mount Hermon distils cycling to its most elemental challenge: one road, one mountain, and 2035 metres of climbing over 32.3 asphalt kilometres. It is a point-to-point ride with a single, unmistakable goal, carrying you up toward the Golan's iconic high peak on smooth pavement the whole way. Short, steep, and unforgettable, it earns its status as one of the region's defining rides.