Monarch Pass

Overview

Monarch Pass is a Category 2 climb in the United States, running 10.9 km from a start elevation of 2,960 m to a summit of 3,452 m. On paper it is a net elevation gain of 492 m at an average gradient of 4.5%. Those numbers place it firmly in the sustained-tempo range: long enough to matter, but with an average that reads as approachable rather than punishing.

The average is misleading, though. Total ascent on the climb is 922 m — nearly double the 492 m of net gain. That 430 m difference is elevation you have to climb twice, because the road drops and rises again along the way. Undulation of this scale means the effort is spikier than a 4.5% average suggests: you pay for descents by re-climbing them, and the metabolic cost is higher than a smooth 492 m drag.

How the Gradient Unfolds

A 4.5% average across 922 m of total ascent tells you the road is not a constant grade. It hides both the recovery dips and the sharp ramps stitched between them. Expect the gradient to swing well above and below the mean rather than settling anywhere near it.

• Flatter or descending sections that briefly unload the legs and reset your rhythm
• Repeated short climbs where the road re-gains ground it just gave away
• The steepest ramp, well into double digits, punching far above the average

Read the road ahead rather than the average behind you.

Pacing Notes

On a smooth climb, even-effort and even-speed pacing nearly converge. On Monarch Pass they diverge sharply because of the undulation. Chasing even speed forces you to surge on every ramp and coast on every dip — expensive and erratic. Instead, anchor to even effort: hold a steady sustainable power output on the climbs and soft-pedal the descents, letting speed vary while your load stays flat.

Set that ceiling before you start. Use the FTP estimator to fix a target, then cap yourself on the steep pitches so the repeated ramps do not quietly drain you.

Gearing

Gearing here is governed by the steepest ramp, not the 4.5% average. A double-digit pitch late in a 10.9 km effort will bury a road-standard setup. Run a compact (50/34) or sub-compact chainset paired with a wide-range cassette — a 34×32 or 34×34 low gear gives you the cadence to spin the steep sections instead of grinding them. Check your chainset and cassette before you ride; you cannot fix undergearing on the mountain.

Summary

• Length: 10.9 km
• Average gradient: 4.5%
• Net elevation gain: 492 m
• Total ascent: 922 m
• Category: 2

Monarch Pass rewards riders who respect the gap between its gentle average and its real workload. Pace to effort, gear for the steepest ramp, and treat the 922 m of total ascent — not the 492 m net — as the number that defines your day.