Tate's Pass

Tate's Pass cycling climb profile

Tate's Pass is short enough to look manageable on paper, but the numbers point to a very different ride. At 2.5 km with an average gradient of 14.87%, this is not a climb that gradually wears you down through duration. It forces the issue almost immediately through steepness.

The climb starts at 102 m and tops out at 468 m, giving a net elevation gain of 366 m. Over such a short distance, that gain has to arrive quickly. The listed maximum gradient is 16.4%, which is only slightly above the average. That matters tactically: this is not a gentle climb with one isolated ramp. The profile is better understood as consistently severe, where the hard sections are close to the character of the climb as a whole.

How the gradient unfolds

With no detailed split data available, the safest reading is to treat Tate's Pass as a sustained wall rather than a climb with defined recovery ledges. The gap between the 14.87% average and 16.4% maximum is narrow, so pacing around a single decisive steep pitch is the wrong approach. The problem is the accumulation of steep meters from bottom to summit.

That changes how the climb should be ridden. On a longer climb, small surges can be absorbed if the road eases later. Here, any early overreach is expensive because there is little statistical evidence of meaningful relief. The gradient is already close to the maximum before any specific ramp appears.

Pacing and gearing notes

The main pacing mistake on Tate's Pass is starting as if 2.5 km makes it a punchy effort. The length is short, but the average gradient makes it a torque-heavy climb. Settle into the easiest sustainable rhythm early, then only increase effort once the summit is clearly within reach.

Gearing should be conservative. A low climbing gear is not about comfort here - it protects your ability to keep pressure on the pedals when the slope sits near the maximum. If you run out of gear, the climb becomes a forced-strength effort, and that usually means cadence drops, upper-body tension rises, and power becomes harder to control. For riders pacing by /glossary/ftp, this is the kind of ascent where staying just under control is usually faster than chasing an early high number.

What defines the climb

Tate's Pass is a category 1 climb because the difficulty is concentrated. There is no need for a long distance to create selection when the road averages 14.87%. The decisive factor is not endurance in the broad sense, but the ability to manage steep-gradient fatigue without repeatedly spiking effort.

Ride it with patience at the bottom, enough gear at the top, and a clear understanding that the average gradient is already the warning sign.