- Ascent
- 1220 hm
- Distance Ascent
- 16.3 km
- max. gradient
- 15 %
- ø gradient
- 7.5 %
Hautacam from Argelès-Gazost is an HC climb of 16.3 km with 1,220 m of elevation gain at an average of 7.5 %, peaking at 15 %. The road climbs from the valley up to the ski area at Tramassel at 1,650 m, and the way back is the same road. The gradient keeps changing, mostly between 5 and 9 %, with no flat stretch to recover.
Hautacam climbs straight out of Argelès-Gazost up to the ski area at Tramassel. It is 16.3 kilometres and 1,220 metres of climbing up to 1,650 metres. There is not a single flat kilometre to recover, but the gradient keeps changing. That constant change of rhythm is exactly what makes it hard to pace.
Hautacam at a glance
The key figures from Argelès-Gazost: category HC, 16.3 km, 1,220 m of climbing, 7.5 % on average and 15 % at its steepest. The road leaves Argelès-Gazost and climbs the slopes above the valley up to Tramassel at 1,650 m. Start and finish are both in Argelès-Gazost, so the way back is the same road. In our list Hautacam belongs to the Pyrenees region.
The climb from Argelès-Gazost
The very first kilometre is already above 8 %, there is no warm up. The first four kilometres sit between 7 and just under 9 %, followed by a few calmer ones at 5 to 7 %. Around kilometre nine the gradient picks up again. This first half is demanding, but still the easier part.
The second half is the harder one: between kilometres nine and 13 almost every kilometre is above 7 %, and one goes above 10 %. About two kilometres before the top comes the only easier kilometre at around 3.5 %, before the last one climbs again at close to 8 %. The 15 % in the fact box does not show up at kilometre level, so it is a short spot.
How it compares to our 100 climbs
At 7.5 % Hautacam is one of the steeper Pyrenees climbs in our list, only four are steeper on average. Across all 100 climbs 34 are steeper, and 45 have more elevation gain than its 1,220 m. In the Pyrenees only the Port de Balès has a higher peak than its 15 %. The Col du Soulor also starts in Argelès-Gazost, but is much gentler with 19.5 km and 1,019 m of climbing at 5.2 %.
Practical tips
For Hautacam a compact chainset with a large sprocket makes sense, mainly for the harder second half. Start calmly despite the steep first kilometre, the key section only comes after halfway. At 1,650 m it is cooler than in the valley, so bring a jacket for the descent. The way back to Argelès-Gazost is the same road.
