19.6
PDI
12.5 mi
DISTANCE
3,735 ft
GAINED
5.3 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. The climb gains 1,138 m (3,735 ft) in 20.1 km (12.5 mi) for a 5.3% average, rising from 9 m (30 ft) to 1,078 m (3,536 ft).
The first two kilometers (1.2 mi) along the coastal plain are gentle, at 2.0% and 3.4%. The real climbing starts in the third kilometer: from km 2 to km 10 (miles 1.2 to 6.2) every kilometer holds between 5.9% and 8.1%.
The last ten kilometers (6.2 mi) are more broken: a near-flat 11th kilometer (1.1%), then 8.3% and 7.1% in the 12th and 13th, another easing in the 15th (2.2%), a final run of 5.9% to 7.1% in kilometers 16 to 18, and a flat finish, with the last two kilometers at 1.7% and 3.2%. The steepest half-kilometer averages 11.1%, the steepest kilometer 9.6% and the steepest mile 8.4%.
Roadway: The route follows provincial roads, with the SP 140 linking Santa Caterina dello Ionio to Elce della Vecchia, and is paved throughout. It is a minor mountain road, so surface quality can vary, and the descent deserves care.
Traffic: Light. The lower kilometers near the coast see more cars in the summer beach season, while the mountain road above serves the farms and timber operations around Elce della Vecchia and the hamlet's roughly thirty residents, and is quiet.
Parking: Santa Caterina dello Ionio Marina is a small seaside village rather than a trailhead, so plan on on-street parking in the village and a short roll to the junction where the climb begins.
Gear: A standard road bike with a compact gear range is plenty for a climb that averages 5.3%. The ride starts at sea level in a Mediterranean climate, so sun protection matters, and the top is more than 1,000 m (3,280 ft) higher, so bring a light layer for the descent.
Provisions: Santa Caterina dello Ionio Marina has restaurants and a pastry shop at the start, so stock up there. Elce della Vecchia is a tiny hamlet with a picnic area rather than shops, so carry food and two bottles for the whole ride.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Santa Caterina dello Ionio is two places in one: the Marina on the Ionian coast, with sandy beaches, restaurants and a pastry shop, and the old hilltop village at about 450 m (1,476 ft), roughly 9 km (5.6 mi) inland. Calabrian staples to look for include spicy nduja salami and handmade pasta.
The coast around here is rich in sights for a rest day: Badolato's old center, Guardavalle, the Scylletium and Kaulon archaeological park, and Stilo, home to the Byzantine-style monastery La Cattolica. Near the top, the Pietracupa waterfall, a drop of more than ten meters on the Assi torrent into a shaded natural pool the locals call a gurna, is reached on foot from Elce della Vecchia, near the abandoned site of Pietracupa.
Other Calabrian climbs along the Ionian coast, such as Caulonia and Nardodipace, can be found with our Routes in the Area tool.
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