El Torneado Cycling Climb: Ecuador's #9 World-Ranked Ascent

Ecuador El Torneado

69.2

PDI

20 mi

DISTANCE

8,879 ft

GAINED

ELEVATION GAINED

8.4 %

AVG. GRADE

AVG. GRADIENT

FULL CLIMB STATS

Page Contributor(s): Hernando Bermudez, Bellevue, WA; Ties Arts, Bussum, Netherlands.

INTRO

El Torneado is a 20-mile climb in Ecuador that gains 8,879 ft at an average grade of 8.4%, starting at 385 ft in the town of Montalvo, Los Ríos Province, and topping out near 9,263 ft. It ranks as the 9th-hardest climb in PJAMM's world database - and only the third-hardest in Ecuador, a country with an unusually deep bench of brutal Andes ascents.

The climb comes in two distinct phases: The first seven miles follow the main highway from Montalvo toward Balzapamba at a manageable 5-6%, warming riders up for what comes next: roughly 12 miles on the Torneado road itself, averaging close to 10%, with a 10-kilometer stretch that holds just over 12% and a 500-meter ramp that hits 14.7%. The lush, tropical lower slopes give way to cloud forest and, often, fog and rain near the top - PJAMM ambassador Hernando Bermudez, who rode it during a multi-day Ecuadorian trip, described the day turning from overcast to thick fog and rain by the summit. El Torneado and neighboring El Chimborazo make up the bulk of the climbing on what local riders call the "0-5000m route" - a point-to-point ride from sea level in Babahoyo to the Carrel Hut on Chimborazo's flank, with a rest stop in Guaranda between the two climbs.

The Torneado road also has a local reputation for being dangerous - tight hairpins, unlit stretches, and rainy-season landslides documented repeatedly by Bolívar province news outlets into 2026. Worth knowing before you go.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE

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El Torneado's 8.4% average hides a lot of variation over its 20 miles. The first stretch - about seven miles on the main highway between Montalvo and Balzapamba - is the easiest part of the day, averaging a rideable 5-6%. The real climb starts where the route turns off onto the Torneado road itself. From there it's roughly 12 miles averaging close to 10%, including a 10-kilometer segment that holds just over 12% and a brutal 500-meter ramp that hits 14.7%. There's no meaningful flat or downhill recovery built into that stretch - it just keeps coming. Riders who've done it describe alternating between seated and out-of-saddle efforts to manage the sustained steepness, and pacing conservatively on the lower highway section since the hardest, steepest kilometers are backloaded onto the second half of the climb.

Roadway: Paved but narrow, with tight hairpin curves and inconsistent maintenance - potholes and rough patches turn up along the Torneado road itself. There's no street lighting and minimal signage. The corridor floods and slides frequently in the rainy season: Ecuador's ECU 911 emergency service and state road-status feeds have logged landslides on this route repeatedly into 2026, including closures near Balsapamba in February 2025, on the Las Guardias-Balsapamba stretch in January 2026, and at the Balzapamba-Torneado junction in March 2026 - check current road status before riding in the wetter months.

Traffic: Light but real. The Torneado road is used mainly as a local shortcut between Chimbo canton and Balsapamba parroquia, saving drivers roughly half an hour versus the longer route through Chillanes-San Miguel. Local news (La Prensa Ecuador, June 2025) has flagged the road specifically for brake-overheating accidents on its long descents, and large trucks and buses are discouraged from using it - so most traffic is light vehicles and motorbikes.

Parking: No formal trailhead or lot. Most riders start from the town of Montalvo at the base, where there's room along the main road before the climb begins.

There's nothing resembling a bike shop or convenience store on the Torneado road itself, so carry all the food and water you'll need for the full climb. Roadside vendors selling bananas, oranges, and sugarcane turn up at points along the route and can supplement supplies, but they're not something to plan a ride around. Pack for a real temperature and weather swing - warm and humid at the 385 ft start in Montalvo, often cold, foggy, and wet by the 9,263 ft summit. A packable rain jacket and arm or leg warmers are worth carrying even if the day starts clear. The pavement is inconsistent on the upper Torneado road, with potholes and rough patches in places, so skip your narrowest tires and make sure your brakes are in good working order - local drivers have had real problems with brake overheating on this road's steep grades, and the same physics apply on two wheels.

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.

Many riders pair El Torneado with El Chimborazo as part of what locals call the "0-5000m route" - starting at sea level in Babahoyo and finishing at the Carrel Hut on Chimborazo's slopes. Basing out of Guaranda, the town between the two climbs, is a practical way to split the effort over two or three days, as PJAMM ambassador Hernando Bermudez did on his own Ecuadorian trip. Given how often the Torneado road is affected by rainy-season landslides and fog, aim for the region's drier months (roughly May-October) if your schedule allows it - the wettest months, peaking March-May, bring the heaviest rain, the worst visibility, and the highest landslide risk reported in local news through early 2026. There are no bike shops or lodging directly on the climb - Montalvo at the bottom and Guaranda near the top are the nearest towns with real services.