Alto de la Línea (from Calarcá): this mountain pass could be consider the most popular in Colombia, where riders such as “Cochise” Rodríguez, “Lucho” Herrera and Oliverio Rincón suffered this 21,7 Km to sentence a victory in “La Vuelta a Colombia”. We choosed the hardest side of the climb, which means that we start at 1,612 m.a.s.l. in the city of Calarcá, Armenia.  The average gradient of this mythical climb is 7.6%, but the last 11 km are the hardest with an average gradient of 8.8% and a maximum gradient of 13%. You will know without see your bike computer that you start the last 11 km due to is the only part of the climb that offers a rest for your legs. Cyclists in Colombia use to call this part of the road: Descansa perros (something like relaxing dogs).

On the road to the summit you will find some close bends and people helping truck drivers point it out if the way is free or trucks are comming in the opposite direction. Except for few closed bends, most of the road is width and the traffic  is heavy, so we recommend to start this journey early in the morning.

Overall, the climb is quite steady with a maximum gradient of 13%, so just pace yourself accordingly. If it feels easy in the first few kilometers than you are doing it right

In the firrst 10 km we  ride surrounded by coffee and banana plantations, with magnificent views of the typical valleys of the Coffee Región. Be aware of the trucks that overtake you and the fog, so having some high visibility item on your bike or clothing is definitely recommended.

This mountain pass has to be classified as hors category. It offers length, altitude, slope, average slope, maximum ramps, beauty and cycling history. It could be comparable for his dificulty to the famous Passo dello Stelvio, in Italy. If you enjoy cycling adventures and enjoy riding mythical mountain passes, without a doubt, this mountain pass should be in your bucket list.