Salsal La is a climb of 9.1 kilometers (category 1). The climb finishes at 5,193 m above sea level. It is located in Nyoma, Ladakh, India. The average gradient is 4.0% with a maximum of 11.5%. The climb has 367 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty analysis: The Salsal La covers 9.1 km for 367 m of elevation gain, an average gradient of 4%, which makes it a demanding first-category climb. The main challenge comes right at the start, with 8% from KM 0.0-0.5 followed by 7% from KM 0.5-1.0, which put your legs to the test from the very first hundred metres. The rest alternates between easier-rolling sections at 2% (KM 1.5-2.0 and KM 2.5-3.0) and ramps at 4 and 5%, before another wall at 8% from KM 7.5-8.0 that can weigh on you late in the climb.
Tips for pacing the effort:
1. Pace the start On the 8% section from KM 0.0-0.5, stay seated and pick a gear you can hold for the long haul, because going out too hard will cost you on the ramps that follow.
2. Recover on the flatter sections Make the most of the 2% sections at KM 1.5-2.0 and KM 2.5-3.0 to catch your breath, drink and eat.
3. Save something for the finish Conserve energy before the 8% at KM 7.5-8.0, the last major difficulty, by managing your efforts on the 4% and 5% ramps leading up to it.
A cyclist who rode the stretch between Hanle and Tsomoriri says the road is very good overall. There are still some roadworks here and there, so expect a few less pleasant sections. He left Hanle around 9:30 am and reached his hotel in Karzok around 1:30 pm. After the pass, he took an off-road shortcut to avoid Chumur.
Those who rode over the pass in October 2021 mostly talk about the scenery, which is stunning all around.
Another testimony, written in Bengali, says the pass and the road are beautiful, and that on both sides the Ladakh landscape looks like a postcard. The same cyclist adds that the place is good in many spots.
What comes up across these testimonies is the combination of a decent road, roadworks in places, and a landscape that stays with you. The most detailed account remains the day from Hanle to Karzok, with the off-road shortcut.
9.1 km • 367 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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