Herlianske sedlo is a climb of 8.5 kilometers (category 3). The climb finishes at 659 m above sea level. It is located in Vyšná Kamenica, Košický kraj, Slovensko. The average gradient is 3.6% with a maximum of 7.4%. The climb has 302 meters of elevation gain.
Difficulty breakdown: The Herlianske sedlo is a Category 3 climb covering 8.5 km with 302 m of elevation gain and an average gradient of 3.6%, which makes it an accessible but demanding col over the long haul. After km 2.5, the gradient stays positive, varying between 0 and 6%, with 6% sections at km 3.5-4.0, 6.0-6.5 and 7.5-8.0. The final kilometres, between 5.5 and 8.5, pile up sustained effort with no real respite, which makes the end of the climb especially costly on the legs.
Tips for pacing yourself:
1. Find your rhythm from the start. The first two kilometres at 3% should be ridden at a steady effort, without going out too hard, so you still have something in the tank for what comes next.
2. Recover on the false flat. Make the most of the downhill section from km 1.5 to km 2.5 and the 0% stretch from km 4.0 to 4.5 to spin out your legs, drink and take on food.
3. Save your legs for the finale. The stretches from km 7.5 to 8.0 and from 8.0 to 8.5, at 6%, are the steepest sections of the final part of the col: shift to a light enough gear and save some energy for that last effort.
The Herlianske sedlo is often used as a starting point for the Slanské vrchy ridge. The car park is an improvised area next to a forest road. In summer there is room for quite a few cars. In winter you can park there as long as there isn't a metre of snow.
The climb from Herľany up to the pass is on brand-new asphalt, described as a great climb. On the Mošník side, a paved road runs through the forest. It is maintained because of the telecom equipment installed up there. The steepest sections hit 12%. The "road not maintained in winter" sign at the exit of Herľany doesn't match reality according to some riders, but after a fresh snowfall or a storm the road can quickly become impassable.
Those who have ridden it talk about a quiet spot. During one whole ride, a rider only passed ten people. Phone reception is practically non-existent, so it's best to let someone know before you head out.
The weak point comes up again and again: there is no shelter or bench at the top, even though one of the accounts says the writer took cover from the rain there. Above all, rubbish is a real problem. One witness collected 200 litres of rubbish near the trail marker and is clearly not happy about it.
8.5 km • 302 m D+
VAM: average climbing speed, based on elevation gain
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