Region: Spain
Climbing effort: 666 cep
Elevation meters: 908
Steepest kilometer: 9.5%

Steepest 250 m: 14%
Foot: 285 m    Top: 1189 m
Mean slope: 6.7%
Length: 13.4 km

From: Zahara
Road conditions (2019): good
Other race bikers: 5-10 per hour
Motor vehicles: 10-30 per hour
Scenery and road: (5/5)
Restaurant or bar near top: no

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The ascent to the Puerto de las Palomas from the north is sublime. Because of the view on the Embalse (reservoir) de Zahara-Gastor and the mountains beyond, and because of those fantastic final five kilometers. In that final part the road, not that broad for once, winds itself up in the direction of the pass on a steep slope. High stone walls have been built to support the road and the partition from the abyss consists of beautiful stone walls instead of a guardrail. By the way, those walls would be too low to prevent a cyclist from falling into the abyss but in most cases that is fortunately no problem. The toughest part of the ride (a 500-meter interval of 13%) is not found in this final section but in the approach to the climb itself, namely the final part of the road from Prado del Rey (CA-8102). After that the pavement is moderately steep (4-7%). Beyond the Puerto del Acebuche, reached after seven kilometers of cycling, the average slope (from there to the pass) increases (7.2%). Moreover, soon the fantastic, already mentioned, final shot is reached.