Starting at five is the only way to have the pass to yourself.
The road is quiet before seven, which is the whole point of starting at five. You get the climb to yourself and the view at the top just as the sun clears the valley.
Pacing matters: the gradient is steady but long, and it's easy to burn out in the first third. I rode it by heart rate and still faded near the top.
Bring a gilet for the descent. It was 6°C at the summit in late August.
