Some very challenging days lay ahead with the heavy work beginning on Day 3 as we climb to Merritt from Hope.  We avoid some climb by taking 5A north of Merritt to Kamloops.  Another major effort at the Rogers Pass and a 10% grade for a stretch between Golden and Field.  

As it happened there is not much of the country that is flat.  We climbed a total of 105,000 vertical feet.  Only 40% of that was in the Rocky Mountains.  The steepest grades were a long 11% grade in Kamloops, but 16% grades coming into Quebec City and again at Bear River in Nova Scotia.  The Bear River climb also had a 14% segment to cap it off at the top.   Notable also was Montreal River in northern Ontario.