I think it's best to sneak up on it quietly, so it doesn't hear you coming. If you're lucky it won't know you're there until you're over the top.
A different strategy, if you're with friends, is to chat and laugh and pretend you don't see it coming. That way it thinks you're unprepared. Then BOOM you power up the beast.
If that sucker's really 17%, go small/small well before things get tough. Shift early, but try to hold the lowest cog in reserve. If feels good to have a bailout gear at the ready, and it feels better to never use it.
Oh, and make sure your derailleurs are well adjusted. There's nothing worse than going for the small ring or large cog on a climb, and they won't shift.