ericm979

Anyone done Mt Evans and want to fill me in on what it's like?

What other good climbing races are there in the western US? They don't have to be all up hill, some descents between climbs is ok. I already know about Mt Shasta, Everest Challenge, Mt Charleston. "Son of Death Ride" sounds deliciously brutal with 100-something miles and 20k feet of climbing (that's 30.3 furlongs for botto) but sadly they have only held it once.

jrennie

Diablo, San bruno, Tam. Hamilton road race, Challange road race are all nor-cal climbing events

esammuli

The Nelson's Landing Road Race, part of Southern Nevada Stage Race. Its either:

4500ft in 36 miles or
6700 ft in 50 miles

Plus it occurs after doing a 20K TT and a 30-45 minute crit

waterrockets 

Done Evans. Great race. The bottom four miles or so seem like an uphill road race. Then the people who can at least sort of climb start to break up a bit. After Echo lake, the pace will pick up and more splits will happen. Amazing race. Really really fun, and I suck at climbing.

My best time is 2:28, I think. I blew up around mile 20, sat up, ate my Oreos, recovered for 5 minutes, then just rode it at my own pace. On the upper switchbacks, I watched a teammate, two switchbacks below me, pass out in the middle of the road. He made it to the top anyway. Great race.

CastIron

WR: is that time up and down or just to the top? I'm thinking of riding it (solo) in late June.

damocles1

Mt. Mitchell in SC/NC

Not a "race" in the de facto sense, but definitely a race to see who makes it to the top first.

ken cummings

Every year we have a mass start, timed, race up the Pine Flat hill. 3,000 feet in eleven miles. Contact www.srcc.com for details.

What can get you on Mt Evans is the altitude. Even fit people can get sick from it.
The last few miles are rough and even steeper. The Dav Cook Memorial Hill Climb is a liceinced race that goes up it every year. A big deal in Colorado. Snow drifts on the road sides in July and August, closed the rest of the year.

ElJamoquio

Not in the west, though. They start that in SC? Why?

waterrockets 

Just up. I think you can get down in 40-50 minutes (that's for 28 miles!).

CastIron

So 4-5 hours on the tourist plan, then.

Compressed

Colorado has a ton
Lookout Mountain Hill Climb
Sunshine Canyon Hill Climb
Salida Vapor Trail Road Race
Rist Canyon Road Race in Ft.Collins area
Evans as mentioned
Mike Horgan Hill Climb

Then there is the Tour of Gila in New Mexico
Dead Dog Stage Race in Wyoming

Pizza Man

A list of my favorite races. I'd also add Ross' Epic Hill Climb.

I'd like to try Mt. Evans one of these years.

waterrockets 

Yeah, as a poor Cat 4 climber, I would train up it in 3:00 with a pack full of winter clothes. Ride up ss jersey and shorts, get to the top and QUICKLY put on 2nd ss jersey, arm warmers, ls jersey, leg warmers, tights, shoe covers, neck gaiter, headband, ski goggles, and lobster gloves. This varied of course with actual weather at the top. I've left Idaho Spgs at 75 degrees and had to abandon a summit because of snow three hours later, and 22 degrees up there. Even if it's dry, the descent is chilly when you have climb sweat, you're coasting at 40mph, and the humidity is about 10%.

Feels weird getting back to sunny Denver at 90 degrees on a snowy day like that -- clothes still wet from falling snow -- in August.

ericm979

Ross's Epic was, well, epic. I was suprised at the steepness.

You should do Mt Evans; given your times everywhere else you'd do well assuming that altitude isn't a problem for you.

FixdGearHead

I did the Mt. Evans climb solo two days before the race last year (timing had to sync up with a vacation with the wife/friends...unfortunately we were scheduled to leave that Friday. oh well.)

I'll look up my ride report and link it, FWIW. Edit: here it is

My plan this yr is Mt. Washington...if I there are any spots open once registration starts.

damocles1

It starts in Spartanburg, as the Spartanburg Feewheelers put the ride on every year. It's brutal. I did it once and that was enough.

mkadam68

I did it once back in '88 as a Noob cyclist. It was tough. Finished in 12:15 Tried it again in '90 with much better results: 3:30 to Marion before pulling out (I had pulled out of my toe-clips on an earlier climb and hurt my back, unbeknownst to me).

I'm planning on going again this year to hopefully do better. I'll take advantage of SoCal's excellent climbing opportunities for training (doing the KOM series).

damocles1

My goal was under 6 hours and I went 5:55! No reason to go back...

Hincapie went sub-5 hours one year...that was the year the front group got to Marion in 2:45.

The rule of thumb for Mitchell is to take your time to Marion and double it. That'll be your finish time.

dmotoguy

Bogus Basin Hill climb in boise is fun, its always in early September, Fast guys take an hour or less and i take about 1:20. hopefully I'm much faster next year though. its roughly 16 miles of pure climbing i believe.

RockyMtnMerlin

DDC RR has 6700 ft of climbing (SM Pro 1,2 and SM 3) in 85 miles. ALL of the racing is above 7500 ft and the high point is 10,800 ft. Start/finish about 8400 ft with an 8% 1/2 mile "sprint" to the finish line. And if you are still not feeling the pain enough, the last ten miles of rollers is normally into a head wind.

mkadam68

Thanks for the idea. It's been so long since I've ridden it, I have no idea of a target time. Lessee...3-1/2 hours to Marion, 7-hours total. I'll aim for sub-7, but I think I might be able to crank out close to a 6 hour. I think I climb better now in my old age We'll see.

Compressed

Yeah DD is brutal. I did it last year as a 3 and it was pretty epic. Last year I think the heat had to be in the 90's even at that altitude and I got a bit of heat stroke and just was zonked for the last section of rollers. Brutal.

Fun crit too.

Coyote2

Mt Evans is a long slog...Waterrockets gave a good description. If you are in or near Colorado, also look at the Iron Horse Classic (Durango), the Fort Collins Cycing Fest road race (I think it's June 21 this year), and etc.

I found the ride DOWN Mt Evans to be rather unpleasant -- I was tired from riding up, and going down takes much more concentration due to the speeds, the rough road, and (in 2007, at least) the rain and cold. Still, a great day. I may go again in 2008.

RockyMtnMerlin

Well, the altitude and the intense UV do things to racers that they are not used to. In fact on that day, the maximum temp recorded at the NWCC station about two miles north and 500 feet lower in altitude than the summit was 72F. Quite a different story down towards the finish where the rollers start. About 88F which is 12F above normal and with a nice little headwind out of the south south west. Glas you survived and hope to see you back this year.

RockyMtnMerlin

Yes, that is currently listed date for the Rist Canyon RR. I see on the ACA schedule they may also have added a hill climb on the 22 (Festival website does not appear to be updated for 2008 yet) which they did not have last year.