Northern California - The Complete Guide to Climbing By Bike
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jamesbrad
10-26-07, 11:16 AM
I recently picked up this book on US climbs on Amazon and California is well represented with 10 of the top 20 climbs in the country and a good share of the top 100. Pretty good book. Hardest CA climb listed is Onion Valley Rd which I can attest is a tough one. Quite a bit more diffcult than anything I climbed in France on a trip last year that included Alp d'Huez and the Tourmalet. I think Onion Valley is the toughest CA climb with Whitney right behind it. Anyone else seen the book or disagree?
bigbossman
10-26-07, 12:39 PM
I recently picked up this book on US climbs on Amazon and California is well represented with 10 of the top 20 climbs in the country and a good share of the top 100. Pretty good book. Hardest CA climb listed is Onion Valley Rd which I can attest is a tough one. Quite a bit more diffcult than anything I climbed in France on a trip last year that included Alp d'Huez and the Tourmalet. I think Onion Valley is the toughest CA climb with Whitney right behind it. Anyone else seen the book or disagree?
I've been up Onion Valley many times (in a car!! :D), and it is tough. Mt Whitney has no road so I don't see how it can be climbable, other than by someone on foot. Do you mean the Portal road up though Kennedy Meadows?
jamesbrad
10-26-07, 01:00 PM
Yes, the Whitney Portal Rd that begins in Lone Pine. It is an hors climb, not quite as hard as Onion although very close. You mention the road up to Kennedy Meadows which is also a very difficult climb (Nine Mile Grade Rd) which starts from 395 down toward Ridgecrest.
I agree on these toughs climbs and if you like the hills the book is very helpful. It also has a lot of other climbing info but the detailed climbs are the main attraction. As with a lot of other items CA is well represented with hill climbs. Onion Valley is a beast.
gpelpel
10-26-07, 01:17 PM
The Whitney road might be the road that has many switchbacks and ends at Horseshoe Meadow. I went up with my car, it has outstanding views of the Owens Valley. Close to the top just before the grade eases towards the meadow there's a spot that hang gliders use as a launch pad.
bigbossman
10-26-07, 02:11 PM
What about the other side of the Owens Valley - up the White Mtns towards the Bristlecone Pine Forest? That's gotta be up in the rankings somewhere....
Yes, White Mtn Rd is in the top 10 overall. That's isolated country but a tough climb.
jamesbrad
10-26-07, 02:51 PM
Here's the link to the book: www.usacyclingclimbing.com
This book is the best I have seen regarding climbing, and easily the best for climbing routes and stats. It does not list every climb, only the most difficult. I think the hardest long climb in CA is Onion Valley with Old Priest Grade as the hardest shorter climb (harder than Bohlman/On Orbit IMO - but not by much :)).