Southern California - "Garbage Hill," Griffith Park

Okay, after today's ride, stats are in (provided by Ascent software & Garmin Edge 305):

Trash Truck Hill
Starting from Travel Town entrance (corner of Forest Lawn Dr & Griffith Park Dr) up to the gate of Mt. Hollywood Rd
0.7 miles
220 feet elevation gain
6.2% average gradient
9.0% max gradient (last 100 feet or so)
Easiest gradients are at the bottom: it gets steeper as you go up

Mt. Hollywood Climb (Does this have a special name?)
Starting from the gate to the top of the climb
2.6 miles
630 feet elevation gain
20 feet of elevation loss
4.5% average gradient
10.1% max gradient
First parts of climb are easy enough. Last 1/4-mile averages 8.8% gradient w/max of 10.1% Lots of debris all over the road. I flatted at the top.

Trash Truck Hill
From the LA side, corner of Griffith Park Dr & Crystal Springs Dr to the top (about 100 feet before Mt. Hollywood turn-off to the left)
1.9 miles
332 feet elevation gain
20 feet elevation loss
3.2% average gradient (the climb stair-steps up at the beginning: climb...flat...climb...flat...)
9.8% max gradient (about 2 or 300 feet from the top)
Watch out for the humongous Pac-Man heads in the road at the start!

BTW: Saw one coyote heeding the call of nature by the side of the road--he wasn't skittish around us either.



I just followed markaj's wheel and pulled through. But thanks. You're doing great, BTW Herb! Keep up the good work.

n2glock: nice area. Thanks. I'm gonna go buy some new brake pads now. :rolleyes:


Wow, thanks alot for all this information. That answers my questions. All the switchbacks and my lack of climbling, made a hill/mountain seem like a MOUNTAIN!:D

[QUOTE=herbm;5896180]Wow...thanks for the awesome stats...I always wanted to know how the hills rated...very cool....

+1 I always suspected that tt hill and mt. hollywood had 10% gradients, because all the sudden the climb would get real hard near the top!:eek:

This isn't the whole ride we did, but it has all the climbs in it. Thought you'd find it interesting:

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w309/mkadam68/BikeForums%20Pics/123007_profile.gif

I rode in this morning. I ride from the Burbank train station to Vemont & 1st. I go through Griffith Park. Up 'til now, I had done the flat road past the zoo and out to Los Feliz. About 2 weeks ago, I began educating myself on the hills in the park as I need to start training for the KOM. Thanks alot Herb & Mark!!

So, this morning, I rode Griffith Park Drive up Trash Truck hill to Mt. Hollywood Drive and down the other side, out onto Vermont. I got to the park about 5:45am, pitch black. I was startled by one coyote (4-legged kind) near the top. Kinda spooky not being able to see the creatures that were making the noises :D. Heard one owl very close by in the trees. Beautiful views of both Burbank and Los Angeles--really cool with all the lights heading off into the black horizon. I'll try and get a camera up there one of these mornings to share.

The gate at TT hill & Mt. Hollywood was open. A couple trucks/cars went through and passed me on the way up to the Heli Spot. There were orange cones across Mt. Hollywood at this point, but I rode through up to the top. The road before the cones was very nice--clear of debris. After? Not so clear with 3 or 4 spots of dirt washed across the road. The northern side (ascent) was more clear than the southern side (descent).

The gate at the bottom of Mt Hollywood on the southern side (on the way to the Observatory) was closed, but not chained--I walked my bike through a gap in the two arms. I rode out toward Vermont. The gate at the park entrance on Vermont was open, but the gate on my side going out was closed. Go figure. :rolleyes: I walked over the sidewalk and out.

Overall, it was easier at night: I couldn't see how slow I was actually going and I couldn't see how steep the road really was at the top :D

STATS: 3.35 miles of climbing (TT Hill & Mt. Hollywood) in 23:00 minutes for a pace of 8.7mph. 863 feet of climbing.

I'll do again. Nice climbing. Now to figure out how to do Little T into the Valley on my commute...

I rode in this morning. I ride from the Burbank train station to Vemont & 1st. I go through Griffith Park. Up 'til now, I had done the flat road past the zoo and out to Los Feliz. About 2 weeks ago, I began educating myself on the hills in the park as I need to start training for the KOM. Thanks alot Herb & Mark!!

So, this morning, I rode Griffith Park Drive up Trash Truck hill to Mt. Hollywood Drive and down the other side, out onto Vermont. I got to the park about 5:45am, pitch black. I was startled by one coyote (4-legged kind) near the top. Kinda spooky not being able to see the creatures that were making the noises :D. Heard one owl very close by in the trees. Beautiful views of both Burbank and Los Angeles--really cool with all the lights heading off into the black horizon. I'll try and get a camera up there one of these mornings to share.

The gate at TT hill & Mt. Hollywood was open. A couple trucks/cars went through and passed me on the way up to the Heli Spot. There were orange cones across Mt. Hollywood at this point, but I rode through up to the top. The road before the cones was very nice--clear of debris. After? Not so clear with 3 or 4 spots of dirt washed across the road. The northern side (ascent) was more clear than the southern side (descent).

The gate at the bottom of Mt Hollywood on the southern side (on the way to the Observatory) was closed, but not chained--I walked my bike through a gap in the two arms. I rode out toward Vermont. The gate at the park entrance on Vermont was open, but the gate on my side going out was closed. Go figure. :rolleyes: I walked over the sidewalk and out.

Overall, it was easier at night: I couldn't see how slow I was actually going and I couldn't see how steep the road really was at the top :D

STATS: 3.35 miles of climbing (TT Hill & Mt. Hollywood) in 23:00 minutes for a pace of 8.7mph. 863 feet of climbing.

I'll do again. Nice climbing. Now to figure out how to do Little T into the Valley on my commute...

Great job Mark!!!

I do this ride all the time. Sometimes I just do the ascent from my house. I head east on Franklin, up Los Feliz to the Fern Dell entrance then up to Observatory and down Vermont Ave...then turn around and go the other way...makes a nice workout in the PM very accessible from the house. Let us know if you want company again...I would love to do this ride with other riders.

So far I almost always do the Mt Hollywood climb in the morning on my commute to work. After work, I'm in a hurry to get to the train, so I don't have the time to do hills. I dislike actual training with a passion, unfortuately. And I live up in Santa Clarita, so unless there's an organized group ride, probably won't see me.

From my house in EP I usually head west on Franklin and go up Ferndell to the observatory and down the other side to Travel Town, and take the river trail back home. Just a single loop, about 25 miles.

From my house in EP I usually head west on Franklin and go up Ferndell to the observatory and down the other side to Travel Town, and take the river trail back home. Just a single loop, about 25 miles.

I do both routes. One day I'll go west on Commonwealth? Left on Los Feliz to Ferndell, up Mt. Hollywood then down trash truck to the la river. My other is up la river, to trash truck, up mt. Hollywood down to the observatory then back down Commonwealth. Both routes are 17.76 miles from my house in Silverlake. I do this 3 times a week.

I do this 3 times a week.

You should trade one of those rides for a hike. I've been hiking with a large group from the Sierra Club every thurs night in GP. A nice change of pace for me and a good workout too. :)

You should trade one of those rides for a hike. I've been hiking with a large group from the Sierra Club every thurs night in GP. A nice change of pace for me and a good workout too. :)

I might try that one time. I just ordered a pink, of course, camelbak, because I did some hiking recently in Joshua Tree. Where and what time does the group meet?

I might try that one time. I just ordered a pink, of course, camelbak, because I did some hiking recently in Joshua Tree. Where and what time does the group meet?

The group takes off from the upper merry-go-round parking lot on Tues, Weds, & Thurs @ 7pm. The hikes usually last about 2 hours and are broken into like 4 levels depending on difficulty. Last week our group which usually consists of about 25 people hiked to the towers (Mt Lee) above the Hollywood sign and then crossed over to the top of Cahuenga Peak, even higher. Every week the hike leaders lead the groups to different destinations. It's also free to join these hikes. Just show up. I'll be there this Thurs. :)

Do you get a cut of the profits of all the hikes you keep pushing?? ;)

Do you get a cut of the profits of all the hikes you keep pushing?? ;)

Hey Joel, are you showing up this Thurs? Here's the Linky. (http://www.angeles.sierraclub.org/griffith/location.asp)

As soon as I wrap up work, I'm on my way. Hope to be at the top by 6:30pm.

Hey Joel, are you showing up this Thurs? Here's the Linky. (http://www.angeles.sierraclub.org/griffith/location.asp)
Sheesh. Training for three sports isn't enough? I hafta take up hiking too? :twitchy:

I'll give it a try.

Hey Joel, are you showing up this Thurs? Here's the Linky. (http://www.angeles.sierraclub.org/griffith/location.asp)

Will you be there? I'm planning on showing up tonight for this. Considering riding over. We'll see how the day goes and what time I get out of work.

Will you be there? I'm planning on showing up tonight for this. Considering riding over. We'll see how the day goes and what time I get out of work.

I'll be there. If you decide to come bring plenty of water and good shoes.

How about you, Vanessa? You want to join us tonight?

:)

Pic from this evening's Griffith Park hike:

That's Joel/magicant
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/P1020589Medium.jpg

At the top somewhere, about 8pm
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/jojisan/P1020590Medium.jpg