Southern California - East Side Sierra Climbs

Reading this months Bicycling there is an article on big climbs around the country. The long big climb was the Onion Valley climb out of Independence. This got me to mapping the other big east side Sierra climbs. Below is a list of the big ones I know about from south to north.

Lone Pine to Horseshoe Meadows:
Gain: 7,048'
Avg. Grade: 7%
Mileage: 22.5
Max Elevation: 9,950'

Lone Pine to Whitney Portal:
Gain: 4,677'
Avg. Grade: 8%
Mileage: 12
Max Elevation: 8,300'

Independence - Onion Valley:
Gain: 5,418'
Avg. Gain: 8%
Mileage: 13.2
Max Elevation: 9,170'

Lee Vining - Tioga Pass:
Gain: 3,714'
Avg. Gain: 7%
Mileage: 12
Max Elevation: 9,950'
Note: This climb has a 5 mile section of 12%, starting at 7,550' to 9,530'. Wow!

(General accuracy is +/- 10% on mileage using Topo from my experience. Elevation is subject to accuracy of USGS 30 meter digital elevation models used in Topo.)

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch

Reading this months Bicycling there is an article on big climbs around the country. The long big climb was the Onion Valley climb out of Independence. This got me to mapping the other big east side Sierra climbs. Below is a list of the big ones I know about from south to north.

Lone Pine to Horseshoe Meadows:
Gain: 7,048'
Avg. Grade: 7%
Mileage: 22.5
Max Elevation: 9,950'

Lone Pine to Whitney Portal:
Gain: 4,677'
Avg. Grade: 8%
Mileage: 12
Max Elevation: 8,300'

Independence - Onion Valley:
Gain: 5,418'
Avg. Gain: 8%
Mileage: 13.2
Max Elevation: 9,170'

Lee Vining - Tioga Pass:
Gain: 3,714'
Avg. Gain: 7%
Mileage: 12
Max Elevation: 9,950'
Note: This climb has a 5 mile section of 12%, starting at 7,550' to 9,530'. Wow!

(General accuracy is +/- 10% on mileage using Topo from my experience. Elevation is subject to accuracy of USGS 30 meter digital elevation models used in Topo.) Did Horseshoe, Portal, and Bristlecone Pines last year. Looking forward to trying some more of those epic climbs in the coming months.

Cool Vertical Bob. Please report back. Pics are always cool. Any pics or link to reports on the past rides?

Cool Vertical Bob. Please report back. Pics are always cool. Any pics or link to reports on the past rides? There were many threads and posts from rides last summer and fall if you want to search them out. jpconrad had an awesome pic of the switchbacks on Horseshoe. Here's one from last yeara. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=321855&highlight=

The Everest Challenge race & ride does a bunch of east sierra climbs. Even when you're racing you get time to look around at the scenery.

The book "Climbing (by bike)" (sorry, partial title) has a bunch of eastern sierra climbs listed. I'd like to go do horseshoe and onion valley and go back up whitney portal.

I guess the next logical challenge is Olympus Mons, right? Climber's jersey with rust colored polka dots?:p

Lee Vining - Tioga Pass:
Gain: 3,714'
Avg. Gain: 7%
Mileage: 12
Max Elevation: 9,950'
Note: This climb has a 5 mile section of 12%, starting at 7,550' to 9,530'. Wow!

I've done this ride more then a few times and for the life of me I can't think of any part of it that has a 12% grade. The main body of the climb, from the road closure gates that come right after the power station turn off, average 8%.. at least that's what the road signs say and it stays at that angle till you turn the corner at Ellery Lake, where you get a big gust in your face that can stand you up, not moving. Me thinks your stats are a bit off.

I've done this ride more then a few times and for the life of me I can't think of any part of it that has a 12% grade. The main body of the climb, from the road closure gates that come right after the power station turn off, average 8%.. at least that's what the road signs say and it stays at that angle till you turn the corner at Ellery Lake, where you get a big gust in your face that can stand you up, not moving. Me thinks your stats are a bit off.

The 12% section starts about 1.5 miles from the 120/395 junction and ends Ellery Lake. Now these stats are from according to TOPO. I'm a career GIS (Geographic Information Systems) person and a few paragraphs away from a MA in Geography, so I know there are many sources of error in the analysis used to create my stats. Beyond TOPO I have no other proof of my stats. My past experience of mapping hiking/MTB trails shows that TOPO is consistently off by +/- 10% for distances. I don't have an idea on the general accuracy of the elevation calculations.

I really want to do this ride. My thought is to drive to Mammoth and spend the night. Ride from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley and stay in the Lodge. Take YARTS back to Mammoth. The ride is about 100 miles. It's pretty much all downhill from Tioga, save a few small climbs and one 4 mile climb. Total vertical of 10,000 feet.