Your favorite NYC metro area hills

[Pablo.]

Post 'em, and your fastest times too.

Alpine (Alpine, NJ) - 5:49
Ft. George Hill (Inwood) - 3:00

Any hills on Rt. 9 (not 9w, EAST side of the river)
The hills on Ardsley/Ashford road
Anthony's Nose, Perkins Dr., 9w hills up to Bear Mtn.
Any hills in Riverdale (the Bronx)

[dendawg]

Churchill and Walnut in Englewood. I've never timed myself, but I do Alpine in maybe 12:00 to 15:00. :-)
Riverdale Ave off of 230th St is another good one.

[Lucky07]

Try the eastside paths in Fort Tryon Park sometime. Don't worry about walkers. There are never many there and you won't be going very fast. :D

[zacster]

Manhattan College Pkwy up into Riverdale is my favorite. Alpine is a good one.

Least favorite is 9W up from Piermont back into NJ. Its open with no shade and the cars and trucks whizzing by kick up the dirt. I always take 501 back from Piermont. Walnut/Churchill is better.

And of course Prospect Park 10 to 20 times a week in the evenings after work. Small, but my drill there is to take it in increasing gears and speed.

[Pablo.]

Riverdale Ave off of 230th St is another good one.

I live literally 2 minutes from there. I once did repeats on it.

The Manhattan College hill is also a good one.

Hills in Ft. Tryon park? I may check them out tonight. Any actual "climbs" there?

[dendawg]

Hills in Ft. Tryon park? I may check them out tonight. Any actual "climbs" there?

I think he meant the walkways that go down to Broadway and Riverside. The roadway in the park is limited to the one loop, unless you want to chance a short ride on the Henry Hudson Parkway.

http://www.hhoc.org/fftp/fttryon.jpg

[Jrather]

Long Hill Road in Briarcliff Manor, Westchester... super steep grade that lasts about a half mile. In fact, everything is a hill here, the only question is how much of a grade.

[Pablo.]

Long Hill Road in Briarcliff Manor, Westchester... super steep grade that lasts about a half mile. In fact, everything is a hill here, the only question is how much of a grade.

I ride up Rt. 9 frequently, sometimes as far as Peekskill. Is it off Rt. 9?

[Jrather]

It's not too far from Route 9 - maybe a half mile or so east. And do you really ride all the way up Route 9? The road is incredibly unsafe once you reach Sleepy Hollow due to the lack of a shoulder and 50mph traffic, and it's only marginally better in Ossining.

[cparekh]

Least favorite is the hill on the loop in Prospect Park, especially when you're on your 10th lap.

/cp

[Ken Roberts]

I've been compiling a list of
New Jersey climbs (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/u/nj/hills/index.htm)
it's getting up to around 50 climbs that people have told me about, or that I've known myself.
To help find them, here's a map of NJ hill regions (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ll=40.901058,-74.520264&spn=1.021379,1.864929&z=9&om=1&msid=104855209764401583780.00043698190931271ada7).

The ones I actually ride the most are Warrenville Rd (also Valley Drive + Hill Hollow as warmups) near Rt 22 around Dunellen and Plainfield and Watchung.

Closer to New York are West Palisades Blvd and Fort Lee Rd -- but I like better the Alpine Approach hill at the north end of the river road (even though it's only around 38th in ranking of steepness of NJ hills).

Way out west, Fiddlers Elbow is notorious, with lots of other climbs nearby on different sides of the "Montana" hump. But someone just told me about Iron Bridge Rd and Ludlow Station Rd way out in Hunterdon county on the Musconetcong ridge, which look interesting, but I haven't tried yet.

Ken

[Pablo.]

It's not too far from Route 9 - maybe a half mile or so east. And do you really ride all the way up Route 9? The road is incredibly unsafe once you reach Sleepy Hollow due to the lack of a shoulder and 50mph traffic, and it's only marginally better in Ossining.

One time, coming back from Bear Mountain, not knowing any other way, I just rode on the shoulder of Rt. 9. Now I usually ride up to the point where 9 becomes a freeway. There is an Ossining town sign and small bench there. From there I take an array of side roads.

[Pablo.]

I've been compiling a list of
New Jersey climbs (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/u/nj/hills/index.htm)
it's getting up to around 50 climbs that people have told me about, or that I've known myself.
To help find them, here's a map of NJ hill regions (http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ll=40.901058,-74.520264&spn=1.021379,1.864929&z=9&om=1&msid=104855209764401583780.00043698190931271ada7).

The ones I actually ride the most are Warrenville Rd (also Valley Drive + Hill Hollow as warmups) near Rt 22 around Dunellen and Plainfield and Watchung.

Closer to New York are West Palisades Blvd and Fort Lee Rd -- but I like better the Alpine Approach hill at the north end of the river road (even though it's only around 38th in ranking of steepness of NJ hills).

Way out west, Fiddlers Elbow is notorious, with lots of other climbs nearby on different sides of the "Montana" hump. But someone just told me about Iron Bridge Rd and Ludlow Station Rd way out in Hunterdon county on the Musconetcong ridge, which look interesting, but I haven't tried yet.

Ken
Hey, I love your website! What I said in the previous post about taking different roads from Bear Mt.--It's the cue sheet for your site that I'm using. Thanks, man!

[Ken Roberts]

Thanks - yes riding up to Bear Mt is great, and the climb is great. Lately Sharon and I have gotten into riding up thru the interior thru the Seven Lakes, then crossing the Bear Mt Bridge and riding back thru Westchester, following some variation of the second half of GWB-BM loop (http://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/r/r/gwb_bm/map/index.htm) route on the website. (Otherwise we ride the west side along the river too often).

Not to be forgotten is the idea of riding up the west side to Bear Mt, then continuing north to the Storm King Mt Highway, then crossing to Beacon and taking the train home. Actually we've found some fairly nice roads (first half of this report (http://www.roberts-1.com/bikehudson/v/nyc_albany/main/reports/kenr_june-2007.htm)) on the west side then crossing to the Poughkeepsie Metro North station.

Ken

[Air]

That is a great site, I just added a few of your links to the Reference page.

[bravo106]

Closest to my home is Summit Rd (~ 1 mi) in Mountainside, NJ, starting from Corrinne Terrace (get there from New Providence Rd. - avoids riding along Rte 22).

Next closest are Johnston Dr./Hill Hollow Rd. (~ 1 mi each) in Watchung, NJ.

Claremont Rd. from Bernardsville to Mendham (~ 2½ mi). This past Wednesday, I did Summit, Johnston, and Claremont all in the same ride, with descents down Hill Hollow and Summit on the way back.

In Hunterdon County, I miss riding up Stanton Rd. from Rte 523 and then making a right up Stanton Mountain Rd (~ 8-9 mi if you loop back around & up to the top of the reservoir). And just north of Rte 22 in Lebanon/Tewksbury, there are a network of roads that you could connect for some sweet climbing - Cokesbury Rd., Bissell, Deer Hill, Rockaway, Philhower, etc.

According to njbikemap, Summit Rd is the biggest climb in Union County & Claremont is the biggest in Somerset (as well as taking you to the highest point in the county). This summer I want to do both of these, as well as the biggest climbs in Morris & Hunterdon, too, all in the same ride.

[gfrance]

When going north up route 9W, instead of going into Piermont/Nyack, stay on 9W to Upper Grand View. At some point, that I only know by sight, bear left up onto Tweed Road. Stay on that for a beautiful road of climbing. Nice views too. Great low/now traffic narrow road. I'm seeing more and more cyclist riding it lately. A couple years ago, nobody knew about it.

[Ken Roberts]

Claremont Rd. from Bernardsville to Mendham (~ 2½ mi) . . .
In Hunterdon County, I miss riding up Stanton Rd. from Rte 523 and then making a right up Stanton Mountain Rd (~ 8-9 mi if you loop back around & up to the top of the reservoir). And just north of Rte 22 in Lebanon/Tewksbury, there are a network of roads that you could connect for some sweet climbing - Cokesbury Rd., Bissell, Deer Hill, Rockaway, Philhower, etc.
Thanks for suggesting those -- I added several of them to my list of NJ climbs (http://www.roberts-1.com/b/u/nj/hills/index.htm).

This past Wednesday, I did Summit, Johnston, and Claremont all in the same ride, with descents down Hill Hollow and Summit on the way back.That sure is getting around to some different places.

If you're going as far southwest as Johnston, you might want to go a little further and at least take a look at Warrenville Rd (starts at Rt 22, so you might want to reach it from the top by way of Rock Rd west from Washington Rock). Warrenville Rd gets lots of traffic, but I like it better than Summit Rd because there are fewer lanes of traffic, so there's usually more space to ride along the side of it -- and the curves are not as tight as one on Summit, so the cars can see me better.

Ken

[bravo106]

If you're going as far southwest as Johnston, you might want to go a little further and at least take a look at Warrenville Rd
Ken

I thought about trying Warrenville this past Sunday. Unfortunately, I wasted too much time early in the day (I guess the wine at Saturday night's dinner took its toll), and by the time I got off my butt, it started raining. I planned to ride through Scotch Plains and Westfield to get to Greenbrook Rd in Plainfield, and then head west (parallel to 22) until I got to Warrenville.

At least once this year, I want to head out to west Jersey and see if Fiddler's Elbow is all it's cracked up to be.

[Ken Roberts]

I remember Green Brook Rd as generally pleasant, but I normally do some combination of Johnston, Valley Dr, Hill Hollow as warmup climbs, then take Valley Rd and Washington Rock Rd to near the top of the Warrenville Rd. Doing Warrenville as my first climb of day could result in injury. It's the real thing. No room for "tacking" or weaving.

Fiddlers Elbow Rd is only the steepest of the interesting climbs on different sides of the "Montana" hill in Warren county. First time climbing it, I definitely recommend approaching it from the bottom with Roxburg Hill Rd -- not riding or driving it down from the top beforehand -- so you can climb it "on sight" and enjoy the surprise of what you encounter around the different bends in the road.Unlike Warrenville Rd, it gets much less car + truck traffic: a good thing considering how steep it is. If you have any imaginations about climbing Fiddlers to the top without stopping or walking, I recommend first warming up on some of the other "Montana" climbs.While you're exploring out west . . .
on the Musconetcong ridge in Hunterdon county, Ludlow Station Rd south from Asbury might be as hard (steeper longer?) than Fiddlers -- but I haven't had the chance to try it yet. And it's next to Iron Bridge Rd -- so I'd love to get a report about one or both of those.

Ken

[Not the Slowest]

In Englewood
Churchill
Speer

Englewood Cliffs
River Road, especially boat Basin to Alpine-Hill repeats

Piermont - ASH or Ash to Tweed

Nyack - The Knot, over 4000 ft climbing
Bradly Tweed
Lil Tor

Washington Hts - Fairview Ave to Ft George Hill

Riverdale - Riverdale Ave upto the Monument -Hill Repeats


"Whatever you do DON'T STOP PEDALING"

Rob

[jakerock]

The only hills I get are bridges...
I live near Williamsburg Mountain.

[Ken Roberts]

In Englewood
Churchill
Speer
I added Speer Av to my list of steeper NJ climbs.
Thanks for the suggestion.

But which "Churchill" hill do you have in mind? The Churchill I can find that's literally in Englewood doesn't seem to have much hill to speak of. There's a Churchill Rd in Teaneck that goes over a hill.

Ken

[Not the Slowest]

Churchill is about .700 of a mile and 6.6% incline, not the toughest.
In anycase see the enclosed and choose ya poison

http://www.nycc.org/resources/re_regional_grades.html

Robert

[Ken Roberts]

Churchill is about .700 of a mile and 6.6% incline, not the toughest.

Yeah that sounds like the Churchill in Teaneck.

Ken

[Not the Slowest]

Ken,
This Churchill is definately in Englewood, goes upto Englewood Cliffs for the return to Ft Lee / GWB.

Take a look at the NYCC link I posted, there are plenty of goodies measured and
confirmed by club members.

Rob:thumb:

[gfrance]

Churchill is about .700 of a mile and 6.6% incline, not the toughest.
In anycase see the enclosed and choose ya poison

http://www.nycc.org/resources/re_regional_grades.html

Robert

Great list..Perfect. thanks

[Not the Slowest]

Great list..Perfect. thanks


It is called River Road and goes along the water front UNDER the GWB and passes several Boat Basin/launch or picnic areas.
The last Boat Basin is at Alpine- maybe still part of Englewood Cliffs.
What many riders do on the last part is go down to the boat basin, then ride up for hill repeats maybe 2-3-4 times, depends on what you desire.
Note: This last stetch can be a bit busy when the weather warms up as many people picnic down there and cars are allowed. In winter, you must be careful of
falling trees or rare, but happens closure due to landslide. this sounds worse than it is, but the NYCC board usually has something on any closures etc.

How to get there may have been your question.
From the GWB, go south along Hudson Terrace to bare Right onto Bigler st as Hudson Terrace splits into two One Ways. Make a T Left on Main "DOWN HILL".
You are now on Main St, GO SLOW, GO VERY SLOW, entrance is on your left about 1/4 mile there is NO SIGN. You know you missed it if Main Street becomes flat.

When on River Road bare left the entire way or you will go down to a few of the Boat Basin/launch areas.

This is a great ride, with ups, downs, climbs and great photo ops.

Enjoy