Alphalegacy

Does anyone know any good climbs in the San Diego area other than Torrey Pines?

cyclezealot

Want the toughest climb the pros do.. Go to Anza Boreggo and ride back towards Lake Henneshaw. Honorable mention. Couser Canyon in North county near Pala.

GP

Montezuma and Banner Grades, Palomar, Rice and Couser Cyns, San Elijo, Cole Grade Rd, Mesa Grande, Lake Wohlford...

calamarichris

Twin Oaks Parkway (linking San Elijo & CSU-San Marcos), Palomar Mountain , Sunrise Highway/Mount Laguna and Lake Cuyamaca.

esammuli

In addition, the Great Western Loop. Clockwise for more gradual climbing or CCW for steeper- more pitchy climbing.

ElCiclista

I don't know if you can call Torrey Pines a climb or just a bump. For real climbs you can find real climbs on the East County, stuff like Honey Springs, Lyons Valley(staring from Hwy 94) Kitchen Creek, Many of the climbs on Great Western, Sunrise Hwy and many more.

diphthong

suppose it depends on what the op defines as a
good climb in the san diego area. which area,
how far away from said area (without driving)
and doing repeats or just long, epic climbs.
close to downtown san diego, pretty much
any climb up to mt. soledad in la jolla is
a good one. also, repeats on the tidepool
hill (about .7 of a mile) in cabrillo national
monument work just fine...

illwafer

if you're looking for another climb near torrey pines, calle cristobal is a bit more intense although nothing epic (5 minute hammer). also near torrey pines is la jolla shores blvd.

Ferrino

Repeats of Mt. Soledad (via Hidden Valley Rd./Via Capri)!

Nachoman

Mt. Soledad is my local favorite. For hill repeats I usually do Dolphin Tanks, which is located at the end of Point Loma right at the Cabrillo Monument.

diphthong

from end to end, the mission valley area several miles north of downtown san diego has about
eleven worthwhile climbs. none are longer than two miles with many less than a half-mile.
good for repeats or in combination with the other ones in a "tour de mission valley."
on the south side and east end:
1. the climb up to the old mission/pioneer park/north end of mission hills has great views
and is a shorter one but challenging.
2. bachman way has a nice grade up to the parking structure.
3. texas st./qualcomm way is the steepest and a gruntfest but short.
4. fairmont st. south of the 8 fwy starts slowly (but has lots of traffic cutting
in front/behind you at the onset with several high-speed onramps/offramps;
gets that urban riding buzz going!) then settles into a nice groove and you can
choose between going left, right or straight to finish off the climb.
5. mission gorge up and over to santee (and back) is long enough to settle into
trying to maintain an average climbing speed...or to blow up on trying to
maintain an average climbing speed.
6. the right off of mission gorge onto jackson dr. pitches up and drops you off near
cowles mtn. there's another climb that gradually winds through the del cerro
area on the way up to cowles mtn. area but don't remember the name.

north side (these are all accessible from friars rd):
7. mission village road which rises directly up from qualcomm stadium. straight
& steady.
8. mission center road heads into a canyon before turning east into a quick, decent
pitch up to the stop sign.
9. ulric rd. next to the 163 fwy/fashion valley shopping center is the longest ascent
on the north side and has a fairly consistent grade.
10. via las cumbres winds up to linda vista rd. and the university of sd area-pretty short.
11. linda vista rd. isn't really tough but is a good one to get out of the saddle
and work on your uphill sprint once past the lower university of sd entrance.

the balboa park area (east side) has some good, quick ones in a much more compact
area than mission valley and is closer to downtown. all are off of florida dr:
1. morley field dr. either west up to park or east to upas-both are short and sweet.
2. zoo place...up to the san diego zoo past the cacti garden.
3. pershing dr. is the longest up along the golf course and past the sd velodrome area.
4. 26th st. (florida turns into 26th at the intersection of florida/pershing) up to the
stop sign-fun descent too. good thin-crust pizza place (pizzeria luigi) with some excellent
bottled beers nearby top of hill at 25th & c st. good way to finish a hard day on the bike.

heresy

College Ave to Navajo Rd.? Navajo has a decent ascent from College to Jackson Dr.

sd_mike

Try Pine Creek Road from Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley (east of San Diego). Paved from US 80 to Sunrise Highway, rarely will you see a car, and it has a nice section of about 17% grade for about 1/4 mile. Fun climb that can be looped into Hwy 79 through Cuyamaca, Julian, or back around Mt Laguna. It is more fun on a cyclocross bike as you can add in singletrack trail to your climb and overall route.

diphthong

yes, that's it. thanks.

fantom1 

Coronado Hills Road to Washingtonia Sts to the top of Mt. Whitney in San Marcos is right around 2 miles long and probably an average grade of around %15. There are a few short downhills and flats which is why the total elevation gain is a little off from the gradient. It's a really, really great top-end training ride if you go all out.

markg

All known as Tide Pool Hill. You have to pay to go in during the day, but lots of people ride it weekday mornings before the monument "officially" opens. In fact there is a ride that leaves from Moment Cycle Sport on Rosecrans every Tues and Thursday morning at 645a that heads out to do Tide Pool Hill repeats.