fly:yes/land:no

the last time i did it, there was a guy at the scenic dr. stop sign who thought it would be wise to ask me directions (4th of july weekend). i sort of grunted out an answer that may have been discernible. fun times.

lowlife1975

if you start hidden hills from starlight st, you gain 838ft in 1.3 miles for just under 12%. as roof said, i agree that camino de bryant is just a touch tougher. you get about 600ft in just under a mile for 12%. a lot of the ones listed above might be steep but anything under a 1km doesn't really count for toughness because you can just power over them, unless were talking about 20+% fargo style. all the tough 1+ miles steep climbs are in laguna (park, thalia, nyes, bluebird/summit) all over 10-11%. pacific island is nice but that's in the 8.5% from both sides.

Cyclcist11023131

I am surprised that nobody has mentioned Noel Ranch road. Just east of the 55 frwy it is Lincoln ave. all the way thru OC. The it turns into the steepest road I ever raced up. It starts as a not too bad but increasingly harder climb and comes around a corner where it looks like its going to flatten out. Oh no.. then it gets hairy. Its not as steep as that short road in Laguna just a lot longer. If you keep going there is a compete circuit that brings you all the way around Noel Ranch golf course as you are rewarded with many great views, and a heck of a workout. Lots of up and down and the local population is respectful of Bike riders, a plus for sure.

maddmike

Here's another one, Nyes Place and PCH in Laguna Beach. It's 20% for about 1/3 of a mile and the rest is 15~16%.

JforDrafting

I opened up the map so anybody could add points if they so please.

Bendopolo - Nohl Ranch is good, that's what you take to get to State Coach.

Six jours

I live at the top of Ridgeline and ride my kids home from school (Lake Forest & Trabuco) in a trailer. If I'm not feeling great by the time I reach the base of Ridgeline, I'll keep going up El Toro/Santiago and ride Ridgeline from the North end. Still steep, but a lot shorter.

Uncle Jams Army

Jim,

I did that climb on your recommendation and commented at the time that you totally sandbagged the description of the climb. I've ridden it about 8 times since then. It is more like 8-14% after the first quarter mile (the steepest part is after the halfway point where it flattens out for 50 feet and you hit the narrow residential part). As far as Camino de Bryant, it is just as tough as Hidden Hills, but it is shorter. It just felt really hard because I had already done Nohl Ranch Road and Hidden Hills Road.

Best,

Robert

Infinitedreams

That's totally impressive! I still can't make it up Ridgeline without stopping. I couldn't even imagine hauling two little ones plus a trailer. Crazy..Your a monster! Much respect to you!

I went up to Ridgleine last Sunday to give it another go and decided to sit down on the bench and rest before I made my daring attempt.

Meanwhile as I'm sitting on the bench two guys stroll by on mountain bikes start climbing Ridgleline. I watch them as they both make it to the top without stopping. These guys had to be my age or older.

I smoked quite a bit when I was younger and only quit a few years ago. I think it still to this day all my partying affects my ability to take in oxygen.

On my attempt at ridigleine I had to stop two times before making it over same as my frist attempt. Once at the fire station and then one other time just past the fire station.

It's not the legs that are hurting as there isn't much lactic acid build up in the legs but the lungs reach total oxygen debt. Later than night I could really feel my lungs like they've been given a good workout.

The good thing is now other steep hills that I encounter seem like nothing. It's relative I guess.

Below is a picture of Ridgleine for any South OC locals that want a decent challenge:

Infinitedreams

That looks even steeper than ridgeline! It makes the list!

brianstalnaker

Park Ave. going up past Laguna Beach High School...
Just around 1mile, but has plenty of 12-15% sections.

If thats to easy for you, try NEWPORT COAST! wooooo

bgross

A couple years ago after my ride to the ER in the 'short bus' (I got hit from behind at a stop sign by a pickup), I was leaving the hospital and saw a guy waiting in the ER. He had driven himself to the hospital.
His shorts were nearly ground off of his thigh (he had a bath towel wrapped around), his calf and IIRC his hand were 'roadburger'.
I asked him what happened: he was descending Cove Rd. and laid it down. That road is so steep in places that if you were walking and tripped you'd probably slide 25 feet.

I think that waking up under a pickup was the better deal that day.

Six jours

Yeah, I was hoping you'd say that, but the truth is that I use a 20'" low gear...

F75 Rider

Nice thread. Going up Ridgeline (from photo in prior post) is very steep. All the roads leading up to the peak of that hill are very good. Saddleback Ranch looks difficult, and that is after a ride up Glenn Ranch first. I may give that one a shot once it cools down a bit.

F75 Rider

Kite Hill is a good one. The down side... its not a through street. You have to go back the same way you go up. Radio controlled glider enthusiasts usually head up to fly their airplanes, and on weekends it gets too much traffic. Nobody was flying today. On the way down, my Garmin showed 30%.

Kite Hill 1.jpg

dddave

i've ridden ridgeline a few times and each time i had to tack back and forth. modjeska's a suffer fest too, both are super fun. i love santiago canyon.

Six jours

I just did Ridgeline and Modjeska grade back-to-back, and I gotta say I think Modjeska grade is both longer AND steeper. Still no match for those roads on the ocean side of Laguna Beach, but...

Rumpled

I've finally conquered Modjeska Grade on my MTB while heading up to the Luge. Used to have to walk portions, then tack some portions when it was closed to cars. Now no stops, no tacking in a 22/32. Not sure I could do it on my CX/Road.

Sunday, I did a ride that included Live Oak from Cook's, Trabuco Canyon into RSM, the road in O'Neill, and Vista del Lago from Marguerite.
Some tough hills for me with VDL being a max HR stand up effort.

Yesterday, I rode my CX bike with 35mm knobbies up Serrano/Whiting and then Glenn and Saddleback Ranch. Glenn wasn't as bad as it used to be, but SR was another max heart rate effort. Especailly with the 15lb pack I had on. A couple of roadies just blew by me.
Later I went down Rdigeline and hit 41.5 mph, yeehah!

Of what I have done, Modjeska Grade has been the hardest with Ridgeline and Vista del Lago fighting for second place.

I still have to get out and try some of the 7 Sisters hills.

Infinitedreams

One thing I have noticed which has helped me is to slow down my cadence when trying to ascend steep hills. As much as it pains me to do so for me it worked.

The first few times I tried Ridgeline I would spin up as fast as I could and would completely gas out. The last two attempts I went at a much lower cadence and although I still stopped 1/2 way up I was no where near the oxygen deficit I was at the previous times.

Mojedska Grade I'd like to try but I've read that going up that road can be dangerous because of the traffic and disregard of motorists for cyclists.

Six jours

I've never felt the slightest danger on Modjeska grade. There just aren't that many cars on it, and the drivers of those ones have always been courteous. I ride it at least once a week.

Nearby Live Oak Canyon, however, is a different story...

SuperDaveFelt

Check out Canyon Creek off of Live Oak Canyon road. 15-18% with two sections over 23%. Up and down and short, but brutal.

-SD

jmX

Hrm, Maybe I'm confused on Ridgeline Dr....the Ridgeline I rode had bike lanes on both sides of the road. Between University and Turtle Rock. Where is this photo at?

dahvaio

jMx... Could you be referring to RidgePark which is near Newport Coast and Vista Ridge?

The Ridgeline Dr in the photo is by Cooks Corner/El Toro. The other side intersects Santiago Canyon.

fly:yes/land:no

Actually, there are two "Ridgeline's" - Ridgeline DR. is over by campus (climbs up from University to Turtle Rock) and Ridgeline RD. climbs up from El Toro through the neighborhood and connects to Santiago Canyon. Both are climbs - one is steeper than the other.

Rumpled

Might have to give that a go - but I usually am bombing down Live Oak there taking the lane.

Infinitedreams

Finally made it up Ridgeline without stopping... 2 days in a row! I'm am very confident now in being able to ascend it anytime.

See how fast I get cocky and arrogant!?

The key for me as I mentioned was slowing down my cadence. My initial attempts climbing Ridgeline was like a bat out of hell. It makes all the difference in the world 'pacing' yourself. The old addage "Only Fools rush in" fits the bill quite well for me when it comes to climbing steep hills.

I'll give Mojedska Grade and Canyon Creek a look over and if it looks safe I'll give it a go! One down on the list (Ridgeline) and many more to go.

I still want to go back to Ridgeline and see if I can spin up it at a much higher cadence as I continue to build stamina but I have no doubt that right now if I try and push it I will hit a brick wall and run into oxygen debt very fast.