Climbed a high peak
 

On Sunday my riding buddy and I climbed Whiteface, the forth highest of the 46 Adirondack high peaks (elev 4867'). The climb is 8 miles long and covers 3500' of vertical so it is a relentless climb. This is the elevation (and grade) from the GPS - however since my GPS does not have a true altimeter the grades are not quite right - The grade is a pretty steady 8.5%, a little worse at the bottom and very top - a few spots in the middle where it eases up a tad.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...20Distance.jpg

The road is the Verterans memorial highway - rather fitting for Memorial Day weekend.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...w/DSCF0224.jpg

Here at the bottom in the town of Wilmington (at the start) you can see the peak - it's the second one in the back - on top you can barely make out the weather station - that's where we will be shortly.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...8/DSCF0223.jpg

The first 3 miles of climb takes you up to the entrance gate. You need to get there after they close - no bikes are permitted when there are cars on the road. This is the gatehouse. It was the only break in the whole climb - getting me and the bike under the gate.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...g/DSCF0235.jpg

However - by the gatehouse is a lake with this sign - I wonder if the caught any, I didn't see any children bobing around in the lake.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...Q/DSCF0236.jpg
This is the elevation at the gatehouse - 1/3 of the climb is done
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...Y/DSCF0237.jpg

Just around mile 4 is the first switch back - this is mentally the toughest part of the climb.
Then around mile 5 you see what is yet to come.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...I/DSCF0234.jpg

Continued on next post...

At mile 6 you are on the spine of the ridge - on your right, Union Falls Pond (I think)

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...8/DSCF0233.jpg
and on your left Lake Placid
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...s/DSCF0232.jpg

About a 1/2 mile further you can see you are about there.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...M/DSCF0231.jpg

And then one more mile to go
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...I/DSCF0229.jpg

And then finally at the very end of the road - 1 1/2 hours to the top - my buddy made it in 1 hr 10 min.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...Q/DSCF0228.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_2n6FkrWqcFk/TA...c/DSCF0226.jpg

It was cold at the top as spring was just coming there, we took jackets up for the ride down. The road has swales and frost heaves so it was not an easy ride down - mostly riding the brakes, I stopped to take all the pics which actually made the ride down easier.

I suspected this was what you were refering to in the other thread. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...0#post10890060

I climb a bank of about 150'(?) in a 1.25 mile stretch when coming up from the Genesee Turning Basin and find it very tiring.

That folks can ride up mountains puts me in awe. I've driven that highway, damn dude...you da man!!

I didn't get to ride up Whiteface when I was there on family vacation a couple years ago. The ride while the road was close thing never worked for my schedule. It seems like a great ride up but a tedious ride down with the frost heaves. I did ride the ironman circuit out of Lake Placid and it was a nice route.

Been up whiteface many times by car. My family is from your next of woods. Near Malone, Chateaugay and Brainardville. Thanks for the pics :)

Very impressive! Great pics too....brought back memories of our camping trips to the Adirondacks as kids. Still remember driving up (OK, my dad) that road to the top....awesome scenery......

Thanks for sharing!

Yes indeed - I had left my USB cable at home and could not download the pics until tonight.

Nice ride and pics, CF! That was a healthy climb. Well done!