Top 10 Toughest Climbs in California
06-29-10, 05:01 PM
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Does doing the Auburn Century 110mi / Death Ride (in 2 weeks!) count?I've only done about half of the climbs on this list.
06-29-10, 05:05 PM
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06-29-10, 05:10 PM
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06-29-10, 05:21 PM
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IMO, anything that averages 100 ft of climbing per mile is a pretty stiff ride. Do that for 100 miles, and you can feel very good about yourself. Of course there are plenty of riders who can do that all day long and look as cool as Cipollini, but the vast majority of cyclists can't and won't.
Cheers!
06-29-10, 07:26 PM
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06-29-10, 08:01 PM
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Vireo,
+1 on Onion Valley! It truly is nasty! I did it the day after doing a Lone Pine double; Whitney Portal and then Horseshoe Meadow. Horseshoe Meadow was my undoing. I could barely get back to the motel. After a hot shower I was able only able to CRAWL across the highway to the Mt. Whitney Restaurant for dinner, a large dose of protein! Even though OV was my only ride a day later, it was epic. I did another double the next day at Big Pine; White Mountain, and then Glacier Lodge. I spent day 3 at Bishop and did South Lake and Lake Sabina. You're spot on on those, a loooong drag with some *UP* at the end! I did Nine Mile Rd {Grade] on my way back home. After the 1st 3 days it was a "ho-hum".
Many of Summerson's central CA and nor CA rides are ones that I've done in the past, before retiring to the desert. I would consider Dante's View a bit farther up on your list, dependent on weather; it's in my back yard and I've done it many times, under all kinds of conditions. When you climb from 190' below sea level to an elevation of 5475', in that barren, dry landscape, you've got yourself an adventure!
I am looking forward to Mosquito Flat in the fall, after the White Mtn Double. My riding buddy has it on his list and is adamant about checking Rock Creek Road off! I have Tioga and Sonora still on my list as they've been inconvenient after a DR expedition, or rides out of Bishop. Guess I'll have to stage something very specific to get them in the book.
I've worn out 1 copy of Summerson's book and, having a fresh copy, am now considering where I can head for some new challenges. I believe that every cyclist needs a copy of Summerson in their library, if only for "dreaming"!
YMMV
-dg
+1 on Onion Valley! It truly is nasty! I did it the day after doing a Lone Pine double; Whitney Portal and then Horseshoe Meadow. Horseshoe Meadow was my undoing. I could barely get back to the motel. After a hot shower I was able only able to CRAWL across the highway to the Mt. Whitney Restaurant for dinner, a large dose of protein! Even though OV was my only ride a day later, it was epic. I did another double the next day at Big Pine; White Mountain, and then Glacier Lodge. I spent day 3 at Bishop and did South Lake and Lake Sabina. You're spot on on those, a loooong drag with some *UP* at the end! I did Nine Mile Rd {Grade] on my way back home. After the 1st 3 days it was a "ho-hum".
Many of Summerson's central CA and nor CA rides are ones that I've done in the past, before retiring to the desert. I would consider Dante's View a bit farther up on your list, dependent on weather; it's in my back yard and I've done it many times, under all kinds of conditions. When you climb from 190' below sea level to an elevation of 5475', in that barren, dry landscape, you've got yourself an adventure!
I am looking forward to Mosquito Flat in the fall, after the White Mtn Double. My riding buddy has it on his list and is adamant about checking Rock Creek Road off! I have Tioga and Sonora still on my list as they've been inconvenient after a DR expedition, or rides out of Bishop. Guess I'll have to stage something very specific to get them in the book.
I've worn out 1 copy of Summerson's book and, having a fresh copy, am now considering where I can head for some new challenges. I believe that every cyclist needs a copy of Summerson in their library, if only for "dreaming"!
YMMV
-dg
06-29-10, 08:03 PM
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IMO Tioga is a pretty easy climb. The only difficulty is the elevation and the traffic but it's a really steady grade. Sonora is a b*tch, I didn't even finish that one. I had done Monitor from both sides and it started pouring on me so I chickened out.
06-29-10, 08:37 PM
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Vireo, finally read through your blog report on the rides. Awesome report and photos 
I like your challenge for people to complete the top 10 climbs. I want to. Now I need to figure out how to make that happen!
Oh yeah, I also didn't realize Summerson had put out the California climbing book. I've got his national version (a staple in my library) and I just ordered a couple of copies of the semi-new CA version thanks to your post. Can't wait for it to arrive!
I like your challenge for people to complete the top 10 climbs. I want to. Now I need to figure out how to make that happen!Oh yeah, I also didn't realize Summerson had put out the California climbing book. I've got his national version (a staple in my library) and I just ordered a couple of copies of the semi-new CA version thanks to your post. Can't wait for it to arrive!
06-29-10, 08:41 PM
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Get the USA one. The California one has a few (but not a lot) more California climbs. But it is very poorly organized- you need to look at four different places to get all the info on any given climb. And the maps are useless.. the climbs are just blobs in a general location. How can you daydream about climbs without a good map to stare at? After his great USA climbs book I am very disappointed.
06-29-10, 10:09 PM
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Also, this list misses one great southern California climb. 39 all the way up to Dawson Saddle climbs continuously from ~1600 ft to 7901 ft. This would put it at the number one spot with ~6300 ft of climbing.
My ride report for 39 as well: CA-39 (aka Hwy 39 or San Gabriel Canyon Rd or CA State Route 39) Climb to Angeles Crest and Dawson Saddle (at 7901 ft!)
The road in question:
My ride report for 39 as well: CA-39 (aka Hwy 39 or San Gabriel Canyon Rd or CA State Route 39) Climb to Angeles Crest and Dawson Saddle (at 7901 ft!)
The road in question:
I love the climb to Dawson Saddle here is a rainy day account
and here a double Dawson day
06-29-10, 10:18 PM
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06-29-10, 10:26 PM
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canton_Avenue
Not as long as your climbs, but tough nevertheless: 37% grade.
Not as long as your climbs, but tough nevertheless: 37% grade.
Just so we are clear on what a hard climb is I thought I would post what John Summerson uses to classify the climbs on his list. You might find it looks vaguely familiar to Le Tour rankings. We are talking about Cat 1 and HC climbs only...let's stay focus people.
Category 4: Usually less than 2 miles in length. Climbs of 250 to 500 feet in elevation gain.
Category 3: Between 2 and 3 miles in length. Climbs of 500 to 1,500 feet in elevation gain.
Category 2: Between 3 and 6 miles in length. Climbs of 1,500 to 3,000 feet in elevation gain.
Category 1: Between 6 and 12 miles in length, and steeper than a 5 percent grade. Climbs of 3,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation gain.
Hors Catégorie (HC) or Uncategorized: Usually more than 12 miles in length, with grades often exceeding 10 percent. Climbs of 5,000+ feet in elevation gain.
06-29-10, 10:29 PM
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What's the white mountain double?
06-29-10, 10:33 PM
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06-29-10, 10:55 PM
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What a great ride. And a big breakfast to boot. One wild day in the Sierras.
Weather became an issue later so Horseshoe will have to wait for another day. I'll count the days till then.
06-29-10, 11:43 PM
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I hope they check to see if you have hiked or biked your way to the portal before serving you that 5,000 calorie manhole cover they call a pancake. People who drive up should NOT get that thing--- they didn't earn it.
06-30-10, 12:01 AM
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06-30-10, 12:33 AM
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Correction, Kaiser pass summit is 9,18(2) ft. But what is 2 vertical feet among friends...
06-30-10, 02:22 AM
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That...thing...is a beautiful thing. I now want to do this climb just to eat that pancake.
06-30-10, 09:31 AM
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Still trying to find a good weekend to do a Bay Area Everest Challenge. The absolute hardest (steepest as well as sun exposed) extended climbs in the Santa Cruz Mountains and East/South Bay. Be sure to click the Summary tab and note all the lovely shark teeth on the Elevation chart. No 39x25 allowed.
Saturday: Mr Bill's Nightmare 117 miles 15,928'
https://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Cour...?course=149220
Sunday: Mt. Hamilton slam 103 miles 13,878'
https://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Cour...?course=149228
Maybe in August
Saturday: Mr Bill's Nightmare 117 miles 15,928'
https://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Cour...?course=149220
Sunday: Mt. Hamilton slam 103 miles 13,878'
https://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Cour...?course=149228
Maybe in August
06-30-10, 09:39 AM
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Unfortunately, most of those climbs aren't rideable in February.
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