icon

I did a little bit of searching here and there, and have a few questions about Garbage Hill. From what I remember from the ride and from what I've read, the climb is 2.5 miles up. What is the % incline?
And also what's the local consensus amongst people here about the difficulty of the climb?

Thanks, and my apologies if this is a repost.

merider1

Hi Icon. Trash Truck Hill is the hill I hate the most!! I'm assuming it's the same hill - the one that goes up to the gate and sign that says "Heli Spot" (which for the longest time I thought said, "Hell Spot" ) Anyway, it's the hill that gets me. After the gate (Mt. Hollywood), I'm in love with the climb, the views etc, but TT Hill is a killer. Don't know stats, sorry. You should go up there at night as it's very pretty.

roadfix

TT hill is not steep at all. It's just a very short gentle climb. But for some reason I always tire very quickly on that climb. Perhaps there's more gravitational force there weighing you down. Like Mary mentioned, hop the closed gate at the top and the rest of climb is very nice. You can take that all the way to the observatory.

merider1

I agree, George. I think because it's long and unrelenting. Where as once you start Mt. Hollywood, you get a few switchbacks, and the views.

EDIT: you know, I wonder if we are talking about two different hills. I mean the one that you encounter coming from Forest Lawn and turning right.

icon

The hill I'm talking about eventually has a descent where you eventually come onto Los Feliz Blvd(I think). And when you do enter the climb there is a sign that says "Heli Spot."

If this is the same hill we are all talking about, how do you get to the observatory from there, I don't see where they would meet?

merider1

Ah...we're talking about the same hill. Tell ya what. You don't know me, but I'm mostly harmless. I'll put together a GP night ride in January (I need to get those going again). Only it will be a hard one, where we do a comprehensive tour of the park and all the various ways to climb up and down to the observatory, past the water tower, down to Los Feliz and back again! You'll see...it's all intertwined.

GP is my favorite stomping ground. I never tire of it.

roadfix

Are we talking about the same hill? OK, I'm in!

merider1

I doubt it, but you're in anyway. You're my token poser.

icon

It sounds like fun. Count me in.

merider1

Oh, it is, especially at night! I love it up there at night. The sky is amazing and it is very secluded.

icon

The air is amazing up there. It's so close to the busy chaos that is city life, yet it feels so far away.

roadfix

I was just up there last Sat and shot this...

merider1

I love your pics, George. But look at the smog in this one. Couldn't you have dones something about that?

roadfix

Had it been a crystal clear day I would be accused of photoshopping.

thomson

I was at the Getty the other day and it was crystal clear. Could see downtown and Catalina clearly. I would have brought my camera but didn't have George's bike to put in the foreground.

merider1

I know, huh? It just doesn't seem the same unless his bike is in the shot.

blarnie

There are a couple different ways to do this and I think that's what makes riding in and around GP very good. From Los Feliz, you can take Fern Dell to the Observatory, it's short for a climb and not too steep. You could also connect to Mt. Hollywood to lengthen the climb, the first part beyond the gate is 7-8% for less than 1/2 mi. not too bad. From Travel Town you can take Griffith Park Dr. to Mt. Hollwood Dr., about 3/4 mi. with the steepest part about 7-8%, not bad for a short climb. At that point go past the gate on Mt. Hollywood Dr. and you have 2.5 mi. of traffic free (most days) of nice easy climbing with a couple of breaks. Near the top the last 1/8 - 1/4 mi. can go 8-9%, good for the last push practice efforts.

Mix and match and you have an excellent training regime for hill climbing. B+/A-.

If it's too cold in the Angeles for any long descents, I definitely head to the GP. Plus the snack shop at the Autry is very good too.

merider1

What he said.

grrlyrida

Yay!! I finally get to go on a night ride. I just got a dinotte light from Santa. Thanks for organizing this Mary.

I thought tt hill is the hill that begins at travel town and goes by the sanitation dept and ends near the animal hospital on the other side. Am I wrong? I thought the helli spot was called mt hollywood?

roadfix

Excellent! Which one did he give you?

merider1

I think it's all the same hill. And you know, lady, I'm happy to ride up there any evening. If you want to do it next week, I'll take you up there. I just won't go alone, as that could be scary. But with one, two or more riders, it's a lot of fun.

grrlyrida

Santa brought me a 200L and it's bright. I'll go next week. I would love to try it out. I'm going up there in the daytime today via Ferndell.

merider1

Can you ride next Thursday night? I'll put up a thread if so.

roadfix

Inner for Thurs nite.

merider1

Yippee! Haven't seen you in awhile.