Climbing Database

[pure_momentum]

i didnt know gmr gets up to 12% grade. i manage that ride just fine all the time. sometimes it gets a bit hot while going up but it never struck me as being impossible. on the other hand some local routes i take have grades that are over 20% according to mapmyride.com and also feels like over 20% because they stagger me down to roughly 3mph during the ascent thats not even half a mile long. esperanza road coming from baseline is one example. that small hill killed me the other day in 100 degree weather. i have no idea if its the weather or the gradient but i was swinging the bike like a mad person while going up that short hill at roughly 3 mph.

what gives??? i want someone else to try that hill and tell me its easy. its short but the gradient is most likely in the 25% range. coming from baseline, going up the hill on esperanza. keep going and after that major gradient there is a short less steeper hill before you go around to your left and reach that junction where you can go on san dimas canyon road.

[ohmannuel]

There are some great climbs in the Santa Clarita area. Lake Hughs, Camp 9, Aliso Canyon, a few others. I can tell you like climbing so I just thought I'd tell you about these.

[david edward]

Originally Posted by MarkAJ

Dude, I found what you are looking for thanks to the Conejo Valley Cyclist web site.

Yerba Buena Road
8.1 miles; 2,360 feet; 5.3% average grade; 8% max grade

Let me know if you need anything else.

Hey Mark,
Yerba Buena is really pleasant going up. The only thing is the road condition is bad (unless it's been repaved) so I wouldn't go down it.
Somebody gave me that suggestion and I ignored it thinking "how bad could it be?". Bad enough to never want to do that again, that's how bad.
By the way there's water at the top...and a bathroom.
I need to get over and do that one again soon.

[MarkAJ]

Originally Posted by david edward

Hey Mark,
Yerba Buena is really pleasant going up. The only thing is the road condition is bad (unless it's been repaved) so I wouldn't go down it.
Somebody gave me that suggestion and I ignored it thinking "how bad could it be?". Bad enough to never want to do that again, that's how bad.
By the way there's water at the top...and a bathroom.
I need to get over and do that one again soon.

David you riding again? If so and you want to get with some of us just let me know.

[Biker395]

Originally Posted by david edward

Hey Mark,
Yerba Buena is really pleasant going up. The only thing is the road condition is bad (unless it's been repaved) so I wouldn't go down it.
Somebody gave me that suggestion and I ignored it thinking "how bad could it be?". Bad enough to never want to do that again, that's how bad.
By the way there's water at the top...and a bathroom.
I need to get over and do that one again soon.

+1

Nice climb. Crappy descent. Not only is it choppy and gravelly, but the cracks in the road often follow the same direction as the road, and are just the right place to put a front tire into. YB isn't a the worst descent I've done (the Barstow-Yermo road is definitely worse), but it's bad enough to screw up what would otherwise be a nice descent. I do not want to know what it would be like to skid on my arse down any part of that puppy.

BTW, that water and bathrooms aren't quite at the top. They are at the Circle X ranger station just west of the top. While you're there, pick up on the maps of the Santa Monica Mountains ... pretty trick.

[david edward]

Originally Posted by MarkAJ

David you riding again? If so and you want to get with some of us just let me know.

Hey Mark,
Yes. I'm starting to ride some, but this knee is still giving me problems. Hope to ride with you guys soon.

[david edward]

Originally Posted by Biker395

+1

BTW, that water and bathrooms aren't quite at the top. They are at the Circle X ranger station just west of the top. While you're there, pick up on the maps of the Santa Monica Mountains ... pretty trick.

Thanks for pointing that out, I had forgotten.

This post got me thinking about Yerba, so I went up it last weekend. Definitely not repaved. Still nice though...nice and quite, very few cars.

[pv0463]

Originally Posted by Biker395

+1

Nice climb. Crappy descent. Not only is it choppy and gravelly, but the cracks in the road often follow the same direction as the road, and are just the right place to put a front tire into. YB isn't a the worst descent I've done (the Barstow-Yermo road is definitely worse), but it's bad enough to screw up what would otherwise be a nice descent. I do not want to know what it would be like to skid on my arse down any part of that puppy.

BTW, that water and bathrooms aren't quite at the top. They are at the Circle X ranger station just west of the top. While you're there, pick up on the maps of the Santa Monica Mountains ... pretty trick.

Well, I'm checking each canyon road / climb off the list one-by-one. Started with Encinal, moved up to Mulholland, and finally Yerba.
Encinal is definitely the easiest of the three.
Mulholland is very nice and smooth. Too much traffic, though. Especially the crotch rockets that buzz you as you're spitting out a lung.
Yerba is the hardest. Looong, and never ending. The condition of the pavement is absolutely crappy! I am tempted to not climb it again until after it's repaved; which, judging by how little traffic there is, it'll not be any time soon. I got absolutely beaten!

And, oh, by the way: riding with a cell phone for emergencies is hopeless. There is no coverage until the Mishe Mokwa trailhead, pretty close to the top. Also, check for the Park Rangers' days off. I stopped to use the facility and call home, and the shack was LOCKED; UNMANNED; WTF?

[TJKnight]

^spammer