I believe cyclists are not allowed past the gate house (about the 5km point) until after 6 :00pm and that maybe only certain weeknights. If you google it the Parks and rec people can fill you in for sure.
Good luck and start out easy!

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It's a Good life if you don't Weaken!
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You must do the ride while the toll booth is closed. I'm not sure what the hours are day to day, but google whiteface, memorial high way, toll, etc. and you should find them.

They were not super anal about them when i was there (ie. i didn't get busted or fined for descending after the toll opened in the AM). "officially" the ride goes from the intersection stop sign in Willmington to the flag pole.

Check your break pads before you go and watch out for massive frost humps that could get you killed on the descent. Finally, someone posted here a while back that a guy on a unicycle did the climb in 01:20:XX, so for god's sake get it done faster than that.

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Never had any probs as long as you get to the toll booth after 6pm. Toll booth is 3 miles from the intersection.
I have been able to park at the fudge shop at the intersection without any problems. The ride is real bumpy on the way down until you get past the toll booth. Take a camera the view is amazing and some warm clothes for the descent or the wait at the top.
You get no reprieve until you are about 400m from the top where it flattens out for 100m or so.

Enjoy the ride

Jim

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I did the race this year and started 10 minutes behind that guy. Unfortunately my wife took a picture of me finishing and it looks like I got inched out by a unicycle.

My understanding is that the booth closes at 5 pm. Both times I did it in June I was through the toll gate around 5:20 - 5:30 pm.

Dev

These two points are exceedingly important.

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I think Whiteface is one of the most under looked climbs in the North East or even in the US in general.

As others have said, you can go early, or late, just not during business hours.

someone posted here a while back that a guy on a unicycle did the climb in 01:20:XX, so for god's sake get it done faster than that.
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I'd be more impressed to see what his descent time was on the unicycle ;-)
Dave

You can also go early, as long as you are back down past the toll before 8:30am I believe. Leave LP at 6am and ride down rt. 86, climb Whiteface, then descend and ride the course in reverse. Great training!

 
what time of year does the road typically become usable by bike? could one hope to climb it in early april?

In early April you are still dealing with winter conditions in the ADK. It would be a crapshoot whether or not the road is icy or snow-covered then. The summit is still likely not safe but depending on what kind of winter we get, it could be fine.

Edit to add: As this thread is nearly 10 years old, the information above is out of date. You are now able to pay a bicycle toll at the toll booth (or buy a season pass if you plan to climb it a bunch). So you don't have to try to do it before opening, or after closing.

I go the Lake Placid to train every Memorial Day weekend. One year 18 inches of snow fell during the weekend at the top of White Face.
I was just there for Thanksgiving and it got as low as negative 10F.
They have changed the rules about when you can ride past the tool booth but I don't have specifics.