I’m looking for a tough climb in the Orange County area. When I say ‘tough’, I mean a climb similar, if not more difficult than starting from Lowers Peters Canyon up through Santiago all the way to the top of Silverado Canyon. Anybody know of any other ‘tough’ climbs?
that’s as good as it gets I think. And by the way, do you keep going past the gate? Not everyone knows you can and it’s a pretty good climb that looks deceptively flat.
I think most people will suggest you pack up the car and hit GMR.
I always stop at the gate thinking the road past the gate isn’t paved…It’s paved?! Hmm…I might check it out this weekend.
technically it’s paved, but it’s not well paved. some stretches are better than others and at one point it turns into a dirt road–about 5 miles past the gate. That’s where most people turn around. I road it on my carbon wheels once and it was fine.
Here’s a write up I found:
http://epictrain.blogspot.com/2009/04/my-not-so-recovery-ride-silverado.html
Again, it looks flat, but it’s actually pretty steep. I don’t have exact figures, but I thought it was much tougher than GMR, which is about 5-6%. So George’s estimate in his blog of 8% may be right. You’ll realize how steep it is on your way back down–which I did going fairly slow because of the road.
Not as long as Silverado and possibly not as scenic is Pacific Island Drive. Do that as a loop including Alicia and Highlands, repeat as many times as you wish. Or, go up and over, turn around, repeat, back and forth. The downhill towards Crown Valley Parkway is particularly fun; I topped out on my roadbike many years ago at 67 mph, only to find out later that my bike comp only registers that high.
Also, out on Plano Trabucco, right by the creek crossing is Rose Canyon - a rather rough road climb up to the Joplin Youth Center gate. Make a big trip of doing that, up and back, then continue on Live Oak to Cooks Corner, North on Santiago, do the Modejeska Grade loop, then continue on Santiago to Silverado up and back and then move along Santiago to Jamboree. Feeling rather perky? Turn around and do it again, backwards.
I used to do the Pac Island Drive climb all the time back when I rode a lot in 6th grade. I’m 36 now. I’ll be back in February and will be sure to do it again for old time’s sake.
South OC: Ortega Hwy, up and over to Lake Elsinor and then back…
IMHO… Newport Coast to Vista Ridge = 3.7+ miles and 925+ feet of gain. Great surface, views, and bike lane. One quick flat section near the top, but mostly 5-6% with some 10% on vista ridge. Great climb with plenty of riders to chase down. An honest 18 minute climb for good climbers, and 25-30min for the less gifted rider.
scsq
Huntington Beach, CA
i 2nd pacific island drive. start at highlands and alicia and head up take the brief decent to pacific island and then up pacific island and down the other side. At the bottom turn and do it all again.
it is not as long as silverado, definitely as hard as you want to make it. a little like modjeska, but more fun in imho.
Pacific Island (corner of Camino Del Avion/Pacific Island & Crown Valley) in Laguna Niguel is a good one as is Nyes Place off PCH in Laguna Beach.
For shorter yet still sweet you can also go up the harbor road at the Dana Point Harbor. I used to go up that for intervals, takes about 1min all out to make it up there.
I care about my life enough not to ride on Ortega. Much better rides around than that.
You’re talking about Cove Road at the end of DP Harbor Drive. I do that climb twice a week, and during the season, continue on to do the PI Drive climb. Great loop! It was good training for Magic Mountain Man, that’s for sure.
Is that safe for riders?
There are some great climbs mentioned already in the thread - I give a nod to Pacific Island Drive as well - climb/decend/turn around/do it again. And again.DO NOT RIDE ORTEGA HWY - you stand no chance against cars, trucks and motorcyles with drivers who think they’re on their own private race track.
Surprised nobody has mentioned it…but the best climbing in OC would have to be on a mountain bike. The Santa Ana Mountains are full of great climbs: Silverado Canyon (Maple Springs Trail), Harding Trail at the very end of Modjeska Canyon, Holy Jim Trail, The San Juan Trail, The Los Pinos Trail…all are detailed in Mountain Biking Orange County by Randy Vogel (same guy who wrote the Joshua Tree Climbing Bible) Some of these trails are a 10+ on the grunt factor.
The hill that always pains me the most to climb is my driveway…it’s about 20 feet at 1-2 %…but it means my ride is over.
Yeah, Cove Road out of DP Harbor. I forgot about the Laguna roads to Top of the World. Nyes, being the steepest, crap, too steep for me! I believe it starts off at over 20%. Park Place is a great climb, too. In Mission Viejo, climbing La Paz from Marguerite to Olympiad (part of the old LA Olympic bike route) seems to never end and Antonio from Ortega Hwy, as well. There is another nice one near the Oakley HQ, but I need a map for the street names.
Ahh, found it - from El Toro Rd., go north on Portola Pkwy, then right on Glenn Ranch Rd and left on Saddleback Ranch Rd. . Climb this to the T intersection - Ridgeline, go left to continue North on Santiago Canyon, or right to get back to El Toro Rd, near Cook’s Corner/Live Oak Canyon.
I can vouch for this one only because I’ve done trail (running) races on these trails and it was tough on foot. It would be positively lung-busting on a mtb. I did a trail marathon about 5 weeks ago with part of the route being up Holy Jim to Main Divide. We passed several mtb’ers who were stopped gasping for air.
Drive down south to Temecula area and ride Mt Palomar. Starting at Harrahs Rincon is approx 12 miles and 5,000 feet to the top.
the best climb for those who live in orange county is to drive out to the compound, do your climbing here, then drive back.
Did that last March. That nearly 12 mile climb to Mtn. High ski area was brutal!
here, i made you a nice loop. i’m calling it the wrightwood-big pines-aqueduct lollipop. note that you can’t legally ride on the aqueduct. nevertheless, some people have been known to do it. regularly. you have to go though four pedestrian gates to enter, exit the aqueduct, but, it’s the one flat part of the course, great asphalt, very nice riding.
total distance: 41 miles
total elevation: 5300’
from OC, take either 55 or the 241 to the 91, to the 15, then straight out the 15 to about halfway up the cajon pass (like you’re going to vegas), then take the 138 (pearblossom hwy) west for about 10 minutes to the top of the pass. you’ll intersect with angeles crest hwy (the 2) take that up to wrightwood, about 6 miles. that’s your starting point. if you park at the grizzly cafe, on the main road through wrightwood, that log cabiny like building, that’s a nice breakfast/lunch spot.
there’s very little traffic on these roads, a bit of traffic from wrightwood to big pines (the high elevation), very sparse thereafter. a few cafe racers on the weekends, but, they’re a minor annoyance.
your biggest concern is weather. it can either be very much too cold to do this ride in the winter, or too hot to do the lowest part of this ride in the heat of summer. you must take a lot of layers for the descents in the winter or you’ll be miserable and, even then, there are plenty of days you can’t ride this ride at all. realize that at the high elevation you’re at a ski area (mountain high).
all that established, if what you want is some world class climbing in an alpine setting, starting/ending at an alpine village, it’s about ninety minutes each way, and worth the drive. if you know what you’re looking for, you’ll see a blue/green weatherbeaten sign with a lizard painted on it that says “xantusia,” and then you’ll know your riding past the compound.