Show me a 20-30 square mile section with more HC climbs (separate routes) than Apple Orchard Mtn north of Roanoke (image)
Boulder doesn’t get as high of a number (most of the climbs shown all head up to Ward via the same route) and Magnolia, Sunshine and Flagstaff aren’t HC.
and note: the avg %'s are deceiving. Most of those climbs avg 5-6% in the main sections, and often break 20%, though those shorter sections are Cat1 climbs. To hit the HC classification, the avg % lessens quite a bit. Some folks may scoff at that and say just show the steeper Cat1 climbs… well, I did a Cat1 climb this morning with a dozen 20-25% pitches but the mtn wasn’t tall enough to hit HC, so the fact that Apple Orchard Mtn is tall enough to allow those climbs to hit the HC classification is impressive, even if it does lessen the avg grade.
That area of Virginia is one of the best for all-around road cycling, in my opinion. Little known to those outside the area, for the most part. It’s been years since I’ve lived in that region. But I’ve ridden in Colorado and North Carolina, and I still think overall it’s better in SW Virginia. Around Asheville and Black Mountain, NC is a close second - mainly because of Mt. Mitchell. Colorado is closer to where I live now, and it’s fine. But for being about to go out every day and ride an interesting and challenging climbing route (i.e., not the same thing week after week) - can’t do much better than around Roanoke/Salem/Blacksburg/Floyd/NewCastle. 12-o-clock Knob, Poor Mountain, Blue Ridge Parkway (Peaks of Otter all the way down to NC state line), Mountain Lake (both Rt 700 and 613 approaches), Catawba Mtn, Burke’s Garden, etc. etc. And those are just the major rides I can remember. Just about any of the back-roads in that region can be spliced together for some great climbing. It was just about impossible to get bored riding when I lived in that region. I’m going to have to get back there soon.
Yep, I leave tomorrow but will get one more ride in tomorrow morning: https://www.strava.com/routes/9902751
Climbing and the amazing TT roads
I mean, Narrows and Paint Bank have the best TT roads, period! https://www.strava.com/activities/1067270295
nice. thanks for this. started following you. i plan on traveling the country in 2019 and live out of my van. any other awesome climbs/passes i should do? this looks like a great place to spend a week or two riding before heading out to the new river gorge for some climbing!
Hell yes, wolf Creek Rd in Narrows was awesome for TT work. Start at the park by the river. If you want to add climbing, take it up into Burke’s Garden and ride in the bowl and get a full century. On the way back with the constant 1% downhill grade you can really fly. I had a mate I rode that with and we would set up a nice 2-man “peleton” and would smoke that road.
nice, that sounds like a great trip. I lived out of an RV for a while and plan to get a Sprinter van down the road. Have a blast!
I mean, you could start all the way up in PA and work your way down into WV and back over. Friend’s up in Winchester area do some huge climbs. Sperryville area has great climbs. And there’s the Walker Range right south of here. So, just so so so much riding. And then Eastern TN/Asheville, GA, and even all the way down to Talledega for Mt Cheaha. Have a great trip and feel free to PM me for ride ideas
Douthat state park makes a great base camp for cycling in the Allegheny mountains. FWIW, you can camp for free in the bordering national forest (no water, electric, etc) and go into the park and pay for showers. Just have to watch out for the occasional mad lumber truck and the two guys that like to take pot shots at cyclists from the power line easement.
OK, this area hit up by DCR this morning would probably do the trick. wow: https://www.strava.com/activities/1169516204
I don’t know how those climbs a classified as HC as they are all around 5% and only moderately long. Strava is far too generous…
I would love to ride that area, though, as it looks like a cyclists playground for sure!
The one is 5.5% … and it’s 10 miles long. The others are shorter but much steeper. They’re legit HC climbs comparable to Ward, Whiteface, Evans (minus the altitude), all of which I’ve done and can compare to.
I am used to riding in the Alp’s and Pyrenees where HC climbs are 10+miles at 8%+ average grade. I have ridden Ward and Evans, and both are tough but not like the European climbs (the altitude hurts some on them though).
with that logic, the HC climbs in any grand tour are not really HC.