Was having this discussion with a friend, and we wanted some input from the other SoCal peeps: what is the toughest/steepest “real” climb in SoCal?
Parameters:
Over 1 mile long (sorry Silverlake hill).
Must be paved/legally rideable (think that disqualifies whatever that bitch of a climb up from PCH is up near Malibu)
My vote is Chaney Trail in Altadena (off E. Loma Alta Drive): 1.5 miles from Lincoln to the top, and the bottom half is absolutely a knee breaker. Another, partial climb/section (part of a longer one) would be on the 39 above the gate on climb to Crystal Lake: from about 1 mile past the bridge to the start of the switchbacks is very deceiving & tough.
Any other recommendations/nominations? (and Palomar, GMR, etc aren’t in the same league in terms of steepness).
Figueroa. Some pitches over 25-28%, right from the beginning (near the infamous Neverland Ranch)
Average 9% over 8 miles?
If you are ever in Solvang or Los Olivos check it out. I go up there to ride occasionally, and The Fig is
well known with many Euro cycling teams who train there in February.
The Cole Grade in Valley Center (north of San Diego/Escondido) is a tough hill. It is around 2 miles at 9%. It was the last big climb in the final stage of the Tour of California 2009.
the steepest period is probably los gatos road, climbing from de luz canyon to the santa rosa plateau. two-thirds of a mile, most of it at 27%. very scary road to climb. bad if you pop a chain. have to keep weight over the front to keep from flipping over backward.
according to your parameters: probably deer creek rd. in malibu.
but a sustained climb, something quite a few miles long, the steepest i’ve done in my memory is las flores, also in the santa monica mountains. to the top of stunt road, you go from sea level to 2500’ or so, but the first half is just wickedly steep. i never see other bikes on it. everybody goes to latigo canyon, even tho las flores is a great climb and much closer to the metro base. but riders by the thousands, every weekend, ride right past this biatch and over to still nasty, but much tamer, latigo.
I know there may be shorter climbs that are steeper (ex. Via Capri up Mt Soledad), but the hardest climb I have ever done was Mt Baldy Village to the ski lifts. From the intersection with Glendora Mountain Road, it is 4.63 miles, 2110 ft ascent, 8.6% average. But it gets steeper at the top. That last stretch of of >11% will leave you swearing!
