# Favorite Santa Cruz County hill climb



## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

In the same family as the Bay Area and East/North Bay hill climb polls, we now have this selection of SCruz climbs to choose from.

Remember, polls here can have no more than 10 choices. My preference is for low traffic roads - if they don't have a good shoulder; thus I have omitted Bear Creek west and Soquel-San Jose Rd. (those are preferred for descents).


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Very nice, thanks for posting this! I know all these names but haven't ridden any of them so I can't vote. I'll have to see if I can get over that way during this year to ride some of the more popular ones.


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

My least favorite has to be Zayante. I've done it many times, but I've also cracked at least twice on that hill in hot weather. That last mile can be like riding in an oven.


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

mohair_chair said:


> My least favorite has to be Zayante. I've done it many times, but I've also cracked at least twice on that hill in hot weather. That last mile can be like riding in an oven.


I rode it today (as a descent).

It's pretty shaded, can be damp, and the upper part is twisty. I like it more in the warmer months, but it is a tough climb. I like climbs that eventually produce great views - Zayante doesn't qualify (unless you count the vistas available on Summit Rd.).


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## mohair_chair (Oct 3, 2002)

I did it once as a descent, and it's not a good descent, either! 

One problem is that because I live on the other side of the hill, we usually hit Zayante about mile 60 or 70, after doing lots of climbing already, so throw in a hot day, and Zayante was a killer.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

Awesome.. everyone one of these (except Hwy 9 West, which I've done a couple of times) is on my list. Ordinarily I might suggest the addition of Bear Creek Rd but I know it is a molehill compared to the others on this list!

Looking forward to seeing the results to id which hill to attack first


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