# Mary's Peak



## sivart

Anybody from around Corvallis? I just did Mary's Peak for the first time today. It's ummm...uphill. Its the first time I have ever done any climbing. The weather was so nice and I have been thinking of doing this for a while. Kinda lonely trip to do by yourself, but coming back down to Corvallis was awesome.

I guess my question is what kind of gearing do people use for a long continuous climb? 39x23 was as low as I could go, is that a pretty common combination?

For those of you that have never heard of it...here is a short description. Its about 16 miles from my doorstep to the base, then 9 miles up, and 9 miles down, then 16 home again.

_Marys Peak Climb: From Corvallis, take Oregon Highway 34 west to the Marys Peak turnoff, 3,500-foot elevation gain. (50 miles round trip)_


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## TWD

Mary's Peak is a good climb. I'm going to ride it tonight (my team does a weekly Wed night ride up Mary's Peak). From what I've seen 39x25 is the standard gearing that most people use, at least those that use double cranks. 

It's pretty doable with that. The first 3 miles of the climb on Highway 34 aren't that steep, and of the remaining 9 mile climb from the Mary's Peak turnoff to the summit, only the the first mle or two are really steep.

If you make it past that part you can usaully get a pretty good rythim going.

The hardest part of the whole ride, is that little dip in the road at about the halfway point up the mountian. When you are coming back down the mountain and your legs have gotten cold, then you have to crank up that steep littel rise (maybe 3/4 mile and 300 ft of elevation gain?).

The ride back to town is a blast though. Usually there is an evening tailwind down Hwy 34, so you can crank most of the way back to town at 25mph+.


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## bikejr

*..*

I've found a 39/27 combination to be easier on the longer/steeper climbs. While only two teeth better than the now standard 25 in the back, it does make a difference. Earthshattering, no, but so much so that with all the climbing I do, my 12-27 has become my default cassette of late. You don't give up much if anything from a 12-25. The only difference is the 12-25's top to cogs are 23, 25, whereas on the 12-27 you get 24,27......

The easier climbing, or even more important, the slog up the 8-10% hill home after a hard group ride makes the 27 welcome. 

Of course a compact crank or triple is the next option.


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## sivart

Yeah, after last night I think I will definitly be going to a 12-25. I've never done any hill climbing and that hill showed me who was boss. The view from the top makes it worth it, the ride back down is the cherry on top. That was awesome.

I didn't do myself any favors though. It was a pretty impulsive ride. It was just so nice out that I didn't want to waste the day. I didn't leave the house until about 4pm. I only have room for one water bottle on my bike, and lucky for me I met a great guy on the way up that left some water for me at the bottom of the hill.

I'm glad I found it, but I wish I would have found it sooner. I'm about to graduate so I don't know how many more times I can do it in three weeks.


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## sivart

bikejr said:


> The only difference is the 12-25's top to cogs are 23, 25, whereas on the 12-27 you get 24,27


You know, what? That is a really good point. Since I don't plan on going to a triple, I think that 12-27 might be the ticket.

How did the ride go TWD? The weather has been great, I'm sure it was one heck of a view. I'm curious though, what is this team you speak of?


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## TWD

sivart said:


> How did the ride go TWD? The weather has been great, I'm sure it was one heck of a view. I'm curious though, what is this team you speak of?



The ride was great. Absolutely perfect weather. I'm not much of a climber, but I managed to hang with one of my teammates who is about 45 pounds lighter than me for most of the climb. So, I was pretty pleased about that. I was within 10 bpm of my max heartreat for the almost the whole climb....OUCH!!!!

I only took 2 bottles with me, and was completely empty by the top of the climb. I can't believe you did that ride with only 1 bottle. I had to stop at a gas station to refill on the way back through Philomath. The best way to do the ride is to take 3 bottles and drop one off at the bottom of the climb and pick it up on your way back down.

And yes, the view was great. You could see the sun reflecting off the ocean better than I have ever seen it from up there, and the snow capped peaks in the cascades were all visible.

I ride with the Capitol Velo team. Our ride schedule this time of year is to do Mary's Peak every wednesday evening. We meet across the street from the Campus Beanery on Monroe at 5:30 pm. Come join us if you want to head up that direction again.


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## sivart

TWD said:


> I ride with the Capitol Velo team. Our ride schedule this time of year is to do Mary's Peak every wednesday evening. We meet across the street from the Campus Beanery on Monroe at 5:30 pm. Come join us if you want to head up that direction again.


TWD, I very much appreciate the invite. I would surely join you and welcome the company, but Wednesday is a huge day for me at skool. I hope to have everything done by 5pm on that day, but if not I hope you will not take offense by my absence.

Boy, that HR must have had you feeling pretty good. I just went out and bought a water bottle rack for my seatpost so that I could carry two more bottles. I won't be trying the one bottle trick again. Once I get my new cassette, I won't have any more excuses, and thats kinda scary.

If I miss you on Wednesday, I hope you catch a tailwind.

Travis


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## asterisk

Wow, you guys climb that weekly? Jeesh, I'm lucky if I make it to the top, I'm definitely not a climber... that's a toughie. I'll take the rollers up north.

Anyway, I have a 25 but I have a triple so that makes life much easier. Mary's Peak and Sulfer Springs are the only two roads I use the granny gear on a regular basis locally.


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## TWD

asterisk said:


> Wow, you guys climb that weekly?


Well, we don't do it year round of course, although I'll bet the road was clear most of this winter. It takes a boat load of daylight to make that roundtrip during an evening ride. 

Even with the long days this time of year, I need lights to get me home, since I live 10 miles north of Corvallis. It makes for a long evening. 

Last night, we only made it half way up before the weather got to be a bit too much. The wind vest and armwarmers I had weren't quite enough. It was actaully dry in the valley, but raining pretty steady on the start of the climb, and downright nasty before we got to the midway point. 

By the time we got back down off the mountain, I didn't have a dry spot on my entire body, and my shoes weighed about 5 pounds each with all the water sloshing around in them. To top it all off, I hit a big rock in the curves on Hwy 34 and pinch flatted. Nothing like having to change a flat when you are soaking wet and cold already. At least pumping the tire up was a good way to get warm. The other guy with me wasn't so lucky, he had to stand there and watch and shiver.


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## bcm119

Heres an oblique view of Marys Peak on an elevation model. The pink route starts at the Greenberry store on hwy 99 and cuts over to 34 on Decker Rd.

I can't believe you did that with one bottle either. The last time I rode to the top (last year) my girlfriend met me up there with a bag of Peppered Salmon jerky, and I ate the whole bag...felt sick for the rest of the day.

I'd love to ride it sometime with any of you, I'm in Corvallis.

Brian


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## sivart

*Great picture!*

Wow! That is a great picture. Where in the world did you find it?

I guess I had to learn my lesson with the one water bottle. I went out a couple days later and bought an aqua rack (you know the two holders behind your seat) so now I can carry 3 bottles. Oh yeah!

I guess I never really planned on going all the way to the top. It was such a nice day I just set out to explore and before I knew it I was on top of the mountain and freezing my arse off. It was cold on top and what is the deal with all the catepillars? They were everywhere.

I wish I would have found you guys sooner. I just got into cycling about 3 months ago and I graduate in about a week. I'm planning on moving to Portland right after that so I don't know when I'll be back down here again. Sure would have enjoyed some company.


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## wasfast

sivart said:


> Wow! That is a great picture. Where in the world did you find it?


He's a cartographer...makes maps for the government not very far from campus....but don't tell...


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## sivart

wasfast said:


> He's a cartographer...makes maps for the government not very far from campus....but don't tell...


Wow. I can keep a secret, if he can get me a map like that for the Sky Lakes Wilderness below Crater Lake Park. Hehe....just kidding. I do my elk hunting around over there.


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## chiho

If you like climbing, check out the old Shotgun Creek loop outside of Brownsville! That is one mean climb.....


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## sivart

chiho said:


> If you like climbing, check out the old Shotgun Creek loop outside of Brownsville! That is one mean climb.....


Hmmm....couldn't find anything about it on the internet. Any details?


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## TWD

chiho said:


> If you like climbing, check out the old Shotgun Creek loop outside of Brownsville! That is one mean climb.....


Is that one of the climbs that they used to use in the Tour of Willamette? 

I've yet to ride it, but I would like to. 

I'm really not much of a climber (way too big for that), but for some reason I like big nasty climbs.


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