# Golden Gate Canyon



## all yeah boy

All the talk about big climbs in CO, and I still feel that Goldengate Canyon just north of Golden is the hardest. Because it gets so steep at mile marker 7. Couple it with the west side of coal creek canyon and it is a killer day.

What do you guys think? I have not ridden Flagstaff Rd, but it looks good and steep. I am comparing Goldengate to Evans, Loveland, and East side Vail. Anyone know the grades of Goldengate?


----------



## Pablo

You should ride Magnolia Road off Boulder Canyon.


----------



## WAZCO

Pablo said:


> You should ride Magnolia Road off Boulder Canyon.


I agree, ride Magnolia as well as Flagstaff and Lee Hill. If you ever do Lee Hill, challenge your self and ride Lick Skillet afterward. It's only a mile long on pack gravel road at 15%. It's awesome feeling when you've summit this climb.


----------



## Pablo

WAZCO said:


> I agree, ride Magnolia as well as Flagstaff and Lee Hill. If you ever do Lee Hill, challenge your self and ride Lick Skillet afterward. It's only a mile long on pack gravel road at 15%. It's awesome feeling when you've summit this climb.


I've ridden up Lick Skillet. This would be a good year for it with all the rain, i.e. the gravel will be packed. The real challenge of Lick Skillet is that it's really hard to stand up, if at all, becasue you lose all traction with road tires.


----------



## all yeah boy

I have ridden Lee Hill to left hand canyon, but not the others. I will give them a shot, how long is Flagstaff?


----------



## Pablo

all yeah boy said:


> I have ridden Lee Hill to left hand canyon, but not the others. I will give them a shot, how long is Flagstaff?


Flagstaff: 5 miles to the top.

Magnolia: 5 miles to the top, after 6 miles up the canyon.


----------



## WAZCO

Pablo said:


> Flagstaff: 5 miles to the top.
> 
> Magnolia: 5 miles to the top, after 6 miles up the canyon.


Here's the list for the "must do climb" in the Boulder area

Flagstaff Rd - from Gregory Canyon at end of Baseline. The first 5 miles have an average grade of 7.4% with a .3 mile section 
just below Lost Gulch Overlook at 14%. The first .5 mile above Gregory Canyon averages 10%, the 3.5 miles from Gregory Canyon 
to the Ampitheater turnoff averages 6.5, and the next two miles to the exit from the Mountain Park averages 10%. 

Sunshine Canyon - from end of Mapleton. The first 4.5 miles have an average grade of 6.7% with short stretchos up to 14%. 

Lee Hill/Olde Stage Rds - west on Lee Hill from Broadway. The climb up Olde Stage features about an 8% average grade. The first 
mile of Lee Hill beyond the Olde Stage turn-off is 11%. 

Lefthand Canyon - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Ward. The first 16.5 miles average 4% grade, but the last 1.5 mile climb to Ward 
is 10%. 
Jamestown - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Jamestown turnoff to above Jamestown. The three-mile section from the Jamestown 
turnoff to town averages 4.5% grade, with a 2.5 mile stretch above town at 8.3% 

Lick Skillet Rd - from Lick Skillet in Left Hand Canyon to Gold Hill. This is a gravel road, climbs 800 feet in one mile for a 
15% grade. 

Magnolia Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles have an average grade of 9% with a section at the bottom over 13%. Drawback 
to this ride is a busy approach through Boulder Canyon. 

Sugarloaf Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles average between 6% and 7% grades. Drawback to this ride is a busy approach 
through Boulder Canyon. 

Peak to Peak Hwy - north from Nederland to Allenspark. Four miles north of Nederland sustains an average grade of 7.7% for two 
miles. The return trip from Allenspark has 7.5% for one mile (three miles south of Colo. 7) 

Golden Gate Canyon - west on Golden Gate Canyon Rd from Colo. 93. The road climbs for nearly 13 miles with an average grade of 
6.5% and a one-mile stretch near the top at over 10%. 

NCAR Rd - from NIST up bike path up Hollyberry Rd to Deer Valley Rd to Table Mesa. Average grade is 5.7% with sections up to 8% grade.

Modified Morgul-Bismarck - from Marshall Road (Colo. 170) to south on McCaslin Blvd to west on Airport Rd (Colo. 128). On McCaslin, 
The Hump is 8% grade, The Wall is 12%, and a section on Colo. 128 is 6.5% - each shorter than a mile. Due to high traffic on Colo. 93,
don't complete the loop but retrace your route the way you came. 

Carter Lake - north from Boulder. After approximately 30 miles of flat, the climb to Carter Lake averages a grade of 6.4%


----------



## all yeah boy

Thank you that was an awsome post!!!!!

Gonna hit some of these up this weekend, that is if I can make it away from the Phish show with some brain power left!


----------



## jayfree

Of course, some of these can easily be linked.

Some crazy people do the "fearsome foursome" or so it's named on MYM ... but I like the Magnolia loop with dirt road at top - and the SuperFlag loop with the dirt at top is almost as "nice" ...

I just got back from riding in CA ... and the steepness/length combo there is sick ... and we really don't have much like that here - other than Magnolia/Flagstaff


----------



## morryjg

Anyone ever ridden up the East Portal of the Black Canyon? I drove it a couple days ago and it would be evil. 3-4 miles of 16% according to the signs as you drive down.


----------



## WAZCO

morryjg said:


> Anyone ever ridden up the East Portal of the Black Canyon? I drove it a couple days ago and it would be evil. 3-4 miles of 16% according to the signs as you drive down.


Never heard of it. Where is it? I'd be up for the challenge.


----------



## MeLikeyBikey

I would also add the backside of Lookout Mtn to the list. Paradise and other streets are pretty steep. Not the longest rides, but you can treat the area like a climbing park, just bounce around the neighborhoods and 10% grades here and there. High Grade off Deer Creek gets pretty steep too, it is really popular though. The list Wazco put together is like a who's-who of epic front range climbs.


----------



## Pablo

WAZCO said:


> Never heard of it. Where is it? I'd be up for the challenge.


I've over by Montrose on the West Slope. I want to check it out, but I tend to bring my mountain bike when I go near G.J.


----------



## Pablo

morryjg said:


> Anyone ever ridden up the East Portal of the Black Canyon? I drove it a couple days ago and it would be evil. 3-4 miles of 16% according to the signs as you drive down.


Help a brother out . . .which highway is it?


----------



## Pablo

WAZCO said:


> Here's the list for the "must do climb" in the Boulder area
> 
> Flagstaff Rd - from Gregory Canyon at end of Baseline. The first 5 miles have an average grade of 7.4% with a .3 mile section
> just below Lost Gulch Overlook at 14%. The first .5 mile above Gregory Canyon averages 10%, the 3.5 miles from Gregory Canyon
> to the Ampitheater turnoff averages 6.5, and the next two miles to the exit from the Mountain Park averages 10%.
> 
> Sunshine Canyon - from end of Mapleton. The first 4.5 miles have an average grade of 6.7% with short stretchos up to 14%.
> 
> Lee Hill/Olde Stage Rds - west on Lee Hill from Broadway. The climb up Olde Stage features about an 8% average grade. The first
> mile of Lee Hill beyond the Olde Stage turn-off is 11%.
> 
> Lefthand Canyon - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Ward. The first 16.5 miles average 4% grade, but the last 1.5 mile climb to Ward
> is 10%.
> Jamestown - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Jamestown turnoff to above Jamestown. The three-mile section from the Jamestown
> turnoff to town averages 4.5% grade, with a 2.5 mile stretch above town at 8.3%
> 
> Lick Skillet Rd - from Lick Skillet in Left Hand Canyon to Gold Hill. This is a gravel road, climbs 800 feet in one mile for a
> 15% grade.
> 
> Magnolia Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles have an average grade of 9% with a section at the bottom over 13%. Drawback
> to this ride is a busy approach through Boulder Canyon.
> 
> Sugarloaf Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles average between 6% and 7% grades. Drawback to this ride is a busy approach
> through Boulder Canyon.
> 
> Peak to Peak Hwy - north from Nederland to Allenspark. Four miles north of Nederland sustains an average grade of 7.7% for two
> miles. The return trip from Allenspark has 7.5% for one mile (three miles south of Colo. 7)
> 
> Golden Gate Canyon - west on Golden Gate Canyon Rd from Colo. 93. The road climbs for nearly 13 miles with an average grade of
> 6.5% and a one-mile stretch near the top at over 10%.
> 
> NCAR Rd - from NIST up bike path up Hollyberry Rd to Deer Valley Rd to Table Mesa. Average grade is 5.7% with sections up to 8% grade.
> 
> Modified Morgul-Bismarck - from Marshall Road (Colo. 170) to south on McCaslin Blvd to west on Airport Rd (Colo. 128). On McCaslin,
> The Hump is 8% grade, The Wall is 12%, and a section on Colo. 128 is 6.5% - each shorter than a mile. Due to high traffic on Colo. 93,
> don't complete the loop but retrace your route the way you came.
> 
> Carter Lake - north from Boulder. After approximately 30 miles of flat, the climb to Carter Lake averages a grade of 6.4%


Once you get to Carter Lake, you might as well ride the rollers around Horsetooth and the Buckhorn and Rist Canyons.


----------



## BikeRider

Pablo said:


> Help a brother out . . .which highway is it?


The road is in Black Canyon of the Gunnison Nat. Park. I was doing a tour up there last year but I just did a day ride from Montrose up into the park and then back. I wimped out on the road that goes down to the river. The park is off of Hwy 50 just east of Montrose.


----------

