# Larch Mountain Rd. (OR) Chipseal?



## bufo (Sep 17, 2006)

Aborted my ride up Larch Mountain Rd. today. The whole width of the road branching from the highway was covered in loose gravel as far as I could see. There were some chipseal patches on a previous ride, but this looked serious. Does anyone known what they are up to?

Update: Tried again Sunday, 8/7 and things were much better. The repaving extended up to about milepost 2, and appeared to be mostly completed. There were some patches of loose gravel, especially on the steep section starting milepost 1. I can see where they might want to do a few more sections, judging by some poor surfaces in places, but likely only to be a problem on weekdays.

8/17: New section now covered with layer of smooth asphalt. Very nice, but ride on warm afternoon gives new meaning to the term "rolling resistance"!


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Interesting, thanks for the update! Looking forward to doing this route for the first time before summer is over...


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

Larch is a favorite climb -- long enough to be a lot of fun, not steep enough to make even beginners turn around, rewardingly awesome view at the top.


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Dumb question - are there water fountains someplace, like at the women's forum?

I'm doing this ride solo on Saturday, and really looking forward to it! I don't get east of Portland nearly enough.


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## danielc (Oct 24, 2002)

I'm not sure if there are water fountains but there is that convenience store in Corbett where we usually stop on our way back to buy some fluids.


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## bufo (Sep 17, 2006)

Yes. Women's Forum has water fountain. No water on Larch Mtn. Rd., by the way, or at the park at the top--they do have toilets, though.


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Cool, thanks for the info!


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## bismo37 (Mar 22, 2002)

Love this ride. I did this ride in early June before the roadway was completely opened for cars. It was nice riding up without worrying about traffic. There was a bit of debris and potholes to navigate on the downhill. There were some snowy patches that required dismounting. I think the last 1/4 to 1/2 mile was pretty much snowed in, but we walked through to the parking lot just so my wife could say she did the whole ride.


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Wow, nice pics!

I did the ride yesterday, making it a round-trip from my office by PDX to cut out about 25 miles from the ride - I don't think I could have made it all the way from home!

It was harder than I expected, honestly. Those miles take it out of you. I run an 11-25 and I'm still trying to build enough strength to climb a long way with it. Sometimes I think about switching my last cog to a 27, but I'm not sure how much that would really help - climbing more is probably a better solution! :thumbsup:

At any rate, those damn mile marker signs are a blessing and a curse... I was dying at the top, and had to just keep telling myself "two miles left", "ok now only one mile left....". I had to stop several times in the last two miles and was dragging serious ass into the parking lot. 

I started super early so I'd miss the day's heat on the way up. Didn't pass anyone on my way up, and only two folks going down. Very little traffic.

I reached the top in probably two hours, fairly slow. I carried my bike to the lookout point and had some other tourists take some pictures of me up there.

When I went down to the parking lot it was full of other cyclists, though!

The descent was awesome, worth the climb. Going 30+ mph in the drops for 14 miles was a real treat. I was only passed by one motorcycle and one car on the way down, so it was a nice descent. I could also feel it getting very hot as I came down. I think it was around 90 degrees when I reached the women's forum. The day had started around 60 when I left my office at 7 am.

I passed a lot of folks climbing on my way down, and even had a photographer from some club take my photo as I was about 3 miles from the bottom - I wonder what club they were with?

At any rate, I may try it again some weekend before it starts to snow up there! It's certainly a good test of your willpower to stick with a climb for 14 miles.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

I rode this on Saturday as well. The chipseal is pretty rough, but, it only goes about two miles up. One of my favorite hills! I was not on my best day, something like 1:05 from the school, but, it was over 90 degrees out, and a little head wind. 

The view from the top was spectacular, though. Totally worth it...


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Argentius said:


> I rode this on Saturday as well. The chipseal is pretty rough, but, it only goes about two miles up. One of my favorite hills! I was not on my best day, something like 1:05 from the school, but, it was over 90 degrees out, and a little head wind.
> 
> The view from the top was spectacular, though. Totally worth it...


Were you the guy in the Bianchi jersey by any chance?


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

I think I've done this climb three times and it's second only to Hurricane Ridge as favs go. The last time was on the old Torture 10,000 ride where you basically start on Larch Mountain. That was the fun part...


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

rcnute said:


> I think I've done this climb three times and it's second only to Hurricane Ridge as favs go. The last time was on the old Torture 10,000 ride where you basically start on Larch Mountain. That was the fun part...


Yeah, if it wasn't so damn hot that day I think I may have had enough gas in the tank to make it down to Multnomah falls (grab a coke/coffee/snack to refuel) then back for an additional ~1k of gain. I didn't start to really feel like dog s--- until the last 5 or so miles across the hot, flat tarmac of outer SE Portland.

My total for the day was only 4,750 ft but that's the most I've ever done in a single ride, and I started this season having to stop half-way up Mt. Tabor for a rest break.  So that's something, I guess.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

Nope! I think you were well and gone by the time I started, I didn't roll up to Corbett school until 2:00pm ish. Black with white Raleigh kit, black and yellow Raleigh Team bike.



mcsqueak said:


> Were you the guy in the Bianchi jersey by any chance?


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## jayteepee (Jun 11, 2011)

Anyone up for a ride up Larch Mtn tomorrow (8/28)? Maybe meet in Troutdale?


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Argentius said:


> Nope! I think you were well and gone by the time I started, I didn't roll up to Corbett school until 2:00pm ish. Black with white Raleigh kit, black and yellow Raleigh Team bike.


Ah yeah I was long-gone by then. He was the only other single rider I saw outside of the pack of folks with the club.


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## jayteepee (Jun 11, 2011)

It was pretty effin hot on Sunday. Got a late start and was out of fluids by the half way point. Took a bit of effort from that point (physical and mental). Shade at the top helped, as did the 14 miles back to Columbia River Hwy. Downright nippy on the decent. 

Nice to see that the chip seal wad done even if chip seal sucks. They could fill some of those potholes on the descent, though. 

RT - 93 miles, and I was pretty spent by the time I got home. Someone to take turns pulling would have helped immensely...


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## kevhogaz (Jul 28, 2007)

You guys are making me miss living in PDX!! I used to ride all over out east of Gresham, a few years back.


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## Jaybo (Mar 5, 2002)

I always wear lights because the shadows make the ride somewhat dangerous. Fun ride!


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## dongringo (Dec 3, 2011)

I love this ride. Did it 6 times this year.


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## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Anyone tried to go up Larch Mountain recently? Is there snow up there, or is it pretty clear?


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## danielc (Oct 24, 2002)

Haven't done it yet but I would bet that there is snow up there. 

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk


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## dnpapad (Apr 21, 2012)

I tried last weekend, but the road was closed at the gate around mile marker 10. There was a lot of snow on the banks before the closure. Quite beautiful and still worth riding most of the way up, despite its anticlimactic turnaround point.

My account is too new to post a link, but if you google "larch mountain closed" the top two results give relevant information. Road is most likely going to be reopened in June.


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