# Steepest Climb in Sac



## rollinrob (Dec 8, 2002)

Sacramento Riders, what is the steepest climb in the area. Shirland Tract, Iowa hill (I have not done yet) Give it up Sacramento, let us know


----------



## cy1 (Dec 7, 2004)

*A couple of contenders*

Mix Canyon-Vacaville
Charleston Road-Volcano
Slug Gulch


----------



## Dinosaur (Jan 29, 2004)

Ralston Ridge, is steep. In the middle of nowhere with no water. You need a sag. Coming back up Mosquito Ridge in the mid afternoon with no shade and the sun beating down on you can do you in also.

Iowa Hill is tough. It's not that it's so steep. It's that there are no let ups or flat spots. Usually you get to recoup on the switchbacks but Iowa Hill has a section of somewhere around 3.7 miles with no let up. No one has ever come up with an average grade. Best done with a triple or at least a 12-27. I did it once in a 12-25 and I had to stop three times before I punched it all the way though.


----------



## Addicted (Jun 14, 2007)

*Corksrcrew Wall*

Yes, Ralston Ridge from Oxbow Reservoir otherwise known as the "Corkscrew Wall". 5 mile climb with one relief and an 18% section near the top then a few more mile of rollers. This is a remote ride, but a sag is not required. There is a nice cold spring 1 mile before the "T" into the road to Hell Hole reservoir that many of us have used for years without issues. There is also running potable water at French Meadows reservoir. In my opinion this climb is tougher than Iowa Hill. The loop back to Foresthill via Mosquito Ridge is one of the best rides in the area.


----------



## stealthman_1 (May 2, 2004)

Ahhh...some of my favorite roads...though I will throw in a bit of a correction. Iowa Hill is _only_ a 1.6 mile climb to the split tree . The average grade is about 12.5% and peaks at several spots around 18% IIRC. There is no let up longer than about 50 feet...if you consider 8% a let up. There are some closer to Sac residential streets, that while not long, are awesome screamers on the descents...something I don't recommend on Iowa Hill or the Corkscrew Wall, descending those hurts almost as much as climbing them and you never can let yourself get over about 15mph.
Mormon Island Dr
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Has a great 1/2 mile stretch that hits right at 20% mid climb. Turn the bike around and you have a 40 foot wide, quiet residential plunge that it's hard not to break 50mph on 
Park Drive
Roseville, Ca
Just to the north of Whitney Oaks Golf Course has another fantastic drop in a residential neighborhood, that I've only done once, but should be good for 55mph with a good running start.
Back to the real climbs...there's another good one, though not quite in the Iowa Hill, Corkscrew leage, but a great add on to the Corkscrew if you've got all day and a lot of water. I believe it's called Halsey Crossing and it runs between the French Meadows road and 11 Pines Road. The beginning of the climb (800 verticle or so) to 11 Pines Road can be located on Google Earth at 38.59.55.25N, 120.33.10.69 fun stuff and a great spot to sit on the rocks in the creek at the bottom.


----------



## zhmontana (Aug 16, 2004)

surprised no one mentioned:
prospectors grade
jergens/luneman
snows road
hale road
coldsprings road
none of these are likely the steepest, but all have very steep sections and are very respectable climbs


----------



## folsom_cyclist (Jun 24, 2004)

Prospectors.. not steep enough (did I just say that?) I use it in early season training

Snows is sweet...

Cold Springs... I snapped a chain on that climb using a 39-21. My rear der. would grab the last two cogs!

I know someone who lives off of Mormon Isle drive... I always hated cycling to his house...


----------

