# steepest climb in San Jose??



## z ken

:yikes: i know Serria climb is pretty steep at 11%:shocked: ?? but today i actually TRIED Aborn's climb. it starts at White road and Aborn and it's steady climb for couple miles then BANG it's " snake " climbs at who know how many percentage?? i'm guessing atleast 10% and at some spot i think it is like 40%?? ( about 200 meters :mad5: ) i think it's only couple miles climb but i was dying half way up that dreaded climb:hand: granted i was using my 30 lbs. Walmart's mountain bike. have anyone try it??

itially i was thinking about going out for 10 miles of " easy spins " but i was feeling great and decided to climb that beast as i arrived at White road and Aborn. now i'm feeling the " bad sensation " in the wrong areas.:17:


----------



## mohair_chair

z ken said:


> :yikes: i know Serria climb is pretty steep at 11%:shocked: ?? but today i actually TRIED Aborn's climb. it starts at White road and Aborn and it's steady climb for couple miles then BANG it's " snake " climbs at who know how many percentage?? i'm guessing atleast 10% and at some spot i think it is like 40%?? ( about 200 meters :mad5: ) i think it's only couple miles climb but i was dying half way up that dreaded climb:hand: granted i was using my 30 lbs. Walmart's mountain bike. have anyone try it??
> 
> itially i was thinking about going out for 10 miles of " easy spins " but i was feeling great and decided to climb that beast as i arrived at White road and Aborn. now i'm feeling the " bad sensation " in the wrong areas.:17:


Uh, yeah, 40%. The steepest roads in the world are still in the low 30s.

There are plenty of steep climbs around. On that side of San Jose, try Quimby and Metcalf. Quimby is right next to Aborn, and it is twice as long.


----------



## wipeout

Bohlman/On Orbit Road in Saratoga has the steepest grade I've been on in the Bay Area.


----------



## MikeBiker

The steepest paved road in the world is 38%, and it is not ridable.


----------



## MTBAlex

I second bohman. The first 2 miles is an average 15%. I dont even want to go to On obrit.


----------



## z ken

i've tried Quimby climb, it's alright not too bad. Aborn's climb, ok NO 40% ( may i exaggeratted a bit. hehe ) but it's not a cake walk. even Serria's climb is pretty tough since i'm a no climber by any mean. Mt. Hamilton, for me, still the hardest b/c a slow burner and it seem like it never end. 90% of my ride usually flat or very little hills ( like going to Gilroy and back via Monterey road ) oh yeah try climbing Mt. Hamilton on Walmart's 30 lbs. mountain bike ( $ 60 )


----------



## rensho

North side of Hicks road to Umunhum is pretty steep. Similar to On Orbit.

http://www.westernwheelers.org/main/resources/BA_Climbs.html


----------



## wipeout

z ken said:


> i've tried Quimby climb, it's alright not too bad. Aborn's climb, ok NO 40% ( may i exaggeratted a bit. hehe ) but it's not a cake walk. even Serria's climb is pretty tough since i'm a no climber by any mean. Mt. Hamilton, for me, still the hardest b/c a slow burner and it seem like it never end. 90% of my ride usually flat or very little hills ( like going to Gilroy and back via Monterey road ) oh yeah try climbing Mt. Hamilton on Walmart's 30 lbs. mountain bike ( $ 60 )


Mt. Hamilton is not that hard. I've done it on a heavy Surly Cross-Check and a fixie (42x16). I don't think it ever goes much beyond 5%. You really need to try Bohlman/On Orbit - it is stupid-steep!


----------



## frecciaceleste

*steep roads in San Jose*

Try Welch Creek road off of Calaveras road behind Milpitas. It's plenty steep and about 4 miles w/1.8k of climb. Lots of steep ramps as you go up. Really fun if you like that kind of stuff. Just make sure you have the right gearing, like something in the 40 - 30 would work.


----------



## z ken

yup have tried the Welch creek-it's alright. nothing like Mt. Hamilton. on the way down from Welch Creek is just amazing, you could easily reach 50 MPH and pretty straight.


----------



## scottyperkins

Here are the elevation profiles for Sierra Road and Metcalf Road, respectively. Fun climbs, especially for us transplanted former shot putters.


----------



## scottyperkins

Here's Mt. Hamilton to the observatory.


----------



## z ken

yeah Mt. hamilton is definitely the toughest cookie i ever have to tackle ( i'm sure there're another area with steeper portions but can't compare the long burning climb of Hamilton ) and we could even go over mt. Hamilton AND back for elevation gained of over 8000 feet and 74 miles. that should be a good place for " pratice " for the death ride 08.


----------



## mohair_chair

z ken said:


> yeah Mt. hamilton is definitely the toughest cookie i ever have to tackle ( i'm sure there're another area with steeper portions but can't compare the long burning climb of Hamilton ) and we could even go over mt. Hamilton AND back for elevation gained of over 8000 feet and 74 miles. that should be a good place for " pratice " for the death ride 08.


Lots of people think it's good practice for Death Ride, but I've done Death Ride three times and I don't agree. It's too long, and it's nowhere near steep enough. I think it is good for general fitness and saddle time, but it's not going to simulate the climbs in Death Ride. For that, go climb Hwy 9 from Saratoga, Page Mill, Alpine, or Diablo. We trained on a lot of the climbs in the Santa Cruz Mountains and had no problems at all at Death Ride.


----------



## glenk

mohair_chair said:


> Lots of people think it's good practice for Death Ride, but I've done Death Ride three times and I don't agree.


I would think with your experience I would have to believe you! I guess we can't duplicate the higher altitude effects of the Death Ride locally. I'm sure it makes a difference.

For anybody near Cupertino and want a short 1.5 mile 10- 20% incline and 600ft elevation gain. Try Regnart Road.


----------



## rensho

Cupertino folks have the beautiful Montibello climb. 5 miles and 2200 feet of goodness. It is flat for 1 mile in the middle so actually steeper than face value.


----------



## orng_crsh

z ken said:


> yup have tried the Welch creek-it's alright. nothing like Mt. Hamilton. on the way down from Welch Creek is just amazing, you could easily reach 50 MPH and pretty straight.



ummm.. Welch doesn't have a straight stretch at all. You talking about the one on Calaveras Road at the Sunol Regional Park area right? It is super windy, very narrow with not the best pavement making it one horrible descent. 

It does though get my vote for the *toughest ride in the South Bay * with that middle stretch of about .35 miles at around 16-20%. The easiest parts are before this stretch with pitches up to 20% also but these top off soon enough with a bit of a dip to catch your breath albeit momentarily, but man once you get to that middle section there is no hiding. It doesn't get much easier after that as well with also a tough last section .


----------



## orng_crsh

frecciaceleste said:


> Try Welch Creek road off of Calaveras road behind Milpitas. It's plenty steep and about 4 miles w/1.8k of climb. Lots of steep ramps as you go up. Really fun if you like that kind of stuff. Just make sure you have the right gearing, like something in the 40 - 30 would work.


No kidding on the gears man  

Here's a description of Welch Creek that will be part of the 2007 Low Key Series:

http://www.lowkey.djconnel.com/2007/week6/

They comment on Welch Creek being tougher than Bohlman on Orbit and this coming from guys that are accomplished cyclist/climbers.


----------



## z ken

i guess i've to remind everyone that try all the above mentioned climbs on Walmart's $ 60 mountain bike or for the sake of your health may be not.


----------



## glenk

rensho said:


> Cupertino folks have the beautiful Montibello climb. 5 miles and 2200 feet of goodness. It is flat for 1 mile in the middle so actually steeper than face value.


Montebello is an excellent road for a climb but not what I call very steep. It just hits you with a two mile continuous grade at the beginning and tires you out because there isn't much let up in the grade. On Orbit meets my classification as a steep road and by the time you reach that intersection on Bohlman, it's not too shameful to take the easy way out and just continue up Bohlman.

That's what I love about the west side. I have a lot of good climbs of high ACTC category within five miles of my home in Cupertino.

http://www.actc.org/billygoats/bgoats.htm


----------



## Dinosaur

Hicks Rd from the Guadalupe Reservoir side. I used to climb this way way back when I first started riding in the mid 70's with a 39-32 and it was still tough. I've never found anything else in the bay area that compares with it.


----------



## wipeout

Dinosaur said:


> Hicks Rd from the Guadalupe Reservoir side. I used to climb this way way back when I first started riding in the mid 70's with a 39-32 and it was still tough. I've never found anything else in the bay area that compares with it.


Obviously you've not tried On Orbit.


----------



## rensho

glenk said:


> Montebello is an excellent road for a climb but not what I call very steep. It just hits you with a two mile continuous grade at the beginning and tires you out because there isn't much let up in the grade. On Orbit meets my classification as a steep road and by the time you reach that intersection on Bohlman, it's not too shameful to take the easy way out and just continue up Bohlman.
> 
> That's what I love about the west side. I have a lot of good climbs of high ACTC category within five miles of my home in Cupertino.
> 
> http://www.actc.org/billygoats/bgoats.htm



Agreed. Monte is a nice climb, but On Orbit is HC for sure. Maybe HC*

Steep but short is also Redwood Gulch. Still not OO, but yet another nice steepy.

I ride MTB as well these days, so 24% doesn't register yet as steep anymore.


----------



## scottyperkins

Slightly OT (not in the immediate San Jose area) but since this thread was going I had to share this ride. It's an out-and-back up near the Mendocino coast. There are sustained sections of 18-23% grades for a total of 9,300 feet. Fun!


----------



## craigthomas

On Orbit is definitely the gut wrench of climbs in the area. 

I recommend talking Bohlman about .4 miles to a Left on Norton, which takes you to Quickert then to On Orbit. It's a little steeper than Bohlman, but the road is in perfect shape, and is much less traveled by cars. Continuing on to a left on Bohlman and finishing out the ride at the dead end will seem cake after doing On Orbit. Norton/Quickert is a much better decent than Bohlman too. 

2.6 mi to the top of On Orbit
1560 ft of climbing to the top of On Orbit
11.5 grade average to the top of On Orbit


----------



## thinkcooper

I'm glad to see so much love for Bohlman/On Orbit. I used to work a mile and change down the street and would do the ride at lunch once every week or so. Man, I miss that climb, and the insane brakepad melting descent!


----------



## craigthomas

Redwood Gulch is a pretty tough short climb. Has anyone timed themselves going from the stop sign to the stop sign?


----------



## RelevantAaron

A few weeks ago i went to ride with a friend in San Jose. He said he had a nice route with "some" hills. Living in the berkeley Hills I have to put the bike in the car to find anything remotely flat, so I said no problem. He took me up Hicks from the reservoir side then to the top of Unumhum. 4 miles at 10% with 2200 feet of climbing is not "some" hills in my book! I just kept wondering when it would end...lucky for me I was feeling good and he was a bit tired so at least I was in front and figuring he was hurting more than me. Quite a climb when you have no idea how long it is!


----------



## rensho

Hicks is a bruiser, especially tied in with Umumhum(sp). You're pretty strong if you clean those on your first attempt.


----------



## Francis Cebedo

Ok, we scoped out Welch Creek Rd and it is a bruiser. It is not quite as steep as Bohlman but it works you for the whole four miles. (Bohlman is really only hard for 2 miles).

The tarmac is good, the view is awesome and the descent is actually enjoyable.

Here's an elevation profile with Sierra Road as the first hill. Welch Creek Road is off Calaveras road about four miles south of 680 (sunol).

fc


----------



## craigthomas

Have you tried Norton Quickert to On Orbit? It's steeper, I'm sure if it.



mrsims said:


> The steepest mile in Bay area is within Bohlman/On Orbit at ~14.5%. Using Bohlman Rd is the steepest routing as well (if the steeps are what you are after).


----------

