# pdx climbs



## thumbprinter

tried a new (to me) one today, DeVoto between thompson and skyline. it was pretty brutal, i was dying out of the saddle in my 30x27 granny gear, trying to keep it above 4mph. i didn't have to tack or stop so i consider it a success. it probably didn't help that i had already climbed council crest and miller right before....

anyone else have any favorite 'fun' climbs that are off the beaten path?


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## OldHouseMan

On my way home from work I ride over Rocky Butte and Mt Tabor. I've been honing the route for several years and found SE 72nd to access Mt Tabor on the north side which crosses SE Thorburn from SE 73rd, it's short but very steep.


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## thumbprinter

cool, i usually cross stark @ 76th and go up yamhill, i'll try your way next time.


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## bismo37

Saltzman? Do you guys know what the stretch of Saltzman between Skyline and Hwy 30 is like? The Google Maps makes it look like paved then gravel. Is it a safe route? Is it rideable on a road bike with 23c tires?

What about Springville? I'm looking to add to my Skyline repertoire.

Thanks!


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## thumbprinter

saltzman is paved at the bottom and gravel the rest of the way up. its a pretty gentle grade, totally rideable on 23s. 

by springville i'm assuming you mean from the west side up to skyline? also a pretty gentle grade, probably one of the 'easier' ways to get to the top from the west side. springville between the 30 and skyline is a different beast entirely, the bottom part of it is paved and very steep (15%+), then it turns to big chunky gravel (still very steep and almost impossible to ride (up) on a mountain bike), then turns to dirt firelane, still pretty steep the rest of the way up to skyline, i wouldn't take a road bike up it, cross bike would do the job. not the toughest off-road climb in forest park but it will get your heart pumping for sure.


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## thumbprinter

p.s. if you are looking for other on-road ways up to skyline from the east side head north a few miles on 30 and go up newberry - only about a 2 mile climb, the bottom mile is pretty tough, then it mellows out. 

as you continue north on 30 there are a number of (more difficult) ways to get up to skyline. i avoid climbing germantown from 30 to skyline because there are too many cars and not enough shoulder. however that stretch is easily my favorite descent in the area..

alternatively go through downtown and head up cornell (follow lovejoy west, it turns into cornell) - turn right on thompson for a peaceful climb. or turn a little earlier on 53rd, even fewer cars that way but a steeper grade.


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## bismo37

Thanks!

I like Cornell/Thompson, McNamee and RockyPt routes. I have only done Newberry going down. Just wondering what other options existed. Saltzman sounds like fun. Germantown i avoid up or down. Too much traffic. I'll give Saltzman a go soon.


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## thumbprinter

g-town heading down to the 30 is great, i highly recommend it. i am usually moving faster than the cars so traffic isn't an issue as long as i time it right - i'll wait at the top of the hill if i see any cars turn down it to give them enough time so that i'm not riding on their ass. i've had cars pull over for me a couple times. also i almost always ride there on a weekday morning so there isn't much traffic.... just watch out for those 2 tight left-handers. 

going down the west side of g-town is pretty fun too, not as steep so harder to stay ahead of cars but the turns are mostly nice and wide. coming up old g-town from the west is a good workout.

newberry will seem relatively short compared to rocky pt or mcnamee (half the length of mcnamee!).

there are other options from the east side - further north is logie trail, south of downtown there are a number of routes to get up to council crest and from there to skyline. 
coming up from the west side there are also lots of great routes - thompson, springville, old g-town, brooks, logie trail just to name a few... its easy to make a long day of climbing just threading the needle up and down on both sides of skyline.


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## Wookiebiker

Personally, I find Logie Trail from the east side to be the hardest climb in the west hills. It gets steeper the farther you go up with lots of switchbacks on the upper half of the climb.

Rocky Point is probably the longest climb.

Depending on how far west you go there are other good climbs.

Mason hill has some nice steep sections, but they are short (though the overall climb to the top is 20 minutes or so). If you want a longer steep section try Dorland, there are some extended 15%-20% grades up that, then it levels off a litle until you get to Moreland where you go left and head up to skyline.

If you want a good road to do a 20 minute threshold test on head out to Pumpkin Ridge. It's a nice 6.55 mile climb that averages around 3.2% and takes in the 20-27 minute range to climb (depending on how fast you are)...however, it's an up and back unless you want to take the dirt road down the other side to Dairy Creek.


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## thumbprinter

i've done mason hill and moreland but not dorland - its on the list.

thanks for the tip on pumpkin ridge, i'll check that one out.


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## danielc

A pretty decent climb which I take for granted since it is my commute is just heading over to OHSU via Broadway from downtown, over to Sam Jackson then hang left to climb up Terwilliger, take the first right up Campus drive past the Casey Eye Institute..stay on the right as the road winds its way up to meet with Sam Jackson again and you then hang a left and go straight past the hospital until it becomes Gibbs somewhere near the Plaid Pantry, at which you continue to climb until you hit Fairmount. Once on fairmount you can do a lots of things but eventually climb up to Counsel Crest. 

Technically it isn't the same as a long sustained climb but on weekends especially Sunday, you can do this route without stopping once you cross I-405 on Broadway.


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## thumbprinter

i think you tipped me off to that one a while back, i've been doing it about once a month or so, definitely a good sustained effort without too many stops or breaks.

thanks!


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## stunzeed

I have been riding around Montgomery and Vista up near Council Crest and although most are short..some are very steep


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## thumbprinter

OHM, i tried your route to mt. tabor this morning after rocky butte, that was a fun little hill!
thanks for the tip...


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## thumbprinter

another short but steep one is the boat ramp just north of st. johns bridge - i would be scared sh*tless to drive up or down that with a boat in tow....

the steep part is between decatur and edison on baltimore. short but challenging!


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## mcsqueak

Here are some options if you've climbed up to skyline and are now following it down towards US-26:

-At the fire station on the west side of Skyline just before the freeway, hang a left, and at the school up the block, hang another left. This will put you onto 58th Ave, which has a pretty short but steep section. You can connect up with Barnes/Skyline at the top of that.

-In the same area, hang a left at the fire station, then a RIGHT at the school, then cruise down Canyon Ct. for a block or two. Hang a left up 61st drive, it's a nice little climb that will put you back up onto Barnes.

-I also like crossing the freeway and going up SW Humphrey, it's a good climb with some little rollers that won't kill you. You can head up to the top of Council Crest that way.

Man, I miss living on the east-side and doing Tabor on every ride! I'm much more of a flat-lander, but I loved climbing Tabor, as it's the perfect length and grade for me... I'd always stick one or two climbs up that into every ride I did last summer, pretty much. I can't wait to move back over to that area...


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## thumbprinter

i went up brynwood today - it was tough! i had to stop twice. the first time i had a good excuse as a garbage truck was on the way down so i pulled in a driveway and had a short chat with a friendly homeowner there. the second was at the top of the steepest part when i thought my heart might jump out of my chest and punch me in the face a couple times. took me a few minutes to catch my breath - fortunately at that point i was over the hardest part. 
this one and college st. are the only climbs in the area i've had to stop on in a very long time....


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## danielc

thumbprinter said:


> i went up brynwood today - it was tough! i had to stop twice. the first time i had a good excuse as a garbage truck was on the way down so i pulled in a driveway and had a short chat with a friendly homeowner there. the second was at the top of the steepest part when i thought my heart my jump out of my chest and punch me in the face a couple times. took me a few minutes to catch my breath - fortunately at that point i was over the hardest part.
> this one and college st. are the only climbs in the area i've had to stop on in a very long time....


ya, college and brynwood are the steepest stretches in pdx for sure. If you liked them you should plan to do the ronde de portlandia sometime in april. The last time I went up college I thought my handlebars were going to snap...really makes you think about making sure all the bolts are torqued right..


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## thumbprinter

yea, i would love to try the ronde, going to do me best to be there this year. it might be tough due to family commitments... i'd like to try college again but would feel better doing it in a group since its a one-way the wrong way.. last time i had to pull off for a car coming down (which was as good of an excuse as any i suppose).


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## krhea

I'm working a climbing website for Portland and surrounding area. Here are a few stats for some of the rides mentioned in the thread.

Keep your eye peeled for *Shut Up and Climb.com* coming soon...

PDX climbs:

1. Logie Trail- Hwy 30 to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611

2. MacNamee- Hwy 30 to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611

3. Germantown- Hwy 30 to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611

4. Springville Rd- Starting from small bridge at the bottom to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611

5. Rocky Point Rd- Hwy 30 to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187925

6. Mason Hill Rd- From Corner of Jackson School Rd to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187928

7. Newberry Rd- Hwy 30 to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/184726

8. Pumpkin Ridge- From intersection of Shadybrook and Pumpkin Ridge to where the pavement ends
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187927

9. Rock Creek- From bottom at the grey barn on the right side just before the climb begins up to a left on Elliot and on to Skyline
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187612

10. Terwilliger to Council Crest #1- Start at gas station at bottom of Terwilliger, end at water fountain on top of Council Crest
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/184700


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## bismo37

krhea said:


> I'm working a climbing website for Portland and surrounding area. Here are a few stats for some of the rides mentioned in the thread.
> 
> Keep your eye peeled for *Shut Up and Climb.com* coming soon...
> 
> PDX climbs:
> 
> 1. Logie Trail- Hwy 30 to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611
> 
> 2. MacNamee- Hwy 30 to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611
> 
> 3. Germantown- Hwy 30 to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611
> 
> 4. Springville Rd- Starting from small bridge at the bottom to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187611
> 
> 5. Rocky Point Rd- Hwy 30 to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187925
> 
> 6. Mason Hill Rd- From Corner of Jackson School Rd to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187928
> 
> 7. Newberry Rd- Hwy 30 to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/184726
> 
> 8. Pumpkin Ridge- From intersection of Shadybrook and Pumpkin Ridge to where the pavement ends
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187927
> 
> 9. Rock Creek- From bottom at the grey barn on the right side just before the climb begins up to a left on Elliot and on to Skyline
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187612
> 
> 10. Terwilliger to Council Crest #1- Start at gas station at bottom of Terwilliger, end at water fountain on top of Council Crest
> http://ridewithgps.com/trips/184700


Awesome! Thank you! I love this. I need this to motivate me to explore the hills more! I'm always worried I'll end up on at a dead end at the bottom of a steep hill with a unleashed, angry Chihuahua. Errr... Rottweiler.


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## krhea

Old Germantown- Start at the "bikes on road" yellow sign and finish at Skyline

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/187609


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