# Lookout Mtn - Golden



## TooManyToyz (May 2, 2008)

Any thoughts on how it compares to some of the climbs in the grand tours? They route I took most of the time last year put Lookout at 1700ft + gain and mostly 4-6% grade.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

I saw a comparison chart of climbs in Colorado vs. the Tour a few years ago. The only one that was close was the ride up Mt Evans. Funny thing I noticed last weekend, when you do Evans/Squaw there is a point where you can see the backside of Lookout and its very far below. That sort of put the climb up Lookout in perspective to me. Look at it as a good warm up.
Here's a ranking of CO climbs.
http://www.rmccrides.com/ClimbDB/climb_frame.html


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## TooManyToyz (May 2, 2008)

Been doing a little reading about how the Euro climbs are rated. Lookout would probably be a Cat 3. One thing though, most of what I see on climb ratings doesn't consider altitude. Mt. Ventoux, one of the bigger TDF climbs, only goes up to 6273 ft.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

TooManyToyz said:


> Been doing a little reading about how the Euro climbs are rated. Lookout would probably be a Cat 3. One thing though, most of what I see on climb ratings doesn't consider altitude. Mt. Ventoux, one of the bigger TDF climbs, only goes up to 6273 ft.


But it starts at about a 1000 feet and goes up to 6273 in a space of just over 13 miles. So that is about the same distance as Squaw/Juniper Pass, but with about the altitude gain of riding to the top of Mt Evans. That is a lung busting, leg breaking climb.


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

Mootsie said:


> But it starts at about a 1000 feet and goes up to 6273 in a space of just over 13 miles. So that is about the same distance as Squaw/Juniper Pass, but with about the altitude gain of riding to the top of Mt Evans. That is a lung busting, leg breaking climb.


That's only the hardest part of mt. evans is altitude. Not to say it's an easy climb but once you've become accustom to it, it's not as hard. No real steep grade on Evans IMO. Everytime I climb Flagstaff, it never gets easier and Flagstaff is suppose to be comparable to Alp de Huez but just not as long.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

A fit rider can climb Lookout (1800 ft of gain) in about 25 - 30 minutes. Squaw/Juniper (3500 ft of gain) takes about 4 times that amount of time and if you go to the top of Evans (another 3000 ft of gain) its about 7x - 8x that amount of time. Altitude plays a role, but distance and elevation gain are big ones to consider as well when determining the difficulty of a climb

RMCC rates Mt Evans as the #1 hardest climb in the state, West Squaw as # 8, East Squaw as #20 and Lookout isn't even in the top 50. So which one is harder?

I also think there _is_ a lull in the Lookout climb. Once you are past the first switchbacks, its gets easier all the way past the "M" and up to the trailhead parking lot. It picks up again from there, but you are only a mile and half or so from the top. 

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but Lookout to me just doesn't rank up there as a hard climb, its too short and doesn't gain enough elevation.


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## Woolbury (Oct 12, 2005)

I agree that Lookout is short and hard to compare to some of the other climbs listed, but thats what makes it sort of an apples to oranges kind of thing. You're more likely to go all out on Lookout than Squaw, it does have it's steep pitches and the switch backs add character. Hardest no, but a classy, worthy climb nonetheless. A Front Range gem IMO.


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## TooManyToyz (May 2, 2008)

I moved here last April from around 500 ft above sea level. For me, Lookout is hard even though I can do it in 30ish minutes.


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## pdh777 (Oct 7, 2005)

Great peice of information on the Colorado climbs.
Not so sure the climbs are listed according to difficulty - otherwise what does the rating column refer to?


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

pdh777 said:


> Great peice of information on the Colorado climbs.
> Not so sure the climbs are listed according to difficulty - otherwise what does the rating column refer to?


You can sort by difficulty. Click on the column headings. There is also a FAQ on how they arrived at the difficulty ratings. All this is explained right at the top of the chart. In fact RMCC's FAQ has this little tidbit that you all may find interesting

_So what is the "hardest" climb in the Colorado database?
Mt. Evans earns that distinction with a rating of 9.0. Three of our climbs rate greater than a 6. For European references: L'alpe d'Huez scores a 10.0 (and it is only about 1/3 as long as Mt. Evans), and Mont Ventoux rates 12.7! The highest rated climb listed at KOMCycling.com is the 2,865 meter climb up Pic Du Midi Di Bigorre in the French Pyrenees with a rating of 19.7. We don't know about you, but a climb that is twice as hard as Mt. Evans gets our attention. _


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## TooManyToyz (May 2, 2008)

Where is everyone starting/stoping the time up Lookout? I know the start, but I'm hearing different things on the top.

They way I usually did it last year was from the bottom of Golden and up to the mansion..about 1700+ ft gain. The timed section is a lot shorter.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

I always ride to Boettcher Mansion too. To me that is the true top of the climb. There's water and bathrooms there as well so if you're doing the climb multiple times, its a great pit stop. For some reason most people stop or turn at Buffalo Bill's grave. The race course is from the arch to the first telephone pole on the top once its flattens out. If you're really good you can do that section in about 21 - 22 minutes. Tom Danielson did it it about 16 minutes. Old farts like me take at least 30 minutes. 

I rode there on Sunday and did it multiple times. I saw others doing the same. Just curious as to how many times in a row someone has done the climb (Mansion or race course)? For me the most has been 4 (Mansion course), which I think equates to about 8000 feet of climbing over 47 miles.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

TooManyToyz said:


> Any thoughts on how it compares to some of the climbs in the grand tours? They route I took most of the time last year put Lookout at 1700ft + gain and mostly 4-6% grade.


There are a lot of steeper and/or longer climbs in CO.


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## bobbles (Apr 18, 2009)

*alternative...*



TooManyToyz said:


> Any thoughts on how it compares to some of the climbs in the grand tours? They route I took most of the time last year put Lookout at 1700ft + gain and mostly 4-6% grade.


I live in Golden so I ride Lookout a lot, especially lately while psyching up for the Stonewall Century. Instead of riding the east side with the switchbacks, I've started riding the south side on US-40 all the way to the end then turning across I-70 and riding up to Genesee Park.

It's longer, without the switchbacks and most importantly, the lanes are wider with an actual shoulder to ride on. Given the current climate of people pissed off at a few selfish, idiot cyclists taking up the road, I feel like it's a much better alternative and more useful training ride than the short side of Lookout.

From downtown Golden to Genesee Park you gain about 2600' of elevation in 14ish miles and it's really not a bad slug up the hill except on a hot day. It really doesn't feel like you're gaining that much elevation but maybe I'm getting a bit stronger. I hope...

Your mileage may vary.


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## Bulldozer (Jul 31, 2003)

What route do you take to get across I-70?


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## bobbles (Apr 18, 2009)

Bulldozer said:


> What route do you take to get across I-70?


When you get to the end of US-40 you either have to get on I-70 via the on ramp or cross over at the same spot.

Here


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