# Issaquah Zoo Hill



## SeattleNewbie

So I'm fairly new to cycling (got a road bike for christmas) and have been steadily building fitness. I did 102 miles last weekend (which was a big goal) and decided that I'd try and tackle the Zoo hill/Cougar Mountain climb. Colleagues at work have said that its one of the tougher climbs in the area. I drove it yesterday twice, to look at the hill and generally plan my ride. I set off from the GI Joes parking lot in Issaqauh on my Specialize Roubaix Expert with a compact double. 

I started with about 20 minutes of general riding around Issaquah and then set off up the hill. The ride to the zoo was routine, a mix between standing and sitting. Passing the zoo, the climb turned pretty ugly up to the hairpin turn. I took it wide (as I had been advised) and kept on going. I barely made it to the flat part of the hill. I used that portion to sit back down and get by breath back under control. The climb up the rollers was pretty basic at first but gets progressively steeper. I stood for the last roller and had my rear wheel spin on the gravel. I got to the stop sign at the top of the rollers and paused to take my pulse. 184 BPM. After a minute pause I headed up towards Cougar Mountain Park. I had a deer walk along next to me for about 50 yards... probably trying to figure out what the hell I was doing. The last downhill to the park was the gravel hill and some asshat in a silver mustang went by me closer then was necessary. I got to the top in one piece, tired but elated. This was the hardest thing I have done on a bike. BY FAR. 

So anyways, I think next week I'll do it again, go back down to the bottom and then go left to the next major intersection and climb up that long hill with the bike path back up to the rollers. 

For other newbies, this is what I learned and what helped me. Divide this monsterous hill into sections. Fogus on getting to the zoo. Then focus on the hairpin turn. Once thats done focus on getting to the flat spot before the rollers. Rest up there. Then focus on getting through the rollers to the stop sign. After that focus on getting to the park. Get used to the idea that you may have to peddle very slowly from a seated position. Just grind away. Focus on your peddlestroke and pull through. I spent most of the climb in the abolute bottom of my small ring. 

So anyways, I was slow (about 38 minutes) but I made it. I'd love to hear anyone elses experience on this hill, what gears they are rolling with, and how fast they can go from the first turn to the cougar mountain parking lot. Also if anyone else found this as hard as I did.

Damien


----------



## rcnute

Argentius (does he come around here anymore?) does it in the big ring in ten minutes, I think.


----------



## SeattleNewbie

wow... that is humbling...


----------



## Guest

rcnute said:


> Argentius (does he come around here anymore?) does it in the big ring in ten minutes, I think.


In blue jeans and running shoes.


----------



## kreger

it should be noted many of us have dogs that weigh more than argentius.

i can manage it in a 39x25 these days, the doesnt put me in my cave of pain like it did when i first did it. i have also seen my max heart rate on this hill, 228 (under 30 yo).

familiarity will make the thing easier.


----------



## Rot Weiss Essen

What percent is the grade on that hill and how long is it?


----------



## tethernaut

Rot Weiss Essen said:


> What percent is the grade on that hill and how long is it?


BicycleClimbs.com says its 2.7 miles, 8.8% avg grade, 20% max grade.
http://www.bicycleclimbs.com/ClimbDetail.Aspx?ClimbID=6
I've not done it yet, but I've been practicing on the next road to the west, the Montreax climb. Loads of fun.


----------



## rcnute

tethernaut said:


> BicycleClimbs.com says its 2.7 miles, 8.8% avg grade, 20% max grade.
> http://www.bicycleclimbs.com/ClimbDetail.Aspx?ClimbID=6
> I've not done it yet, but I've been practicing on the next road to the west, the Montreax climb. Loads of fun.


I like Montreaux because the grade is nice and steady (though plenty tough). The steep sections on Zoo Hill just deflate me.


----------



## Argentius

*Rcnute, don't be fibbin'*

I do still come around here! I have a real job now, a little less racing, but I'm in that Lounge place a decent bit!

I live in Tacoma now, near THAT zoo with only a 400 foot hill,  .

Newbie, I dunno how long that hill takes me, but it certainly isn't 10 minutes. That would mean I averaged 20 miles an hour...

Um... I DID forget my shorts one ride with those guys... and my helmet...


----------



## rcnute

Argentius said:


> I do still come around here! I have a real job now, a little less racing, but I'm in that Lounge place a decent bit!
> 
> I live in Tacoma now, near THAT zoo with only a 400 foot hill,  .
> 
> Newbie, I dunno how long that hill takes me, but it certainly isn't 10 minutes. That would mean I averaged 20 miles an hour...
> 
> Um... I DID forget my shorts one ride with those guys... and my helmet...


Ah, mystery solved...I stay out of the Lounge.


----------



## Argentius

Hey, those guys are funny, sometimes.

Less "I'd hit it" comments, it's a good crowd,

Where'd that skull come from, anyhow?


----------



## rcnute

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misfits_(band)


----------



## waldo425

I love the Zoo road climb. Last time I did it I think it took about 30 minutes or so. I actually really over estimated the hill. I thought that it was going to be a lot steeper than it was (yeah I know it is still very steep, haha) because a lot of people that I talked to told me it was the hardest thing that they have ever done. I get really pumped up when I am going through hairpin turns though so it was a lot of fun for me. Still very tough and great training.


----------



## JP

I go up that thing all the time. On my light bike I can get a way with a 34 * 25 or 27. On my brevet bike, it's more like a 28 * 26. 

Be careful going down. It's often wet and rough in the shade.


----------



## s2ktaxi

i do that about 2-3 times a year at most. Just climbed it last Wed morning... 34x23 for the steeper sections - always keep my 26 in reserve . Takes me about 20-22 mins


----------



## lonesomesteve

Love that hill. I often do a route that goes around both lakes (Sammamish and Wa) and includes the zoo hill. Definitely a tough hill, but the more you do it the easier it gets. I think it's as much mental as it is physical. Once you've conquered a hill like that, it puts other hills in a different perspective.


----------



## jrchan

How does the Montreaux compare to Zoo Hill? I did Montreaux for the 1st time last week and it was tough. How much tough is Zoo Hill?


----------



## kreger

jrchan said:


> How does the Montreaux compare to Zoo Hill? I did Montreaux for the 1st time last week and it was tough. How much tough is Zoo Hill?


did you do livestrong? 

its just mean to have that hill at mile 80.

zoo is longer has more total elevation gain. did you see the towers on the next hill as you crested montreaux? thats the end of zoo hill if you take the out and back option. zoo has variation on the grade, switchbacks and cover from the sun. mountreaux is just steep the entire (sub mile) way


----------



## jrchan

Yep, did the Livestrong ride. It was really well organized. But as for Montreaux, I'm glad that they had a rest stop right before so at least I could gel up and take a nature break before tackling it.

I don't remember seeing the towers - I was distracted by the guy in the devil suit which by the way was pretty cool.

I'll have to give Zoo Hill a shot. Is it totally paved? I think another poster mentioned gravel on the road.


----------



## kreger

congratulations on livestrong. 

it is paved all the way as i recall, there might be some gravel on top , something to consider on the way down. i think mountreaux is harder than cougar/zoo. i dont remember zoo ever being that steep for that long. ymmv. 

the devil lied to us, he said it was about 25 yards to the top and he was about half way up.


----------



## jrchan

Yeah, the devil lied to me too. I had passed everyone on the way up and their was one guy slightly ahead of me as we neared the Devil. He said the top was like 20 yards up and I was feeling pretty good so I got out of my saddle and accelerated past the guy in front of me. But there was still a little ways to go. Needless to say I wasn't happy but at least the Devil gave me a push as I passed him.


----------



## tethernaut

jrchan said:


> Needless to say I wasn't happy but at least the Devil gave me a push as I passed him.


My wife got a photo of the devil pushing someone, maybe it was you. 

That hill was pretty damn hard after ~73 miles of riding. I was just happy to get up it without having to stop. I'd done it before a few times, but with fewer miles on my legs and on a bike that had a triple w/ granny gear, and on Sunday I was on my new bike w/ a compact double, no granny gear. Surprisingly, although it felt much harder and slower than my previous rides up it, I made it up a couple minutes faster than I'd done it previously.


----------



## jrchan

If the devil was pushing a guy with a green/white Starbucks jersey then that was me! I would love to get a copy of the photo if it was me!


----------



## kreger

devil was pushing alot of people, a guy i was riding with yelled 'get away from me satan!'


----------



## Guest

tethernaut said:


> BicycleClimbs.com says its 2.7 miles, 8.8% avg grade, 20% max grade.
> http://www.bicycleclimbs.com/ClimbDetail.Aspx?ClimbID=6
> I've not done it yet, but I've been practicing on the next road to the west, the Montreax climb. Loads of fun.


That would make it very similar to a local hill I have here.

I use it for hill repeats, takes me between 16 and 17 minutes each run. I do it about 4 or 5 times each time I go over there.

I have to be in the right mood for it.


----------



## kreger

we did cougar, from zoo to intersection today at the end of a ramrod training ride (hit up the cascade ride calendar for more info) wed done 80 3 miles and had gone from issaquah down to black diamond and flaming geyser, lots of rollers that take their toll on a group ride.

cougar at the end of the ride, in the sun running low on fluids was just mean. i did it in 20-21 or so minutes, spinning in my new granny gear wishing id eaten that second snickers bar.

it was 2 riders (strong riders) first time up zoo. i cant type what they thought of it, itll come out as %$^$#@$$


----------



## jrchan

Decided to give Zoo Hill a try today, it being such a nice day and all. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but my legs were pretty fresh going up. Decided to go do Montreaux afterwards (twice) and I was drained after that. Scariest part for me was going down. Man, you can really get some speeding going....


----------



## Nob

Old thread but thought it woudl be fun to bump anyway.

I ride the Zoo once a week or so and have since '06. One of the best climbs in the area I think. I am just under 200# and generally ride a 34/3 up front and a 27 or 28 on the really steep stuff sitting down. And a bit of it with a 23/24/25/26 standing up. (depends on the bike and how hard I am willing to work) My times from the first post off Newport Way to the telephone pole out left on top are in the 20-22min range on good days. The goal is to someday break 20min. So I keep trying! But that last roller on top just KILLS me


----------



## old'n'slow

*Zoo Hill*

Nice revival of an old thread - 

For those that are interested, Peterson Cycle (owned by Tom Peterson of Garmin-Barracuda) is the title sponsor of the Climb4Cancer charity fund raiser race on this hill - climb4cancer charities | fundraising for cancer - on Saturday, July 21st. 

According to the website, the record is sub 11 minutes! Remarkable! I think my best is in the 18 minute range and I was looking for the lung a coughed up near the top!


----------



## Nob

The start and stop paint is fading but still in tact if you want to to see how you measure up for time before July


----------

