# Ride Report: Kanc from Conway/Bear Notch/302 to Crawford Notch summit - out and back



## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

I did this ride yesterday:
Kanc/Bear Notch/Crawford Notch out and back - A bike ride in Albany, NH

I have ridden all these roads before both ways except for Bear Notch which I had never ridden from Bartlett to the Conway side.

I left MA around 8 and got to the Subway in Ossipee around 9:45. I got the same thing as last time - a six inch sub and a cookie. After polishing these off, I continued on to Conway and parked at the Rangers' station at the beginning of the Kancamagus. 

I started my ride just after 10:30. What an awesome day for a ride! It was warm but with low humidity. I could see far away peaks with clarity. The first 6 miles of the Kanc is still broken up pavement. After that, up to the turnoff to Bear Notch, the road had been redone with a new surface. It's chipseal, not my favorite surface as it seems to not be as fast and not as pleasant to ride on but at least it had no cracks. The breakdown lane was covered with some type of black material that looked sticky in places. I tried to avoid riding there when possible.

I turned onto Bear Notch and the pavement is fantastic for almost the whole road. The climb wasn't too demanding. I hadn't ridden down the other side since 2002 so I didn't really remember it. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed as I thought it was going to be faster. I only just topped 40 once. There are some nice twists to the road but you're really not going fast enough to make them interesting. In fact, I burned more matches pedaling harder than I intended to try to get my speed up. It's a nice long descent though with very little car interference.

I arrived in Bartlett and took the left onto 302. I debated whether to stop at a store about 7 miles from there. I still had liquid in both my bottles, water in one and a coke/Gatorade/water mix in the other. I decided not to stop feeling pretty confident that I could get water at the summit building of Crawford Notch. That was the right call. It's a steady climb but nothing too strenuous until the very end when you get some claimed 13% grade according to the sign. My ridewithgps track doesn't show it as being that steep. I stood for much of that portion. It definitely gets the heart rate up but I didn't have a sensation of wanting to throw up like I did on the steep side of Kinsman.

I arrived at the summit and pedaled down a dirt path to find both a fountain and a faucet. I had a good drink and refilled both bottles. I almost immediately left to return the way I came. I hammered pretty hard going into the descent but I think I had a bit of headwind. I only tied my max of 52.64 MPH that I did last year. It's a fantastic descent though. I did have to watch carefully for the section by the waterfall. I saw a couple of guys on the right side of the road working on placing tripods. They were oblivious to me but didn't show any signs of going into the road. There were no cars at all so I had no issues taking the lane. There's something about the 50MPH barrier. I get a distinct sensation of flying once that is crossed.

I continued down back to Bear Notch road now descending almost the whole way. I went fairly hard but didn't go all out knowing that I still had the Bear Notch ascent from the Bartlett side to do. My plan was to eat a GU packet after turning onto Bear Notch. I thought I had one in my seat bag but I didn't. I thought of hunting for a store in Bartlett but just decided to press on as I still had plenty of water and I had fueled the previous night and that morning very well.

As mentioned this was my first ascent of Bear Notch from this side. I enjoyed the climb. It's very steady and you're able to get a nice rhythm going. My plan from the beginning was to bide my time before going all out. I knew the last 16 miles were almost all downhill so now was the time to empty my matchbook. The descent of Bear Notch on this side was a little faster - I topped out at 42. Again, a few twists but nothing where you really have to lean into the turns.

I got back on the Kanc and hammered the rest. I unfortunately got a flat with 3 miles to go so that briefly interrupted things. It was mostly likely caused on the really crappy pavement.

It was particularly nice to get a midweek ride in with so little traffic on all the roads. I generally prefer loops but this out and back was very satisfying.

Final stats:
71.67 miles
3:46:16
19.00 average
52.64 max speed
4293 feet elevation gain = 59.90 feet per mile


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## bmach (Apr 13, 2011)

Sounds like a nice ride. Thanks for the nice write up.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

Nice. Your picked a perfect day weather wise.

Funny you should mention the discrepancy between the 13 percent sign and your computer. Last time I went up there with group there was a big debate over the grade. Personally I think it's really steep like 17 percent(though just for a very short bit) and I have trouble gettin up the last little bit. Others say it's way under 10. Judging by the speeds you can hit on the way down I think I'm have to be closer guessing than them but who knows.


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## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

bmach said:


> Sounds like a nice ride. Thanks for the nice write up.


Thanks!



Jay Strongbow said:


> Nice. Your picked a perfect day weather wise.
> 
> Funny you should mention the discrepancy between the 13 percent sign and your computer. Last time I went up there with group there was a big debate over the grade. Personally I think it's really steep like 17 percent(though just for a very short bit) and I have trouble gettin up the last little bit. Others say it's way under 10. Judging by the speeds you can hit on the way down I think I'm have to be closer guessing than them but who knows.


According to ridewithgps, it tops out at 10.3% - much less than the signed 13%. I agree that this seems low. Conversely, ridewithgps has the max grade for the steep Kinsman ascent as 12.8% whereas the sign says 12%. 

The steep part on Crawford is fairly short but ridewithgps has picked up short increases in grade on other routes. I'm curious, did you and your group consult mobile GPS units like Garmins? I'm wondering what figures they gave.

The signage for Hurricane Mountain Road says 17% grade and I know that's much steeper than both Kinsman and Crawford. That is a *beast* of a climb. I seriously wondered if I would ever want to do it again but I've heard reports that the road has been repaved so I might be up for trying it again.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

People had GPS but I forget what they said and I wouldn't listen anyway based on past results being so off the wall. For example there have been times when we're doing like 12-13mph in the middle of the cassette and they say 15 percent. Other times I'm contemplating walking and they say something like 12 percent.

timely topic. Today I rode down what was definitely the hill with the most speed potential of any I've been on. Not the fastest I've been but could have been by a lot.
Don't know the grade but guessing 15 sustained for about a third of a mile. I've been on much steeper but never that steep AND dead straight with perfect pavement. From a complete stop at top and no where near a good aero tuck I hit 49. Just guessing but I really think I left at least 10 mph on the table by not pedaling and sticking my knees and elbows out some. I'd wimp out before it happened but I really think over 60 was possible.


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

I should have mentioned what road that was. Rt 108 west in Sainte Catherine de Hatley Quebec.


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## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

Jay Strongbow said:


> I should have mentioned what road that was. Rt 108 west in Sainte Catherine de Hatley Quebec.


I knew you cycled all over New England but didn't realize you also go to Quebec. I used to have relatives up there in the Laval area. I remember the roads being of terrible quality. That's cool you found one with a good surface. That hill has my name written all over it!


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## Jay Strongbow (May 8, 2010)

JasonB176 said:


> I knew you cycled all over New England but didn't realize you also go to Quebec. I used to have relatives up there in the Laval area. I remember the roads being of terrible quality. That's cool you found one with a good surface. That hill has my name written all over it!


I used to go to Quebec to play hockey way back when and that's my memory too. REALLY bad roads. There are still some but generally I've been pleasantly surprised. I'm in the Eastern Township area and there's some great gravel roads too. Loads of them actually. Nice hard pack and zip for car traffic. Very pleasant.

If youre into traveling for steep hills there's some real killers on Rt 20 in Central NY somewhere between Cooperstown and the Finger Lakes. I did not cycle them but a few times was seriously wondering if my car would make it up and if the brakes would fry on the way down. My car is a piece of junk but still.


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

Parker and/or Catamount in Central NH. Very surprising climbs/descents.


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## JasonB176 (Aug 18, 2011)

GKSki said:


> Parker and/or Catamount in Central NH. Very surprising climbs/descents.


Do you mean Parker Mountain on route 126? I've done that climb and descent three times. It's been repaved which has added to the enjoyment. I had max speeds of 50/51/51.

I'm not familiar with Catamount. Do you know what road is taken to access it?


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

Yes, that's it. I recall serious +50 speeds coming down Parker heading east. Going west though you wind into Pittsfield, then 107 up Catamount. Reminds me of Boug d'Oisans. Additional climb up to Nippo Lake C.C. off of 202. Traditional training ground for UNH Cycling. Some would have trouble believing that there are climbs like this in relatively Southeast NH.


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## Habanero (Feb 12, 2007)

Thanks for your write up. I do this exact ride several times a year as it is not too far from Portland. And you are write about Hurricane. The only thing steeper in the are is the little slog after the parking lot on top of Mount Washington.


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