# Looking for a hill/mtn with the highest elevation in the Montclair NJ area



## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

The title says it all. I want to do more climbing on a daily basis but lack of time is an issue. There is Waughaw Mtn in Towaco but that's 15 miles away and I only have 60-90 minutes/day that I can dedicate to cycling during the week.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have!


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## ezdoesit (Sep 7, 2008)

Did you try Normal Avenue by Montclair University.?


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

ezdoesit said:


> Did you try Normal Avenue by Montclair University.?


Yes, it's not that much elevation though. If anything Francisco Ave to the top of Long Hill Rd (just around the corner) has significantly more. Bradford Ave is ok and I ride Valley Rd by the MSU almost daily. I guess I'll try combining all of the above and see where that takes me. Ideally I would like to do at least 2,000ft of elevation per every 10 miles of riding. I really wish there were actual mountains bigger than Garret or Second Watchung Mtn. around here.


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## Cyclin Dan (Sep 24, 2011)

ph0enix said:


> Yes, it's not that much elevation though. If anything Francisco Ave to the top of Long Hill Rd (just around the corner) has significantly more. Bradford Ave is ok and I ride Valley Rd by the MSU almost daily. I guess I'll try combining all of the above and see where that takes me. Ideally I would like to do at least 2,000ft of elevation per every 10 miles of riding. I really wish there were actual mountains bigger than Garret or Second Watchung Mtn. around here.


2,000 per every ten miles is A LOT! That's nearly a 5% AVERAGE grade. I live in the Rocky Mountains and it's difficult to do that here for more than about 10 miles.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Cyclin Dan said:


> 2,000 per every ten miles is A LOT! That's nearly a 5% AVERAGE grade. I live in the Rocky Mountains and it's difficult to do that here for more than about 10 miles.


Yeah, I posted that and then realized that I may have exaggerated a bit. I would love to have the Rockies at my doorstep though


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

Bradford Ave is probably the steepest climb in Montclair itself, but nearby is Mountain Ave from 23 into North Caldwell, Mt. Pleasant Ave to Prospect, Eagle Rock Ave up to the reservation and Northfield Ave up to Prospect in West Orange (too much traffic for me though on the last 3). The quietest and best pavement steep short climb I've found is Gavin Rd in West Orange. Walker Road is also not too bad, the grade is pretty brutal for 100 feet... Waughaw isn't that far away, leave 30 minutes earlier!

You can also ride up Forest Hill Rd in West Orange (over 300 ft vertical) and waive as you pass my house!


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## Terex (Jan 3, 2005)

Have you looked at hills on paved roads in New Jersey -- Bike Roberts or njbikemap.com ?


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

Also check out Strava's segment explorer. It will show you some hills that other riders have deemed worthy enough to contest for KOM honors.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

Macopin Road?

Strava Segment | Macopin Rd-Full


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

DrSmile said:


> Bradford Ave is probably the steepest climb in Montclair itself, but nearby is Mountain Ave from 23 into North Caldwell, Mt. Pleasant Ave to Prospect, Eagle Rock Ave up to the reservation and Northfield Ave up to Prospect in West Orange (too much traffic for me though on the last 3). The quietest and best pavement steep short climb I've found is Gavin Rd in West Orange. Walker Road is also not too bad, the grade is pretty brutal for 100 feet... Waughaw isn't that far away, leave 30 minutes earlier!
> 
> You can also ride up Forest Hill Rd in West Orange (over 300 ft vertical) and waive as you pass my house!


Thanks for the suggestions!
I'm familiar with:
Mountain Ave
Eagle Rock reservation
Waughaw Mtn. (my favorite)

I will try the others.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

jsedlak said:


> Macopin Road?
> 
> Strava Segment | Macopin Rd-Full


I sometimes ride up Glenwild Ave in Bloomigdale and then to West Milford via Otterhole Rd. but I have yet to try Macopin Rd.
Thanks!


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

Terex said:


> Have you looked at hills on paved roads in New Jersey -- Bike Roberts or njbikemap.com ?


I have not. Thank you!


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## DrSmile (Jul 22, 2006)

Macopin is much further than Waughaw... it also has quite a bit of traffic. I ride it when I want to ride over 4 hours. If you do go up there though may I recommend the Glenwild Ave descent (awesome sweeping turns to bomb down) or Westbrook, which if you pedal hard enough, keeps you going at a good clip all the way to the Wanaque reservoir.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

DrSmile said:


> Macopin is much further than Waughaw... it also has quite a bit of traffic. I ride it when I want to ride over 4 hours. If you do go up there though may I recommend the Glenwild Ave descent (awesome sweeping turns to bomb down) or Westbrook, which if you pedal hard enough, keeps you going at a good clip all the way to the Wanaque reservoir.


Yes, I know those roads. They're a lot of fun!


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## stoked (Aug 6, 2004)

Head North to Harriman Park, 7 Lakes and Bear Mtn for good elevation. I've done this ride few times this year so far. The section north of Haverstraw is where it starts to go up. You can do hill repeats on Perkins and then ride it back. 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/195170199


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## goldsbar (Apr 24, 2002)

Cyclin Dan said:


> 2,000 per every ten miles is A LOT! That's nearly a 5% AVERAGE grade. I live in the Rocky Mountains and it's difficult to do that here for more than about 10 miles.


For the record, 100ft every mile on average is a very hilly ride. I live in a very hilly section of NJ - lots of up and downs but 600ft is the max vert - and I need to really think about how to put together such a ride. I can do it without much of a problem but I'm basically mapping a route to take me on every steep hill. Such a ride is one where it feels like you're always climbing or descending without flats.

IIRC, the Whiteface climb from Lake Placid (the biggest in the region excluding Mt Washington in NH) and back was still only around 100ft/mile. Could be wrong on that one.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

stoked said:


> Head North to Harriman Park, 7 Lakes and Bear Mtn for good elevation. I've done this ride few times this year so far. The section north of Haverstraw is where it starts to go up. You can do hill repeats on Perkins and then ride it back.
> 
> JC->7Lakes->Bear->7Lakes->JC by stoked76 at Garmin Connect - Details


That's good but I'm looking for the most elevation I can do on my daily rides after work. I only have 60-90mins a pop. It looks like I can do about 2,000ft during that time hitting all the local hills.


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## ph0enix (Aug 12, 2009)

goldsbar said:


> For the record, 100ft every mile on average is a very hilly ride. I live in a very hilly section of NJ - lots of up and downs but 600ft is the max vert - and I need to really think about how to put together such a ride. I can do it without much of a problem but I'm basically mapping a route to take me on every steep hill. Such a ride is one where it feels like you're always climbing or descending without flats.
> 
> IIRC, the Whiteface climb from Lake Placid (the biggest in the region excluding Mt Washington in NH) and back was still only around 100ft/mile. Could be wrong on that one.


It looks like I can do 80-85ft vertical per mile around here and it's not a super-hilly area. I'm sure hitting 100+ is not a problem in the Rockies.


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## mleptuck (Jul 29, 2002)

jsedlak said:


> Macopin Road?


That's funny -- my sister and her family live right at the top of that climb, right near the fire house. Done the climb a bunch, but never thought it was too difficult.


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## jsedlak (Jun 17, 2008)

mleptuck said:


> That's funny -- my sister and her family live right at the top of that climb, right near the fire house. Done the climb a bunch, but never thought it was too difficult.


I agree that it isn't too difficult, though anything can be made harder.

The reason I brought it up is I feel that unlike most of the climbing in NJ, it tends to be much more a smaller version of "real" climbs you see in North Carolina or the Adirondacks. It's longer than the average NJ "climb" and quite a bit more shallow. Around here anyways most of what we have is 0.5 mile drags at 10% gradient.


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## ezdoesit (Sep 7, 2008)

Go to map my ride and click on Overmount Avenue in my town of Woodland Park and start at Mt. Pleasant avenue and go up to Washington Avenue it's a half mile at app.18% grade then go over one street to my street Meriline Avenue and go from Mt. Pleasant Avenue to the top of Overmount Avenue another 18% grade.
Have fun


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