"Favorite" Climbs

[noise_is_life]

One of my priorities this spring is to get better at climbing hills and practice makes perfect.

So on that note, what are your favorite climbs, climbs that kick your butt, or that you just love to ride?

I'm particularly interested in local climbs either road or off-road, but I would also be interested in hearing about other places too.

I cut my biking teeth in La Crosse, WI which has tons of good climbs in every direction, but around here it is pretty slim pickings. The best road climb I have found so far starts at the intersection of Williston and Orchard Roads in Minnetonka, not very long, bet pretty steep, I usually ride around and do it a couple of times.

[Rocky Mountain]

There are some good and steep hills on the roads in the Kenwood Neighborhood just west of the Walker Art Center. I get in shape over there along with using the Cedar lake trail nearby and the Greenway.

[Brick]

So on that note, what are your favorite climbs, climbs that kick your butt, or that you just love to ride?

I'm particularly interested in local climbs either road or off-road, but I would also be interested in hearing about other places too.
Some of the ski trails in the eastern segment of Battle Creek have some "fun" climbs. Kicks my butt every time anyways......

[SuperClydesdale]

So on that note, what are your favorite climbs, climbs that kick your butt, or that you just love to ride?

Pat

Are you riding tonight? We can head over to Ramsey street in St. Paul if you want to suffer ;o)

Mark

[JHM]

Try Judicial Road in Burnsville from Orchard Lake to Southcross Drive. Also Pilot Knob in Eagan.

[Kevin Leis]

Red wing has a couple of good climbs, Hwy 61 and Welch Village Road on the way to Red Wing. Both are long well over a mile long not a bad weekend ride. Also Memorial Park in R.W. has a700+ foot climb up cross country ski trails and some good single track to go along with the climb.:banana:

[Kingbozo]

7th Street heading out of downtown St. Paul is a nice, steady 1 mile or so climb.

[gopherhockey]

Mountain Bike climbs... Battle Creek has some fun switchback climbs. Memorial trail has some memorable ones. I even get some enjoyment out of the bypass climb at lebanon - its not steep but its sustained and I like to see myself progress even doing that type of climb. You gotta take what you can get in this state ;)

Levis in Wisconsin has some real good ones that will have your legs and lungs burning in no time.

[TML]

Pat

Are you riding tonight? We can head over to Ramsey street in St. Paul if you want to suffer ;o)

Mark
I can string together a bunch of killers in St. Paul for us. Maybe for one of the group rides. Here's a couple of my faves.

Lilydale Lungbuster - dirt/rock multi-pitch climb in lilydale park.
Ohio St.
Ramsey St.
Hwy 13, east out of Mendota starting from the river trail

Have a good ride tonight, my bikes are in the truck ready to head to KC tomorrow. :)

[noise_is_life]

Pat

Are you riding tonight? We can head over to Ramsey street in St. Paul if you want to suffer ;o)

Mark
I've got MOCA tonight, maybe this weekend or next week.

[Brick]

We can head over to Ramsey street in St. Paul if you want to suffer ;o)

The steps behind the James J. Hill house (in that same area) are good for running as well.

[Trevize1138]

I would think that if you want to really work on your climbing you should concentrate on lengthy climbs, not necessarily steep ones and work on geting faster and more efficient at climbing those long climbs.

That will work on both your endurance and strength all at once and it's a lot easier to start out climbing those kinds of hills than steep ones when you're out-of-shape at the beginning of the year. ;)

Man, I remember an exercise we used to do in cross country in HS: hill intervals where you run up the hill forward, walk down, then back up the hill backwards, then walk down ... repeat.

Running up a hill backwards makes you discover whole new muscles in your legs you never knew you had! :shocked:

[jaybird]

1. Nicollet Ave in Burnsville - the thing seems like it goes forever.

2. Stadium Drive in Mankato on the west side of MSU.

3. Hill out of Le Sueur - by the Valley Green Giant Sign.

[manual63]

I there such a thing as a favorite climb???

To me, that's like asking me what's my favorite "Punch in the Face".......uh....well.....I don't have one.....sorry.....just not into punishment I guess.....:).

[noise_is_life]

I there such a thing as a favorite climb???

To me, that's like asking me what's my favorite "Punch in the Face".......uh....well.....I don't have one.....sorry.....just not into punishment I guess.....:).
That's why "Favorite" is in quotes. :D

It's definitely all about suffering (especially for us Clydes), but there is something satisfying about it.

[TML]

2. Stadium Drive in Mankato on the west side of MSU.


Oh yeah, I remember it well ('96 MSU Grad), and it seems to just keep getting steeper towards the top!

Wildwood climb on the Holzinger Lodge trail in Winona is a great dirt climb.

[ozlongboarder]

Well there is the climb into my new king size bed.
The climb of the 747 as it takes me home to the warm hemisphere.
The climb on top of my...:shocked:

Oh bike climbs! I hate climbs especially at the start of the season. But I rode with a guy at Maah Daah Hey who loved the "CLIMB" and he can literally climb any trail. So when I ride with him I try to climb hard as well.

[noise_is_life]

Well there is the climb into my new king size bed.
The climb of the 747 as it takes me home to the warm hemisphere.
The climb on top of my...:shocked:

Oh bike climbs! I hate climbs especially at the start of the season. But I rode with a guy at Maah Daah Hey who loved the "CLIMB" and he can literally climb any trail. So when I ride with him I try to climb hard as well.
Hey! Welcome to the Forum Ivan! I knew something was missing around here.

[Tetreves]

My "favorite" is probably Murphy-Hanrehan. Good, fun, rolling hills (with a couple good climbs thrown in. You don't have to work too hard if you can keep your momentum going.

Plus it brings back good memories of racing HS XC Skiing. :D

If you want to improve your climbing ability, remember that doing hills at the beginning of your workout will increase your speed, hills in the middle of a workout increase strength, and hills at the end of your workout increase endurance. Intervals are best for training for hills in this area. Go up the hill HARD, cruise down the hill and ride easy for 2 min. Repeat until your legs fall off...:banana:

And welcome Ivan! Glad to have you with us.

[ostertoaster85]

Explore the roads south of Battle Creek. There are a lot of short to medium lenghth climbs that are really steep. Also, the drivers have always been really friendly to me that way. I'd be going 8 mph up a hill and drivers will patiently wait behind me until it's clear for them to go all the way into the opposite lane to pass me.

[Rocky Mountain]

Who let the Aussie laddy on the board?

Talking about the Minnesota River Valley, the Ironman is heading over that way this year and some of the hills near Jordan are pretty long.

[zerpy]

I there such a thing as a favorite climb???

To me, that's like asking me what's my favorite "Punch in the Face".......uh....well.....I don't have one.....sorry.....just not into punishment I guess.....:).

lol, I had about the same sort of feeling when I read the title of this thread :) It was like, "Favorite Climb?! What are they into self torture?":crazy2:

I should start a thread, "What's your favorite tree to run head long into at leb?"

:D

Um, I don't have one, I really hate climbing. You know my grandpa always had to walk up hill both ways to school, isn't there a place where we can find all downhill with no uphill??? :crazy:

[SPR]

My favorite local road training hills:
Eden Prairie - Riverview Rd
Bloomington - Highwood Dr
Bloomington - East Bush Lake Rd Next to ski jump
Edina - Shannon Rd - Has some switch backs which are killer to ride down.
Edina - Valley View Rd
Edina - Gleason Rd
For the dirt trails:
Minnesota River Trails - The climb out at the end of France Ave.
Its roughly paved but it steep and fairly long.

[tmac]

1. Flagstaff Road - Boulder, CO.

Cut my teeth on this one back when I was just getting into biking. I only had a Mtn bike, so I put on some slicks and would make the climb - 45 minutes up, 7 minutes down. 5 miles of gorgeous switchbacks. With an amazing Mtn bike trail at the top.

2. Pikes Peak.

Did a "Race to the Summit" here a couple of times. About an hour of suffering at what feels like the top of the world. Cold as hell when you get to the top, but totally worth it, and the hill climb event is the only time you can ride it, since the road is closed to bikes the rest of the year.

:alien: :alien:

[noise_is_life]

I should start a thread, "What's your favorite tree to run head long into at leb?"

http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137&stc=1
:D :crazy:

[funky-funky-chicken]

Off-road, the best climbs are without a doubt at Afton. It's a super fun course to ride, keeps things interesting. It would be even better with more frequent use and a bit more trail maintenance. I'm looking forward to the 24 hour race again!

I know this an off-road forum, but as far as road riding... one of my favorite routes is out through Lake Elmo, down into Afton along Indian Trail road, out toward Afton state park, continue south down into Prescott. Cross the Saint Croix, up county road F where there's a great climb when you cross the Kinnickinnic. County road F south of Hudson has gotten pretty busy over the years, and is best traveled early in the morning. There are some great roads if you head a little bit further east in and through River Falls. North of Hudson, continue on up through Houlton and Cross the Saint Croix again into Stillwater. You get the pleasure of climbing up Myrtle hill, then home again through Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake or along the Gateway. It's a bit of a long ride, so bring a snack.
-edit to fix spelling errors.

[TML]

http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=137&stc=1
:D :crazy:
LOL! :D


And welcome, Ivan!

[GearDaddy]

My favorite local road training hills:
Eden Prairie - Riverview Rd
Bloomington - Highwood Dr
Bloomington - East Bush Lake Rd Next to ski jump
Edina - Shannon Rd - Has some switch backs which are killer to ride down.
Edina - Valley View Rd
Edina - Gleason Rd
For the dirt trails:
Minnesota River Trails - The climb out at the end of France Ave.
Its roughly paved but it steep and fairly long.
Location, location, location. In this area the best hill climbing locations are river valleys, river valleys, river valleys. The ones that Roger mentions are all very familiar stomping grounds for me too. Here's an extended list of road climbs:

Eden Prairie:
- Hwy 101 from Hwy 212 (near Shakopee) - one of the toughest in the twin cities.
- Bluff Creek Rd. from Hwy 212 - nice steady grade.
- Eden Prairie Rd from Hwy 212 - the first part is one of the steepest in the area.

Chaska:
- Hwy 110 from Hwy 212 - nice steady grade that follows a creek.
- Hwy 140 from Hwy 212 - a little bit steeper than Hwy 110.
- Hwy 17 (Audobon Rd) - nice wide shoulder up steady grade.

Savage/Burnsville:
- Hwy 18 near Eagle Creek and McColl - busy road but long and fairly steep.
- Hwy 16 (McColl Rd.) just west of Hwy 13 - fairly short but pretty steep.
- Hwy 16 (McColl Rd.) west of Judicial Rd. near Savage city hall.
- Judicial Rd going south from McColl Rd.

Eagan/Mendota Heights:
- Lone Oak Rd from Hwy 13 - marked as a 9% grade.
- Hwy 13 north of Hwy 110 going towards St. Paul - couple of good climbs here.
- Lexington Ave from Hwy 13.

St. Paul:
- Ramsey St. up to Summit Ave. - always a testpiece to guage your climbing
- Ohio St. - nice steady switchback
- Smith Ave. bridge - steady, long, but not hard
- Edgecumbe or Snelling from West 7th st.
- Lower Afton Rd from Hwy 61 (near Battle Creek)

Stillwater:
- Myrtle St - tough hill!
- 3rd St up to the old courthouse.
- Hwy 11 from Hwy 95 just north of town - two hills (have hit 45+ going down)
- Hwy 64 after crossing into Wisconsin - go up steep cutoff to get to Hwy 35

Afton:
- Hwy 21 going south from Afton - succession of hills all the way to Prescott.
- Indian Creek trail
- Afton Hills Drive - go up, turn around, and go back down.

Prescott WI:
- Hwy 35 going south - first hill easy, second hill looong, third hill steep and hard.
- Hwy 10 going into MN - long, kind of busy, or just turn onto Hwy 21 to Afton.

The list goes on ...

[jitterjepp]

I there such a thing as a favorite climb???

To me, that's like asking me what's my favorite "Punch in the Face".......uh....well.....I don't have one.....sorry.....just not into punishment I guess.....:).
Now that's funny!:scream:

[Brick]

Don't know why I didn't post this earlier--a road "hill loop" in Shoreview near Snail Lake Regional Park.

From the intersection of Gramsie RD and Mackubin St. head West to Victoria--just under a mile, the last quarter of which is STEEP. Right turn on Victoria (stop light) to Snail lake Blvd (2 blocks, stop sign). Right turn on Snail Lake Blvd (downhill--whee!!!)--about a mile to Mackubin Street (stop sign), Right turn on McKubin and back to the start.

rinse--repeat

Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid=250&addtohistory=&address=Mackubin+St+and+Gramsie+Road&city=Shoreview&state=MN&zipcode=&submit=Get+Map