Ya Nevada City is brutal. Lungs and legs exploding. Fighting for bike racing survival. That's the deepest I've gone for sure.

Valles Caldera Super Volcano, New Mexico - Fully Loaded.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e8c35a612c.jpg

The Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

7.6 miles, average grade of 12%, an extended section about 2/3 of the way up at ~18% and hits 22% just before the finish line.
There isn't anywhere to recover, it doesn't get below ~6%-8%.
You're also exposed & above the treeline with unpredictable weather for a significant portion of the climb, high winds/fog etc are common.

But the finish is incredible, it's just like the end of steep mountain stages in the TdF, except that the people screaming & cheering you on are friends & family.
Oh, and the turkey dinner at the post-race ceremony is awesome.
Too bad that it was cancelled this year.

My hardest climb barely registers (Page Mill Road), but I used to climb it every year just to say I'd done it.

The first year, I got to a steep pitch, all out in the open, no shade, and thought, "If there's some shade soon, I'm gonna stop and rest a bit." There wasn't.

The second year, I got to a steep pitch, all out in the open, no shade, and thought, "If there's some shade soon, I'm gonna stop and rest a bit." There wasn't.

The third year, I got to a steep pitch, all out in the open, no shade, and thought, "If there's some shade soon..... Wait a minute! I thought this LAST year, and the year before, and there IS NO shade! NUTS!!" and kept pedalling. Deja Freakin' Vu.

White Mountain. Second day of Everest Challenge. 6000 feet of vertical, finishing off 29000 feet of climbing and last kilometer is 17% grade at 10’000 feet above sea level.

I had a similar experience with Sambuca in college.

Pittsburgh's Dirty Dozen was a hard day of climbing: thirteen of the steepest hills in a city that is, by some measures, hillier than San Francisco. The event includes Canton Avenue, which is the steepest paved road in the US. (And maybe steepest in the world, though that is disputed by some cranky New Zealanders.)

Here's some video from Canton:

This one is local. I don't know if it is the hardest I have done, but it is hard enough:

https://pjammcycling.com/climb/430.Alba%20Road

I seem to remember Hurricane Ridge from Port Angeles was hard, especially on a fully-loaded touring bike (we did it as a shake-down ride before the Pacific Coast tour).

I did that climb once. Had a little stomach trouble near the top. One of the hardest climbs I've done.

I missed the post race dinner. I recall a something to drink and a few munchies, but nothing would ride the mountain for. Did I climb so fast I got there early? (1978)

The finish was the transition from the 22% to flat, Almost as abrupt as the transition from a staircase to the landing. I was completely anaerobic and spaced. In post finish line mode. Keep pedaling! Don't stop until I have to. Good thing was my gear was tiny! I had a crowd grabbing me and the bike to stop me before I ran out of parking lot! They lifted me off the bike, then walked me inside. I had no idea the temp was in the 20s F.

Ben

This was the hardest climb i have done - in the Indian Himalayas. The day started at around 4200m, and went up a bunch of switchbacks (Gata Loops) and then yet more climbing to a pass at above 5000m. Then there was 350-400m descend to a narrow valley, and then another climb, to another pass at about 5100m. All through roads that were notional at best (what you see in the photo is actually on the better end of the scale).

The altitude really hit me that day - and to make things worse, it started raining/hailing on this climb. And for some godforsaken reason, i had to stop and pee every 10 minutes. Finally made it to the top and was looking forward to a 25km gradual descent to our planned halting point for the night. Only, my hands got so numb in the cold that i was struggling to get the cantis to slow me down. Then our support van came in with news that there was a landslide ahead and the roads were closed. So chucked the bikes in the van and spent the next 2 hours trying to dry up and get warm.

This is absolutely the most miserable I have been on a bike.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3690959d23.jpg

The hardest "normal conditions" climb I have done is Chele La, in Bhutan. About 1700m of gain over 33km.

You start in Paro, at about 2000m altitude and after a 6-7km ride along the valley, you turn off to a side road and hit a 6% gradient that does not let up even for a second. By the time you are near the top, the altitude also gets to you and its a struggle to keep the pedals turning. So you start counting off the KM left: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1.... 1. What? What? @#%@!%@!*%$#$. Yes, they repeat the 1km milestone. So just when you think you are done, you gotta do another km. And that that point, you just want to get off your bike and curl up in a ball. The first time i did the climb, the last km were spent swearing obscenties out loud the entire way (really. I felt betrayed).

It is also one of the most amazing climbs - you go through forests, there are sweeping vistas of the Himalayas when the views open up and maybe 3 cars the entire ride (this road used to connect to a remote valley - a different road has been made so it doesnt get much use anymore) and great birdlife and even occasional Himalayan bears. Magnificent - even my fat, non-climbing ass loves the suffering here.

I did this one on one of my off day at Ax-les-Thermes when I crossed the Pyrenees, it was rainy and there were riders racing this day. At the summit with the horses and looking over all the panorama it is so beautiful.

But since it was not particularly hot that day or I wasn’t riding 120km, I found the Zoncolan much worse.

https://strava.app.link/cbGT0kHXB7

That is a good one.
The highway just opened about 2 weeks ago, btw. :thumb:

Los Angeles has far steeper hills than San Francisco. I have biked up the hills in SF and will never even attempt them in LA.

For me the hardest climb is the final stretch to the Mt Baldy ski lifts https://pjammcycling.com/climb/88.Mt-Baldy-Bike

Other notable climbs are Tuna Canyon, Corral Canyon and Decker. All are double digit inclines for miles.

Lots of 15% on that last 4 miles to Baldy and you already have at least 5K feet in your legs.
I did "Breathless Agony" once and the climb to Onyx Summit is over 35 miles up to 8300 feet elevation. This comes after a bunch of other climbs and you end up with 12,000 feet in 75 miles. I had stomach issues there, too.

I did a ride in SF in November and remembered why we have low gearing. Here in NYC I almost never go on the small ring. In SF I had 34/34 and needed it.

My hardest climb was Haleakala. It is just unrelenting uphill for 36 miles and 10,000'. Too much for my old legs though as I "only" made it up to 6000'.

I did it somewhere around 1985. The weirdest part was when I got to the top, some lady was bragging to everyone she drove up in her car.

Meh. I did Onyx peak very hungover. Luckily for me, my riding partner that day was also my drinking partner the night before, so he was hurting as well. I really do need to try to summit it a bit sober.

I live in Los Angeles and those are, indeed, hard climbs. Tuna is one way (down) so you're brave (and I was foolish) to make the climb. I haven't done Mt. Baldy (not at that level yet) but did do the Santa Barbara Century, which included the Gibraltar Road climb. This was the toughest I had ever done.

Years ago another clyde and I climbed Latigo Canyon in a terrible windstorm, like we couldn't even hear each other yell. We stopped at a cafe called the Rock Store and some motorcyclists were talking about how hard it was for them coming up the same way we had.

I meant to say Las Flores, not Tuna. Tuna going down is scary! Both brakes all the way.

I actually went up Gibraltar two weeks ago. I was pushing it since I wanted to beat my time, which I did. With Mt. Baldy, I am not trying to beat my time, I just want to get to the top alive. I seldom have to zig zag on a road (there are a few very steep but short streets where I do), but Baldy is one where I have to for a stretch.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...841233929.jpeg
Did this in the 90s. Last 30 miles are uphill but for a short break.

las flores is ridiculous. simply ridiculous.

have often though about going up tuna canyon against the "one way" road mandate. not as worried about the cars as i am about the cyclists descending.
tuna canyon would seem to be even harder than the ascent of las flores and i'm not the safest rider but i gotta draw the line somewhere and it's not because i'm worried
about suffering...more worried about not colliding with a speeding rider/auto. i'll descend tuna every few years to gauge loss of hand/forearm braking strength over the years.

baldy is tough as bleep and boring. road surface blows and then you get beat up on the descent as well. it's an accomplishment getting past the "bowling alley," whether you're riding or walking.
personally prefer to summit dawson saddle with the better views, higher el and better pavement.

gibraltar is exposed and get afternoon scorchy. morning with the overcast are best for the climb which has some tough ramps here and there. not much fun to descend but the attached east camino cielo
(along with gmr/grr) is imho, among the top two mountain roads in socal.

i'll still stick by my position that the upper mile of the palm springs tram road (without elevation considerations-like baldy) is/was tougher than anything else in socal for a comparable distance.
unfortunately, the local tribe installed a guard gate some years back so no bikes on that brutal stretch (altho you can walk or run it). pavement was the best i'd ever seen it about two years ago
(8.5/9 outta 10) on the last visit. pavement used to be a 5.5/6.

https://www.strava.com/activities/339830098

Up the Passo di Pennes north of Bozen in South Tyrol. The first 30km are easy at a steady 3-4%. But then the last 9.5km kicks your ass at a steady 8-10%. It hurt. A lot. Especially on that day, since it was the hottest day of the year. In the valley during the day it was 40C and at 2300m on top of the mountain it was still 30C. Unbelievable heat.
I almost passed out during my lunch stop at the old Brenner highway.

Agreed. Mount Washington. A bit happy it was canceled, myself. Whiteface is supposedly on though.