Originally Posted by busygizmo

I'd flip these. I've only ridden either once and Mt. Evans was from Evergreen although I doubt there is a big difference between the Idaho Springs start since the hard part seems to be once you get to Echo Lake. There was wind above tree line so when you had it at your back you could spin easily but when it was in your face it was tough. I felt pretty good until Summit Lake where I took a short break and was joined by a local for the last few miles. I was in pretty good spirits since this was the last day of a week long bike ride and Mt. Evans had been one of the main reasons for driving 1300 miles to get here. The weather had been real wet the day before and rain had been threatening all day but now it pretty much a given that we'd make it to the top. The majority of riders had skipped it and headed back to Idaho Springs to the finish of the ride. I was chatting with the local rider until about 2 miles to go when I pretty much had to put all my energy into keeping up and breathing. He was on his daily commuter and continued to chat away while I wondered if the end was going to ever come. At one point you think you are very near the top only to see a switchback well above you, but we made it and I didn't feel much worse for the wear once we stopped for the photo ops. The decent to Echo Lake is jarring and there are a couple sections where there is no guardrail and a long drop off that felt pretty scary with the wind and cars.

On the other hand the last 3000' on Haleakala were pretty tough, I started cramping after leaving the visitors center so I couldn't get out of the saddle or it got worse, just had to sit and turn the pedals over carefully to avoid them. On the rental bike without my own saddle (bad choice not to bring) my behind was as sore as I can ever remember. The combination of unrelenting climb, humidity, heat and altitude makes Haleakala the hardest climb I've ever done. If you were better acclimated or one of these riders that can get up it in under 4 hours, some even under 3, then it might not be that bad.

As has been pointed out a lot depends on factors like road surface, weather, fatigue, load, altitude etc. I've only dabbled in racing but I've suffered on very short easy climbs trying to keep up with stronger riders, also climbs that come at the end of a hard century can be disheartening. Reading some of the stories posted here about some of the extreme conditions people have dealt with is inspiring but doesn't necessarily make me want ride some far flung dirt climb when hungry, wet and gasping for air.

Originally Posted by andrewclaus

My first visit to this forum--I spend my time in Touring and Mechanics.

I've lived in Golden, CO for the last seven years. I attempt the climb Mt Evans (14,264'/4348 m) from my house at least once a year, and have made it twice. The route I take is 97 miles and 11,400' of climbing. I'm not proud of my pace--it's an eleven+ hour day for me. As others have noted, it's never steep, but it's long, and cycling over 13,000' (4000 m) seems a whole different world. Weather can get severe quickly, too. That makes it most difficult in my book. My style is to climb it unsupported, no stopping in Evergreen, even getting natural water from snowmelt above tree line. I was 63 years old on my last success this summer, and I plan to keep trying every year.

Originally Posted by Het Volk

Evans from Idaho springs for me is the tougher ascent mentally for me. It has that really long, straight section until you finally hit the lower switchbacks, and it kind of sucks. You are correct, the descent is not for the faint of heart, and the road is always in a form if disrepair. Once you get to the bristle cone pines, it mellows out, but the descent down to tree line is not where you want to be hugging the shoulder.

Originally Posted by andrewclaus

I definitely agree with all this. I've only done the climb from Idaho Springs once, though I sometimes come down that way, then climb Floyd Hill to make a loop back to Evergreen. That Floyd Hill climb is one of those local slogs you mention in a previous post. And the path along Clear Creek is in poor repair east of town.

The other hazard on the descent above treeline is the marmot population. Jeez, they're dumb animals. The lack of air resistance at the summit is also noticeable--acceleration is higher than normal.

This last year was a bonus with the summit road closed to auto traffic, but the marmots got bolder. The goats were less tame though--the kids actually ran away. They haven't been taught that the tourons feed them out their car windows.