Everest Challenge - The Hardest 2-Day USAC Race and Ride ... EVER
      September 12 - 13, 2009
        The undisputed, hardest 2-day USA Cycling Race & Ride!
 
      The California-Nevada Climbing Championship
Everest Challenge Stage Race 2009
 BISHOP, A CLIMBING MECCA
"The vast acreage folded between the Sierra Nevada crest and the White-Inyo Range is so dramatic and infinitely varied that some people wonder why it is not a national park. Few places on the planet offer a greater collage of unspoiled environments in so small an area: everything from blistering hot deserts to sighing pine forests to 14,000-foot granite crags, hung with glaciers and flanked by icy lakes. Crowned by the Sierra's imposing eastern escarpment, this is a land of both subtlety and extremes, a place that sings to the bottom layers of our souls." - Gordon Wiltsie
 
Almost undiscovered, Inyo County has arguably the finest roads, terrain, and climate for road cycling in the world. Safe, uncrowded roads, clean, clear mountain air, and climbs, climbs, climbs make this a road cycling Mecca. Only its isolation and distance from a major airport have kept it relatively unused. There have been several events held in the area over the last few decades including the Everest Challenge, Lone Pine Double Century, the various versions of the Death Valley to Mount Whitney ride, Death Valley Double Century and the other Death Valley rides, Furnace Creek 508, Whiskey Creek Stage Race, High Sierra Fall Century, the Mammoth Mountain Bike Races, White Mountain In A Day, Eastern Sierra Double Century, and more. However besides triple Olympic bronze medalist Clara Hughes, Pam Schuster, and Petra Rosner, few road professionals have lived and trained in the area. With the crowded roads elsewhere and the increasing tension between motorists and cyclists this may change over the next decade. Part of the goal of the Everest Challenge is to showcase the area and hopefully attract cyclists and teams to visit the area for training and camps.
 
Besides the almost constant blue skies, low precipitation, warm daily temperatures even in winter, and uncrowded roads, the climbs are what set this area apart. Numerous articles have been written about the lack of epic climbs here in the U.S. However, the authors obviously didn't do their homework on Inyo County. The county which includes the highest peak (Mt. Whitney) and lowest spot in the lower 48 states (Badwater, in Death Valley) has twenty or so awesome climbs and dozens more climbs that are not quite as spectacular, but are still worth visiting.
 
Two Inyo County climbs rank among the greatest in the world. Both serve up about 2,000m (6,561') of climbing:
 
The climb from the Owens River at 3,900' to the high point before Schulman Grove (the Ancient Bristlecone Pine forest) at 10,100' is a true leg breaker. The climb is 21 miles, average grade 6% (max in the lower half is 14%, max in the upper half 17%). There are dozens of 9-12% rollers in the bottom third. The last 3 miles averages 10%. There are some small descents along the way allowing for brief breathers. These bring the total climbing to 6,573'.
 
While the climb from Lone Pine to Whitney Portal is famous, the climb to Horseshoe Meadows is the real thing. Ever notice those awesome, giant switchbacks to the south of the Whitney Portal road? Horseshoe Meadows sits at just below 10,000', over 6,000' above Lone Pine (at 3,700'). The road is about 24.5 miles long and has about 350' of descending, making the total climb just 2,000m (6560').
 
The county has six climbs with over 1,500m (4,921') of climbing:
 
The road to Mosquito Flat at 10,250' is the highest paved road in the Sierra Nevada. The climb is 22 miles, average grade is 5%. Maximum grade lower half is 9%, upper half is 11%. There is 280' of descending along the way, bringing the total climbing to 6,048'.
 
One of the grandest views and most spectacular finishes is that from Furnace Creek at just below sea level to Dante's View at 5,475'. This climb tempts you into powering up the low grades at the bottom, but punishes you as the gradient sneaks steadily up to 15% for the last half mile. It gains 5,500' in 26.7 miles.
 
The dramatic switchbacks of the Onion Valley climb are perhaps the most reminiscent of those in the Pyrenees and Alps. The climb to Onion Valley from Independence (the county seat at 3,925') rises to 9,200' (5,275' gain) in 13 miles averaging 8%.
 
Besides the short climb up Pine Creek (of which the Mammoth Lakes cyclists are fond) the climb up Bishop Creek to South Lake is probably the most popular for the locals to test their strength and endurance. The climbing starts in Bishop at 4,140', but really doesn't become significant until Ed Powers Road at 4,650'. It then climbs 20.4 miles, average grade 6%, to the top of the parking lot at 9,835' (5,800' gain) above the pristine alpine South Lake and surroundings. While this is not the highest spot or most vertical gain, the last mile has three quarter-mile long sections around 15% grade and will certainly test your strength and endurance and desire to stay on the bike. Bottom half has extended sections of 8-9% grade, max grade 9%.
 
There are some variations to the South Lake climb. You may go straight at 7,900' instead of turning left to South Lake and ride up to Lake Sabrina (9,128') or better yet the Piute Pass trailhead (9,360') above North Lake. This road turns to gravel but is very rideable on a road bike as long as you can handle the short 20-25% grade paved sections.
 
Townes Pass is the best known climb of the area and is respected by most as one of the toughest U.S. climbs. But the view from the top - both ways - is panoramic.
 
The west side of Townes Pass climbs from Panamint Valley at 1,700' up a steep grade that is a 9% climb in the Furnace Creek 508 and a descent in the Death Valley to Mount Whitney Road Race to 4,956' (3,265' gain). The other side of the valley climbs a scenic road up to Darwin Summit at about 5,200' (3,500' gain).
 
The long steady climb from Stovepipe Wells at sea level to 4,956' is harder on the mind, but easier on the legs.
 
On the way up the east side to Townes Pass you can turn left at about 2,000' elevation and continue up a slightly gentler climb to Nemo Crest (5,547') in 24 miles total. This has two gravel options that extend the climb. One up to Skidoo at about 6,000' and the other to Aguereberry Point at 6,433', (these may be very passable on a road bike, but I haven't scoped them out yet).
 
There are at least 9 more Inyo climbs that gain over 1,000m (3,280'):
  • The road up Wildrose Canyon from Panamint Valley begins at about 1,050' elevation. It climbs with short sections of rideable gravel to about 5,500' (4,500' gain) before turning to gravel. This is not the best gravel road, but it continues to the Charcoal Kilns at about 6,500', then gets rough. The rest of the climb may be enjoyable only on a mountain bike with low gears, as it gains about 1,000' in the last mile up to Mahogany Flat at 8,133'. THEN there is a gated road which goes up to the top of Rogers Peak at 9,995'.
  • The east side of the Death Valley Road climbs from 3,200' in Eureka Valley past Joshua trees and into Pinyon pines at 7,660' (4,460' gain). The west side climbs from the Owens River at 3,900', average grade 5% (max 12% in the roller in the "narrows", 11% in one corner before that) (3,760' gain).
  • Daylight Pass at 4,317' in on the opposite side of Death Valley from Townes Pass and rises from sea level. This is a delightful climb that hovers very close to 6% almost the whole way with little undulation. In fact you can climb to Daylight Pass from either the east (Nevada) side or the west (California) side, and there are two western approaches. Same elevation gain, but one is less steep that the other.
  • The climb up Pine Creek is a club favorite and climbs from 4,500' up to 7,420' in 8 miles, average grade 7% (max is 9%, extended sections of 8%). The real climbers have been known to jump the gate and blast on up the steeper grades to the old Tungsten mine at almost 8,000' (3,500' gain)
  • The climb up Big Pine Canyon to the remnants of Glacier Lodge is almost exactly the same stats as le Alpe d'Huez, but with four thousand feet more base elevation. Starting elevation 3,940' finishing elevation 7,800'. The actual climb is 9 miles with an average grade of almost 8% (max is 11%, with extended portions of 9-10% ( 3,860' gain).
  • The climb to Whitney Portal is the other "best known" Inyo climb. It climbs from Lone Pine at 3,700' to 8,371' in 11.6 miles with grades of up to 15% (4,671' gain).
  • There are too many smaller but awesome climbs to mention here and even more mountain bike climbs. A few off-road climbs deserve special mention though:
  • The paved/unpaved ride described above from Panamint Valley up Wildrose Canyon to Rogers Peak gains about 9,000'
  • The ride from Ed Powers Road, up the Tungsten City Road, across to the Buttermilk Road, then up to Coyote Ridge gains about 7,500' from Bishop. This parallels the South Lake climb, but then cuts off before the end to a higher finish.
  • The gravel road climb up Mazourka Canyon east of Independence gains about 6000' to 9941' in about 16 miles.
  • The climb up Rock Creek starting from about 4,500' can be followed up onto a road that can be seen from the valley floor high up in Wheeler Crest (about 12,000' elevation, for 7,500' net gain). This parallels the Mosquito Flat climb, but cuts off before the end to climb the ridge in the crook of lower and upper Rock Creek.
  • And the most demanding climb would be from Laws at 4,106' up the steep (25% grades) Silver Canyon and continuing all the way to the top of White Mountain at 14,246'. This has several thousand feet of descending on the way up, making the total climbing around 4,000m (13,000').
     
    Back on pavement, Mono County to the north has a multitude of short scenic climbs and also three climbs gaining over 1,000m:
  • Tioga Pass climbs from just above Mono Lake at 6,375' to 9,941'.
  • Monitor Pass climbs from Topaz Lake at about 5,000' to 8,314'.
  • Sonora Pass climbs steeply (the sign says max grade 28%) to 9,628'.
     
    And yes, there are certainly some other climbs that gain more than 1,000m. But most of these fall below the significant 5% grade level. Sage Hen Pass from the east does gain over 1,000m. But you have to come down through long flats to get that. The Race Director has always found the Jubilee Pass - Salsberry Pass stairstep climb out of Death Valley to be tough, but at 17 miles combined length and about 3600' of total gain, the average grade is about 4%. You should ride it and see what you think!
     
    Don't get me wrong though. There are also a lot of very scenic flatter roads. Perhaps the best way to see the mountains after all is from the valley floor. Locals tend to avoid Highway 395 because we are spoiled. But there still is little traffic on Highway 395 (except for the start and finish of a three day weekend) compared to the congested roads around Tahoe or even worse Southern and Coastal California. The roads in Death Valley are flat and excellent for many miles. Highway 6 is flat and straight but a bit narrow (good for training into a headwind). Most locals hit the Warm Springs/Eastside/Line St. loop east of Bishop, the Round Valley/Pleasant Valley Reservoir loop northwest of Bishop, or the Green Church Road east of Mammoth Lakes.
     
    Note - This compilation is a work in progress, and this data is the best I could find. I would appreciate any help with distances, grades, etc. that you may have. I am also interested in hearing if anyone has done most of these. Race Founder Tom Reid, the original author of this page, has done 16 of the 17 Inyo paved road climbs listed above as well as one of the mountain bike climbs. Race Director Steve Barnes, who edited this page a bit, has done almost half of the Inyo climbs listed above as this is being written, but plans to bag most of the rest of the climbs before September!