Steepest grades near Boulder
The toughest part of the MS150 ride will be the final approach to Royal
Gorge - this comes at the end of the second-day ride, and features a two-mile
climb with average grade of 10%. Here is a list of roughly-comparable
roads near Boulder, thanks to The Guide to Bicycling the Roads out of
Boulder by Burt and Terry Struthers.
- Flagstaff Rd - from Gregory Canyon at end of Baseline. The first
5 miles have an average grade of 7.4% with a .3 mile section just below
Lost Gulch Overlook at 14%. The first .5 mile above Gregory Canyon
averages 10%, the 3.5 miles from Gregory Canyon to the Ampitheater
turnoff averages 6.5, and the next two miles to the exit from the
Mountain Park averages 10%.
- Sunshine Canyon - from end of Mapleton. The first 4.5 miles have an
average grade of 6.7% with short stretchos up to 14%.
- Lee Hill/Olde Stage Rds - west on Lee Hill from Broadway. The
climb up Olde Stage features about an 8% average grade. The first
mile of Lee Hill beyond the Olde Stage turn-off is 11%.
- Lefthand Canyon - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Ward. The first
16.5 miles average 4% grade, but the last 1.5 mile climb to Ward is
10%.
- Jamestown - from Greenbriar Restaurant to Jamestown turnoff to
above Jamestown. The three-mile section from the Jamestown turnoff to town
averages 4.5% grade, with a 2.5 mile stretch above town at 8.3%
- Lick Skillet Rd - from Lick Skillet in Left Hand Canyon to Gold
Hill. This is a gravel road, climbs 800 feet in one mile for a 15%
grade.
- Magnolia Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles have an
average grade of 9% with a section at the bottom over 13%.
Drawback to this ride is a busy approach through Boulder Canyon.
- Sugarloaf Rd - from Boulder Canyon. The first 4 miles average
between 6% and 7% grades. Drawback to this ride is a busy
approach through Boulder Canyon.
- Peak to Peak Hwy - north from Nederland to Allenspark. Four miles
north of Nederland sustains an average grade of 7.7% for two miles.
The return trip from Allenspark has 7.5% for one mile (three miles
south of Colo. 7)
- Golden Gate Canyon - west on Golden Gate Canyon Rd from Colo. 93.
The road climbs for nearly 13 miles with an average grade of 6.5% and
a one-mile stretch near the top at over 10%.
- NCAR Rd - from NIST up bike path up Hollyberry Rd to Deer Valley
Rd to Table Mesa. Average grade is 5.7% with sections up to 8%
grade.
- Modified Morgul-Bismarck - from Marshall Road (Colo. 170) to south
on McCaslin Blvd to west on Airport Rd (Colo. 128). On McCaslin, The Hump
is 8% grade, The Wall is 12%, and a section on Colo. 128 is
6.5% - each shorter than a mile. Due to high traffic on Colo. 93,
don't complete the loop but retrace your route the way you came.
- Carter Lake - north from Boulder. After approximately 30 miles
of flat, the climb to Carter Lake averages a grade of 6.4%
- Return to NCAR/UCAR bikers home page