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Rides in the Pacific Northwest

The great Pacific Northwest offers great riding of all types, including rides for those who like to ride their bikes to a good climb after work or during lunch hour. Cougar Mountain, providing 1,000' of vertical averaging 8.5% for 2.25 miles, offers the ultimate benchmark climb close to Seattle. Mercer Island offers a similar benchmark 10.4 mile time trial with somewhat challenging curves and minor rollers, but is rarely interrupted by traffic, mostly shielded from the wind, and is very accessible. With the advent of the Polar S720i computer and heart rate monitor that tracks altitude, meINNOVATIONS clients and friends have provided data for nearly every interesting climb, mountain pass, and race in King County and the Cascades and many more throughout the Northwest. The bulk of the list was compiled by the late Larry Kemp who was killed on his bike while touring on the Spanish island of Mallorca in the spring of 2004. Here's an additional compilation by Eric Gunnerson I stumbled upon that uses Google and Delorme Topo.

Northwest Climbs and Hilly Races

Sorted by Grade, Elevation Gain, and Length

Climb Name  Miles  Elev Gain (ft) Avg
Grade		 Notes
Montreux, to the level off, cul-de-sac on left      1.40 680 9% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah
Cougar Mtn, to the top      2.80 1200 8% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah
Cougar Mtn, not including the final left turn      2.25 1000 8.5% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah
Squak Mountain, from the east      2.20 940 8% In Issaquah, the stoplight before Issaquah-Hobart Rd
Longbranch Road Race, first hill      0.40 160 8% Climbed once per lap
Alder Street (from Leschi)      0.48 200 8% In Seattle, one block north of Perts
Madrona, part way      0.40 160 8% In Seattle, from Lake Washingon Blvd
NewCastle Golf Course Road (incl right turn)      0.70 260 8% in Bellevue, on the way up to Cougar
Leavenworth Road Race, return hill      1.10 420 7% Climbed on the return trip, after the interior laps
Cougar Mtn, west side, from right turn, to the top      1.52 580 7% in Bellevue, last 0.3 miles is 11.4%
Tahuya-Seaback-Tahuya Road Race, Holly Hill      1.00 380 7% The harshest hill, of many small ones
Squak Mountain, from Newport Way      2.80 1000 7% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah
Simons Road, from the west      0.90 320 7% Off Juanita Drive, in Juanita/Bothell
McDonald's Hill      0.80 280 7% Off I-405, near Coulon Park in Renton
Tahuya-Seaback-Tahuya Road Race, Final Hill      1.40 460 6% The last of many small hills
Norway Hill, from the south      0.70 240 6% In Juanita/Bothell, approach via 100th
Camas Road Race, first hill within lap      2.70 860 6% first mile is 9.5%
Cougar Mtn, west side, from Golf Course      2.29 720 6% in Bellevue
Washington Pass from Mazama, last five miles      5.00 1540 6% North Cascades Highway
Norway Hill, from the north      1.33 420 6% Off the River Road, in Bothell
Juanita Drive, from the north      1.30 400 6% not including .4mi shallow part on top
Interlaken Hill, inside the park only      0.50 160 6% In Seattle, in Interlaken Park
Lost Lake Road      1.71 520 6% Off High Bridge Road, north of Woodinville
Issaquah-Fall City Road towards Duthie Hill Road      1.00 300 6% starting near the former Herbfarm
Snohomish Road Race, the hill      0.60 180 6% The Flowing Lake course, climbed once per lap
Madrona, all the way to the top      0.90 260 6% In Seattle, from Lake Washingon Blvd
Cayuse Pass, from the south, last 7.9 miles      7.90 2310 6% At Mount Rainier
Factoria into BCC (Eastgate Way)      1.05 300 5% Where the I-90 bike path arrives
White Pass, first four miles      4.10 1180 5% At Mount Rainier
Hurricane Ridge, from Visitor Center    17.40 4880 5% At Olympic Nat Park, 6.0% in its first 4.4 miles
Old Blewett Pass, from 97, last four miles      4.00 1100 5% From SR97 towards Cle-Elem
Crystal Mtn Cutoff Road      6.10 1540 5% At Mount Rainier
Chinook Pass, last seven miles      7.00 1760 5% At Mount Rainier, just west of LodgePole campground
Washington Pass from the Rainy Pass side      3.90 960 5% North Cascades Highway
Enumclaw Road Race Hill (Mud Mtn Dam)      2.20 540 5% Climbed once per lap, includes false flat
Longbranch Road Race, second hill      0.60 140 5% Climbed once per lap, first half is 5.4%
White Pass, from the 123/12 junction    12.20 2860 4% At Mount Rainier
Cayuse Pass, from Crystal Cutoff      8.20 1860 4% At Mount Rainier
Camas Road Race, entry hill      3.50 820 4% starts .25 miles from parking lot
Sunrise, from Ranger Stn, ending at high point    13.00 2880 4% At Mount Rainier
Mount Vernon Road Race, the significant hill      1.80 300 4% Climbed once per lap
Washington Pass from Mazama    17.50 3200 4% North Cascades Highway
Sunrise, from Crystal Cutoff    20.10 3819 3% At Mount Rainier
Camas Road Race, second hill within lap      3.80 660 3% includes feedzone
Rainy Pass, from the west    18.30 3000 3% North Cascades Highway
Old Blewett Pass, from 97    18.10 2960 3% From SR97 towards Cle-Elem
Blewett Pass, last 17 miles, from the west    14.00 1900 3% From I-90, start at Cle-Elum
Chinook Pass, from 410/12 junction    46.30 4960 2% At Mount Rainier, gets gradually steeper
Camas Road Race (entry hill plus two laps)    45.10 5300   Masters, Cat1-2 and Cat3 each do two laps
Tahuya-Seaback-Tahuya    62.20 3881   All fields race the same distance/course

Sorted by Grade, Elevation Gain, and Length

Climb Name  Miles  Elev
Gain (ft)		 Avg
Grade		 Notes
Camas Road Race (entry hill plus two laps)  45.10 5300   Masters, Cat1-2 and Cat3 each do two laps
Chinook Pass, from 410/12 junction  46.30 4960 2% At Mount Rainier, gets gradually steeper
Hurricane Ridge, from Visitor Center  17.40 4880 5% At Olympic Nat Park, 6.0% in its first 4.4 miles
Tahuya-Seaback-Tahuya  62.20 3881   All fields race the same distance/course
Sunrise, from Crystal Cutoff  20.10 3819 3% At Mount Rainier
Washington Pass from Mazama  17.50 3200 4% North Cascades Highway
Rainy Pass, from the west  18.30 3000 3% North Cascades Highway
Old Blewett Pass, from 97  18.10 2960 3% From SR97 towards Cle-Elem
Sunrise, from Ranger Stn, ending at high point  13.00 2880 4% At Mount Rainier
White Pass, from the 123/12 junction  12.20 2860 4% At Mount Rainier
Cayuse Pass, from the south, last 7.9 miles    7.90 2310 6% At Mount Rainier
Blewett Pass, last 17 miles, from the west  14.00 1900 3% From I-90, start at Cle-Elum
Cayuse Pass, from Crystal Cutoff    8.20 1860 4% At Mount Rainier
Chinook Pass, last seven miles    7.00 1760 5% At Mount Rainier, just west of LodgePole campground
Crystal Mtn Cutoff Road    6.10 1540 5% At Mount Rainier
Washington Pass from Mazama, last five miles    5.00 1540 6% North Cascades Highway
Cougar Mtn, to the top    2.80 1200 8% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah
White Pass, first four miles    4.10 1180 5% At Mount Rainier
Old Blewett Pass, from 97, last four miles    4.00 1100 5% From SR97 towards Cle-Elem
Squak Mountain, from Newport Way    2.80 1000 7% Off Newport Way, in Bellevue-Issaquah