Post on the completion of the 10 toughest climbs in California here is the  list

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Most Difficult Climbs:

1) Onion Valley —               DONE 6/10/10 !!
2) Horseshoe Meadows — DONE 6/10/10!!
3) White Mountain–          DONE as part of Everest Challenge Stage Race
4) Sherman Pass–             DONE 6/24/10!!
5) Whitney Portal —         DONE 6/10/10!!
6) Mount Baldy–               DONE- too many times to mention
7) Shirley Meadows–        DONE 6/24/10!!
8) South Lake–                  DONE as part of Everest Challenge Stage Race
9) Mount Palomar–           DONE 6/06/10!!
10) Mosquito Flat–           DONE 09/02/10!!

Greatest Elevation Gained:

1) Horseshoe Meadows – 6,234 feet– DONE 6/10/10 !!
2) White Mountain – 6,204 feet
3) 190 – 6,199 feet
4) J21/245/180 – 5,750 feet
5) Mosquito Flat – 5,548 feet  DONE 9/-2/10
6) Dantes View – 5,475 feet
7) South Lake – 5,445 feet
Sherman Pass – 5,316 feet– DONE 6/24/10!!
9) Emigrant Pass – 5,309 feet
10) Onion Valley – 5,169 feet DONE 6/10/10!!

Highest Elevation Attained:

1) Mosquito Flat – 10,220 feet- DONE 9/02/10
2) White Mountain – 10,152 feet
3) Horseshoe Meadows – 10,034 feet DONE 6/10/10!!
4) Tioga Pass – 9,945 feet
5) South Lake – 9,852 feet
6) Sonora Pass – 9,624 feet
7) Kaiser Pass – 9,184 feet
Onion Valley – 9,163 feet — DONE 6/10/10!!
9) Lake Sabrina – 9,141 feet
10) Sherman Pass – 9,126 feet– DONE 6/24/10!!

Additionally, here is the list of the 10 toughest climbs in the US.

Below is a list of some of the top cycling climb bike rides that are listed in the bookBest Cycling Climbs In The US. The book lists the 100 toughest USA road bike climbs from 1 to 100.

1. Mt Washington, NH
2. Haleakala, HI
3. Onion Valley, CA
4. Horseshoe Meadows, CA
5. Mt. Equinox, VT
6. White MTN, CA
7. Mt. Baldy, CA
8. Mt Graham, AZ
9. Mt. Lemmon, AZ
10. Palomar Mountain, CA

I hadn’t climbed Mosquito Flat in a while mainly because I didn’t want to make the drive all the way to Bishop, CA. But with Everest Challenge coming at the end of the month, September 25-26, I thought it would be a good idea to climb it.  Mosquito Flat is the highest elevation gained in California and the highest paved road in the Eastern Sierras.

“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′.”

Source

I had a rough day on the bike.  I actually had wanted to climb not just Mosquito Flat but South Lake too.  I was feeling like crap so I called it a day after just Mosquito Flat.  Heck I only got 7,000 feet of gain in 65 miles— man I’m a slacker 😉

EPIC TRAINING TIP OF THE DAY

When you’re not feeling it “out there” then call it a day.  Go home and take of yourself. Have a good meal, get some good rest and maybe even splurge on something– for me that’s ice cream.  Trust me you’re not getting quality training if you’re just turning the pedals around.  And trust me on this one too– you will come back the next day and ride like a rock star!

Above 9,000 feet Elevation this is my favorite section of the 20+ mile climb

The trailhead is just behind me at 10,200 feet!

At 9,000 feet Elevation looking up.

New guardrail going up on Lower Rock Creek Rd

It's a climbers Paradise!

Rock Creek Lake

Trailhead at the end of Mosquito Flat climb