Featured Hill climbs – Page 5 – North East Cycling

Mount Kearsarge NH and Mansfield Hill Climb VT

Mount Kearsarge

The Mount Kearsarge Hill Climb is a very scenic 8-mile track that climbs up to the summit parking lot of Mount Kearsarge in Warner, New Hampshire. The climb includes a 3.5-mile section toward the end with an almost 9% average grade and a gain of almost 1,740 ft.

The first section of the Mount Kearsarge Hill Climb is 4.5 miles long and includes some level, uphill, and downhill sections that allow for some deep breathing. The ride also includes a 1-mile section with a 12%-plus gradient.

The Mount Kearsarge Hill Climb is actually the only U.S. hill climb that provides free coffee for all bicycle riders, provided by Schoodac’s Coffee House of Warner; mid-climb Men’s and Women’s prizes that value at $100; Cycling Mallorca prize vouchers and more valuable prizes for all category winners; and a hearty and healthy chili lunch after the race.

On race day, registration & number pick-up open at 7:30 am, and the road to the summit parking closes at 9:15 am. The Mount Kearsarge Hill Climb starts at 9:30 am. No vehicles or riders are permitted on the course track until all riders have finished. Helmets for the participants are mandatory.

Mt Washington Bicycle Hill Climb

Mount Washington NH, is the biggest climb in the Northeastern United States and often dubbed the toughest hill climb in North America or even the world. I wouldn’t challenge the idea that this is the toughest hill climb in the Northern Hemisphere. Additionally, foul weather is often taking on a big role in this hill climb.

The Mount Washington Bicycle Hillclimb is regarded as the grand-daddy of all hill climbs in the northeastern portions of America and careers were launched for winners on this impressive mountain. In 1997, for example, Tyler Hamilton broke an almost 20-year-old record here and in 1999, he again broke his own record. In 2002, we witnessed a new kid on the block named Tom Danielson, who brought Hamilton’s record down by one more minute.

The track is mostly paved and it rises more than 4720 feet in just over 7.5 miles which translates to a nearly 12% average grade. At the top, there’s even a 22% grade section! The Mount Washington climb is rising pretty monotonically and on the way up, there are no flat or downhill parts that allow for catching your breath.

Cycling Hill Climbs-New England and New York

Welcome to North East Cycling Climb Central. Here you will find detailed information about road cycling hill climbs located throughout the New England states and northeastern New York State. Most of these climbs offer paved surfaces, and gravel sections on a few of the climbs usually do not pose problems for road bikes.

Profiles of the climbs are given, as well as detailed descriptions of surface quality, climbing/descending difficulty, and other bits of info, such as views, race records, etc. All types of climbs are represented here, including mountain summit, gap/notch/pass, long and gradual, short and steep, big and small vertical gain climbs.

I continue to add content to this site. Many NE hillclimbers have sent suggestions for additional content, and many of these suggestions have been recently added to the site. If you have a favorite climb you would like to see added or other comments, please send me an email through the contact link above.

So why are hillclimbers so passionate about climbing? When I first began cycling, I suffered unspeakable pain climbing the modest hills of West Michigan. But I kept going back. My first exposure to climbing was on the main slope of the Cannonsburg ski area.