The Climb To Horseshoe Meadows

[MarinRider]

To prepare for the upcoming trip to TDF in support of Lance, I am planning my own high altitude training trip in June.

One climb near Lone Pine, California caught my eyes. Right there on the road to Mount Whitney, a road forks away and climbs to Horseshoe Meadows at 10,500 feet. Using topo software this road traverses a bit over 20 miles and climbs over 6600 feet. It averages over 12%. If the numbers are right, this climb is basically Mount Washington X 3. It is also much longer and steeper than the climbs they use at the Giro or the Tour which I find hard to believe.

The only account of this climb I found came from a friend who is a rock climber who has a friend who drove it few years ago. "Barely made it in a 4 cylinder Toyota. 1st gear for 3 hours." Hmmm...

Has anyone done this climb? Any first hand experiences would be greatly appreciated...

[EdK]

They used to run the second half of a two day stage race up that road. The last time I did it (early 90s) I think I used a 39X27 and still had to paper boy in spots.

Here are some better road choices in the same general area that races are currently being run on.

http://www.everestchallenge.com/dvrsr.htm

Keep in mind the climbs in Europe are long and some times very steep but they start and end much lower than similar alpine climbs in the US.

[MarinRider]

Ed,

Thanks for the info. I did Sand Dunes to Sierras Stage few weeks ago and that was what peaked my interests in the area. It is a truely amazing area. I want to spend another weekend there in June and explore other climbs and Horseshoe looks the most "epic" of them all.

I might try to ride Whitney and Horseshoe on the same day. It's about 60 miles and 12,000 feet! Crazy stuff... No race pace for this ride, just steady endurance pace.

[MadRocketSci]

MarinRider,

That's quite a "training" ride. Alls I was planning to do was the Sequoia Century (200K ride) this sunday and the Comstock Lode Century June 26th. I'll be at the TdF Alpes portion, then going to Paris for the finish (and staying a two days afterward). Are you going to be in Paris? Anyone going to the finish want to split a 2-star hotel near Gare du Nord?

Menlo (Park) Beno

[jeffg]

MarinRider,

That's quite a "training" ride. Alls I was planning to do was the Sequoia Century (200K ride) this sunday and the Comstock Lode Century June 26th. I'll be at the TdF Alpes portion, then going to Paris for the finish (and staying a two days afterward). Are you going to be in Paris? Anyone going to the finish want to split a 2-star hotel near Gare du Nord?

Menlo (Park) Beno

Mad --

Hey, how about the Terrible Two on June 19th? You know you want to! Also, you can get 12,000 feet in covering about 80-90 miles in your neck of the woods!

Marin --

What are you worried about? Didn't you say you did the Mortirolo with a 39X28? With all the climbing you do generally, you should be in great shape, no? True, alpine climbs are often of a different magnitude than the ones we normally ride due to length, but I would guess you will have no problems. Don't overtrain before heading out to Europe!

[MadRocketSci]

baby steps man! i just did my first century (Grizzly Peak) a month ago! :beer:

death ride, terrible two, next year...

[MarinRider]

I think I have enough fitness to do Whitney and Horseshoe, and wanted to make sure that the roads are rideable. These climbs in the eastern Sierras are something completely different from the rides we get in the Bay Area: they are high, long, and steep. For example, Lone Pine sits at 3800 feet of altitude (much higher than top of Tam) and Horseshoe ends at 10,500 feet. That is a lot of altitude gained quickly. When I did the stage race two weeks ago I had crazy headachs on both days. It is also really dry so the entire experience was not very pleasant. Plus it looks like I'll be riding these all by myself (my riding buddies are chickens...) hence the reservation.

The scenery from top of these climbs, however, is worth every once of effort.

Rocket Scientist, I plan to do the Sequoia Century on Sunday as well. Look for me on a Halequim HC. I plan to do the 200K route.

I will be in the Pyrenees for this year's TDF. I was in the Alps last year. I am convinced that France is God's gift to cyclists...

I might end up doing the TT as well. However, Pascadero Road Race is the following weekend and that's like a home race for me. Doing TT the week prior pretty much is throwing the race away. But hey, there are many other races in August...

[MadRocketSci]

Cool...I'll be on a red-yellow fade Atlanta...riding near (or in front of) me should be my buddy (the lurker arsegas) on his 30 lb flourescent green diamondback (aka the green monster).

[SteveE]

Hey Mad & Marin,

I'll be doing the 100 miler myself. I'm doing it unsupported and going with a couple of riding partners that have signed up for the event. (I missed the May 23rd registration date and didn't want to pay the extra $10!) I figure I can find enough food and water along the way. I'm planning on meeting up with them at the corner of Foothill/Stevens Canyon & McClellan Rd around 7:30. I'll be on a Legend Ti (Big Boy Blue, half paint/half polish, yellow decals).

SteveE

[MadRocketSci]

See you guys out there...and if you go blowin past me on redwood gulch, just remember, it's gotta be the extra 3 pounds of steel i'm carryin'....yeah, that's it :D