Favorite Lungbusters

[pshloss]

Gurp's successful summit of Potato Mountain got me to ponder my favorite lungbusters. I'm defining a lungbuster as a challenging climb of 1-30 minutes. I picked Meadow as my favorite because it was something I couldn't do the first few times I tried it and it's still always pretty challenging due to some of the steep switchbacks and the relentless pitch toward the top.

I'm sure I'm leaving out a lot of good ones. Never tried Dreaded Hill at Whiting... I love climbing Rock-It at Aliso, but I tried to stick with one per park.

Post yours and I'll go give it try. Try not to be too cruel. Pure hike-a-bike isn't really fun.

5. 3 Bs (Santiago Oaks)
4. San Juan Hill ST (Chino Hills)
3. Big Red+Ridge to Left (Peter's Cyn)
2. Potato Mountain (Claremont Wilderness)
1. Meadow Trail (Aliso Wood)

[dstepper]

Stuff that is local: Canyon Acres, Laguna Beach..not trying that one again for awhile and that climb up from the tennis courts in Laguna Beach to T & A (Laguna Wilderness Park).

End of Dartmore St. behind my house that access Laguna Wilderness Park.

My toughest climbs to date are Spruce Mountain in Prescott, AZ. and Tahoe Rim Trail between The Flume and Marlette Lake Overlook.

[Padre]

I'd say Mathis at Aliso gives Meadows a solid run-for-the-money.

I have not confirmed this w/ my own GPS yet...but rumor has it, from canyon floor to top-o-world via mathis is about 1,800' of gain in about 2 miles or so. OUCH

Pretty sure Meadows is not as long...but those switchbacks are gnarly! I have yet to possess the lungs to clean it on my singlespeed...the SS does make it easier to clean the switchers though...

Perhaps a 2nd class of lung buster is neccessary.

San Juan, for example, is a LOOOOOONG one where Meadows is very short.


My short short division...Dripping Cave at Aliso is a killer as is the bottom of Matthis along with the first couple hundred yards after cocktail roack heading east.

In the medium division, Meadows along with the 3 B*itches at the Oaks.

In the long division...SJT for sure.

In the no way division....going UP Zips aka Goat at the Oaks along with Rock It at Aliso (assuming of course you ascend the rock and not the dirt)

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

I'd have to say for it would be Sunset Ridge. it's basically going up the 10 mile downhill that is done on the Turkey Ride. this is a real grinder, ~4800 in 10 miles (up to the antennas) is killer along with the fact that there is absolutely no shade on this climb.

I'll be incorporating this climb into a ride i'm planning soon where it will be a 33 mile loop starting @ Oak Mesa Park (Marshall Canyon start point) then immediately do this climb to Sunset Peak (~6500 ft. ASL) then down to Mount Baldy Village onto Evey Canyon then up to Potato Mountain (~3600 ft. ASL) then down onto Marshall Canyon to the Start point. this one will definitlely be a leg/lung burner of a ride along with some extremely fast downhill speeds (on Mount Baldy Rd. as a reward) and of course all the fun stuff in Marshall. more on this later

[royta]

Bedford Motorway has some real steep sections in the 6 miles between the highway and Main Divide.

[gurp13]

Look at me, I'm inspirational!

Obviously, I haven't seen a lot of places, but I do think Potato Mtn. is a real leg burner. I used to think that Northridge at Chino Hills/Carbon Canyon was a buster, too, but now I think it's child's play, probably. Haven't ridden it in a while. The 3 B's was tough, made me walk.

EMB, that ride up Sunset sounds fun, but tough. What's the time frame? Do I have enough time to get up for it?

Almost every trail I ride has a section or two that really bust my lungs. I'd have to say the 3 Biotches at Oaks top my list, actually, just the first two, I can't clean those, but I can do the 3rd one no problem.

Like Padre said, that short but steep climb on Dripping Cave also gets the lungs burning, same with the first 1/4 mile or so of Willow in LCWP. Oh yeah, that short little burst that takes you out from the bottom of the Luge is a goodie too.

[Pain Freak]

I'm with EMB too. I've done the climb up to and along Sunset a few times and this one has always worn me out. Great training ride. I haven't thrown in the next climb up Potato, but I'm real interested in this "epic". I did ride to the antennas once on my ss, but I doubt I could do it now.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I did ride to the antennas once on my ss, but I doubt I could do it now.

Let me know I am into trying it. I have been in Marshall once on the SS and rode up to a fire road called Miller Johnson. The ride was OK but nothing to go back to...maybe someone can change my mind about the area.

[FoShizzle]

perhaps THE worst lung buster for me is one i have done about 4 times now....

it is called the black bitch in sycamore canyon out in ventura county. not very long at all and asphalt.......but probably the worst 12 minutish climb i do on a somewhat regular basis. the climb is only hard cause i take my kids and pull two of them with my dual tandem-trail-a-bike and they cannot pedal cause it will throw me off immediately with any weight shift....it is super fun for them and me. so with the trail-a-bike and my 2 youngest kids it adds another 150 lbs with awful leverage going against me........passing beginners uphill walking their bikes; priceless.

[jinks]

It's not my favorite, because it's so damn painful. Poles in El Morro. It looks short on paper, but it sure doesn't feel like it. Anyone ever try climbing that? I've only climbed it successfully once with no stops 2 years ago. I probably couldn't even climb a tenth of it today.

FoShizzle, I probably couldn't drag my two kids up a 1% grade on dirt! I've never tried taking them on any trails with me. I'll have to trail-a-bike one of 'em one day.

[tkblazer]

hey fo, what size x5 is that?

[FoShizzle]

Originally Posted by tkblazer

hey fo, what size x5 is that?

it is a large. that pic is from middle last year and was the only one i had with the tandem trailabike....bikes looks different now but still a large of course....

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

Originally Posted by gurp13

EMB, that ride up Sunset sounds fun, but tough. What's the time frame? Do I have enough time to get up for it?

The Sunset Ridge climb is really killer, Amigo. Fastest time: I climbed it in 2:45 and actually waited an hour for the rest of the group (but i was in killer shape back then). this is a no mercy 4 hour climb, easily. i wouldn't recommend it for you, just yet .

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I'm with EMB too. I've done the climb up to and along Sunset a few times and this one has always worn me out. Great training ride. I haven't thrown in the next climb up Potato, but I'm real interested in this "epic". I did ride to the antennas once on my ss, but I doubt I could do it now.

i'll get the details on it soon, PF.

I want to get this epic ride under my belt before it gets too hot. i'm also thinking of doing a 5-6 am start on it so the whole climb can be nice and cool.

Let me know what you think.

***** I'd also like to hear from anyone interested in doing a killer climbing day? don't worry there will be plenty of fun DH action

[royta]

yes, interested.

[mtnbikej]

Originally Posted by Padre

In the no way division....going UP Zips aka Goat at the Oaks along with Rock It at Aliso (assuming of course you ascend the rock and not the dirt)

Riding up Zips backwards is, well......really hard.

Rock It......is there any other way to climb it than on the rocks?

mtnbikej

[pshloss]

Originally Posted by Padre

My short short division...Dripping Cave at Aliso is a killer as is the bottom of Matthis along with the first couple hundred yards after cocktail roack heading east.

This steep climb on the Fullerton Loop (when done backwards) is my favorite short-short, because it is where I hit my all-time high heart rate one day when it was muddy. Always tough. On the long climbs, I definitely like the climbable singletracks like SJT, Holy Jim. Mt Pinos is really fun to climb, too. The singletrack can make it more interesting and take your mind off the pain.

[gurp13]

Originally Posted by Epic_Mtn_Biker

The Sunset Ridge climb is really killer, Amigo. Fastest time: I climbed it in 2:45 and actually waited an hour for the rest of the group (but i was in killer shape back then). this is a no mercy 4 hour climb, easily. i wouldn't recommend it for you, just yet .

Maaan, I never get to have any fun.

:kicks dirt:

Well, you guys have fun. Take lots of pictures.

:mutter mutter:

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

Originally Posted by gurp13

Maaan, I never get to have any fun.

:kicks dirt:

Well, you guys have fun. Take lots of pictures.

:mutter mutter:

I have some smaller killer climbs for you in Turnbull Canyon for you to practice on .

Climbing: Manly Man, the NIKE Climb, 3 Bitches, the 7th Street Loop & the long fire road climb from Worsham Canyon all in one day and then i'll say you can handle Sunset Ridge this is a crap load of climbing

[gurp13]

Originally Posted by Epic_Mtn_Biker

I have some smaller killer climbs for you in Turnbull Canyon for you to practice on .

Climbing: Manly Man, the NIKE Climb, 3 Bitches, the 7th Street Loop & the long fire road climb from Worsham Canyon all in one day and then i'll say you can handle Sunset Ridge this is a crap load of climbing

Okay okay, you got me. I'll put on my tick repellant and we'll go. Bring mtbracer36 and Landshark, too. Dirttorpedo can come along and bring his pet, George who might find a girlfriend.

I think I can, I think I can.

I tried 3 Bitches, that sucked. I don't remember Manly Man, but I think we went up that. What was that one with all the rocks that you cleaned and I walked? It was all wooded and you said you usually don't clear it, I think. You remember? I don't think we did the Nike climb but we did do the 7th Street loop, didn't we? Anyway, I'd like to try. I'm in better shape now than then.

But, hey, don't talk to me when I'm climbing. I'm concentrating!