The Toughest Road Climbs in NJ

Panhead said:
Breakneck is pure lunacy, steep plus tight road with cars blasting up. My max going down is 52 mph,mainly because of the tightness and off camber of it. Barrett on the other side of the Waway mtn going into Warwick is about 1000' with about 12-15% grade. If I knew how to load my Garmin info it looks like dropping into a crater, then climbing out the other side
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I've gone up and down barrett as well. That one is nice, and has quite a view.... although on our tandem, our wheel heated up so much that the tire expanded and was rubbing the fork. We have since added a rear disc. I would take that over breakneck any day.
 
Panhead said:
. Barrett on the other side of the Waway mtn going into Warwick is about 1000' with about 12-15% grade. If I knew how to load my Garmin info it looks like dropping into a crater, then climbing out the other side
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Check the picture attached to my post earlier in this thread. It is from my Garmin...but I was going UP it...
 
So here are two mention in this thread from my morning loop, they really don't belong in this thread but it gives people in the Mercer area something to do.

Poor Farm: Going North

Vertical: 164
Distance: 0.28
Grade: 11.2%
Average Speed: 9.5

I may have started this a tad early as the valley you come through is really fast and I it says my top speed was 18.5. I would say my real avg was closer to 7 or 8.

Pleasant Valley Road, the "top"

Vertical: 162
Distance: 0.4
Grade: 7.7%
Average Speed: 10.0

If you climb this from the valley, is at least another half mile longer, but the grade is much less with an almost flat section in between. njbikemap shows it as two different climbs, this is the on at the top.

Bear Tavern Road/B]

Vertical: 114
Distance: 0.33
Grade: 6.6%
Average Speed: 13.3

This one is on my old loop and I rode it this morning, just wanted to see the numbers.

http://connect.garmin.com/splits/10552140
 
stb222 said:
So here are two mention in this thread from my morning loop, they really don't belong in this thread but it gives people in the Mercer area something to do.
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You keep this up and I'm going to start pointing out highway overpasses. 😉

That overpass for the railroad near your office will be first. 😀
 
I was messing around on NJBikemap and noticed how FLAT Middlesex county is. The highest point is near the MCDonalds on Rt. 1 near Sand Hills Road in South Brunswick. The hill on Rt. 1 headed south is probably the biggest climb in Middlesex county..... :hmmm: It makes sense, since thats where the water tower is.

I'm glad I live in the corner of Middlesex, next to Mercer and Somerset.
 
BiknBen said:
You keep this up and I'm going to start pointing out highway overpasses. 😉

That overpass for the railroad near your office will be first. 😀
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i hear you, after I saw the numbers I thought about not even posting it, however, if people are going north to hunterdon, these should be on the list.
 
I was considering this morning what will qualify for the list? I came up with 250 feet, I don't know why. That actually disqualifies Vosseler since it's only 241 but I may make an exception because Fred suggested it. But this would be damn near impossible to manage if we included every hill 100 feet or over.
 
Norm said:
But this would be damn near impossible to manage if we included every hill 100 feet or over.
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OK, whatever, excluded the whole sourland range, which the largest majority of people on this site ride and Ben has mentioned as one of the not-to-miss parts of central jersey. I guess we have to start a new thread.

Edit: Ignore this post as I am just angry I ride little hills. I would delete it but Ben already quoted it.
 
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This morning I put together a ride of The Vreeland Hills. I'm going with a format change.

The Numbers

Warrenville (352 over .58 miles, 11.5%, 6.4 mph)
Vosseler (245 over .54, 8.6%, 8 mph)
Washington Ave (410 over .82 miles, 9.5%, 8.2 mph)
Morning Glory (284 over .94 miles, 5.7%, 10.7 mph)

Washington Ave

This was the best climb of the 4 because of the lack of traffic. The road isn't terribly wide but the lack of cars makes it a non-issue. It's pretty constant, pretty much coming at you early and just staying constant after the turn. You get the bonus of an overlook at the top, though today it was fog. I seem to have had my best climb of the 4 on this one, which may be due to the lack of cars on it.

Warrenville

Toughest of the 4 today, as the numbers show. Road surface is great, but the traffic sucks. You come up off 22 and the cars come by you in waves as the traffic light meters it out. It's nice between cycles but sucks when you're getting buzzed my psycho commuters. The hill starts hard, gives you a small break, then really makes you earn your way to the top.

Morning Glory

I did this because it was there but I knew it wasn't going to be anything amazing. It's a good solid climb but the pavement plus traffic would not lead me to ride this often. I was able to average 10+ on it so it's not really in league with the others.

Vosseler

Surprisingly steep in spots, but short. Road surface sucks, traffic is so-so. But this is a short one that technically doesn't make the cutoff of 250 feet.

The Standings

Warrenville jumps to the top of the list with a nice 11.5% grade, and Washington jumps right below Zellers. Neither with the same total vertical but they're solid hills nonetheless.

  1. Warrenville (352 over .58 miles, 11.5%, 6.4 mph)
  2. Zellers (477 over .9 miles, 10%, 7.2 mph)
  3. Washington Ave (410 over .82 miles, 9.5%, 8.2 mph)
  4. Beacon Hill (272 over .59 miles, 8.7%, 8.8 mph)
  5. Vosseler (245 over .54, 8.6%, 8 mph)
  6. Black River Rd (404 over .91 miles, 8.4%, 8.8 mph)
  7. Schooley's Mountain (517 over 1.4 miles, 7%, 9.5 mph)
  8. Morning Glory (284 over .94 miles, 5.7%, 10.7 mph)
  9. Pembrook aka Jacob's Ladder (380 over 1.23 miles, 5.6%, 9.4 mph)
  10. East Fox Chase (318 over 1.12 miles, 5.3%, 10.1 mph)
  11. Claermont (313 over 1.19 miles, 5%, 10.1 mph)
  12. Campbell-Peachcroft Rd (501 over 2.04 miles, 4.7%, 11.2 mph)
  13. Mount Harmony (393 over 1.83 miles, 4.1% 11.5 mph)
 
stb222 said:
OK, whatever, excluded the whole sourland range, which the largest majority of people on this site ride and Ben has mentioned as one of the not-to-miss parts of central jersey.
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The sourlands has climbing. No Doubt about that. IMO, it just isn't in the realm of this thread. Zion Road is the most difficult and only offers a few minutes of discomfort.

I love the Sourlands for it's rolling terrain, wooded roads, and low traffic.
 
ChrisG said:
I was gonna mention Zellers; if I remember correctly, it has a great switchback which will just about induce a wheelie.:getsome:
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zeller is nasty especially when combined with mid valley road. i'm actually surprised that norm didn't go at it that way.

and, as nasty as those switches are, i think the ones on bottom of drakestown, coming from river road, are worse.
 
bonefishjake said:
zeller is nasty especially when combined with mid valley road. i'm actually surprised that norm didn't go at it that way.
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I did. Actually the harder part was the bottom part which is actually mid valley road I believe? Zellers itself isn't anything special IIRC. I think people call it Zellers because it's a cooler name?
 
oh, maybe. zellers is a cooler name.

but yeah, the bottom is middle valley, the top is zellers. you can get to zellers from the other direction which is what sorta threw me.

but that bottom section is wicked. that mountain alone offers enough ups and downs to make one's legs just fall the hell off.
 
BiknBen said:
You keep this up and I'm going to start pointing out highway overpasses. 😉

That overpass for the railroad near your office will be first. 😀
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I was talking about this with ChrisG this morning. The climbing round here really does not compare to what is north of us. But you can make it add up. They are beautiful roads.

Kev I came out of lambertville this morning down goat hill and up pleasant valley. First time leaving that way. That is a sweet stretch of road.

jimvreeland said:
This is one of my standard hill loops in the area...This was the old "thursday" loop...Even though it's short, it really hurts!!

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3069827

-Jim.
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Jimmy what were the two climbs we would hit after valley road? One was a super steep on at the beginning and the other was steady with a good pitch at the end and that big stone restaurant on the right as you got to the top. Those were some good ones.
 
What about Cherry ln off Hilltop in Medham coming from Bernardsville, its short but one of the steepest...also Bailey Hollow off 202 in Morristown on the Harding side
 
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