Top 10 mountains you must climb before you die

[Big Ring]

Pic du Midi 24km average 8%.
Climb the Tourmalet then add 5.5km that look like this.

photo from http://www.velopeloton.com/blog.htm

 

[Cobber]

Ama Dablam
Olympus Mons

A long climb... but with the gravity being only 40% that on Earth it should be a bit easier than it looks on paper. Regardless, the view at the top would be pretty amazing!

 

[RigelKent]

About 225k from the escarpment to the caldera. About 8% grade average over the first 150km or so, but only 4% at the top. That's assuming you just do it straight on with no switchbacks.

 

[rgmerk]

yes, but Contador would climb at nearly 60 km/h...

Plugging in some numbers add adding in a few extra kilos for an oxygen tank and space suit, I estimate a world-class climber would be able to climb an 8% slope on Mars at around 60 km/h (37 mph) at full effort. Not only 38% gravity, but there would be practically no aerodynamic drag.

That would still make Olympus Mons a four-hour or so climb. Longer, because they'd be unable to maintain the kind of effort they can do on shorter climbs on Earth for that length of time.

 

[titan_90]

I don't know if I will ride any of these someday, but here is my list in no particular order.

Zoncolan
Alto d'Angliru
Mortirolo
Mt Ventoux
Gavia
Col d'Izoard
Plan de Corones
Scanuppia
Mauna Kea
Alpe d'huez

 

[elapid]

I don't know if I will ride any of these someday, but here is my list in no particular order.

Zoncolan
Alto d'Angliru
Mortirolo
Mt Ventoux
Gavia
Col d'Izoard
Plan de Corones
Scanuppia
Mauna Kea
Alpe d'huez

The YouTube videos of Scanuppia are awesome and scary. The steepest pave road in the world apparently with 7 km at up to 45%! Then there's that crazy Italian dude monoing down the Scanuppia. With Scanuppia and Mauna Kea, you've set yourself up for some very challenging climbs!

 

[titan_90]

The YouTube videos of Scanuppia are awesome and scary. The steepest pave road in the world apparently with 7 km at up to 45%! Then there's that crazy Italian dude monoing down the Scanuppia. With Scanuppia and Mauna Kea, you've set yourself up for some very challenging climbs!

There is definitely some major pain in that list. I don't know if I will ever even attempt the Scanuppia it's just crazy steep. I am considering giving Mauna Kea a shot in the next two - three years though.

 

[Stelvio]

Having climbed more than my fair share of climbs in Europe, these are a few of those I'd like to do:

* Grossglockner
* Zoncolan (from the west, I prefer to descend the "easy" sides)
* Pyrenees, east to west. One advantage over the Alps is that there is pretty much only one pass in that direction, so all the big ones are doable without detours - the Pic du Midi pic looks very nice though. I've only climbed Envalira and Ordino (in Andorra) in the Pyrenees.
* Gavia
* Bonette
* St Gotthard (the old cobble road)

Not really rideable, but interesting:

* Gemmi Pass
* Val d'Uina

One pass I can really recommend, and that haven't been mentioned, is the very narrow, beautiful and hard Colle Valcavera (~2400 m). The real gem is the road leading west from the summit into a valley full of marmots.

 

[Spadmaniac]

Pico Velata in Spain, Stelvio in Italy

 

[gyorgyigabor]

My suggestions + a hardly known epic: Grosser Oscheniksee

Hello !

Grossglockner, Stelvio, Bonette, Alpe d'Huez, Ventoux, Mortirolo, Monte Grappa, Pico Veleta and Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, - Canary islands) should be sure in the TOP 10 and... the following:

Based on the data of salite.ch and climbbybike.com (the 2 most important climbs' profile database) the climb to Grosser Oscheniksee (2394 m) is the hardest or 2nd hardest paved ascents of the Alps, harder than the Monte Zoncolan or Angliru in Spain.

Data: 17 km & 9,8%, but the last 10 kms = 13% steepness, but often 14-15% and max. 18-20% (you can see it in my video )
That's an epic, a monster, a killer, but I loved it. That was a real challenge !

That's my detailed video about it (I edited that this week) - with english subtitles :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C70JluUdLg


two pics about the upper part:

Bst regards,
Gabor

and:

 

[Irondan]

Hello !

Grossglockner, Stelvio, Bonette, Alpe d'Huez, Ventoux, Mortirolo, Monte Grappa, Pico Veleta and Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, - Canary islands) should be sure in the TOP 10 and... the following:

Based on the data of salite.ch and climbbybike.com (the 2 most important climbs' profile database) the climb to Grosser Oscheniksee (2394 m) is the hardest or 2nd hardest paved ascents of the Alps, harder than the Monte Zoncolan or Angliru in Spain.

Data: 17 km & 9,8%, but the last 10 kms = 13% steepness, but often 14-15% and max. 18-20% (you can see it in my video )
That's an epic, a monster, a killer, but I loved it. That was a real challenge !

That's my detailed video about it (I edited that this week) - with english subtitles :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C70JluUdLg


two pics about the upper part:

Bst regards,
Gabor

and:

Wow! I don't think there's anything else to say but Wow!

 

[ray j willings]

France is great and I do enjoy the climbs but early July I am off to Italy for a few weeks in the summer. I have been to the northwest of Scotland for many years and that has some of the toughest riding ever. It just does not let up. Loads of short/medium steep climbs and the odd crazy steep climbs. Not much is flat but the views are stunning. Scotland is easily overlooked but should not be.

 

[42x16ss]

I'm impressed with the lists so far but I'm also a little disappointed that there's no mention of the Madonna del Ghisallo. When climbed from Belaggio this is one of the most stunning rides you can imagine and on a clear day the view down to the valley and Lake Como is breathtaking. As far as I'm concerned you haven't truly ridden until you've ridden in the Lake Como region

I'd also like to add the Fedaia to the list, spectacular scenery from start to finish. For the Australians, I'll also add Falls Creek from Mt Beauty and Mt Wellington. Two of the few climbs Australia has that come close to what Europe has to offer.

 

[leftover pie]

Re:

10. Hotham (in Oz - 31km long, iconic snow gums, final 10km brutal. I know a chap who has ridden hundreds of climbs around the world, and he ranks this among the toughest 5!)

That's a beast, I did it last year as part of 3 peaks, it just doesn't quit.

My suggestion which hasn't been mentioned already:

Superbagneres

A beautiful and tough climb from Bagneres du Luchon up to the Superbagneres ski station.

Lovely winding road through a lush valley, switchbacks (virtually deserted) - what's not to love?

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/143/img0333m.jpg

 

[42x16ss]

Hotham is tough, almost in the same league as Stelvio pass! The whole Falls Creek/Bright region is amazing, there's both sides of Falls Creek, Hotham and Mt Buffalo all within a couple of Hours ride from each other. I was back there over New Years this summer and the amount of pros preparing for Nationals and the TDU was surprising.

I saw David Tanner taking some of the IAM guys around, the entire Drapac squad, Rohan Dennis, a few LottoNL riders most of the Avanti squad and some Lampre riders. If you stay at the ski resort you're at 1600m above sea level and the heat isn't an issue at all.

 

[phil0]

Re:

I have done most of those on the list, but the best one is not there.

Haleakala on Maui. 10,000 feet of fun.

I lived on Oahu for a few years and it was only after I left that it occured to me that I should've hopped over to Maui to ride Haleakala...similarly I lived in WA state and didn't go to ride Mt Baker!

Now I'm in LA and there are NO mountains, so I can't miss out on anything!

Plenty of mountains. Try Big Tijunga and Angeles Crest. Or Mt. Baldy. Or go to San Diego and ride Mt Palomar.

 

[9000ft]

Re:

The dirt road up Cottonwood Pass was actually quite decent other than the torrential rain turning the road into mud and the freezing temperatures. .

Hmm, I wonder if it depend on the time of year? In the summer, there can be a lot of recreational traffic. I would imagine it would be better after it was graded. In any case, nice pass. Did not know that about Grand Mesa's South Side. Quite a climb from Delta I guess ......

Don't go too soon after they've graded it. It will be very soft. Better to go a week or so afterwards when the traffic has had a chance to compact it.

 

[9000ft]

Re:

Ama Dablam
Olympus Mons

A long climb... but with the gravity being only 40% that on Earth it should be a bit easier than it looks on paper. Regardless, the view at the top would be pretty amazing!

With the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere you'd have to get creative with the PEDs.

 

[9000ft]

I haven't done Pikes Peak yet now that it's paved to the top. I haven't done Guenella Pass from Georgetown either. That one would be a beast although there are some flatter recovery sections.

 

[phil0]

Re: Re:

Ama Dablam
Olympus Mons

A long climb... but with the gravity being only 40% that on Earth it should be a bit easier than it looks on paper. Regardless, the view at the top would be pretty amazing!

With the lack of oxygen in the atmosphere you'd have to get creative with the PEDs.

The top is out of the atmosphere.

 

[dolophonic]

Re:

I have done most of those on the list, but the best one is not there.

Haleakala on Maui. 10,000 feet of fun.

I lived on Oahu for a few years and it was only after I left that it occured to me that I should've hopped over to Maui to ride Haleakala...similarly I lived in WA state and didn't go to ride Mt Baker!

Now I'm in LA and there are NO mountains, so I can't miss out on anything!

If you mea Los Angeles .. think again .. try Mt Baldy, GMR, Piauma,Deer Creek just to get you started.