Portland area 7-10% grade long hills?

[LauraInPDX]

Or hills that we can do repeats.

Hubby and I have decided to go to Italy in June to celebrate our 5th anniversary, and we're going to do a 3 day, 110 mile ride through the hills of Tuscany. I know that the hills we'll be doing are generally a 7-10% grade and long, but that's about all I've gotten since the gal who owns the company was communicating to me in broken English and my Italian is...oh, who am I kidding, it's non existent!

Anyway, we're trying to train the hills. Distance won't be a problem, but the climbs will be so we need to do some hills of the same caliber. Any ideas?

[DarcyInOregon]

Try these routes. There might be some grades steeper, but a lot fall into the range you mentioned.

About 1800 feet of climbing, and 69 miles,

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/59237

Or the KILLER CLIMB of 2600 feet and 68 miles, except I haven't ridden it yet with my Garmin. I am positive the ascent feet is under reported by at least half. I should mention that Routeslip under reports all of the ascents by quite a bit according to my Garmin.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/56775

Or bike out to Silver Creek Falls. I haven't tested the route yet, but lots of climbs around Silver Creek Falls if you look at the elevation profile.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/57999

Just click on my id on any of these routes and it will show you all of the routes I've put into the system. I've tested most of the routes, but not all of them.

Darcy

[Midget]

If you are looking for something in town, don't forget about the West Hills and Council Crest.

[Xrayted]

Try Scholls Ferry Road from Beaverton Hillsdale, up over the mountain towards Rt 26. That's a &!#@%!!! It's dangerous though in some places because you lose the bike lane here and there and there are some wild curves. There are some killer ones coming up the hill from the waterfront towards OHSU hospital, but they are much steeper. There is a great one at the hospital at the Casey Eye Institute (Campus Drive off of Terwilliger) that is safe to do repeats on the weekends. Very little traffic and if you fall over, you're near the ER. I ride that one all the time coming in from Beaverton. Lots of fun. Terwilliger between Capital and the hospital is great because it's a park-like setting, nice bike lanes, challenging rolling hills and some that will make you almost puke up a lung. I highly recommend it.

[Dianyla]

If you are looking for something in town, don't forget about the West Hills and Council Crest.

Seconding this, this is the best place to find grades higher than 6%. One way to go up to Council Crest is to take SW Broadway Dr right out of downtown and head up the hill until it becomes SW Patton. Take a left on SW Talbot and ride to the top of Council Crest. You can also approach Council Crest from Scholls via Patton or Shattuck.

For really steep grades, there aren't many that are more than a mile or so given our terrain. There's always the climb up to Mt. Hood via the Barlow Pass Rd, that's a long steep ***** of a climb.

[boy in a kilt]

If you live around the Oregon City area, there are hills aplenty.

Riding outside of town, take Redland road out to Henrici (first left past the light in redland). Get that far and you've done a decent one already. Hang a right on Henrici and ride all the way to beavercreek road.

From there, you can head down into town and across the bridge into west linn. If you head toward willamette district, go under 405, then hang a right and climb that monster (can't remember the name and I used to work on a tree farm up there...). Eventually, it'll take you back into west linn but I can't remember how.

Or, take Redland Road all the way to hell and gone out to estacada. If you come back through barton, it's a nice reprieve.

If you just want to do repeats. Linn Ave in Oregon City is longish. Ditto South End Road. In fact, you can do those two as a long circuit.

Also, Theissen road in milwaukie is a 12% grade for about a half mile. A good circuit could be start at the corner of webster and theissen, head down thiessen toward oatfield. Left on Oatfield to Strawberry. Left on strawberry and go up for a while.

[Midget]

I've never actually gone up Broadway Dr. to get to Council Crest. I always go up either Campus Dr. or Veteran's Hosp. Rd...and make my way up that way. Then ZOOM back down Broadway Dr. into downtown.

I've also had some nice rides in Washington Park...

Also, don't forget Mt. Tabor, and of course, Rocky Butte!

I've fell in love with hills over the summer! All these posts make me want to go for a ride right now! I haven't had a grueling ride this week...only a short commute to school.

I've never gone down Terwiliger further than the entrance to Veteran's Hospital, so maybe I should go explore down there further...never been out as far as Capital Hwy. Thanks for the new ideas, folks! I'll probably get lost the first few rides, but that's alright. Especially on the Shools Ferry to 26 thing...