Description: Just start at the parking lot and head east.
Comments: A little warm up is a smart idea before hitting the mountain. This is a challenging ride with steep grades and a narrow shoulder. Average grade is about 7.8%. Be sure to have warmer clothing available for the (fast) trip down if it's going to cool down.
Distance:
14.70 miles (one way)
GPS track log: Here (right click and select "Save Target As")
Total Elevation Gain: 4584 feet
Elevation Profile:
Interactive route map: (colors indicate relative elevation):
User Ratings
This monster of a ride is a must for anyone looking for a challenge in Salt Lake. Steep grades and breathtaking views come together for this outstanding ride.
Posted Sep. 24, 2006 by Joe
Beautiful ride! Beware of colder temperatures in the late afternoon.
Posted Sep. 26, 2006 by spinprincess96
The best reward for going uphill is flying downhill. If you do not have to contend with traffic, you come descend all the way and only brake twice: For the s-curve and as you descend the Storm Mountain and turn to cross the bridge over the creek and curve around the old Utah Power station. This is a great ride.
Posted Sep. 27, 2006 by Lovetoskipowder
My favorite climb in the Salt Lake/Provo area. Around the mid-way point, the angle is mellow enough for you to spin and take in the scenery. They did a very nice job with the shoulder.
For full value, take the sharp left a little bit before Brighton. This is Guardsman's Pass. You will do more climbing with spectacular views. You'll come around a switchback where the mountain bikers park for the Wasatch Crest trail. For the following 100-200 yards, you will climb a 15 percent grade at just below 10,000 feet.
Posted Sep. 30, 2006 by 514Climber
A demanding ride for anyone over 40, but incredibly rewarding. Because the grade is modest in the middle and also toward the top, you can appreciate the stunning scenery. Today (9/23/07), the aspen were pure gold. The descent is nowhere near as fast as in Little Cottonwood Canyon, but the rock walls encroaching the road liven up the ride down. It took 82 minutes up to the store in Brighton, and 25 down to the parking lot, fighting wicked winds.
Posted Sep. 21, 2007 by Todd
A great ride! Just one steep pitch near Storm Mountain, otherwise pretty manageable. And the trip back down is just superb; lots of scenery, little braking and good speed. A classic.
Posted Jun. 13, 2007 by kbg
A good challenging ride. You hear that the pitch around Storm Mountain is the worse part of the ride, but I thought it was manageable. Actually, the climb between Silver Fork Lodge and Brighton was the most difficult part of the ride for me, probably because I was somewhat tired by that point. Beautiful ride, but I wish the shoulders were a bit wider in spots. Weekday mornings offer reduced traffic, which adds to the ride quality.
Posted Jun. 22, 2007 by TrekGuy
Great ride! I try to get up there at least once a week. Climb is challenging but very doable. After switch back all seems pretty moderate to me and scenery is fantastic!
Posted Jun. 11, 2008 by Tk
I like your web site. I am confused about the average grade in Big Cottonwood. I have seen several other ratings that are different. For example, A Falcon Guide to Biking Salt Lake City (2007) gives an elevation gain of 3850. One way trip is 14.7. % grade is 3850/(14.7*5280). This gives an average grade of 4.96%. Even if your elevation gain of 4584 is correct, the % grade would be 5.9%, not 7.8. It is a great ride.
Posted Oct. 09, 2008 by bruce riggs
Just rode it today (7/25/09)! Great ride up, enough flat spots for some relief riding. The S curves were great fun on the descent. Be very aware on the descent if you like to go fast... scattered golf ball/baseball sized rocks on the shoulder pose a threat.
Posted Jul. 25, 2009 by kc4new
Beautiful ride. Has been a long time since I have ridden it, decided to do it again, and was very pleased. Take sufficient water to stay hydrated....especially in the summer months. If you need extra water at the top, Silver Lake visitors center next to the market place has a drinking fountain in front by the restrooms. I have never been so excited to see water in my life.
Posted Jul. 26, 2009 by Elav
What a great ride! I was a bit hesitant after reading the Falcon Guide as I'm not the best climber. However, after I drove the road first, I didn't see anything I couldn't handle (BTW, I'm 50). I rode the canyon on 8/29/09 and thought it was just spectacular! Now, I did stop quite a bit to take pictures as I'm from Maryland and this isn't our normal scenery. But, like I said, none of the climbs were overly difficult and I did appreciate the reprieve in the middle. Like TrekGuy said, the most difficult is from Silver Lake Lodge to Brighton (mile posts 13-16 approx) and I had to stand for the very last part as I came into Brighton. But, I was also a bit tired then too. The shoulder going up is good for the most part and I hope they continue to improve that. There isn't much of a shoulder on the way down but you're going nearly as fast as traffic in many spots. You do have to watch for rock debris on the way down and trying to not swerve into traffic coming up behind you. Recommend a mirror. Also, like TrekGuy said, weekdays are probably better. Since I rode this on a Saturday, there were a good number of folks hiking, fishing, ATVing, and biking with a good number of cars on the road and also parked along side. So, I had to be aware of that. With stopping, took me about 2 hours up and 26 min down. BTW, at the top there's also a Cafe/Store which I used to get sports drink and a great oatmeal cookie! The descent with the canyon winds made it quite manageable though I did have to pedal in that middle part. Handled the S curves just fine as well as the sharp left before the Stair power station(?). Now, you can park at the Park and Ride at the bottom but be aware that this does get crowded on nice weekends. Also, since you're near Wasatch Blvd, you could combine this with a ride on Wasatch. Hopefully, I'll be able to come back when the Aspens are changing color. But, I'd definitely bring arm/leg warmers if I come then as even when I went, there was a 15-20 degree temp drop from the Park and Ride to Brighton. Probably gets down to 40s or 50s in the Fall. Definitely a ride not to be missed!
Posted Sep. 02, 2009 by SBRDave
