Climb to Kaiser

Riders will leave the Wildcat Rest Stop, descending 4 miles before turning left and onto Watts Valley Rd., continuing up Burroughs Valley to the Sierra School rest stop, where participants will start a 7-mile climb up the Old Tollhouse Grade. The last ½ mile from the water stop to HWY 168 is very steep. C2K riders will turn right onto the highway and continue climbing along Pine Ridge to the Shaver Lake rest stop.

Riders are advised to exit the Shaver Lake rest stop from the upper parking lot, giving them a better view of traffic in both directions. Participants travel along Shaver Lake, turn left at the end, and a have short 1 mile climb up to to the Big Creek descent.

Big Creek is possibly the toughest ride on this climb, with about 2000’ in elevation within about 3.5 miles. Once you’re at the dam, most of the hard climbing is over, and you can enjoy lunch by the lake, rest a bit, and then continue around Huntington Lake to Kaiser Pass Road.

Turn left and begin the 7 mile climb to your ultimate destination, Kaiser Pass. This section has a gentle incline until the last two miles past the snow gate. Riders will turn around once they reach Kaiser Pass and descend down the 7 miles they just climbed.

After a 7 mile descent down from Kaiser Pass, turn left on Hwy. 168 for 3 short climbs along Tamarack Ridge. After that there is a 7 mile descent to Shaver Lake. After a short rest at Shaver Lake, hop back on the bike to enjoy more downhill as you descend the route you climbed in the morning. Make the right at the top of the 4 lane highway onto Auberry Road.

After some gentle hills along Auberry Rd., descend through scenic forests before making the long descent into Auberry. Continue on Auberry Rd., through the foothill town of Auberry, head to the Millerton Store before continuing to Clovis.

There will be popsicles and cold towels for riders at the Millerton Store Rest Stop. After this there will be some more small hills but the path to the finish is mostly downhill. Riders need to stay in the bike lane along Auberry Rd. Follow the signs and arrows for a fast trip back to Alta Sierra Middle School.

Riders in the Tollhouse Century will follow the same route as the Climb to Kaiser, however at the Shaver Lake rest stop the Tollhouse Century turns around and follows the course to the finish instead of continuing on to Kaiser Creek.