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Sunday, March 14 - 9:00 a.m. – FARGO STREET HILL CLIMB (Medium 24, Short 19) Once a year cyclists gather from all over to match their legs and skill against Fargo Street Hill, reputably the steepest hill in Los Angeles. It's only a couple of blocks long, but at over 30% grade, it's quite a feat if you can climb it. Many just want to see if they can make it up the hill at all. Amazingly, others vie to see how many times they can make it up the hill in one day. The record is now at 90. Many will try the hill. Many won’t make it. Come out to cheer them on and maybe give the hill a try yourself. It’s a thrill either way. The club offers a few options to those who wish to ride to the event to either give the hill a try or simply watch others. Two options leave from the “Corner.” Both go directly to Fargo, but the longer returns through downtown to join the traditional post-hillclimb celebration at Philippe's downtown near Olvera St. The shorter route goes straight back. Note: The Foothill Club (www.foothillcycle.org) usually has a slightly longer ride to the Fargo Hill Climb starting from Arcadia Note also: If you wish to drive directly to the hill, a map and directions will appear on the club web site the week of this ride. START: THE "CORNER", Olympic Blvd, 1 block west of La Cienega in Beverly Hills. From the Santa Monica Frwy (10), off & north La Cienega 1½ miles, L - Olympic 1 block to R- Le Doux.
For those driving to Fargo Street, it's located near the south end of the Glendale (2) Freeway at Allesandro Street (Thomas Guide pg. 594 E5).
my frustration is that the wheelmen have promoted this as the steepest street in LA, which it is not, baxter next door is slightly (about a third of a percent) higher grade, although not very noticeable. PLUS it continues with a decline, then an incline, and then another decline, all of about the same steepness and length.
even moreso than the echo park hills, Eldred st. in highland park (it juts off ave. 50 into mount washington) is slightly steeper than both of those, but isn't as widely known. also check out 28th st in san pedro, just to the east of gaffey street. it's not in the same class as the other two, but on part of this road (the very end, maybe the last 25-50 feet of it) it reaches the point of steepest street in the LA metro area., at about 33.8% i believe? all of the mentioned streets have street view
I read a story in the L.A. Times several years ago about the steepest streets in L.A.
That street in San Pedro has the steepest grade of all, according to the story, but it's only that steep for a few feet, as Blueman says.
Eldred is also steeper than Fargo, but again, only for a short stretch.
Fargo gets all the attention because it is 33% for an extended length. Baxter I would guess, is perhaps slightly less steep, but at 33%, whats a half or a quarter of a percent?
Cycling up Fargo is no easy task. I finally did it, after several attempts, on my mt. bike, in the granny gear, with the saddle tilted down AND doing a bit of tracking back and forth near the top. I doubt I could do it on a road bike with 2 chain rings. Lots of guys do, but you have to be super strong.
Feel My Legs, on March 28, will do Fargo, Baxter and Eldred, as well as 7 other monster hills.
Photo attached is a bus we came across on the last Feel My Legs ride. The bus was "beached" on the crest of Baxter near where we were racing, also up Baxter.
This mornng in Angeleno Heights the KABC news van followed us up the hill, thinking we had something to do with this. User "supa" gave him better directions. Did he find you gaise?
PC responding to a comment by Creative Thing
03.14.10 - 5:05 pm
I tried it but failed. Felt like it was getting steeper but of course it wasn't; I was just washing out. Should I try it again I might zig-zag from the start so as to get a better feel for the turns and conserve energy. Oh, um, uh... being in better shape helps too.
So... helmets off to you who can climb Fargo.
OverTheHill responding to a comment by Creative Thing
03.14.10 - 11:59 pm
i was out there and met Leslie and through the ridazz spotlight i know his MR name is creative thing... i saw you complete the hill... i think you went up 2 or 3 times.... man, that was tough... i was out there just to see the event... pretty cool... but ppl had bicycles designed to climb... a couple of road bikes did go up the hill too... oh, I only saw one female on a mtb bike attempting the hill.... she did not get too far up the hill but was not afraid to attempt the hill so she did great.... it was a pretty cool event....
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I read a story in the L.A. Times several years ago about the steepest streets in L.A.
I made it up two times.
LA Times
LA Times