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Hardest Tech Climb on the Shore

May 15, 2025, 2:11 p.m.
Posts: 40
Joined: April 4, 2022

Was riding Fromme yesterday, and started thinking about what section of climbing trail is the hardest. Not the overall trail, but the hard sections of some climbing routes. My candidates:

  1. Baden Powell Eastbound after Ladies exit - the super steep climb before the beginning of the descending portion. There is a ride around now, but the og tech option is still there.
  2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger - this is actually psychotic. If you can clean this, you are a god and I bow down to you. Can someone tell me if this is even possible?
  3. D'yer Maker - The old skid road of roots on the long west bound section, not using any ride arounds. This one is more a test of endurance, because it is unrelenting and you really need to goose it on some sections.
  4. Warden Climb - basically the whole thing, this one is tough because it is truly unrelenting.
  5. R&R Climb - the switchbacks and techy sections below the skinny. Pretty tough, but actually not too bad once you figure it out.
  6. Salamander - there is one short section after bridle path where you drop down then immediately have to make a turn into a cobbly section. Easy to screw up.
  7. Cabin Trail - Climb to Cambodia from Ned's. This one is tough, it gets pretty steep with some big step up moves.
  8. Boogieman - uphill skinny to steep slope. Not too tough, but you gotta want it to make it.

I would vote #2, but I don't know if that really counts because no-one actually rides that route regularly. My real vote is actually #1, I clean that section pretty rarely. The other ones I usually get, but that one always messes me up.

What are some other ones I missed? Am I just wrong and do I suck, and these are all actually easy and I should just quit?


 Last edited by: Coiler on May 15, 2025, 2:12 p.m., edited 4 times in total.
May 15, 2025, 3:09 p.m.
Posts: 513
Joined: March 14, 2017

Incline

May 15, 2025, 3:21 p.m.
Posts: 1235
Joined: Jan. 2, 2018

That whole section of BP, in either direction, typically reminds me that I suck at bikes. It's just tough. 

The climb from the top of R&R to the top of applicator is a grunt as well, especially if you continue up it non stop from R&R. Yeah, R&R to applicator nonstop, thats tough.

May 15, 2025, 4:46 p.m.
Posts: 441
Joined: Feb. 24, 2017

Posted by: LoamtoHome

Incline

Dangerous Dave posted a IG story recently climbing up Incline. Forget if he cleaned it all.

May 15, 2025, 5:21 p.m.
Posts: 280
Joined: May 13, 2014

Posted by: Coiler

Was riding Fromme yesterday, and started thinking about what section of climbing trail is the hardest. Not the overall trail, but the hard sections of some climbing routes. My candidates:

  1. Baden Powell Eastbound after Ladies exit - the super steep climb before the beginning of the descending portion. There is a ride around now, but the og tech option is still there.
  2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger - this is actually psychotic. If you can clean this, you are a god and I bow down to you. Can someone tell me if this is even possible?
  3. D'yer Maker - The old skid road of roots on the long west bound section, not using any ride arounds. This one is more a test of endurance, because it is unrelenting and you really need to goose it on some sections.
  4. Warden Climb - basically the whole thing, this one is tough because it is truly unrelenting.
  5. R&R Climb - the switchbacks and techy sections below the skinny. Pretty tough, but actually not too bad once you figure it out.
  6. Salamander - there is one short section after bridle path where you drop down then immediately have to make a turn into a cobbly section. Easy to screw up.
  7. Cabin Trail - Climb to Cambodia from Ned's. This one is tough, it gets pretty steep with some big step up moves.
  8. Boogieman - uphill skinny to steep slope. Not too tough, but you gotta want it to make it.

I would vote #2, but I don't know if that really counts because no-one actually rides that route regularly. My real vote is actually #1, I clean that section pretty rarely. The other ones I usually get, but that one always messes me up.

What are some other ones I missed? Am I just wrong and do I suck, and these are all actually easy and I should just quit?

#2 was never a thought.  I have ridden Fromme a very long time and I cannot recall, ever, doing it.  But related:  the original exit of Executioner to Boundary was brutal.  In fact, the uphill climb from Executioner (old exit) to the viewpoint at the St. George's junction was medieval....the whole reason Dreamweaver came into being.  Now the traverse from Executioner to the viewpoint is civilised.  

Not Shore but the climb on Burke westside up to Triple Crown is no easy feat, and it was even harder years ago before the road was groomed; full of baby heads and steep.  I watched 3 guys (in their 60's at the time) climb up it like it was not there.  Impressive.  The Burke climb up the east side is......work.  Really steep in places.  And then came ebikes........

May 16, 2025, 12:51 p.m.
Posts: 5
Joined: Jan. 26, 2024

My first time doing the climb trail at Fromme included westbound from Dempsey to the actual climb trail (ie. where Skid Road meets BP). It was a mistake I haven't repeated lol.

Dyer Maker has lost all technical challenge after all the work Pete's done over the last year. It's very accessible and lovely now (although I do miss the hard sections- like that big rock right after the left switchback).

Warden's Climb would be the hardest climb at Fromme that's a challenge but not impossible to me.

May 16, 2025, 1:55 p.m.
Posts: 24042
Joined: Nov. 23, 2002

Pffft, everyone knows the hardest climb is on Seymour going up the road. It's even harder on an ebike.

I'd give a vote for #2 as well for the hardest tech section, but b/c it's the BP I have qualms about considering that a bike trail. Same for things like Incline, etc. Of course the problem with that is that nobody has built an mtb climb trail to be a complete death march or rip your legs off type of challenge, so all the hardest climbs usually are access road climbs or hiking trails that have become dual purpose. But that's where a vote the pedal from Cypress lake up to the White Rock on the Other North Shore is worth a mention. After already climbing up to Massage continuing on that climb is a whole other level of fun.

For max value if you want the hardest full climb I would suggest starting in the parking lot on Runnel Drive for Eagle Ridge park and then pedal up the Coquitlam Crunch and on up to the White Rock. On the Shore either the pedal up the Moose on Cypress or do the Powerlines from the East side of Seymour and then Mushroom up to Incline.


 Last edited by: syncro on May 19, 2025, 8:41 a.m., edited 1 time in total.
May 16, 2025, 3:20 p.m.
Posts: 1289
Joined: March 15, 2013

What is the White Rock at the top of the Coq Crunch?

May 17, 2025, 12:16 p.m.
Posts: 1130
Joined: April 26, 2004

^ clearing between Lungbuster and Full Pull or Massage Therapy?


 Last edited by: taprider on May 17, 2025, 12:25 p.m., edited 1 time in total.
May 17, 2025, 12:27 p.m.
Posts: 1130
Joined: April 26, 2004

2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger was do-able 10 years ago, but the trail was in better shape and I was a lot younger

May 18, 2025, 4:03 p.m.
Posts: 12
Joined: May 14, 2025

Posted by: taprider

2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger was do-able 10 years ago, but the trail was in better shape and I was a lot younger

How much younger ?

May 18, 2025, 5:51 p.m.
Posts: 153
Joined: Oct. 7, 2020

#2, I wouldn't even consider a doable climb. Not by me anyway.

#1 is my favourite, I've cleaned It but very rarely so that's the biggest win. I feel like I have a winning line, but the stars have to line up. 

Salamander and R&R are more manageable but still a win. Recent work on R&R made the first turn easier. 

Warden not technically as challenging, but it's the sustained effort. 

D'Yer not really much of a technical climb these days, it's just the end of a long run.

Cabin I feel like if I had enough gas it's ok. 

Boogieman... that's a tough one but feel it's more grunt/gear than line choice. 

So I vote for the BP climb, as it's a good combo of needing the power and also needing to be precise. And it's kind of a two-part, I've made the middle then fluffed the top enough. Also probably tried it more than all the others combined, as it's just part of the exit.

May 19, 2025, 7:10 a.m.
Posts: 2782
Joined: April 2, 2005

Posted by: chaddykman96

Posted by: taprider

2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger was do-able 10 years ago, but the trail was in better shape and I was a lot younger

How much younger ?

10 years? you do know math, yes?

May 19, 2025, 8:34 a.m.
Posts: 1130
Joined: April 26, 2004

Posted by: Sethimus

Posted by: chaddykman96

Posted by: taprider

2. Baden Powell westbound from Dempsey to Digger was do-able 10 years ago, but the trail was in better shape and I was a lot younger

How much younger ?

10 years? you do know math, yes?

It's hard math though.

Aging gets more exponential as you get older

May 19, 2025, 8:41 a.m.
Posts: 24042
Joined: Nov. 23, 2002

Posted by: thaaad

What is the White Rock at the top of the Coq Crunch?

The White Rock is a great viewpoint up past Cypress Lake. You can just about everything from Baker to DT Van. It's a  bit of a poach tho depending on how you descend, but if you do the climb from the parking lot on Runnel Dr it's a full 900m of sustained climbing with no necessary interruptions unless you can't clean it. On the road up past Cypress Lake there are a few spots that are pretty difficult, but probably more due to the sustained effort than for high technical difficulty. In the summer time it can make for a great foray as you can come back down to Cypress Lake and cool off with a swim before heading down Full Pull.

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