Mount Cranmore

Tucked away behind the Cranmore Ski Resort, this climb is the service road to the top of the mountain (and chair lifts). This is also perhaps the most technical extended climb that you can do in the area.

The road is made of loose dirt sand, stones, and rocks, as well as gradients which average at 8%, but hit extended sections of 23%. So not only will you need the correct gearing and strong legs, but also you'll need to pick the right line and dynamically distribute your weight over the bike well - too much at the front, your rear wheel will slip, too much at the back, and you want get maximum power. This will be straightforward on a low geared MTB, doable on a low-geared CX bike, and for road bikes with low gears and tubeless tyres, something to approach only when it is bone dry.

When you make it to the top, you will be rewarded with lovely views over the valley, a chair lift photo-op, and the return decent, which still takes skill to get down smoothly. Once, as I descended, and passed by a hiker with my bum hanging over my rear wheel, and fingers covering the brakes, I heard them say "That looks terrifying".

That sums up Cranmore!