Starting in Maricopa, the climb on Highway 33 takes you on a long, remote, and demanding journey from the arid Cuyama Valley floor high into the rugged Los Padres National Forest. You'll ascend steadily through starkly beautiful, changing landscapes – from desert scrub and oil fields, through chaparral-covered slopes, eventually reaching cooler pine forests near the 5,100ft Pine Mountain Summit – this climb is approximately 19-20 miles, gaining a substantial 4,500ft. Be prepared for a relentless grind; the average is around 4.5% with potential ramps over 10%.