Post Ironman Sara, Logan and I drove up Whiteface Mountain. For those that don't know, the paved road leading to the summit is 13km long with an average gradient of 7.9%. Cyclists who have ridden this road and Alpe D'Huez say they are similar in profile except that the Alpe has 21 switchbacks! I rode Whiteface last year and it took me 1 hour and 5 minutes to make the summit. The temperature at the bottom when I started was 21C and a 5C when I reached the summit and covered in cloud. Since Whiteface tops out at 4863 feet I couldn't imagine some of the Tour de France climbs which regularly cover at least 3000 more feet during their mountain stages!
Even though my quads were sore from the race Logan said he was "training" me. He wanted to "test my ability to cope with the terrain" (his words). I had difficulty stepping down, going up - not so bad.
The instructor.
Sara, Logan and I at the Whiteface summit - 4863 feet. The view is incredible and you can see at least 50 miles. The ranger said that, on a clear day, you can see Montreal.
There is an elevator built into the mountain but Logan, Sara and I chose the gnarly route (Quads loved it!)
Here's the point to where the paved road ends. If you ever get the chance to head up - do it; it's awesome.Cheers!
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