High Grade Road
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From Map My Ride: This 33 mile routes starts at a parking lot at Wadsworth and Deer Creek road. This route is probably one of the most popular Colorado front range rides and most days you can find ex-professional Michael Carter training on these roads. The first part of Deer Creek is a gradual climb and even for a while after turning right to head towards High Grade things aren't too bad and the scenery is stunning. Once you make the first right hand switchback on High Grade things start to get steep and even the best climbs need the right gears to climb to the top of High Grade. In the steepest sections it can be 10 to 15 percent but most of the climb is around 4 to 6 percent. Once you get over the top of the climb into Pleasant Park there is a small school that offers Gatorade and water for a donation. There is a bathroom and coolers holding the refreshing Gatorade once you get to the top and before you head over to City View road. If you have time to stop the donations all go to a good cause and finding water anywhere else on this route is tough. Once you've rested you turn right and head towards City View road, the climb is steep at times but not that long so as long as you have the right gearing (39x23 or 25) then you should pass this quickly to start descending onto Turkey Creek road. After a nice long downhill you take a hard right onto Deer Creek road and after a short climb you descend all the way back to the parking lot to finish up the ride. The scenery is spectacular.