Farnham Ridge Road Climb

We don't rate roads as safe or unsafe: crash counts can't say how risky a ride is, and roads people like to ride draw more riders, so they see more crashes. What the records show: no bike crashes were reported along the climb from 2021–2025.

How long and steep is the Farnham Ridge Road climb?

4.8 miles (7.7 km) at 4.1% on average, climbing 1,030 ft (314 m) from 2,047 ft to 3,077 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 11.6%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 38.53558, -120.7035, and tops out on the road at 38.51938, -120.62727.

Is Farnham Ridge Road paved?

Yes, by its OpenStreetMap tags.

How is the category worked out?

From the climb's shape only: length in metres × average grade (%) of 16,000 or more for Cat 3, 32,000 for Cat 2, 64,000 for Cat 1 and 80,000 for HC. It describes how hard the climb is, not traffic or crashes.

Where does this data come from?

The climb is found from OpenStreetMap roads and USGS 3DEP elevation (every climb, not a list of famous ones). Access is from OpenStreetMap tags; gates and closures change, so obey posted signs. Crash counts are police reports in the California Crash Reporting System (CCRS) on data.ca.gov, counted where their map location is within 100 ft of the climb. The forecast is from the National Weather Service.

• Tower RoadCat 3 · 1.3 mi at 8.3% · 554 ft · starts 2.8 mi away
• D'Agostini DriveCat 3 · 2.3 mi at 4.6% · 548 ft · starts 4.1 mi away
• Black Oak DriveCat 3 · 1.2 mi at 8.9% · 554 ft · starts 4.4 mi away
• Hale RoadCat 2 · 2.8 mi at 7.1% · 1,060 ft · starts 4.4 mi away
• Slug Gulch RoadCat 2 · 5.3 mi at 4.9% · 1,362 ft · starts 5.1 mi away
• Ponderosa Way near Amador CityCat 3 · 1.5 mi at 6.8% · 554 ft · starts 5.2 mi away
• Boondock TrailCat 3 · 1.9 mi at 7.4% · 719 ft · starts 5.3 mi away
• Somerset Drive near PlacervilleCat 3 · 1.3 mi at 9.6% · 640 ft · starts 5.6 mi away