Happy Camp 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 Happy Camp Road climb?

10.0 miles (16.1 km) at 5.3% on average, climbing 2,785 ft (849 m) from 1,988 ft to 4,774 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 9.3%. That makes it a Hors catégorie climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 42.0512, -123.58185, and tops out on the road at 41.99548, -123.53428.

Is Happy Camp 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.

• Sanger Peak RoadHC · dirt · 14 mi at 5.2% · 3,809 ft · starts 3.0 mi away
• Poker Flat RoadCat 1 · dirt · 6.9 mi at 5.9% · 2,159 ft · starts 8.6 mi away
• Mill Creek Ridge RoadCat 1 · dirt · 6.3 mi at 7.2% · 2,408 ft · starts 11 mi away
• Greens Creek RoadCat 1 · dirt · 7.8 mi at 6.2% · 2,569 ft · starts 11 mi away
• Knopki Creek RoadHC · dirt · 12 mi at 5.7% · 3,734 ft · starts 12 mi away
• Sutcliffe RoadCat 1 · dirt · 9.8 mi at 4.9% · 2,556 ft · starts 14 mi away
• Rhodonite RoadCat 1 · dirt · 8.2 mi at 5.2% · 2,283 ft · starts 14 mi away
• Tennessee RoadCat 1 · dirt · 7.7 mi at 6% · 2,438 ft · starts 14 mi away