Orleans School 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 Orleans School Road climb?

1.6 miles (2.6 km) at 12.3% on average, climbing 1,033 ft (315 m) from 446 ft to 1,480 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 17.5%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 41.30283, -123.53228, where Orleans School Road leaves Red Cap Road, and ends where the road ends at 41.29278, -123.52607.

Is Orleans School 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.

• Ishi-Pishi RoadCat 3 · 3.5 mi at 5.3% · 968 ft · starts 0.9 mi away
• Gasquet-Orleans Road from Eyesee RoadHC · 10 mi at 6.3% · 3,448 ft · starts 1.0 mi away
• Ferris Ranch RoadCat 3 · 0.5 mi at 29.4% · 840 ft · starts 1.3 mi away
• Cedar Gulch RoadHC · dirt · 5.3 mi at 10.4% · 2,907 ft · starts 1.5 mi away
• Ruin-Orleans Mountain Lookout RoadHC · dirt · 4.7 mi at 14% · 3,481 ft · starts 1.8 mi away
• Owl Mine RoadCat 3 · 1.0 mi at 12.4% · 636 ft · starts 2.0 mi away
• Cedar Camp RoadHC · dirt · 8.6 mi at 6.5% · 2,963 ft · starts 3.3 mi away
• Trinity Summit RoadHC · 13 mi at 6.8% · 4,537 ft · starts 3.4 mi away