Ridge Ranch 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 Ridge Ranch Road climb?

1.5 miles (2.4 km) at 8.6% on average, climbing 666 ft (203 m) from 2,228 ft to 2,894 ft. The steepest half kilometre averages 11.4%. That makes it a Category 3 climb.

Where does the climb start and finish?

It starts at 39.56197, -123.53876, where Ridge Ranch Road leaves Short Cut, and tops out on the road at 39.57011, -123.51684.

Is Ridge Ranch 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.

• Upper RoadCat 3 · 0.9 mi at 16.7% · 768 ft · starts 1.4 mi away
• Cherry Creek Road from Irvine Lodge RoadCat 3 · 1.5 mi at 8.3% · 676 ft · starts 5.1 mi away
• Four Mile RoadCat 2 · 2.8 mi at 10.7% · 1,558 ft · starts 6.5 mi away
• Hayworth Creek RoadCat 3 · 6.1 mi at 3.2% · 1,027 ft · starts 7.2 mi away
• Mendo DriveCat 2 · 1.8 mi at 11.6% · 1,129 ft · starts 7.5 mi away
• Little Valley Haul Road near Fort BraggCat 3 · 4.1 mi at 3.1% · 682 ft · starts 7.7 mi away
• Shimmins Ridge RoadCat 2 · 1.9 mi at 12% · 1,175 ft · starts 8.5 mi away
• Third Gate RoadCat 3 · 1.5 mi at 7.5% · 584 ft · starts 8.9 mi away