Wachusett Mountain North Bike Climb - PJAMM Cycling

6.1
PDI
3.6 mi
DISTANCE
1,131 ft
GAINED
5.6 %
AVG. GRADE

FULL CLIMB STATS

Page Contributor(s): John Summerson, The Complete Guide to Climbing (By Bike), 2nd Edition.; Mitch Reid, Reno, NV, USA

INTRO

This 3.6 mile bike climb is located in MA, USA. The average gradient is 5.6% and there is a total elevation gain of 1,131 ft, finishing at 2,151 ft.

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ROUTE MAP

MEMBER RATING

Difficulty: Challenging
4.5
Road
3.5
Traffic
4
Scenery

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Northeast Fall Colors
United States (MA,ME,NH,NY,VT)
24 ROUTES
37 POIs
ROUTE STATS (TOTAL)
98
mi
DISTANCE
35,116
ft
ELEV. GAIN

NEARBY CLIMBS (0) RADIAL PROXIMITY

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MEMBER REVIEWS & COMMENTS

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Aug 12, 2024
difficulty: Challenging
scenery: 4
traffic: 3
road: 4
Aug 12, 2024
scenery: 4
traffic: 3
road: 4
Nice climb, and at least the best one within century-ride range of Boston. The 5.6% average is deceiving; there are two descent sections that drag that number down, and most of the climbing is at about 6-7%, with three 10%+ sections as well. The visitor's center with water and bathrooms is nice to park at ($6 per car I think?) if you are driving; you can warm up with a ride down and around the large reservoir and come back to finish with the mountain. The climb is only moderately challenging, but the foothills around the mountain to get to the start point can also get quite steep. There are always a good number of pedestrians and pets to watch out for on the descent down the narrow-ish one-way road back to the visitors center.
Aug 16, 2021
difficulty: Moderate
scenery: 4
traffic: 4
road: 5
Aug 16, 2021
scenery: 4
traffic: 4
road: 5
Short but good little climb...the hardest part is the Mountain road at the beginning which has the longest sustained grade of the climb (about 0.5 miles at 10%), that part of the climb carries a little bit of traffic but not too bad. NOTE: if you ride this before Memorial Day Weekend or after Halloween, the summit road is closed to cars and you can ride up a nice, short sustained road that makes for a better climbing experience in my opinion (it's a 1-way road going downhill but the only cars at that time of year would be maintenance/park cars)...it has no descents/flat areas and you can get into a nice, steady rhythm
ROUTE MAP
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CLIMB SUMMARY

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - PJAMM Cyclist stands on bike looking out over low retaining wall over fall foliage to greenery below

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts.

Ride 3.6 miles gaining 1,156’ at 5.8% average grade.

There are two parts to this climb: (a) The first 1.4 miles on Mountain Road, which carry a moderate amount of traffic, and (b) the last 2.4 miles into Wachusett Mountain State Reservation along a great road with mild traffic and beautiful surroundings.  

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - bike parked in field surrounded by fall foliage, two-lane road with fall foliage, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

Wachusett Mountain North is the ninth hardest bike climb in Massachusetts.

“Wachusett Mountain is likely the most popular ascent of any meaningful length in Massachusetts as it lies quite close to the Boston metro area.  It begins over solid grade and soon you enter woods.  At mile 1.3, turn right into the State Reservation to continue.  Here you encounter a flat/descent before climbing resumes over shallow and then variable grade.  Soon the road becomes one way at a flat.  The next section has more challenging pedaling along with a descent.  Where the road comes back together, turn left to find steeper grade for the final pitch up to the summit where the climb soon ends at a small parking area.”  (This quote is provided with the approval of John Summerson from his book The Complete Guide to Climbing (by Bike) in the Northeast, pg. 81.)

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - PJAMM Adventure App shows climb grade and profile

PJAMM Adventure App showing details at the beginning and finish of the climb.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - bike parked next to sign for Wachusett Ski Area, views along the climb, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

The first 1.2 miles on Mountain Road.

The climb is just north of Princeton and the closest significant bike climb to Worcester (20 miles line of sight) and Boston (40 miles).

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts - bike parked in front of sign for Wachusett Mountain Ski Area, buildings at Ski Resort area

Wachusett Mountain Ski Area at 0.6 mile up Mountain Road from the start.

Skiing on the mountain dates back to the 1930s.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - toll booth to enter Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, fall folige, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

$5.00 to enter the Wachusett Mountain State Reservation as of October 2020.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts - sign reads "Please Keep Off Slopes"

We pass by ski slopes and under lifts on our way to the top.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - fall foliage, bike parked under ski lift, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

Views along the climb between the entrance and the top.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - Harlow Lookout

Harlow Lookout is on the one way descent from the Summit (about a mile from the top).

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - view from Harlow Lookout shows dense forestation, fall colors, and the Boston skyline far in the horizon

On a clear day, you can see Boston from Harlow Lookout.

SUMMIT

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts - aerial view from the summit shows 360 views of fall foliage, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

Aerial views of the summit.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - observation tower at climb's summit, PJAMM Cycling logo in corner

There is an observation tower at the summit.

There are information boards for each compass direction at the lower level of the tower.  The boards show and name distant mountains and peaks.  From this point, on a clear day you can see Mount Monadnock, Mount Greylock, southern Vermont, and on a good day, Boston.

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - informational signs looking North from summit

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - informational signs looking East from summit

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts - informational signs looking south from summit

Cycling Wachusett Mountain North, Massachusetts  - informational signs looking West from summit