19.6
PDI
6.2 mi
DISTANCE
2,764 ft
GAINED
8.4 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Strada Comunale Scendano averages 8.4% over 10.0 km (6.2 mi), gaining 842 m (2,764 ft), and the middle is the hard part.
Km 0-4 (0-2.5 mi): 6.9% - a steady start up from the SP69.
Km 4-7 (2.5-4.3 mi): 10.6% - the crux, with two kilometers above 11%.
Km 7-10 (4.3-6.2 mi): 8.3% - no flat, but easier than the middle section.
Km 4-7 (2.5-4.3 mi): 10.6% - the crux, with two kilometers above 11%.
Km 7-10 (4.3-6.2 mi): 8.3% - no flat, but easier than the middle section.
The steepest 500 m averages 13.1%, the steepest kilometer (0.6 mi) 12.2%, the steepest 2 km (1.2 mi) 10.9% and the steepest 5 km (3.1 mi) 9.7%. The steepest quarter mile (0.4 km) averages 13.9% and the single steepest 100 yards (91 m) reaches 19.6%.
Roadway: The route follows the SP69 Bianco-Samo provincial road at the start and then the municipal Strada Comunale Scendano. Surface condition on municipal roads in this part of the Aspromonte varies, so a wider tire is a sensible choice, and the descent calls for care on a steep road. Heavy rain can bring landslides to the roads of the area, so check conditions after storms.
Traffic: Light. This is a local road above a small town, so expect an occasional local car or farm vehicle, and few other riders.
Parking: The start is on the SP69 inland from the Ionian coast, with no dedicated cycling facilities. Bianco, on the SS106 coast road and with a railway station, and Samo itself are the practical places to leave a car; park considerately in the town.
Gear: The middle of the climb averages 10.6% with ramps near 20%, so a compact crank with a 32-tooth or larger rear cog is strongly advisable. Make sure your brakes are in good shape before the descent.
Provisions: There are no services on the climb. Fill your bottles in Samo or Bianco before you start - Calabrian summers are hot, so carry more water than you think you need.
Before heading out on any cycling adventure check out our Things to Bring on a Cycling Trip and use our interactive check list to ensure you don't forget anything.
Samo's most remarkable sight is Precacore, the ghost village of old Samo on a spur above the Fiumara La Verde. According to local tradition the community fled Saracen raids in the 10th century to settle on Monte Palecastro, and after the 1908 earthquake residents rebuilt in the valley, giving the present town. The ruins at around 400 m (1,312 ft) include the Church of San Sebastiano with 15th-century frescoes, and a lit footpath leads up from the modern town. Samo is also twinned with the Greek island of Samos, and its patron saint, San Giovanni Battista, is celebrated on 29 August.
Hikers can follow marked trail 116, a two-day route from Samo toward the high peaks of Aspromonte. The Greek-speaking villages further south, including Gallicianò and Bova, are covered on our San Simio-Galliciano and Primo tratto salita verso Bova pages, and Sant'Agata del Bianco, only 3 km (1.9 mi) from Samo, has its own climb page. Use our Routes in the Area tool to see which other Calabrian roads sit close by.
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