Originally Posted by HHW
Just from my own experience:
We've ridden the pass the last couple of years, both times approaching from the South, and just riding to the summit and back. Eighty km round trip, should take about four-five hours.
Take the 541 from Longview to the gate. You can park on the road just outside the gate, it's not too busy, even on the weekend.
From the gate to the top of the pass is about 40km. For the first 20km, the road alternates uphill and downhill, but on average only rises slightly. After you pass the "Picklejar" recreation area, the climb becomes steady, but not too difficult, at about 3-4% gradient. The last three kilometers are tough, but even then no more than 6%. The climb itself would maybe rate a category '2' (don't know exactly what the criteria are).
To tackle this ride, obviously get some longer rides in on your bike prior. Anyone in reasonable shape can work up to doing this ride, even on a lower-end bike road bike, but it's still 80km to the top and back, and you need to get some kilometers in your legs. A series of 2-4 hour rides on the Calgary pathways, starting about now, will really help.
Make sure you have a proper repair kit and spare tires. The highway surface is actually pretty rough, and we've blown a few tires over the years. Walking back down would really suck, obviously. Also, it may be tempting to go light on the extra clothing that you carry, but this is a high alpine pass, and weather can be crazy. Every time I've ridden the Highwood, I've seen sun, rain, and snow/hail. At the very least, have a good windbreaker, full gloves, and long pants. On the descent, you will be very glad for these. A road cycling shirt is very useful also, because you can stuff the extra clothes in the back pocket. Alternately, you can carry a backpack, but that really adds to your workload, and is not comfortable.
Lastly, take a ridiculous amount of food. At least 1000 calories worth. Bars and gels are best, they have a lot of energy and are light. Most cycle stores sell these. It is not a pleasant experience to "bonk" (sudden drop of blood sugar levels) when you are still 25km from your car
My best advice: Just go out, recruit some friends, get properly prepared, and try it! On my first attempt, I didn't quite hit the top (in my own defence, I was hung over, and riding a 15-year old hybrid bike), but it just motivated me to come back. The scenery is mind-blowing, and riding on the highway has a surreal, almost post-apocalyptic feel to it.
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