Kanc by cycle

[wolftone]

So often I have seen those poor schmucks puffing their way over the kancamagus pass on their bikes that I decided it's time to do it myself. Here's the quick summary of the experience:

puff, puff, puff, puff ...... puff, puff. nice view. weeeeeeeee!

Sunflare left me off at the Loon parking lot and went off to hike the Hancocks. I settled into a nice 13mph pace and cranked. And cranked. And cranked. The eastward kanc is an unrelenting monotonic climb from loon to the pass. The beginning is a moderate grade, but 4 miles out it gets much steeper. The switchbacks help, but nothing changes the fact that the climbing is serious.

I stopped for lunch at the high point. A pack of harley riders challenged me to a race. I told them I was happy to do so if they also powered their bikes with clif bars instead of fossil fuels. They weren't keen on the challenge. Sissies.

The eastward downhill is simply awesome - 4 miles of straight-on 7% grade. It's just steep and straight enough that I never touched my brakes, maxing my speed somewhere north of 40 mph. The wind was hitting me so fast that my eyes began to tear up and completely wet my face. I didn't realize the size and ferocity of my grin until I hit the flatter part and had to start working again.

I had planned on continuing to 16 and heading back home, but the final 6 miles of the kanc were under construction and not ideal conditions for a road bike. With my driver still somewhere on the hancock loop trail, I decided to turn back and try the ascent from the other way. In comparison, the westward climb is easier due to its more gradual slope. Sadly, the descent isn't as much fun because the hairpin switchbacks require actual brake use. (It's galling to convert that hard-won potential energy into waste heat.)

The car was parked at the hancock lot, so I didn't get the full descent this time. (I feel the mountain owes me one. Sometime, I'll cheat and get a ride to the top.) I hiked a few miles back to meet Sunflare & Kaya, which was probably a good idea for post-bike stretch-out. The woods were shady and breezy, much preferable to the hot, sunny conditions out on the road.

Driver interaction report: Positive. Good: a varied collection of thumbs-ups and words of encouragement. Bad: two neandertals flipping me off and yelling "bikes suck" for no apparent reason. Yeah, buddy, because your white '94 Neon is such a hot ride.

Overall, a great time. It should be good training for next month's bike across Norway, which has roughly similar terrain for me to cover.

 

[TrekMan]

Kanc on bike ... westward

I have done the Kanc maybe 3 or 4 times westward only. First time I stopped at the Loon bike rental shop and they said I had done it in the "harder" direction. But as I recall, from Sabbaday Falls to the peak was exactly 5 miles uphill, then roughly 8 miles downhill to Loon area never under 25 mph! Note - I always had a ride on the other side and did not have to make the return trip. Sweet memories though!

 

[percious]

Hey, you guys might know this...

I am interested in a centurian in this area, starting and finishing near the (former) old man. The route would go through crawford path and take the Kank back. Is this do-able?

-percious

 

[hikerfast]

great ride

we did the kanc last august from loon over the top, down to the flat, then up and back. unreal ride, gorgeous scenery. We were crankin it over 40 on the way down for sure.

 

[HighHorse]

i used to race and have trained on the kanc several times, although never this time of year... i fear huge campers and boat trailers... no close calls with those?

 

[MichaelJ]

I expect no less from the guy who tele-boards because everything else is too easy.

Nice journey and report!

 

[dentonfabrics]

i used to race and have trained on the kanc several times, although never this time of year... i fear huge campers and boat trailers... no close calls with those?

I agree. I did this ride in 2000 and the huge campers and boat trailers kept me from enjoying it as much as I should have.

 

[wolftone]

Mobile Obstacles

i used to race and have trained on the kanc several times, although never this time of year... i fear huge campers and boat trailers... no close calls with those?

I didn't really have a problem with any motor vehicles. No boat trailers and only one camper to be seen. By and large, the drivers were courteous, aware, and respectful. The majority of the route has a pretty wide and glass-free breakdown lane, so you're out of traffic. Unfortunately, the extra lane goes away at precisely the steepest part of the climb so there is some mild car-avoidance to be done.

Then again, I bike-commute in Boston traffic so I have nerves of high-carbon steel. Others may have differing opinions on what constitutes "bad".

 

[wolftone]

Crazy Loop

I am interested in a centurian in this area, starting and finishing near the (former) old man. The route would go through crawford path and take the Kank back. Is this do-able?

I have a (crazy) friend who race-trains on a loop which involves the kanc, conway, crawford notch/302, and 3. It's possible, but you'd better be in really good shape. I think it's slightly more than a century. I'm not sure how he gets through franconia notch, though.

 

[MichaelJ]

The route through Franconia Notch is the bike path.

There are several century possibilities. I learned this from Max, who used to do them. Caveat: I've not actually measured it on a map.

If you start in Lincoln, you can go up through either Kinsman Notch or Franconia Notch. From there, over to Rte 302 and through Crawford Notch. Thence either out to Rte 16 or over Bear Notch road, and back over Kancamagus Pass.

If you do just one of the more distant loops (Kinsman Notch or Rte 16), it's a century.

 

[hogabum]

Tour of the Whites

About 10 years ago, a friend of mine suggested this ride . So we planned it and trained and did it. We went up to Loon on a Saturday night and slept in the truck, got up Sunday morning and started riding East on the Kanc. About a mile or 2 into it, we both looked at each other and asked each other if we were nuts. But we said let's give ot a few more miles. We settled into a comfortable pace and kept going. We reached the Kanc. Pass and met up with a few guys going the other way. We all kinda grunted at each other and went on our way DOWN (we hit 52 mph on the way down). We took a left on Bear Notch Road and took it into Bartlett. We took a left on 302 and went up (and I mean UP) through Crawfords into Twin Mountain, took a left and headed over towards 93 and Franconia Notch. We then followed the bike path through Franconia Notch and picked up Route 3 and followed it down to Clarks and took a left and headed over to Lincoln. Total of 76 miles.

 

[hikerfast]

traffic avoidance

We were advised to start our ride at 6:30 am and do it during the week. We did so, and hardly had any traffic at all.

 

[onrhodes]

Done it from Plymouth and back

I went to Plymouth State and we used to at least once a year ride from Plymouth to the top of the Kanc and back. Coming back down is the balls. I'll just state that I race bicycles and am quite a good descender, brakes are hardly used
I've also got to recommend parking in Licoln or Woodstock, biking up the Kanc down the other side. Take Bear Notch road to 302 and down through Franconia Notch bike path. If you wanted to make in closer to a century then ride down 3 to where 49 meets 3, ride up to were 175 crosses and ride 175 back up to again where it hits 3 and back up to Woodstock or Lincoln. That should get you real close to 100 miles.

 

[max]

I've done this loop several times, both ways, and it's just a couple miles short of a century:

Park at Lincoln woods, then ride via North Woodstock, bike trail through Franconia Notch, Twin Mt. Crawford Notch, North Conway, back across the Kanc. Using Bear Notch rd. shortens it quite a bit and saves you about 15 miles. Like Michael mentioned, I've also ridden via Kinsman Notch, then northwards and back via Sugar Hill and Franconia Notch, but I forget the mileage.

Another century (though I've not done all of this one), not using the Kanc, is Pinkham notch to Gorham, Jefferson, Whitefield, Carroll, Twin Mt. Crawford notch.

I've probably ridden over the kanc a couple dozen times, and I prefer climbing the West side and going down the East. I too don't like braking for the hairpin turn at Hancock.