A long left turn and you are on the second of the truly steep pitches, known as Peacock Lane, and yes there are actual Peacocks that live in the area. This short series of switchbacks takes you to the first respite where it levels out to a modest 2-4% for about 300m before pitching up again at the entrance to Pichetti Winery. You start out in the hole immediately, the first two-tenths of a mile are straight and steep at just under 12%. The first part is known locally as ‘Montebello To The School.’ This initial 2 mile stretch climbs just under 1000 feet, averaging about 8%. Most folks divide the climb into three parts, each with its own feel and personality. Located in the Southwest corner of Silicon Valley, a few miles from the new Apple Spaceship campus and the infamous Hewlett Pakard garage, Montebello road is a sharp right turn off of Stevens Canyon, just past the Stevens reservoir. Let me take you on a trip up Montebello Road. It is, however, one of the most interesting and diverse climbs in the area. Hamilton with almost 5,000 feet of elevation spread across 20 miles ( The Pez himself rode that here). It’s not the longest climb either, that belongs to Mt. It is not the toughest climb in the area, that distinction belongs to nearby Bohlman – On Orbit, a beast of some 2500 feet averaging closer to 10%. Montebello road rises from the Silicon Valley some 2,000 feet in just over five miles. No, my favorite climb resides amongst the tech superstars and frenetic pace of life in Silicon Valley of California. As a kid from Colorado who grew up riding high into the mountains along such notable roads as Deer Creek Canyon, Lookout Mountain, and the Peak to Peak highway, you might imagine that one of these big grinds to 9,000 feet would be my natural selection for a favorite climb, but I’m here to tell you that my favorite is nowhere near the high elevations of Colorado.

Montebello driving test route