Sierra Rd starts with a bang
About 1/3 is done
Sierra Rd is the steepest climb in the East Bay. It has an average grade of 10% and there are a number of stretches which are 12%-15%. Just to increase the pain, there is hardly any shade.
On the north end, you continue on Felter Rd which turns into Calaveras Rd which you can take in either direction. On the South ends, you are close to Western approach to Mt Hamilton .
Sierra Rd was the major climb in the 2006 Amgen Tour of California. George Hincapie said about Sierra Rd: "But that climb was really hard. I wasn’t expecting it to be that hard." There is also video coverage of the final kilometer of the Sierra Rd climb.
Sierra Rd starts with a bang
About 1/3 is done
Panoramic view from Sierra Rd halfway up
View over San Jose in the smog
This one gives you a good idea how steep Sierra Rd is
Top of Sierra Rd
View towards Mt Hamilton from the top