What you need to know before climbing Skyuka Mountain
Distance: There are two ways to climb to the top of Skyuka. From Skyuka Mountain Road, the climb is 4.27 miles (to the scenic rock point, picture above). From White Oak Mountain Road, the climb is 4.06 miles.Elevation gain: Start at 1061 feet and finish at 2883 feet (total gain = 1966 feet).
Grade: According to my Garmin, the average grade is ~8% (from both sides). There are several very pitchy segments that range from 11-17%. This is a nasty climb with no relief (recovery sections) from bottom to top.
Road condition: The road condition is poor. There are a few sections that have been paved, which is a real treat. You can expect cracks, bumps, debris, water, trees limbs and bumps as you are climbing and descending.
Scenery: This is a very peaceful climb with views of the mountains tucked beyond the trees. However, you likely won't be enjoying much of it as you'll be focused on the road ahead of you. There is a little bit of everything throughout this climb - waterfalls, a lake, mountains, trees, running water....it's nature at its finest.
Recommended bike/gearing: Road bike! Crazy enough, the first time we climbed Skyuka we were on our tri bikes. The road bike is better for this climb as the descend is extremely technical with fast sections going right into very tight switchbacks. You'll want your "easiest" climbing gears; Semi-compact crank. 52-34 chainset and11-30 (or 28) cassette. Disc brakes and electronic shifting will also make your climbing/descending experience a bit more enjoyable.
Descend: No matter which side you descend from, this is a very technical and dangerous descent. We've never taken any of our group camps (and only one private camper) on this climb for that reason. With the poor road conditions, debris on the road and fast descends going into back to back tight switchbacks, you definitely want to have great bike handling skills for descending when planning this climb.
Climb with a view? While it's our most technical and challenging climb and most dangerous descend, the view at the top makes it all worth it. You actually get two scenic points to enjoy - one on each side of the top of the mountain. The panoramic view is really is breathtaking. Just make sure to go on a clear day so you can really enjoy the view (we've climbed it in the winter and all we got at the top were clouds). On the White Oak Mountain side, you'll see a beautiful waterfall flowing from the mountain. On the Skyuka Road side, there is a lake near the top! Be sure to have your camera ready for this climb.
Traffic: There are several houses spread throughout the mountain, as well as some other lodging facilities. However, I've never found this climb to be busy with traffic - only a few cars may drive by (if any). Because the climb and descend is so technical, the cars are not traveling very fast (albeit, a little faster than what we can do on two wheels).
Difficulty: You've probably gotten the gist that this is a technical and extremely difficult climb with an incredible view. You'll need great fitness, endurance, strength and bike handling skills to feel comfortable and safe on this climb.
Honest feedback: We have never taken any of our group campers on this climb because it's not the best for tri bikes. We've actually only taken one private camper/athlete on this climb. The view at the top is incredible but it's a very challenging climb with a sketchy descend. Be safe and smart.
Date: 6/14/20
Road bike
Riding time: 7:06
Total Miles: 104
Total elevation: ~12,000 feet
Run off the bike: 21 min/2.5 miles/~300 feet
