Here’s a list of Steep Hikes in the Bay Area and Beyond that I’m accumulating. They’re rated by their “percent grade” … vertical change in feet divided by distance hiked in feet * 100. I used to rate these in terms of their SamRating, which was just the inverse of the percent grade. I conformed to normal measurements once I realized the percent grade numbers looked even more impressive. 
Note that the distances given aren’t for the entire hike … they are for the annoying part of the climb. Typically this is the longest, steepest section. Total distance and total vertical will be higher. Where links are provided, check them out for more details.
| Name | Distance Hiked (miles) - one way | Vertical feet of ascent | Percent Grade (ascent/distance) | Comments / Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Azul Openspace, Kennedy to Sombroso | 4.9 | 2250 | 8.7 | SammyTrail |
| Sierra Azul Openspace, Wood Trail from Hicks to Sombroso (steepest part) | 2.6 | 1300 | 9.4 | Everytrail |
| Mount Whitney | 11 | 6000 | 10.3 | Thanks to Touchstone. Everytrail |
| Big Basin State Park, Howard King Trail, Waddell Creek to Mt. McAbee | 2.4 | 1350 | 10.6 | Everytrail |
| Henry Cowell Redwood State Park, Buckeye | 1 | 600 | 11.3 | Thanks to Touchstone. Geocache |
| Santa Teresa Park, Coyote Peak | 0.9 | 550 | 11.5 | |
| Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, Indian Creek Trail | 1.3 | 800 | 11.6 | Thanks to Bryce |
| Yosemite National Park, Mist Trail to Nevada Falls | 2.7 | 1700 | 11.9 | Everytrail |
| Mt. Tamalpais, Cataract Trail | 1.4 | 950 | 13.0 | Waterfalls! SammyTrail |
| Mission Peak Regional Preserve, Stanford Ave to Mission Peak | 3.1 | 2140 | 13.0 | Thanks to Laurent Everytrail |
| Pinnacles National Monument, Juniper Canyon Trail to High Peaks | 1.2 | 900 | 14.2 | Everytrail |
| Mission Peak, Stanford Ave via Horse Heaven Trail | 2.4 | 1813 | 14.4 | SammyTrail |
| Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, The Incline | 1.34 | 1024 | 14.4 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
| Mt. Diablo summit via Mitchell Canyon | 5 | 3900 | 14.9 | Everytrail |
| Henry Coe State Park, Willson Peak | 2.0 | 1676 | 15.1 | Everytrail |
| Big Sur, Mount Manuel | 4.3 | 3500 | 15.3 | Thanks to Touchstone. Everytrail |
| Henry Coe State Park, Long Ridge Road from Jackrabbit Lake to the ridge | 0.7 | 568 | 15.3 | Seemed steeper. :) |
| Big Burn, Ohlone Wilderness | 1.91 | 1589 | 15.7 | Thanks to SFODoug |
| Morgan Territory, Raven Trail | 1.12 | 958 | 16.2 | Thanks to SFODoug. |
| Santa Teresa County Park, Ridge and Boundary Trails from Laurel Springs to Coyote Peak | 0.73 | 629 | 16.3 | Sammytrail |
| Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve, Calaveras Fault Trail | 1.03 | 907 | 16.6 | |
| Rocky Ridge, Ohlone Wilderness | 1.35 | 1182 | 16.6 | Thanks to SFODoug |
| Uvas Canyon County Park, Knibbs Knob | 1.9 | 1700 | 16.9 | Everytrail |
| Yosemite National Park, Snow Creek | 2.5 | 2565 | 19.4 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
| Fort Ord Public Lands, Trail 82 | 0.41 | 427 | 19.6 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
| Henry Coe State Park, "The Shortcut" to Mt. Sizer | 1.2 | 1500 | 23.6 | Everytrail |
| Henry Coe State Park, Steer Ridge Trail from Hunting Hollow | 0.31 | 400 | 23.8 | Thanks to AlphaRomero |
| Toro Regional Park, Cougar Ridge Trail | 1.24 | 1599 | 24.3 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
| Henry Coe State Park, "Trail" to Bill's Hill | 0.67 | 863 | 24.4 | From Hunting Hollow Rd to the ridge. Thanks to AlphaRomero. |
| Yosemite National Park, Four Mile Trail | 2.3 | 3082 | 25.0 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
| To "Dozer Trail", Geocache http://coord.info/GCJTVT, Cache Creek, Yolo County | 1.3 | 1750 | 25.4 | Thanks to Phil. |
| Morgan Hill CA, El Toro - the final ascent to the summit | 0.2 | 300 | 28.4 | Everytrail |
| Mt. Diablo State Park, Prospectors Gap Rd below Prospectors Gap | 0.43 | 687 | 29.1 | Sammytrail |
| Posedown Safari / Anderson Peak | 2.6 | 4032 | 29.7 | Thanks to Touchstone. Geocache |
| Yosemite National Park, Sierra Point | 0.5 | 800 | 30.3 | Thanks to Touchstone. Geocache |
| Yosemite National Park, Half Dome from Mirror Lake | 3 | 5000 | 31.6 | Thanks to Touchstone. |
2 comments
2 pings
Bryce
January 20, 2011 at 9:13 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
I’ll send you some tracks when I get home. I think this is pretty cool.
But your SamRating is just the inverse of the percent grade and is a little more confusing. I think you should rejigger the SamRating so that bigger is harder. And maybe also include some other factors like length of the climb. For instance, a half mile 10% grade climb is going to feel very different from a 2 mile 10% grade and the SamRating could reflect that.
WalruZ
September 9, 2011 at 7:15 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
Devils Hole to Rocky Ridge, Las Trampas.
Steep Climbs » Sammydee
January 20, 2011 at 12:04 am (UTC -8) Link to this comment
[...] Steep Hikes [...]
Random Updates » Sammydee
February 13, 2011 at 3:39 pm (UTC -8) Link to this comment
[...] Steep Hikes [...]