Climb up to the back of Jacobs ladder –

“Will have most walking at some point” all the books/text say.

At some point? been there twice now and only been able to ride about 40% of it tops. I find the lower part to gravelly (is that a word)and loose grip every 10ft and other parts too rocky.

Do others struggle with this climb or is it just me being useless.
Advice and insults both welcome

Bit of both I think. I do about 90%

If only there were a site you could upload your gps track to so you can compare yourself with others 😉

I’ve published a route guide for that:
http://www.theedgecycleworks.com/mtbroutes/hayfield-jacobs-ladder (plug, plug) and it says ‘While it is possible to clean the whole thing it will have most walking.’

On a normal day I can ride 90% of it and on a very good day 100% (but never dab free, I’ve always had to have a second attempt in one or two places). But I have been riding for many years. When I first tried to climb it the gravely bottom part and the bouldery top part were pushes.

Saying that, it’s much easier than going the other way and climbing Jacob’s Ladder like some people do?!

Not so much after a time/stats comparison, but more of peoples own experience and thoughts on the climb.

cheers for the reply though, all welcome

Ok, to add..Yes it’s a hard climb, no you’re not useless. I only used to be able to climb of much of it as you can. It took me a lot of practise to climb as much of it as I do today but then I’m one of the strange breed who like a good technical climb. My legs and lungs are always on fire at the top though 😉

Yeah, it’s hard, but in a good way. It’s all rideable but it’s like a war of attrition – it just goes on and on and never really gets easier, plus there are some technical slabs that require an extra burst of power at a time when I’m always lacking. It’s one of those climbs where a lot of people will have to walk a lot of it, but a small increase in skill and stamina will allow you to give most of it a good crack. Easier than going up Jacob’s anyway!

As above, I love a nice hard climb, much better than a fire road drag.

I’ve ridden it 100% but not cleared it – needed a couple of dabs here and there every time – it’s not massively technical per say, but because it’s a pretty relentless climb I don’t have the energy needed to get myself through the trickier bits. It’s the combination of terrain, gradient and feeling of it never bloody ending that gets the better of me. Wind never helps either.

Probably the climb in the Peak that gives me the biggest sense of achievement actually. Feel like I’ve earned the decent down the other side!

I’ve seen it done, but I can’t even come close. Just getting going again after a stop is a pain!

Its a nice walk for me.

We actually tend to extend into Hayfield now, and come up from there. Which is a more doable climb, for mortals.

I think the conditions underwheel change a lot too and affect how much you can ride. I’ve ridden most of it once, but also on another occasion really struggled and didn’t manage quite a few sections.

are we on about climbing jacobs ladder here? or climbing upto jacobs ladder then descending?

if its the first, most of its rideable going towards descending jacobs on a good day, hard to continuously ride it without a dab or little breather….if its actually climbing jacobs then to do that dab free from bottom to top is one hell of a challenge, i believe only a few mortals have done, nick craig claiming to be one….weve sectioned it recently, and the first climb is the toughest as the boulders are fairly big, that said we got a lot further than i anticipated, even when we stopped we mostly carried on without pushing…

No – the back side of Jacob’s, up from Hayfield.

I HATE that climb from the foot of Coldwell to Edale Cross, it’s awful. It’s why I will only ever do the “Hayfield Classic” loop the other way round so you climb (walk/push) the actual Ladder. Much shorter, still reasonably rideable and you get a lovely long descent which also gives you the option of cutting right, going over Kinderlow End and doing the Broad Clough descent which is a riot – insanely fast on grass/singletrack ruts.

The rest of the route is better anti-clockwwise as well, it just gives more options including various good descents off Mam Nick.

Yeah Jacob’s is tantalisingly close to being doable. Top to bottom with no dabs is no mean feat, you could definitely call yourself a good rider if you could ride that! I reckon the hardest bit is the final 20 yards. Youve got no strength and you can see the top, but you’ve got to get through a horrible steep and really tech section.

We actually tend to extend into Hayfield now, and come up from there. Which is a more doable climb, for mortals.

You mean the track up from just below Kinder Reservoir? That misses the dull, loose grind low down, but still leaves the rubble and slabs higher up. Or are you doing something else that actually does start from Hayfield?

franki – Member

No – the back side of Jacob’s, up from Hayfield.

ahh gotcha – as crazy legs – its a pain of a climb, its a tough long longggg longggggggggg climb that way, i used to always ride it that way too up until recently, ive now started to climb the ladder and then veer right as crazy legs says in kinderlow, thats a cracking bit to loop onto hayfield etc….

i still remember riding most of it, its defo a granny ring slog up the first section of road, then through the gate and even steeper, and then even steeper off road…again never really remember stopping to push, but defo breathers every so often..

i do agree though if you climb jacobs first (which i think is overrated as a descent) you get the better bits going the opposite way, with options everywhere after the actual ladder climb

It’s definitely a tough climb, I usually take a few breathers and walk/push some short sections.

I do agree though if you climb jacobs first (which i think is overrated as a descent) you get the better bits going the opposite way, with options everywhere after the actual ladder climb

+1.

BadlyWiredDog – Member
We actually tend to extend into Hayfield now, and come up from there. Which is a more doable climb, for mortals.
You mean the track up from just below Kinder Reservoir? That misses the dull, loose grind low down, but still leaves the rubble and slabs higher up. Or are you doing something else that actually does start from Hayfield?

Yup what you said – down the campsite descent in to Hayfield, then up Kinder Road towards the res and follow the bridleway up Broad Clough. If you use the cheeky footpath for a couple of hundred yards at the end it brings you out faaaaaaaairly close to the top, and as you say missing most of the crappy rubbly bits. Boggy when it’s wet though across the clough.

flyingmonkeycorp.

I like the sound of that Hayfield route, even more so as it misses out the gravelly part of the climb. I may well try that the next time I do that route.

cheers

Should be cracking at the moment with all the good weather. And the campsite descent, though short, is one of my favourites 😀

yeah it WOULD be running great at the mo, but now its raining 🙁 only light rain/drizzle but persistent, and looks like its set in for the day 🙁

Bum.

Ah well.

I’m firmly of the opinion that this route is best done West to East, up Coldwell Clough and down Jacob’s Ladder. I’ve not cleaned the ascent, but walking has been restricted to a couple of strides here and there. Wheras going up Jacob’s Ladder was mostly pushing, rarely riding more than 10 yards at a time.

I tried the Jacobs Loop backwards and now agree it makes more sense, gives at least 3 options off Mam Tor too.

I don’t think it’s too bad. I’d certainly rather ride up the Hayfield side (Oaken Clough is it?) and down Jacob’s than push up Jacob’s and descend Oaken Clough, which as DHs go is just a question of pointing and hanging on, and as such is rather dull.

The Oaken Clough climb has got easier in the last 9 months or so – they had a backhoe up the top doing some work, and it smoothed the nastiest bits out. None of it now is especially technical, it’s just a war of attrition, and if I end up dabbing it’s me not paying attention rather than anything else. Did it last weekend on my 1×10 Soda (1st time without a granny) and had to take one scheduled stop on a flatter bit for a breather, but other than that straight up. Just need to get a bit stronger/not have 2 days of road riding in my legs…

Doing the route the other way round would also involve riding up the steps out of Roych Clough, which is a decent little challenge (although most riders seem to cheat it using a path up on the bank), and then also up the Sunken Road onto Rushup Edge. With Chapel Gate now sanitised and pointless as a descent, I reckon you end up with a much nicer selection of good DHs, and rideable climbs by going down Jacobs.

I think it’s awesome the way that this ride is great both ways round! I can’t think of any other rides that are as good both ways.

Personally, I always vote anti-clockwise. One day I’ll get up Jacobs, I like the descent off the back and Roych Clough is DEFINITELY better this way round. And although Chapel Gate isn’t an option any more, Greenlands always makes me smile.

As for climbing Jacobs ‘from the back’, it is doable, not getting up without spinning out on a loose rock when you’re knackered definitely involves a bit of luck!

It’s a long old slog, but one I enjoy as it’s got a bit of everything!

Never cleaned it, I can get from the bottom of the Tarmac climb to halfway past the 2nd gate, where it’s quite wide and rough, then just before a right turn across a stream there is a techy bit, I always fail there 😆

Roych Clough is DEFINITELY better this way round. And although Chapel Gate isn’t an option any more, Greenlands always makes me smile.

Again I disagree – clockwise it’s entirely rideable. And at the risk of being accussed of heresay, I quite like Chapel Gate at the moment – it makes a very satisfying climb.

I quite like Chapel Gate at the moment – it makes a very satisfying climb.

10 years ago it made a satisfying climb. I cleared it once, and a couple more with a dab or 2 (always that orange water pipe at the top of the first steep bit). It’s now a dull climb.

i surprised myself when i tried to climb it the other week – got to the steepest section after stream that Will mentions. just ran out of steam and needed 30sec breather but then did the rest. the whole thing is doable for me though, just need that extra bit of fitness.

don’t get riding it backwards either. jacobs ladder (fp 😉 ), rushup edge, roych clough & campsite dh is an unbeatable combination compared to anything going the other way. by miles.

I struggle with this climb – a lot. But then I’m not worried about it because I’m “saving my energy for the descent”. 😳

I have seen someone ride all of this in bits and he was a fair bit less fit than he had been – he said he had done it all in one go and I believe him.

For a fit rider with a decent degree of skill, this climb should be doable more often than not.

I like to think I have some skill, but my fitness really won’t let me test this hypothesis.

Don’t stress about it – mountain bikers are pretty laid back when it comes to this sort of thing.

BTW – people who don’t think Jacobs is a good descent need to let go of the brakes a bit – I’ve only really got it together the last couple of times I’ve been down there, but I outpaced a lot of full-sussers on my HT – great fun, and a real jelly legged moment when you get to the bottom.