Went only to the stop sign at the top, where the school is. My time was 19:57... a decent effort for this time of the year. Anyone else's times?
Thanks.

Anything under 20 is considered pretty good. I did it in 19:03 late last year, haven't climbed it this year.

BTW that assumes taking the hard left that takes you all the way to the top.

I did that climb for the first time earlier this week. It's tough! No idea what my time was, but now I'll need to keep track of that. There were some mean barking dogs at the house at the top near the school where you make the final left.

Just over 21 minutes today. Hopefully losing weight will help.

I'm curious, where do you all start from for this climb? And by "all the way to the top", is that to the Zoo parking lot? Thanks.

Have you seen this? http://www.meinnovations.com/CourseProfiles/Cougar.htm

I just went to the school on Saturday. Not up the very last left turn before the school. Maybe my time is not so hot. :)

20:35, but that was only to the school.

I'm a bad navigator.

Where, exactly (intersections, that is), do you start and finish?

I'm a bad navigator.

Where, exactly (intersections, that is), do you start and finish?

See if this gets you there:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=19525+SE+54th+St&city=issaquah&state=wa&zipcode=

The bottom of the climb is at Newport Way and SE 54th in Issaquah -- right along I-90. The top of the climb is at either at the top of SE 60th st (1000 feet of climbing) or turn left off 160th for the last bit up 173rd Ave (for bonus points and about 1200 feet).
You can also go up the "back way" which is much easier grade but the same elevation gain obviously. Training for RAMROD, I do a few laps up the back, but never more than 2 up the zoo. Up the back, you can go up Lakemont or 164th.

Thanks, I just gmaps'ed a route, will probably head up there on Sunday.

Finally got around to the zoo hill climb. I have to agree that 20 minutes from Newport to 173rd off Cougar Mountain Way is probably a good time to beat-if your under 35. I ran into another "old" guy going up the hill training for Crystal.

This is definitely a compact work out. I went up and down four times in 2 hours. Thats 5000 feet of climbing and 22.8 miles. The top of the climb at 173rd has a Sanikan. I never saw a school up there. I guess it was further down SE 60th. Going back down is kind of sketchy. I hit some pea gravel on the shoulder just above the Issaquah City Limits sign and fell pretty hard. Anybody that can knock this off in 19 minutes or less is moving pretty good.

I did the climb for the first time on Saturday. At the top of the climb I was following Cougar Mtn. Drive (as opposed to CM Way) and I stopped where the road turned to gravel. Is there an additional turn onto 173rd that gets you to the true top of the climb? It looks like it from the map, but I don't remember seeing it when I was up there. I might have just missed it because it was taking everything I had just to keep the pedals turning over...

I stand corrected, I ended the climb at 173rd on Cougar Mtn Drive. As far as I know thats pretty much the top. The towers and the water tanks are on 173rd behind the gate. If your into climbing try Mountain Park Blvd to Mt Side Drive up to Timbercrest. Its in Issaquah off of Newport. Thats about 1350 and 2.8 miles.