Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

Name: Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb
Location: Base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road, 1 Mt. Washington Auto Road (Route 16), Gorham, NH 03581

2027 date not yet announced. The 2026 race (the 53rd) was Saturday, August 15 with a Sunday rain date. Registration for the following year opens January 1 for returning and special-category riders and January 15 for the general public.

What is the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb?

The Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb is a 7.6-mile race up the Mt. Washington Auto Road in Gorham, New Hampshire, to the 6,288-foot summit, the highest point in the northeastern United States. The road averages 12% with pitches to 22%. It has run since 1973, is held on a Saturday in mid-August, takes up to about 600 riders, and is the main fundraiser for Tin Mountain Conservation Center, which has organized it since 1990. It is the one day a year the road is closed to cars for bikes.

How the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb started

The Auto Road opened in August 1861 as a carriage road to the summit. The bicycle hillclimb started in 1973, 112 years later. The 2026 race was the 53rd.

In 1990 the Auto Road asked Tin Mountain Conservation Center, a nonprofit environmental education group in the area, to organize the race. It has run it since, and net proceeds fund Tin Mountain's programs for children, adults and families.

Weather has cancelled the race outright in 1994, 1995, 2007 and 2023, and COVID cancelled 2020. Course records were reset in 2022 after the road was fully paved; as of 2025 they stood at 50:15 for men (Ian Boswell) and 58:01 for women (Illi Gardner). Earlier records set by Tyler Hamilton and Geneviève Jeanson were struck in 2011 after both admitted doping. The event keeps a 'Rockpiler' list of riders with ten or more finishes.

What to expect on the day

Race-day registration runs 6:15 to 7:45 AM at the base and the road closes to cars at 8:00 AM. Six waves go off five minutes apart starting at 8:30, top racers first, then age groups. Timing ends 3 hours 5 minutes after the start, at 12:05 PM.

The road never eases. It averages 12%, has long stretches at 18%, and the final 50 yards to the line are 22%. Above treeline it is exposed, and even in August it can be wet, windy and cold; the summit is known for the worst weather in America. Front and tail lights are recommended because of fog. Riders often bring very low gears.

You must have a driver. Bikes are not allowed to descend the road, so your driver takes an Auto Pass from your bib, drives up after the race, and brings you down when the road reopens around noon. Drivers should expect four to five hours at the summit. Finishers get a fleece blanket and medal, and there is an awards ceremony about 1:15 PM. The base area has a pre-race mechanic (REI Co-op) and lunch tickets; no dogs.

Weather in Gorham for the Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb

At the summit, August averages a high of about 54°F and a low of about 43°F, with a record August low of 20°F. Down at the base in Gorham it is a normal New England August day. The organizer's own line is that 'even August days can be wet, windy and cold' up top, so pack a hat, gloves and a warm jacket for after the finish. Weather has cancelled the race in 1994, 1995, 2007 and 2023.

Loading the forecast for Gorham…

Live forecast from Open-Meteo. Times are local to Gorham.

The town

Sleep, eat, fix the bike.

Gorham is a town of about 2,700 in Coös County, northern New Hampshire, where the Androscoggin River meets the north side of the Presidential Range. It is the gateway to the Mt. Washington Auto Road, which starts on Route 16 south of the village and hosts the bicycle hillclimb each August. Cyclists also come for the Presidential Rail Trail and the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail, and for the carriage roads at Great Glen Trails at the base of the mountain.

Portland, Maine (PWM) is the closest airport at about 67 miles, roughly an hour and a half by car. Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT) is about 102 miles and Boston Logan about three and a half hours. Route 16 from the south and Route 2 from the east and west are the roads in. There is no transit to speak of; you need a car, and for the hillclimb you need a driver anyway.

SleepHotels in Gorham3 picks · ask about the bike when you book EatRestaurants in Gorham4 picks, night before and after FixBike shops in Gorham2 shops · 1 rents bikes

The Gorham town guide →

Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb FAQ

How steep is it?

7.6 miles at an average 12% grade, with extended sections at 18% and the last 50 yards at 22%. There are no flat spots.

Do I need a driver?

Yes. You must arrange a ride down. Bikes cannot descend the Auto Road. Your driver gets an Auto Pass from your bib and drives up after the road reopens around noon.

When does registration open?

January 1 for returning and special-category riders, January 15 for the general public, on BikeReg. It closes in early August.

What does it cost?

For 2025 it was $350 flat, or $150 plus a fundraising minimum for Tin Mountain Conservation Center. Check BikeReg for current pricing.

Is there a time limit?

Yes. Official timing ends 3 hours 5 minutes after the start, at 12:05 PM.

What if the weather is bad?

There is a Sunday rain date. The race has been cancelled outright for weather four times since 1973.

Facts checked September 15, 2026. Dates and prices come from the organizer and change. Confirm on the official site before you book anything.