The Background
Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is a 4,708-acre open space tucked in on Mt. Diablo's eastern flank. In spring the rolling grasslands of the preserve bloom with wildflowers. In summer the verdant foothills turn to amber, with temperatures hovering in the high 90s. In the winter, temperatures at the summit can drop below freezing.
The territory is named for Jeremiah Morgan, who was born in 1818 on the banks of the Tennessee River in Alabama. In 1849 Morgan ventured across the country to the Golden State by ox-drawn wagon seek to make his fortune in the gold fields. When that didn't work out, Morgan left the state, but was drawn back to California, returning with his family in 1853. In 1857, he started a ranch in the area after having seen the land while on a hunting expedition.
The land has changed little since Morgan's time. Yes there are some houses and even some ostentatious ranches, but it's mostly uninhabited and a great place for cyclists to explore. Though the preserve is not actually a wilderness area, it certainly feels like one.
Morgan Territory Road climbs through this wild country. From the north side where it intersects with Marsh Creek Road, it enters a wide valley that soon narrows meandering uphill along Marsh Creek under a canopy of oak trees. The climb becomes gradually steeper as the road continues to and through the Preserve. There are a couple of short, steep pitches near the top that will test you heart rate monitor. At the summit you're rewarded with a spectacular view of ranch lands to the west and south.
Let's breakdown the climb.
First Half &mdash The Easy Part
From Marsh Creek Road, you will ascend 1345 feet over 9.2 for a very casual average grade of 2.78%. As always, the statistics don’t lie, but they tell a very incomplete tale.
The "climb" starts with a descent. After making the turn onto Morgan Territory Road, the elevation drops about 43 feet in the first 2/3 miles, so you'll have a nice cruise as you enter the valley. If you calculate the grade from there, it jumps up only fractionally to 3.0% over the remaining 8.39 miles. Still very mild looking.
In the next 4 miles, the road becomes even more bucolic. Oaks form a shaded archway over the narrow road which rises in terrace like sections while becoming increasingly continually narrow, steeper and more remote. Trees block out the sun—a true blessing on a hot summer day. Watch out for the occasional car that may pop up unexpectedly around one of the curvy bends. During this stretch, the road only rises another 341 feet for an average grade of 1.4%, almost flat.
Second Half &mdash The Hard Part
It's in the final half of the climb where the real work comes in. From the 4 2/3 mile mark to the top, the climb elevates 1060 feet for a grade of 4.5%, roughly equivalent to Tunnel Road.
Just after you've climbed 7 miles, you’ll hit the first hard section. 8% grade for 2/3 mile.
Just before the 8 mile mark, you'll hit a stretch where the road rises 33 feet in 158 feet of road for a grade of 20.2%. Ouch.
When you survive that, there's another section of road that rises 45 feet over a a stretch of only 264 feet—a grade of 18.3%.
These sections are short, but require significant energy to overtop.
Even after you arrive at the "top" where the rest stop is at the entrance the Preserve, it's only a false summit. There's still another pitch up to the true summit. But it's only about 5% for a few hundred feet and you should be well rested after a break at the rest stop.
Once you summit, it's a harrowingly precipitous descent down to Manning Road.
Keys to a successful climb:
- Bring plenty of water. There's no place to fill up before the summit.
- Enjoy the scenery on the lower half of the climb.
- Save your strength for the steep pitches close to the summit.
- Watch out for reckless pickup trucks, especially around corners and when the road narrows to a single lane.
- Put on something warm at the top for the descent.
Road Type: Two (and sometimes One) Lane Country Road
Characteristic: Winding
Road Condition: Good to Really Poor
Length: 9.2 miles
Ascent: 1377 feet
Elevation at Bottom: 734 feet
Elevation at Top: 2111 feet
Average Grade: 2.78%
Maximum Grade: 20.4%
*Grade measurements made with Path Profiler, Klimb and Google Maps http://www.ebparks.org/parks/morgan