COURSE PREVIEW · ROAD · NOVATO, CALIFORNIA

Marin Century Mt. Tam course preview

The 2026 Marin Century Mt. Tam course is 94.2 mi (151.6 km) and finishes where it starts, with 10,135 ft of climbing. RideMorrow finds 32 distinct climbs and 34 descents; the listed climbs account for 75% of the total ascent, and the rest comes from shorter rollers. The hardest climb by FIETS score starts at 28.6 mi: 2.49 mi at an average 6.7%, peaking at 17.8% over 100 m. The longest is 3.52 mi, starting at 21.0 mi. The second quarter holds the most climbing (35%).

Get your free ride briefing Official course

CourseClimbsStart

Distance: 94.2 mi151.6 km
Elevation gain: 10,135 ft3,089 m
Climbs: 3234 descents
Steepest 100 m: 19.2%On a listed climb
Corners: 429165 technical
High point: 2,504 ftLow 9 ft

Elevation profile

Shaded: every listed climb. Numbered: the hardest.

First quarter2,373 ft0 mi–24 mi

Second quarter3,515 ft24 mi–47 mi

Third quarter2,207 ft47 mi–71 mi

Final quarter2,043 ft71 mi–94 mi

The 5 hardest climbs

Ranked by FIETS score

1
Climb 11 · from 28.6 mi2.49 mi · 879 ft up · 6.7% average, 17.8% steepest
1.8
2
Climb 8 · from 21.0 mi3.52 mi · 959 ft up · 5.2% average, 13.2% steepest
1.5
3
Climb 14 · from 34.8 mi1.61 mi · 530 ft up · 6.2% average, 12.0% steepest
1.0
4
Climb 19 · from 50.3 mi1.14 mi · 448 ft up · 7.5% average, 18.9% steepest
1.0
5
Climb 13 · from 32.3 mi1.36 mi · 371 ft up · 5.2% average, 15.5% steepest
0.6

Every climb, in ride order

32 climbs · top 5 highlighted

Climb	Starts at	Length	Elevation gain	Avg grade	Steepest 100 m	FIETS
1	0.3 mi	0.73 mi	113 ft	2.9%	5.9%	0.1
2	1.8 mi	0.54 mi	216 ft	7.6%	10.8%	0.5
3	2.8 mi	0.35 mi	83 ft	4.5%	8.7%	0.1
4	5.9 mi	0.57 mi	97 ft	3.3%	9.5%	0.1
5	11.8 mi	1.68 mi	250 ft	2.8%	13.3%	0.2
6	13.9 mi	0.75 mi	217 ft	5.5%	13.7%	0.4
7	16.9 mi	1.19 mi	200 ft	3.2%	11.3%	0.2
8	21.0 mi	3.52 mi	959 ft	5.2%	13.2%	1.5
9	25.8 mi	0.43 mi	126 ft	5.6%	9.3%	0.2
10	26.9 mi	0.52 mi	104 ft	3.8%	10.9%	0.1
11	28.6 mi	2.49 mi	879 ft	6.7%	17.8%	1.8
12	31.6 mi	0.60 mi	197 ft	6.2%	14.9%	0.4
13	32.3 mi	1.36 mi	371 ft	5.2%	15.5%	0.6
14	34.8 mi	1.61 mi	530 ft	6.2%	12.0%	1.0
15	37.6 mi	0.31 mi	102 ft	6.2%	11.8%	0.2
16	38.2 mi	0.43 mi	115 ft	5.0%	13.1%	0.2
17	38.9 mi	0.50 mi	212 ft	8.1%	13.1%	0.5
18	45.0 mi	0.47 mi	98 ft	3.9%	10.8%	0.1
19	50.3 mi	1.14 mi	448 ft	7.5%	18.9%	1.0
20	52.8 mi	0.28 mi	68 ft	4.6%	8.5%	0.1
21	54.0 mi	1.05 mi	278 ft	5.0%	15.8%	0.4
22	60.9 mi	1.05 mi	204 ft	3.7%	10.2%	0.2
23	62.6 mi	1.09 mi	306 ft	5.3%	12.3%	0.5
24	70.2 mi	1.07 mi	326 ft	5.7%	11.0%	0.6
25	77.4 mi	0.30 mi	95 ft	5.9%	11.9%	0.2
26	78.1 mi	0.57 mi	102 ft	3.4%	8.0%	0.1
27	79.6 mi	0.39 mi	78 ft	3.8%	8.3%	0.1
28	80.8 mi	0.31 mi	74 ft	4.5%	7.1%	0.1
29	83.6 mi	0.81 mi	145 ft	3.4%	19.2%	0.1
30	86.2 mi	1.50 mi	380 ft	4.8%	11.9%	0.6
31	90.4 mi	0.62 mi	91 ft	2.8%	6.5%	0.1
32	91.4 mi	0.47 mi	95 ft	3.9%	7.3%	0.1

Descents

34 descents drop 7,799 ft in total. The steepest:

Descent 20 · from 53.6 mi 0.41 mi at 8.3% average, 35.3% at its steepest
Descent 7 · from 18.1 mi 1.43 mi at 5.5% average, 21.0% at its steepest
Descent 15 · from 39.4 mi 4.78 mi at 6.1% average, 17.0% at its steepest
Descent 22 · from 65.2 mi 1.55 mi at 3.1% average, 15.7% at its steepest
Descent 21 · from 55.0 mi 1.81 mi at 4.7% average, 13.7% at its steepest

Corners

429 corners detected from the course geometry, 139 of them on a descent.

70 Very technical
95 Technical
179 Moderate
85 Gentle

Technical corners on descents

7.9 mi 67° left bend on a 5.5% approach · Technical
15.5 mi 91° left turn on a 5.6% approach · Technical
18.3 mi 45° left bend on a 20.0% approach · Technical
18.8 mi 40° left bend on a 11.3% approach · Technical
24.6 mi 45° right bend on a 9.7% approach · Technical
25.1 mi 96° left turn on a 3.3% approach · Technical

Corners describe the line on the map, not road conditions. Sightlines, grip and traffic aren't known.

Marin Century Mt. Tam course FAQ

How much climbing is in the Marin Century Mt. Tam?

10,135 ft (3,089 m) over 94.2 mi, measured from the organizer's course file with the elevation smoothed and small fluctuations ignored. Other tools may show a different total because they count every small rise.

How many climbs does the Marin Century Mt. Tam have?

32 climbs of at least 300 m with 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade, plus shorter rollers. Together the listed climbs gain 7,556 ft.

What is the hardest climb in the Marin Century Mt. Tam?

Climb 11, starting at 28.6 mi: 2.49 mi gaining 879 ft at an average 6.7%. Its FIETS score is 1.8.

What is the longest climb in the Marin Century Mt. Tam?

Climb 8, 3.52 mi from 21.0 mi, averaging 5.2%.

How steep does the Marin Century Mt. Tam get?

The steepest 100 m on a listed climb averages 19.2%. Grades are measured over 100 m, so short ramps can be steeper.

Where does this course data come from?

From the course Marin Cyclists publishes on its official site (https://marincentury.com/rider-info), retrieved 2026-10-12. Organizers change courses, so check their site before the event.

Source and method

Course: Mt. Tam - 2026 Marin Century - Official Route, published by Marin Cyclists. Retrieved 2026-10-12. RideMorrow is not affiliated with the event. Organizers change courses, so check the official site before the event.

Elevation comes from the route file, resampled every 10 m and smoothed. Climbs and descents need at least 300 m of length, 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade. Grades are measured over 100 m. Climbs are ranked by FIETS score: height² ÷ (length × 10), both in metres, without the index's high-altitude bonus. A score of 1 is a solid climb; 5 and above is a mountain pass. Weather, surface conditions, traffic and closures are not included.

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