
The Inhumane Climb to Mount William with 29% Ramps
Australia, oceania
11.6 km
347 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, listen up, adventurers! If you’re heading to Victoria, Australia, you HAVE to check out Mount William, or as the locals might call it, Duwul! We're talking epic 360-degree views from the highest point in the Grampians National Park (elevation: 1,167m or 3,829ft). Seriously, picture this: stunning mountain ranges meeting vast open plains.
The journey up is half the fun! Mount William Road is your path to glory—a solid 11.6km (7.2 miles) of paved goodness. Now, heads up: it gets pretty narrow and STEEP. We're talking a max gradient of 29% on one crazy hairpin! Also, be extra careful after it rains; the road can get slippery. Trust me, the incredible views almost the entire way up are worth it. The very top section (last 1.8km) is technically closed, but there's a paved service road that takes you right to the summit, crowned with a communications station. The climb really gets going about 347m above sea level, settling into a steady 5-6% grade. Buckle up and get ready for some serious scenery!
Where is it?
The Inhumane Climb to Mount William with 29% Ramps is located in Australia (oceania). Coordinates: -23.6590, 132.4900
Road Details
- Country
- Australia
- Continent
- oceania
- Length
- 11.6 km
- Max Elevation
- 347 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- -23.6590, 132.4900
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