One of the first hillclimbs in Washington state was organized by the newly formed Yakima Valley Sports Car Club in 1954.

Very little information is out there. It was said to be a dirt course, approximately 1.1 miles long on a radio tower access road up the Umtanum Ridge near Yakima. This was apparently the first competitive sports car event this club had scheduled, and likely the first in that part of the state.

A part of the hillclimb touched on burial grounds of an Indian reservation, and that caused some controversy. The club was forced to find another location after this event. This worked out fine because they located the wonderful Maryhill Loops Road and started a tradition in 1955!

After research I located this map below, which “may” be the road used: Durr Road. It travels to the top of the ridge, where there is a radio tower close-by. It looks like both sides of the ridge have interesting curves leading to the summit of 3600 feet. Whether or not the road has changed since 1954 would be a question. It is an unimproved dirt road.

Burial grounds of Native Americans are scattered through the Yakima area and Umtanum Ridge also. The information as to where burial sites are located is not disclosed as they are protected, so I would only be guessing which side of the Ridge they raced up.

The red dot is the location of the radio towers on top of the ridge, at 3600 feet elevation.

Thanks to Martin Rudow, author of the book “Long Straights and Hairpin Turns” for the information on this hillclimb.