I've never understood why people run 'up' the dams rather than 'down' them. It's the wrong aspect for a reasonable approximation of the actual training missions and there's a large set of valley walls at the end that I suspect would outclimb any asthmatic GA a/c or at least make for some interesting and reflectful moments.
Quite I would hate to try and climb quickly in a PA 28 partically if its a 140 with 3 or 4 up youre lucky to get airbourne at all.