Los Angeles, CA: Mount Wilson | Bicycling in California

Los Angeles, CA: Mount Wilson

Escape L.A. on this 64-mile SoCal epic in the San Gabriel Mountains that tops out at Mount Wilson before carving down the Angeles Crest Highway.

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Author:	RaphaContinental
Date:	31 Dec 2008 11:32:48 AM
Activity:	Bicycling ActivitySearchBicycling
State:	California (CA)
Distance:	63.86 mi (Change units)
Survey Elevation:	Total Gain: 11797 ft Total Loss: 11795 ft Net Change: 2 ft
Difficulty:	8 / 10
Tags:	Los Angeles, California, Rapha Continental, Pasadena
Rating:	Unrated Rate it

Rolling out from Brookside Park and the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, this 64-mile climbing ride kicks off with mellow grades through La Cañada Flintridge before turning up Angeles Crest Highway. After a few long, sweeping turns toward the sky, the road ducks into canyon country, the climbing grades kick up to a stiff and steady grade, and Los Angeles disappears from the rear view mirror.

Fourteen miles in, the route turns up Angeles Forest Highway. After a brief (and ultra scenic) descent into Tujunga Canyon, the road pitches up again for another 4 miles to the Upper Big Tujunga Road turn-off (where the Hidden Springs Café awaits as the only mid-ride pit stop option). From here, it's another 16 miles of rhythmic, canyon climbing along scree and chaparral-covered hillsides up to the radio tower-marked summit of Mount Wilson. Take it easy on the narrow descent down Red Box Road and then enjoy L.A. vistas on the sweeping, roller-coaster turns of Angeles Crest Highway (while watching out for traffic) and the screamer descent back to Pasadena.

-Mapped by The Rapha Continental

TO TRAILHEAD: This route starts from the Rose Bowl/Brookside Park in Pasadena, CA.

Position Format:	Datum:

Tracks

Mount Wilson

Distance: 63.86 mi	Points: 1711	Calories: none
Total Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none	Speed: 0.0 mph	Pace: 0:00 / mi

#	Distance	Instruction	Distance to next
1	0.00 mi	Start - Head West on Seco St.	Then go 0.13 mi
2	0.13 mi	Turn Right - West Dr.	Then go 0.66 mi
3	0.79 mi	Turn Left - Salvia Canyon Rd.	Then go 0.35 mi
4	1.14 mi	Turn Left - Salvia Canyon Rd.	Then go 1.28 mi
5	2.42 mi	Straight - Continue on Highland Dr.	Then go 0.28 mi
6	2.71 mi	Bear Right - Berkshire Ave.	Then go 1.00 mi
7	3.70 mi	Turn Right - Oakwood Ave.	Then go 1.15 mi
8	4.85 mi	Turn Left - Lynnnhaven Ln.	Then go 0.52 mi
9	5.38 mi	Turn Left - Green Ln.	Then go 0.07 mi
10	5.45 mi	Turn Right - CA-2/Angeles Crest Hwy.	Then go 8.68 mi
11	14.13 mi	Angeles Forest Hwy.	Then go 8.42 mi
12	22.55 mi	Turn Right - Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road	Then go 9.08 mi
13	31.63 mi	Turn Right - CA-2/Angeles Crest Hwy.	Then go 4.30 mi
14	35.93 mi	Turn Left - Mt. Wilson Red Box Rd.	Then go 4.27 mi
15	40.20 mi	Turn Right - Mt Wilson Toll Rd.	Then go 0.35 mi
16	40.54 mi	Straight - Continue down Mt. Wilson on Red Box Rd.	Then go 4.52 mi
17	45.06 mi	Turn Left - CA-2/Angeles Crest Hwy.	Then go 13.99 mi
18	59.06 mi	Turn Right - Foothill Blvd.	Then go 0.04 mi
19	59.10 mi	Turn Left - Chevy Chase Dr.	Then go 0.69 mi
20	59.80 mi	Turn Left - Berkshire Ave.	Then go 1.36 mi
21	61.15 mi	Bear Left - Highland Dr.	Then go 0.29 mi
22	61.44 mi	Straight - Continue on Highland Dr.	Then go 1.29 mi
23	62.73 mi	Turn Right - CA-159/Linda Vista Ave	Then go 0.36 mi
24	63.09 mi	Turn Right - West Dr.	Then go 0.63 mi
25	63.72 mi	Turn Left - Seco St.	Then go 0.14 mi
26	63.86 mi	Stop - Brookside Park/Rose Bowl

Points of Interest

L.A. Sunset

Location: 34.257961, -118.193278
Angeles Crest Highway offers intermittent (and often spectacular) overlooks of Los Angeles. © Rapha

Rolling Out

Location: 34.211625, -118.195939
A gentle grade will coax your legs to life before the big climbing amps up on Angeles Crest Highway. © Rapha

Angeles Crest Highway

Location: 34.223140, -118.190103
The first mile of climbing on Angeles Crest Highway is perhaps the steepest of the ride.

Climbing Angeles Crest Highway

Location: 34.237457, -118.187399
© Rapha

Climbing the Crest

Location: 34.265268, -118.174095
© Rapha

Angeles Forest Turnoff

Location: 34.270410, -118.153324
Turning left onto Angeles Forest Highway, the climbing continues for just over 2 miles until a 4-mile descent into Tujunga Canyon. © Rapha

Over the Bridge

Location: 34.310102, -118.140042
© Rapha

Road Tunnel

Location: 34.313795, -118.135718
The road tunnel just 1.6 miles before Singing Springs marks the end of a 4-mile stretch of descending and the beginning of a 20-mile stretch of nearly continuous climbing up to the Mount Wilson summit.

Big Tujunga Turnoff

Location: 34.329226, -118.119775
Just past the Hidden Springs Cafe (diner-style pitstop option), the route turns up Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road. For a shorter ride, consider continuing straight for another 6 miles up to the Mill Creek Summit, and then U-turning back down Angeles Forest Highway.