Southern California - Highway 18 to Lake Arrowhead is very dangerous for bikes!

I drove up with some friends on Saturday and was amazed at how poorly this road (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=san+bernardino,+ca&daddr=lake+arrowhead,+ca&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=34.089061,-117.292786&sspn=0.263287,0.439453&ie=UTF8&z=12) was set up for cyclists! It is a beautiful mountain road near a lot of urban areas, so I expected that it would be a mecca for cyclists. Seems like this road would be a natural choice for the usual Saturday ride for everyone in San Bernardino, Fontana, Redlands, Colton, etc. A nice mountain climb and tons of great scenery.

But no! This road is a death trap for cyclists! The cars drive very fast and the road often has no shoulders. What a shame that this great route is basically unrideable. Do you guys just take the lane when you do this climb? Stick to early mornings only?

I live 5 miles from there, and I wont ride it.

However there is a side road called Old Waterman Canyon, that is a very good climb. It runs parallel half the way up. The 330 is just as bad, really the only rideable climb to Big Bear is the Onyx.

When I lived in Redlands back in the 80's you could ride up to Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead without fearing (well, without a lot of fear) for your life but you had to choose the time of the year, day of the week, and time of the day carefully.

As the ferret notes, there were / are alternatives.

I live 5 miles from there, and I wont ride it.

However there is a side road called Old Waterman Canyon, that is a very good climb. It runs parallel half the way up. The 330 is just as bad, really the only rideable climb to Big Bear is the Onyx.

What a shame, but it's good to know that there are some alternatives!

The route used for the Ride Around the Bear is pretty decent, and seemd *relatively* safe: http://www.ocw.org/bear/bearinfo.asp#Ride%20Description

The route used for the Ride Around the Bear is pretty decent, and seemd *relatively* safe: http://www.ocw.org/bear/bearinfo.asp#Ride%20Description

That route is actually pretty sketchy during normal traffic. I'd rather ride Hwy. 18 than the 330. In fact I'd tend to disagree w/ the OP about Hwy 18. Riding Hwy. 18 up to Waterman Canyon Road, and then on up to Lake Arrowhead, is a good climb. I haven't done it many times, but the few times I have, I felt reasonably safe. At least as safe as any other typical mountain road.

The only time I've ridden 330 is *during* the ride around the bear. Having seen traffic on that road at other times, I wouldn't ride it otherwise. It only seems decent 'cause there are hundreds of cyclists on the road , so the cars are expecting them.

Like someone mentioned up-thread. Your best bet for mountain riding around these parts is the lesser-traveled Hwy. 38, up to Onyx Summit. Hwy. 74 to Idyllwild is also a pretty good climb.

I live 5 miles from there, and I wont ride it.

However there is a side road called Old Waterman Canyon, that is a very good climb. It runs parallel half the way up. The 330 is just as bad, really the only rideable climb to Big Bear is the Onyx.

I got to the Ride Around the Bear 30 min. late (after last start time) a few years ago, and headed up 330 by myself... yikes!

Hi,

I used to drive up to Big Bear on the route you showed all the time during the 1980s for skiing. I too thought that it would be pretty good for riding until I went up there during the summer. I saw that the road was just as busy, if not busier, during the summer.

I've ridden Ride Around the Bear twice. I won't do it again. The traffic on the way up is just to risky for me. I know that having several hundred cyclists riding on the road increases the awareness factor for drivers but it also increases the road rage factor for other drivers -- especially when some cyclists don't want to share the road. :(

The "back side" to Onyx Summit is definitely less traveled and I've heard that it's generally OK for riding but I can't speak from first-hand experience.

There are a lot of other climbs in SoCal that are similarly rewarding with much less traffic.

It makes me feel better that most agree with my opinion about the roads up there, the people at the lbs have an irrational opinion about 'how safe' it is.

There's about 6 good climbs around here where you dont have to worry about traffic so much.

I've done Ride Around the Bear several times and also 38 to Onyx on my own and I've never had any problems with motorists.

I don't understand the argument that more traffic is necessarily less safe. Maybe less trafficked mountain roads could be even more dangerous because motorists are more likely to not pay attention?

Having said that, I prefer climbing 38 over 330 - not because less traffic is "safer", but because less traffic is more fun!

Hello LCI_Brian,

My problem isn't necessarily the volume of traffic on the "front side" it's the type of traffic. I guess I should explain busier. Even on Ride Around the Bear you can have stretches with no cars, but then you'll have a semi or someone towing a large boat with a long line of cars behind. Invariably, as this long line is trying to pass you, a line of cars will come down the hill. Of course those trying to pass you don't want to wait so they'll "skim" by you. Also, there are people going up going much faster than they should even without bike traffic and with no real shoulder and some tight turns... you get the picture.

I believe there is more of a shoulder on Highway 38 -- at least there is going down.

+ 1 on the climb to Onyx summit. You can extend this ride from teh summit and get to Big Bear.

Oak Glen is also another good climb in the area (shorter but steeper pitches). Both these climbs are part of the Breathless Agony century in the spring:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Breathless-Agony-Route

As someone who drove up to Lake Arrowhead recently via the 18.... I wouldn't suggest biking this route.

I drove Highway 18 once looking for bike routes. The minute I saw it I knew I'd never ride it.