Southern California - Most Scenic SoCal Climbs (w/ pics!)

I'm loving the climbing right now and I love the sort of scenery you can experience on such rides. What are the most scenic climbs all of you have done? Pictures too would be awesome! Since I started this thread, I'll throw out a couple:

Figueroa Mountain (Santa Ynez Valley):

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/Si3a5Ong-XI/AAAAAAAAFiM/3iufneDxkXk/s800/CIMG3859.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/Si3gWZNaujI/AAAAAAAAFkU/wswdM0pmxCU/s800/CIMG3890.JPG (http://www.toughascent.com/blog/?p=39)

Glendora Ridge Road (as part of a GMR->GRR->Mt Baldy Rd Loop):

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/Scw1BfFUrDI/AAAAAAAADxg/65mK5d6BQH8/s800/CIMG3018.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JiVkdjABE9M0LdX1CHPagA?feat=directlink)

Nice pics. I just road up Baldy to GRR to GMR for the first time, 2 days ago. It was pretty much drizzling with poor visibility. It is nice to see a pic of where I was on GRR!! Now I have to do it when the sun is shining!!

Nice shots. That's a classic shot of GRR. Seems like every time I ride up there I pause at that spot to take the same picture. :D

Nice shots. That's a classic shot of GRR. Seems like every time I ride up there I pause at that spot to take the same picture. :D


That's a definite "save to hard drive"...:)

Lake Hendshaw:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/Various/eastgradeextort800.jpg

GMR in Winter
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/GlendoraRidgeRoadinWinter.jpg

Might want to check out old ridge route road from Castaic to Gorman.

The Ridge Route is CLOSED to ALL TRAFFIC from the Tumble Inn to just north of Templin Highway. It will hopefully reopen early next year (spring 2010). Aside from that, it is quite scenic and traversable. The closure is a hard closure though, meaning none shall pass. There were some slides from the January 2005 storms that closed the road, plus a fair amount of damage to the oil/gas lines that head over the Ridge. The Forest Service will issue very large fines to those that go beyond the gates. More information can be had at ridgeroute.com .

Lake Hendshaw:

GMR in Winter

Nice ones! I have a loop planned for Palomar Mountain that includes a short stretch along Henshaw..looks like I might want to add a few extra miles to the ride along the lake!

More pics people! I know there are some more awesome rides and pics out there!

The desert floor from half-way up Montezuma Grade - Anza Borrego to Ranchita http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/bikephoto1/Lookingoutfromoverlooktodesertfloor.jpg

The Ridge Route is CLOSED to ALL TRAFFIC from the Tumble Inn to just north of Templin Highway. It will hopefully reopen early next year (spring 2010). Aside from that, it is quite scenic and traversable. The closure is a hard closure though, meaning none shall pass. There were some slides from the January 2005 storms that closed the road, plus a fair amount of damage to the oil/gas lines that head over the Ridge. The Forest Service will issue very large fines to those that go beyond the gates. More information can be had at ridgeroute.com .

Until I checked out the link (http://ridgeroute.com) you provided, I thought you were referring to Glendora Ridge Road! Having that route closed would be a huge blow to a lot of folks who climb the San Gabriels. Cool bit of CA history that Ridge Road.

Yes, the 1919 paving, 1920's asphalt (some of it experimental), plus the views on the Castaic-Tejon Ridge Route are quite nice. I'm on the board of the group (Ridge Route Preservation Organization) helping to reopen the road and get it funding for continued maintenance. Hopefully, we may finally get it open! I want to ride my cyclocross bike over it!

keep us posted. i'd love to do a ride on the ridge route, the cross bike is ready

There's a lot of hard pack side/fire roads up there if parts of old ridge route is closed. Here's a 2008 video of how pretty it is up there:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCUF5TE1LlA

Admittedly, I haven't been up there in awhile, but the 40-50 mile ride is well worth it. The southern half has the serpentine section and swede's cut and plenty of historical markers to stop and take pics. IMHO, it's the best kept riding experience/secret in the L.A. area. Here's some pics from the north end...Sandberg to Liebre Summit:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/17321202

I'm enjoying this thread. That first pix is now my desktop...

Hwy 76 between Rincon and South Gr Roads after the '07 fires.
http://www.geocities.com/grumpypig/76afterfire.jpg

The north side of Couser Canyon. Picture by maddmike.
http://www.geocities.com/grumpypig/Couser_Canyon.jpg

GMR. Or GRR. Whatever.
http://www.geocities.com/grumpypig/Road_II.jpg

Harris Truck Trail - De Luz Canyon
http://www.geocities.com/grumpypig/IMGP1327.JPG

I'm enjoying this thread. That first pix is now my desktop...

Glad you like it! I'll throw in one more classic shot:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/SiYXKt3gEFI/AAAAAAAAFa8/QR36LKeAJF0/s800/CIMG3780.JPG (http://www.toughascent.com/blog/?p=27)

Jalama Road just before hitting the beach. While not a huge climb, the road does give you 1100 ft or so of climbing from the beach. And the scenery is not bad either.

Hwy 76 between Rincon and South Gr Roads after the '07 fires.
...


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Can't wait to see the photos - hope the server is back up soon! Also, geocities will be permanently shut down later this year. You should move your pages and photos somewhere new so you don't lose them.

Can't wait to see the photos - hope the server is back up soon! Also, geocities will be permanently shut down later this year. You should move your pages and photos somewhere new so you don't lose them.
I saw that notice tonight. The pictures are on a memory stick. I loaded them onto the geocities website tonight for this thread.

I saw that notice tonight. The pictures are on a memory stick. I loaded them onto the geocities website tonight for this thread.

picasa and flickr are both good, free photo hosting options.

Harris Truck Trail - De Luz Canyon
http://www.geocities.com/grumpypig/IMGP1327.JPG

Sweet, your photos show now. This one in particular looks great. Less than 2 hours from Long Beach..I need to ride out there. Any route out there you would recommend that includes this road? Preferably long enough to justify the drive out there :thumb:

Start in Bonsall. Go up to Fallbrook, through De Luz, Temecula, Rainbow, Rice Canyon, Couser Canyon, back to Bonsall. 60-70 miles maybe?

Anybody ever ride by the castle in this thread?
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=459898

On the way up Mt. Palomar.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/palomar.jpg

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/paloride1.jpg

Looking back.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/paloride3.jpg

Through the clouds.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/paloride9.jpg

Above the clouds.

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f140/michsis/paloride13.jpg

[QUOTE=Extort;9091816]Lake Hendshaw:
http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/__Extort/Various/eastgradeextort800.jpg

Love the photo thanks. Looks like Heneshaw had a decent amount of rainfall. So Cal looks great.. Been there , done that..
ps. HOw's the casino traffic en route..?

[QUOTE=Extort;9091816]Lake Hendshaw:
Love the photo thanks. Looks like Heneshaw had a decent amount of rainfall. So Cal looks great.. Been there , done that..
ps. HOw's the casino traffic en route..?

This was from a couple years ago, and the current level of the lake is quite a bit lower. :( The casino traffic is only heavy heading up Lake Wolford road (2 lanes, no shoulders) in the evenings, but that is about 40 miles away from this photo...

Forest Road 1N34, also known as San Sevaine:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/SQU8b4KWGOI/AAAAAAAAA5I/QvLFBCnPGIE/s912/lytle%20pano%201.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/STziJkgx9lI/AAAAAAAAA_4/jf-qlevzQo0/s720/IMG_0403.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/SQU8kAu0mvI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/4Wfi1HAHvlg/s1024/lytle%20pano%205.jpg

Main Divide, Santa Ana Mountains:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/SZhmwdE-zaI/AAAAAAAABIs/6WhGohmbyIc/s1024/Main%20Divide%20Pano.jpg

Cucamonga Canyon:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/SPFRrbS_6CI/AAAAAAAAAe8/N9ZH2_F_dy0/s720/IMG_0226.jpg

Above Wrightwood, Acorn Trail:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Sh3Xo5bNLrI/SPwH4sFwdsI/AAAAAAAAAmQ/_gPYlyNshcs/s720/IMG_0278.jpg

SoCal is great :)

The desert floor from half-way up Montezuma Grade - Anza Borrego to Ranchita http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee179/bikephoto1/Lookingoutfromoverlooktodesertfloor.jpg

Wow, I hope this was in the winter. I was out that way last weekend, 104 degrees is too hot to be outside, so it's far to hot to be climbing!

Wow, I hope this was in the winter. I was out that way last weekend, 104 degrees is too hot to be outside, so it's far to hot to be climbing!

I've done that climb and there's a real small window. It seems like there's 50 weeks every year that are too hot, too cold or too windy.

Are the climbs limited to the road? If not, here's mine - Loma Ridge, Limestone Canyon. That's Irvine Lake in the background
http://http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/Friends046-1.jpg

Or North Ridge, Chino Hills:
http://http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o288/bcipam/NorthRidge101605002.jpg

Are the climbs limited to the road?

As long as the climbs are done on a bike, for sure.

Angeles Crest Hwy. from La Canada to Islip Saddle, and down Hwy. 39.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/AC%20to%2039/IMG_1070s.jpg

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/AC%20to%2039/IMG_1074s.jpg

Hwy 39 from overlook west of Islip Saddle.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/AC%20to%2039/IMG_1082s.jpg

Hwy 39 below Crystal Lake.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/AC%20to%2039/IMG_1087s.jpg

A bureaucratic conundrum.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w177/imspec/cycling/AC%20to%2039/IMG_1090s.jpg