Southern California - Palomar Mountain - South Grade Ascent Ride Report

Finally, finally I got around to doing this climb. Way too easy :innocent: You San Diego folks need to head a bit farther north and do some real climbs.

Ride Report, pics, map, etc (http://www.toughascent.com/blog/?p=90)

A select few pics:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/SoZXmm8gmnI/AAAAAAAAMLc/Z5g_of1P8l0/s800/CIMG4501.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/SoZXn-oDVlI/AAAAAAAAMLw/NIsmoHxd7N8/s800/CIMG4503.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/SoZXs5_mTAI/AAAAAAAAMMk/EciKPg5JoIw/s800/CIMG4509.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8HKEZakuboQ/SoZXwW1c0KI/AAAAAAAAMNM/OhW_hXtU5PY/s800/CIMG4514.JPG (http://www.toughascent.com/blog/?p=90)

I was told that when the Palomar observatory was in planning, the telescope's massive and delicate mirrors had to be transported up to the top and assembled up there. The road was built with that in mind. Maybe that's one explanation why the south slope is easier than the east.

Where's your mom? I guess she didn't want to get up that early for this ride.

great ride report and pics, but i don't know if i would say palomar is easy compared to the other climbs we have in LA. outside of baldy, there's really nothing else that compares. all the santa monica climbs are steep but way too short and the others in the san gabriels and san bernadinos are as long or longer but not as steep. unless of course, you are talking about much further up north, ie. onion valley, horseshoe meadows and whitney portal! and if not, i think you need to take a weekend trip to lone pine and get those climbs in since you've more or less knocked out everything in the so cal area!

Very nice report!

It was all dirt trails when they hauled massive chuncks of glass up Mt. Wilson.

You definitely have to go to the Observatory next time, it is only at 5500 feet, so from Mother's it is only another 300 vertical feet spread out over 4.5 miles...

Also, once you get down to Lake Henshaw you can continue past it and turn up Mesa Grande for a nice little 12% climb...

I guess since its so easy you did it in around an hour or just under?

How does this compare to Latigo in Socal? Looks similar steepness, but longer.

I guess since its so easy you did it in around an hour or just under?

Well yeah, of course. I kid, this is actually a very solid climb. My time was 1:40 - 6.9mph - so I am by no means fast.


Where's your mom? I guess she didn't want to get up that early for this ride.

:lol: She lives in Santa Barbara, so an 8 hour roundtrip was a little out of the question...


How does this compare to Latigo in Socal? Looks similar steepness, but longer.

While I haven't done Latigo yet, based on elevation profiles, Palomar would be much tougher. Palomar averages 6.5% for 4300 feet of climbing. Making it tougher is the fact that the last 2500 feet (S Grade Rd) average 7.0%. Compare this to Latigo at 1800 feet and 5.1%. Mt Baldy is a more comparable ride, but the last part of Baldy makes it tougher than Palomar.

You definitely have to go to the Observatory next time, it is only at 5500 feet, so from Mother's it is only another 300 vertical feet spread out over 4.5 miles...

Also, once you get down to Lake Henshaw you can continue past it and turn up Mesa Grande for a nice little 12% climb...

Next time I do the climb the Observatory is absolutely on the list. And I definitely don't mind a few hundred feet of extra climbing - after all, I added 400 feet on by riding to the county park at 5600 ft. Nice park, but I was hoping for some sweet views. Along those lines, I am assuming the observatory has some nice views? Any other parks or stopping points up there for great views?

Mesa Grande looks like a short but sweet (in the masochistic way) climb. Ok, so next time..hit the observatory, get some food at Mother's (any recommendations food-wise?), loop down to Henshaw and add in Mesa Grande. I'm already getting anxious to do this again now!

Actually the views from the observatory aren't great, but it's still very interesting. The best views are along the top of East Grade. There are a couple of good observation points in the first mile or so of the descent.

Finally, finally I got around to doing this climb. Way too easy :innocent: You San Diego folks need to head a bit farther north and do some real climbs.
Harrah's to the store is too short for the drive you made. Next time, try one of these:

Park at the Escondido dog park, east on Valley Parkway, rt on Lake Wohlford Rd, rt on Valley Center Rd, pass Harrah's and do the route you did but when you come back go straight instead of turning left at Rincon Rd, left at Cole Grade Rd, right on Miller, right on Valley Center Rd, back to dog park.

Start at Harrah's, go to observatory, down East Gr, left on 76, right on Mesa Grande, right on 79, right on 78, left at Old Julian highway, left on Main, right on Highland Valley, right on Bandy Cyn, left on 78, right on Citrus, right on Bear Valley, right on E. Valley Parkway, right on Lake Wohlford Rd, right on Valley Center Rd back to car.

Do I smell pie (ride)?

Do I smell pie (ride)?

We can all start at my house and use Lake Wohlford as a warm up

We can all start at my house and use Lake Wohlford as a warm up

Good idea.

Good idea.

Infact, let's make it the Pie Helmetless Ride!

The stretch of Valley Center Parkway from Lake Wohlford Road to the 76 is The Suck. Narrower than Kate Moss, crowded with wide tour buses crammed full of old folks on their way to the casinos, and asphalt quality that is sure to administer an astounding @$$-pounding.
Better to start at Dudley's Bakery in San Ysabel, and use Mesa Grande as the warm-up climb, IMO.

What's the date?

Great pics. I really enjoyed the 1st and 3rd pictures. I heard doing col grade after Mt. Palomar is a thigh busting workout. My Wednesday ride buddy said col grade was even steeper than Mt. Palomar. Definitely a ride I want to do. What was your mileage? For some reason my Mac won't pick up the map or ride information at the bottom of your report.

Being able to escape for a ride during the week is one of the best things about unemployment. While you were riding, I was drowning in a sea of snickers creme brulee.:( sigh. Lucky guy.

Great report as usual. Enjoyed it!

the stretch of valley center parkway from lake wohlford road to the 76 is the suck. Narrower than kate moss, crowded with wide tour buses crammed full of old folks on their way to the casinos, and asphalt quality that is sure to administer an astounding @$$-pounding.
better to start at dudley's bakery in san ysabel, and use mesa grande as the warm-up climb, imo.

what's the date?

+1

I'm up for the next ride up Palomar! Last time I went was the day the Tour of California rolled through :eek:

If there is enough interest I will SAG for a PIE ride if people want to give money as a donation for my MS Ride... I think I know the route... :p

Infact, let's make it the Pie Helmetless Ride!

How about a pie-less pie ride? That stop is always way too long.

i would be down for a pieless & helmetless palomar ride...

How about a pie-less pie ride? That stop is always way too long.

Will have Extort hand out pie-filled musettes, PRO-style.

Will have Extort hand out pie-filled musettes, PRO-style.

Genius.

Seriously now. I'm up for a Dudley's-Palomar assault on Saturday morning (8/22). I prefer the South Grade (especially when descending :thumb: ) but I'll go along with the group if one appears. What time are we embarking from Dudley's Bakery? (Earlier would be better.)

It's about 71 miles and about 7-8,000 feet of total climbing.
(Here's a map for anyone considering. (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=santa+ysabel,+ca&daddr=mesa+grande,+ca+to:35899+Canfield+Rd,+Palomar+Mountain,+CA+92060+%28Palomar+Observatory%29+to: 33.296673,-116.8396+to:mesa+grande,+ca+to:santa+ysabel,+ca&hl=en&geocode=%3B%3BFZT5_AEd0scI-SHw45gDqJ_wew%3B%3B%3B&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=3&sz=11&via=3&sll=33.233054,-116.772231&sspn=0.441669,0.869293&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=11))

If you get bored with the grades and distances of these climbs, start doing them fixed gear. Or really up the ante and don't drive to the base of the hill, climb up, then go home. Do it carless.

If you get bored with the grades and distances of these climbs, start doing them fixed gear. Or really up the ante and don't drive to the base of the hill, climb up, then go home. Do it carless.

And the award for Irrelevant Thread-Derailment of the Week goes to...

...Pizza!

And the award for Irrelevant Thread-Derailment of the Week goes to...

...Pizza!

What? He started by joking that the climb was too easy. It's easy to make things harder.

... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pizza. Me likey pizza pie.
(And Irrelevancy.
And derailment.)

What? He started by joking that the climb was too easy. It's easy to make things harder.

... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pizza. Me likey pizza pie.
(And Irrelevancy.
And derailment.)

Yeah, but you don't have to go fixie or singlespeed to make things harder. Just put it in a bigger gear and pedal harder. Discipline, man!

That works too. I ain't forcin' nuthin' down no one's throat. Jus' sayin'.

We should invite Brett Favre since he's retired again. Oh wait...

Great, now everyone's doing it. Ah well, when in Rome...

The Earth is made by Chinese people who wear plums floating in perfume in a man's hat.

If you get bored with the grades and distances of these climbs, start doing them fixed gear. Or really up the ante and don't drive to the base of the hill, climb up, then go home. Do it carless.
It's a nice ride from my house, a little over 100 RT.

It's a nice ride from my house, a little over 100 RT.

Oh that'd be nice. I have yet to ride Palomar --- and it's a bit far from me to make it a reasonable day trip. But it sure looks like it's worth making some time to do it.

We're planning an 80-or-so mile trip from home to Mt. Baldy --- after we finish our coastal ride. Good times!