Southern California - ACH, HWY 39, GMR closed, any other climb rides?

Are there other comparable climb areas within the LA county and surrounding area?

I think you could get to ACH if you went up Big Tujunga but there might be too much smoke.

As of yesterday, the coast north of Malibu was smoke free. Plenty of great climbs out that way... Latigo, Old Topanga Cyn, Encinal, Decker, Piuma, Stunt, etc.

I sure wouldn't want to be trapped up there by this http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~obs/towercam.htm
I think the firefighters have enough to do without worrying about me on a bike. Can you imagine their reaction to a call for help for a downed motorcyclist at a time like this? Let him fry.:)

As of yesterday, the coast north of Malibu was smoke free. Plenty of great climbs out that way... Latigo, Old Topanga Cyn, Encinal, Decker, Piuma, Stunt, etc.

Too hot!


I sure wouldn't want to be trapped up there by this http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~obs/towercam.htm
I think the firefighters have enough to do without worrying about me on a bike. Can you imagine their reaction to a call for help for a downed motorcyclist at a time like this? Let him fry.:)

The fire is down below Clearcreek. You could probably ride above Red Box and be out of the smoke, but I really don't know.

Too hot!



The fire is down below Clearcreek. You could probably ride above Red Box and be out of the smoke, but I really don't know. Surely they have all the roads closed. http://dpwgis.co.la.ca.us/website/roadclosures/main.cfm

Onyx Summit; We will leave the Ranger Station at the bottom of Hwy 38 at 6:30am sharp. the ranger station is just to the right of bryant st on hwy 38 in mentone ca.

Surely they have all the roads closed. http://dpwgis.co.la.ca.us/website/roadclosures/main.cfm

I don't know, but guys at work who live in Palmdale are still coming over AF to Big T. I'm probably going to Ventura anyway.

I suspect early am in the Santa Monicas/Malibu/PCH will be busy with cyclists avoiding the later hours heat over the weekend.

I suspect early am in the Santa Monicas/Malibu/PCH will be busy with cyclists avoiding the later hours heat over the weekend.
The SFVBC is going to Ventura tomorrow. If I ride tomorrow, I will be too.

I suspect early am in the Santa Monicas/Malibu/PCH will be busy with cyclists avoiding the later hours heat over the weekend.

I was in Santa Clarita this week on business and I give you guys a lot of credit riding in that heat. I had a half day off before returning back to NY and drove up Decker Canyon Road on Weds this week and it was over 100 degrees in the afternoon.

What do you guys do about the tight curves and blind switchbacks as far as auto traffic is concerned? I bet it gets pretty busy with the ninja bikers and Porsche wanna be racers attacking those types of roads on the weekends.

I hope I can get some time off and a bike rental the next time I'm out there in a few weeks to ride up one of those canyon roads. :D Hopefully it won't be as hot as it is this week.

One other question: any recommendations for renting a road bike preferably not too much $$$ (< $50)?

Well, depending on heat, Magic Mountain from Sand Canyon is a fun climb. It tops at 4860' and is paved the whole way. Just take Sand Canyon Road south, then left onto Santa Clara Divide Road, that will go up to the summit, where the towers and old Nike base exist (you'll see a couple of silos on the north slope). If you start at Sand Canyon Rd/Soledad Canyon Rd, there is about 3000' of climb, most of it in the last 15 miles. The road is mostly empty too.

What you don't want is to smell smoke when even walking around outside. A lot of airborne particles from big brush fires travel up and around. This stuff is not good for your body. There will be better days to do climbing.

I don't know, but guys at work who live in Palmdale are still coming over AF to Big T. I'm probably going to Ventura anyway.

They're gonna be disappointed. The fire just jumped over Big T and it's closed and people evacuated.

Well, depending on heat, Magic Mountain from Sand Canyon is a fun climb. It tops at 4860' and is paved the whole way. Just take Sand Canyon Road south, then left onto Santa Clara Divide Road, that will go up to the summit, where the towers and old Nike base exist (you'll see a couple of silos on the north slope). If you start at Sand Canyon Rd/Soledad Canyon Rd, there is about 3000' of climb, most of it in the last 15 miles. The road is mostly empty too.


Looks like a nice climb, is there cell phone reception in that area just in case?

They're gonna be disappointed. The fire just jumped over Big T and it's closed and people evacuated.

I guess they'll be on the 14 with thousands of their neighbors.


Looks like a nice climb, is there cell phone reception in that area just in case?

Cell should be no problem, it's not really remote. Don't do it when it's hot. The road is in pretty bad shape after you turn off of Sand Canyon and it's full of holes and lots of rocks are around.

We rode to Onyx summit today (Saturday). We left the Mentone Ranger Station at 7 am sharp. The weather was nice on the way up. From Angeles Oaks to the summit the weather was awesome around 75 to 80, and the air was clean. At the summit it was 70 degrees at 930. The decent was a different story. It was cool until we got to Angeles Oaks, then it seemed to warm up 10 degrees every 500 feet. At the car at Mentone it was 100 degrees at 1130.
Tomorrow we are climbing Palomar Mtn. We are leaving from Harrras casino at 700am. Hope we can beat the heat and ride in clean air..

I had reason to drive around in the valley Saturday afternoon, and the view facing east gave us a spectacular view of this awesome display of our natural world:

(not my photos)
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs158.snc1/5900_126832280492_711965492_2956224_1101785_n.jpg
http://hphotos-snc1.fbcdn.net/hs138.snc1/5900_126831880492_711965492_2956201_264717_n.jpg

The views along ACH heading up to Mt Wilson will sure be different.

Looks like a nice climb, is there cell phone reception in that area just in case?There must be a cell tower on Magic Mtn cause I got full bars up there last year. The final climb up to the top can be really buggy this time of year and the road is horrible but the payoff is great. I'm sure it's swallowed in smoke right now though.:(

I just drove to the top of Kagel Canyon at 5:45 and I can see the fire in Little Tujunga. Looks like buildings are burning there and the damned fire is headed this way. Starting to think about what to pack.

I just drove to the top of Kagel Canyon at 5:45 and I can see the fire in Little Tujunga. Looks like buildings are burning there and the damned fire is headed this way. Starting to think about what to pack.
Good luck, John.

I just drove to the top of Kagel Canyon at 5:45 and I can see the fire in Little Tujunga. Looks like buildings are burning there and the damned fire is headed this way. Starting to think about what to pack. $hit John not again. This is so sad. I just heard that a residence at the Monte Cristo Fire Station was lost but the fire station is still there, we got water there last week. I'm really fearful for our friends at the Hidden Springs Cafe. Any news?

Good luck, John.

Thanks, Frank.


$hit John not again. This is so sad. I just heard that a residence at the Monte Cristo Fire Station was lost but the fire station is still there, we got water there last week. I'm really fearful for our friends at the Hidden Springs Cafe. Any news?

I haven't heard anything about HS Cafe, but the firefighters are at the Wildlife Waystation now. When I last checked at 10:00 last night, the flames were coming down the hill behind Hathaway School. My neighbors think the fires last fall burned most of the fuel between there and our houses. I have to go look again before work.

What about Tippi Hedren's cat ranch in Acton? The news guys were saying they can't evacuate the big cats at the Wildlife center...does that mean they make a stand at those places and fight or just bail out when it's close? Wow, this is so dangerously crazy now.

An animal sanctuary called the Roar Foundation Shambala Preserve, 6 miles east of Acton, was in the mandatory evacuation zone, but fire officials decided removing the animals would be "a logistical nightmare," said Chris Gallucci, vice president of operations.

"We have 64 big cats, leopards, lions, tigers, cougars. ... The animals are just walking around, not being affected by this at all," Gallucci said. "But if we panic, they panic. But we are not in panic mode yet."

The preserve had a 22,000-gallon water tank, a lake and firefighting pumps, he said.

Dang!!! It looks like the Oak Glen fire now has smoked out the Onyx summit climb. Seems every good climbing place has a fire. Palomar is the last place left with breathable air.

Thanks, Frank.

I hope you and your family is safe and your property is ok, John. Good luck from me too.


I haven't heard anything about HS Cafe, but the firefighters are at the Wildlife Waystation now. When I last checked at 10:00 last night, the flames were coming down the hill behind Hathaway School. My neighbors think the fires last fall burned most of the fuel between there and our houses. I have to go look again before work.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/owner-of-popular-mountain-caf%C3%A9-fears-it-has-gone-up-in-flames.html

What about Tippi Hedren's cat ranch in Acton? The news guys were saying they can't evacuate the big cats at the Wildlife center...does that mean they make a stand at those places and fight or just bail out when it's close? Wow, this is so dangerously crazy now.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/shambala-preserve.html

Thanks, Grrly. I had read that story about Hidden Springs earlier. That would be really sad if that place is gone. Lots of memories for me up there, including the family of cats with extra toes.
I asked one of the sheriff deputies up here today and he didn't know for sure, either.

Here is our group at Hidden Springs a few years ago with me holding the last surviving cat when he was about 24 years old. I remember when he was a little kitty.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u308/bigjohn53/11-04-06_1259.jpg

Oh no, this is so sad. I was just there a week ago after going up to Mt gleason where those 2 firefighters were killed. Fire camp 16 on Gleason Rd. was over run and destroyed at the same time. I really care for those folks at Hidden Springs, many fond memories. It doesn't sound good for Newcombs either. I heard this afternoon that the Fire Service pulled out of Chilao cause is was too dangerous. God, some of those Redwoods around there are hundreds of years old. I wonder if they can survive. Newcombs Ranch has been there since 1880's. Every one of my favorite places to ride has burned, even Oak Glen. Life just won't be the same.

Hidden Springs epitaph (http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2009/08/hidden-springs-cafe-destroyed-in-fire.html).

^ Sucks. Think they'll rebuild?

An animal sanctuary called the Roar Foundation Shambala Preserve, 6 miles east of Acton, was in the mandatory evacuation zone, but fire officials decided removing the animals would be "a logistical nightmare," said Chris Gallucci, vice president of operations.

"We have 64 big cats, leopards, lions, tigers, cougars. ... The animals are just walking around, not being affected by this at all," Gallucci said. "But if we panic, they panic. But we are not in panic mode yet."

The preserve had a 22,000-gallon water tank, a lake and firefighting pumps, he said.

I heard the KFI interview with Tippi Hedron and Chris yesterday. What I heard was they pre-load the animals onto trailers whenever there's a fire threat, then if evacuation is required, they have a large pool of volunteers equipped with a 2" ball hitch on their vehicles help drive the animals away from the danger.

When this is all over, the views along these familiar climb routes will be much different. Needless to say, I'm going to want to see pictures from those of you who ride up there over the next few weeks.

Umm, come winter time, if there's any heavy rain, those hills are going to be a BIG flood/slide problem. Last time it rained heavy in 2006, the run-off made a mockery of the Sun Valley area.

I wonder about the road situation once these fires end. I went up to May Cyn this year and the road bubbled up and exploded from last year's big fires. I can't imagine Hwy 2, Big T, and AC Forest not being effected.:(

Cute kitty, John. I can't believe it was 24 years old. You look nothing like I imagined.:) Funny how I have an ideal what people online look like.

Don't despair Bob. I remember when GP burned and I was sad. But then they reseeded. Small blades of grass reappeared, wildflowers broke through in the spring and the fire burned off a lot of fuel. Forests have their cycles of burn and rebirth. That's the nature of things. For me keeping that in mind and remembering more people didn't lose their lives, puts it all in perspective.

Cuz the only thing we can depend in our lives is change.

Glad to hear everyone is safe. My condolences and kudos to all the firefighters in AC doing the best that they can.:thumb:

I wonder about the road situation once these fires end. I went up to May Cyn this year and the road bubbled up and exploded from last year's big fires. I can't imagine Hwy 2, Big T, and AC Forest not being effected.:(

Cute kitty, John. I can't believe it was 24 years old. You look nothing like I imagined.:) Funny how I have an ideal what people online look like.

Don't despair Bob. I remember when GP burned and I was sad. But then they reseeded. Small blades of grass reappeared, wildflowers broke through in the spring and the fire burned off a lot of fuel. Forests have their cycles of burn and rebirth. That's the nature of things. For me keeping that in mind and remembering more people didn't lose their lives, puts it all in perspective.

Cuz the only thing we can depend in our lives is change.

Glad to hear everyone is safe. My condolences and kudos to all the firefighters in AC doing the best that they can.:thumb:Thanks for the kind words, this is going to take some getting used to.:(

Well, depending on heat, Magic Mountain from Sand Canyon is a fun climb. It tops at 4860' and is paved the whole way. Just take Sand Canyon Road south, then left onto Santa Clara Divide Road, that will go up to the summit, where the towers and old Nike base exist (you'll see a couple of silos on the north slope). If you start at Sand Canyon Rd/Soledad Canyon Rd, there is about 3000' of climb, most of it in the last 15 miles. The road is mostly empty too.

Sorry to bring back this old thread. Just wanted to say thanks for the advice. I was able to rent a Giant Advanced TCR CF road bike from Newbury Park Bike Shop for Sunday 09/27/09. I rode from my hotel in Stevensons Ranch off of 5to Sand Canyon Road via some of the Santa Clarita MUP's and got up to the Santa Clara Truck road but it looked like it was closed going to the left (towards Magic Mountain), so I went to the right on the Santa Clara Truck Road and up to the top past the Los Pinetos #9 Fire Station. It was really hot for me, I drank 90 oz of liquids during my ride and additional 32 when I got back to my hotel. I thought a 9:30ish start would be ok but it got hot really fast (over 100), in retrospect I should have started earlier. The MUP/Bike paths around Santa Clarita are not very well marked and I got lost on the path in a few places, duh :(.

Overall a nice hot 53 mile ride.

Thanks again!

any updates on the full extent of damage to the ACH area? I've heard stories of it being completely obliterated and they aren't going to repair it, to it being not so bad... more reports in the former category.

Anyone have the the scoop?

riding in the Santa Monica's this Saturday leaving from the Commons in Calabasas at 8am. Probably 80 miles and 8+k

there may be a change in the date of reopening, i was parked at the big pines ranger station on sept 27th, rode down to the devils punchbowl and back, got a warning ticket for parking, forest closed to all parking, thru traffic only. If you want to ride up there, you need to park north of lone pine canyon road on hwy 2. The ranger said they are meeting tomorrow to decide on what area's to reopen. call 800-427-7623 for further info after tomorrow.

there may be a change in the date of reopening, i was parked at the big pines ranger station on sept 27th, rode down to the devils punchbowl and back, got a warning ticket for parking, forest closed to all parking, thru traffic only. If you want to ride up there, you need to park north of lone pine canyon road on hwy 2. The ranger said they are meeting tomorrow to decide on what area's to reopen. call 800-427-7623 for further info after tomorrow.Was AC open towards Dawson Saddle?

We took big pine hwy, we called newcolmb's and they said they were open but hwy 2 is closed 2 miles in from the 210 thru islip saddle, not sure how far in from mountain high it is closed if at all. We did see about a dozen rider's headed out 2 west. try calling 626-574-1613.
here is the map of our ride.
http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=28395