Southern California - Santa Monica to Big Bear

I was thinking of riding to Big Bear next year. The idea would be to ride up on a Friday, hang out Saturday and then ride back on Sunday. I was hoping to ride through the San Gabriels via the 2. I know the 2 is closed at La Canada-Flintridge, but can I get on it via Big Tujunga?

I mapped it and it looks to be around 175 miles with ~16-17k ft of climbing, each way.

Epic

Yes, you can go via Big T. Also, Big T can get hot.

Theoretically, 2 should be open by next year.

i think the aca sierra cascades route pretty much goes that way. is hwy2 closed because of fires or slides or something?

I mapped it out - here's one way:
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/santa-monica/456128684080828967

i think the aca sierra cascades route pretty much goes that way. is hwy2 closed because of fires or slides or something?

Summary (http://www.scpr.org/news/2010/05/14/angeles-crest-highway-closed-least-another-month/) from a few months ago:


Several months after the Station Fire and closer to La Canada Flintridge, heavy rains during mid-January caused several landslides and road washouts along the winding Angeles Crest Highway.

Portions of the asphalt along with fill under the road washed away leaving large gaps in the roadway. A Caltrans damage assessment team determined the most significant road washouts ranged between 50 to 110 feet along the highway and about 200 feet below it at some locations, making the highway unsafe and impassable, Caltrans officials said.

Repair crews are trying slope stabilization by compacting loose dirt and rock, reinstalling drainage culverts below the highway, and reconstructing the roadway, according to Caltrans.

The Angeles Forest (N3) Highway, Big Tujunga Canyon Road and Upper Big Tujunga Canyon Road, which all intersect the Angeles Crest (2) Highway, are open to the public – but delays should be expected on these roads due to other erosion-related repairs and construction, according to Caltrans.

In addition, the Angeles Forest Highway is gated at its junction with the Angeles Crest Highway, due to the Caltrans closure of the Angeles Crest in that area, Caltrans said.

Yesterday I read that the 2 may be open in December, but who knows? If you go the Big T route, ther is no water until Newcomb Ranch, about 40 miles, then no water until Grassy Hollow.
You could also go up Hwy 39 to the 2.