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Big Tujunga Canyon, bummer?

Old 04-15-08, 11:30 PM
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Big Tujunga Canyon, bummer?

I rolled from my house to Mount Gleason to Big Tujunga Canyon. I was planning on taking Big Tujunga to Angeles Forest then down the crest, but the road conditions on Big Tujunga were CRAP. Tons of gravel, no lane, massive potholes, more like craters and vans barreling down the road, so i changed my route altogether and headed in the opposite direction. It just seemed super unsafe and I was totally bummed about it. I even thought I was lost at first because I've heard so many people mention this road, but never imagined anyone riding in those conditions.

1. Have you biked up Big Tujunga? If so, does the road improve? If it improves, how many miles after Mt. Gleason does it improve?

2. Do you have another alternative? What is Little Tujunga like?

3. What is the deal with camp 15 road/ Truck Trail that Hines leads to? Is it dirt or pavement?
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap

Last edited by Terror_in_pink; 04-15-08 at 11:36 PM.
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Old 04-15-08, 11:37 PM
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It's a beautiful ride...once you get past the probation/parole station. Low traffic, good road conditions, and lots of visibility make it a repeat ride.
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Old 04-15-08, 11:48 PM
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how many miles of hellish road conditions must one survive in order to get to the beautiful part?
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap

Last edited by Terror_in_pink; 04-15-08 at 11:56 PM.
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Old 04-15-08, 11:58 PM
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Entering from Mt Gleason Rd, roughly (ha ha) a mile. Once past the little league fields, archery area, and the LA County Probation property, Big Tujunga becomes much smoother. Approximately 1/2 mi beyond that and after crossing a small bridge, you will pass a large equestrian center on the right. That's when the ride becomes more scenic.
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Old 04-16-08, 12:05 AM
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thank you.

if anyone has any other Angeles National Forest ride ideas please let me know. I live in the hills of La Crescenta, so it's all in my backyard.

Also, if anyone can answer question #2 and 3, that would be rad too.
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap
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Old 04-16-08, 12:31 AM
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Originally Posted by Terror_in_pink
I live in the hills of La Crescenta, so it's all in my backyard.
::jealous/::
Originally Posted by Terror_in_pink
Also, if anyone can answer question #2
Little T to Santa Clara Divide Rd to the top (water towers) = Awesome!
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Old 04-16-08, 12:48 AM
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Originally Posted by WhiteCarbonDude
::jealous/::
don't be, it's too far from everything else.
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap
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Old 04-16-08, 12:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Terror_in_pink
don't be, it's too far from everything else.
What do you want to be close to? You've got good access to Pasadena, Los Feliz/Hollywood isn't too far. I guess the westside and beaches are pretty far away.
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Old 04-16-08, 01:21 AM
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commuting back home from Echo Park/silverlake/hollywood at the end of a long day/night/ride/commute is a pain, esp in the evening because the smaller streets up here don't have lights and i like to zig zag. it's close to 15 miles 2k elevation gain, so it's an annoying commute if you want to get around quickly via bike.
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap
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Old 04-16-08, 06:42 AM
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I ride up there all the time. Actually the lower section of Big T that is bad is in the city limits of LA. Once you cross into the county the road is much improved. I sometimes do a loop on Sunday going up Big T to Angeles Forest over to AC at Clearcreek and down AC. Maybe this weekend if I don't do 10k Saturday. Interested?
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Old 04-16-08, 07:20 AM
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A few years ago part of Big T was washed away, that's why the one section is so primitive. Once the climbing starts, the road is fine.
Little T is a great road that turns into Sand Canyon on the other side. Just remember there are two summits, with the second climb being a little steeper, but a lot shorter. Little T to Placerita to Sierra Hwy to Foothill is about a 40 mile loop, but parts of it get nasty with traffic in the afternoon.
A tough climb is May Canyon truck trail to Little T and down Little T, this takes me about 3 hours. May Cyn is paved but has some short dirt sections. All the other truck trails in the area are dirt, as far as I know.
I'll probably ride Little T today after work, I just go up and back down.
I forgot to mention the bridge on Foothill is rough and narrow, the one near Wentworth. Be careful there!

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Old 04-16-08, 08:09 AM
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Originally Posted by vertical bob
I sometimes do a loop on Sunday going up Big T to Angeles Forest over to AC at Clearcreek and down AC. Maybe this weekend if I don't do 10k Saturday. Interested?
Yes!
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Old 04-16-08, 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by big john
Little T is a great road that turns into Sand Canyon on the other side. Just remember there are two summits, with the second climb being a little steeper, but a lot shorter.
No matter which way you go.

I only recall about 100m of Big Tujunga being really torn up. That part could rival Paris-Roubaix but the rest was ok and it got very smooth by the time the climbing started.

If you really want to avoid it, you could just take Foothill to Angeles Crest and do an out-and-back, or a loop of Angeles Crest to Upper Big Tujunga to Angeles Forest back to Angeles Crest.

There are also plenty of short rides I like to do when I can only get away for a few hours. Lida, Figueroa, and Chevy Chase are pretty nice, and you can almost always include a pass by the Descanso Gardens. Most of my routes start in Pasadena, but often go through La Crescenta, so take a look at them and see if you can alter any routes to your liking.
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Old 04-16-08, 01:17 PM
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thanks, folks!
Urban, i'll check out your rides, looks like you roll through my hood every now and then.
Vertical, thanks for the heads up, I got some stuff going on this weekend, but I usually like to do a climb alone or with someone in my same ass dragging category the first time around. I hate holding people up
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Ode to the after work nap ( ride your bike instead)

Ode to the nap
The evil, evil nap
It lures
you succumb
But only with good intent
Shortly I will rise
But you do not.
Do not succumb
To the evil, evil nap
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Old 04-16-08, 02:29 PM
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I live right near Apperson School, where the old Kmart store used to be. I ride throught the Angeles forest everyweek. As the others have said, that little section at the beginning of Big T is only real torn up part. A little of the road is just rough but it quickly clears up and then it's just smooth road. I sometime come back home that way or I do an out and back through Big T to ClearCreek or Redbox. Mostly on Sundays I do an out and back to Mnt. Wilson, but I go up the 2. One of my favorite stretches in the Angeles is Upper Big T, it's nice wide open scenery. I don't do Little T. There's a lot more traffic and just not as convenient as Big T. Not sure if you mountain bike, but if you do and want a good work out, try heading up to Mnt. Lukens. I've been going up that way once a week after work. It's a great little work out, straight climbing from my house and very convenient. Take Apperson straight up till you get to Haines Canyon, make a left and start climbing, turn into a fire road, stay to the right all the way up, you can go to the antennas or just part of the way if you like.
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Old 04-16-08, 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Terror_in_pink
thanks, folks!
Urban, i'll check out your rides, looks like you roll through my hood every now and then.
Notice the route titled "commute". I roll through your hood all the time. Just usually at 6am and 4pm.

Although I don't like holding people up, I also would not recommend riding some of the forest routes alone. No cell coverage means it might be a while before someone finds you should something happen.
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Old 04-16-08, 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by TJKnight
Yes!
We usually make it to the 7-11 at Oro Vista and Foothill by 9:30. I'll let you know however, there is a barn burnner planned for Saturday up 39 to Dawson so I may not have much left for Sunday.
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Old 04-16-08, 08:35 PM
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Originally Posted by OUC
Not sure if you mountain bike, but if you do and want a good work out, try heading up to Mnt. Lukens. I've been going up that way once a week after work. It's a great little work out, straight climbing from my house and very convenient. Take Apperson straight up till you get to Haines Canyon, make a left and start climbing, turn into a fire road, stay to the right all the way up, you can go to the antennas or just part of the way if you like.
How long from the bottom to the antennas? Are these the antennas you can see from the valley?
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Old 04-16-08, 11:23 PM
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>>If you really want to avoid it, you could just take Foothill to Angeles Crest and do an out-and-back, or a loop of Angeles Crest to Upper Big Tujunga to Angeles Forest back to Angeles Crest.<<<

Angeles Crest is far more traffic-ier than Big T. Big T is pretty idyllic and the rider is buzzed by cars or ninja cycles much less frequently...

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Old 04-16-08, 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by big john
How long from the bottom to the antennas? Are these the antennas you can see from the valley?
It's a couple of hours, but it is a pretty *****in' hike up a fire road thru something labeled the "Deukmejian Wilderness"... and yes, that is the antennas that you can see from the valley...

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Old 04-17-08, 10:12 AM
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Originally Posted by big john
How long from the bottom to the antennas? Are these the antennas you can see from the valley?
Yes, these are the antennas you see can see from the bottom. The elevation is 5,070 ft. On a clear day, you can see Palos Verdes, the OC mountains, the ships on the Pacific ocean. I can't remember that exact time from the base but I believe it was something like 1 hr 20 mins from the base. That sounds pretty close. Some sections are pretty steep but that's what make that fun.
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