Originally Posted by
urbanknight
Upper Big Tujunga (Pasadena/Angeles Forest)
60 miles (if you start from the Rose Bowl instead of my house) with sustained climbs and fun descents. Not to most scenic, but a challenging route. There is no water after Red Box until you come back down the mountain, and Upper Big T can get very hot compared to its neighboring canyons.
It should be noted, for anyone looking at this, that Angeles Crest Highway is currently closed to Red Box from La Canada Flintridge - as such, you cannot do the first 14 miles of the climb on Angeles Crest. Most cyclists around here know this, but it is worth mentioning for those from out of town. Also, as a general rule, it is always a good idea to check for road closures before doing a route at the
caltrans site.
With that said, a few pictures from along Big Tujunga, Angeles Forest Hwy and Upper Big Tujunga:
Big Tujunga:
Angeles Forest Hwy Panorama:
Angeles Forest Hwy:
Upper Big Tujunga:
Intersection with Angeles Crest Hwy looking at Mt. Wilson:
Note that there almost this entire section is fire damaged. The photos above are also of the more scenic sections. Overall, i found the scenery quite disappointing after having just climbed 39. This will improve in the next few years as more plant life returns, of course. Also, as mentioned, it does get hot in these canyons. Big Tujunga, especially - lots of rock walls against the road that the sun beats down upon.