diphthong

can be short, can be long, can be just right. what is/are your favorite climb(s) in southern
california-and why? for our purposes here, not including climbs north of the santa barbara area
since that falls into more of a central california realm and opens up the southern sierras and the death valley region. trying to keep it local.

i'll start. fave two in no particular order are highway 74 from the ranger station east of hemet up to the keen camp summit at 4,917 feet in riverside co. and the montezuma grade climb from borrego springs to ranchita. hwy 74 repaved recently, doesn't have any really hard stretches but is a decent workout. views get better the farther you go and one of those climbs where you can go hard, slow, in between or pick your spots. montezuma grade is harder but feels more desolate, more foreign and has great views along with a great, giant switchback and a place on each end to stop and celebrate with an ice cream-or beer.

honorable mention would be gmr/grr.

calamarichris

West Lilac from Bonsall to Valley Center. Not a major climb, just a beautiful, smooth road with idyllic scenery.

Highland Valley Road from Poway to Archie Moore Rd, near Ramona. Not a "climb" per se, but a sustained gain with a few steep sections. A sillystring road through avocado groves, huge fun on bicycle or motorcycle.

Bressi Ranch Lap. My local hill-repeat. Each lap is exactly 3.0 miles and 333 feet of climbing. Smooth roads, all right turns, and light traffic for such a heavily populated area. (At least for now. They just opened up a new park complex, so that may change.)

Nachoman

Kitchen Creek. But I have to drive for about 45 minutes to get to the base.
For a favorite climb, leaving from my front door, I like Mt. Soledad.

CommuteCommando

Twin Oaks/San Elijo-Most challenging within easy ride from my front door.
Torrey Pines because it represented a milestone on my weight loss.
Ola Vista San Clemente/Gleneyre Laguna Beach for a bunch of short fun rollers.
Little alley between Pacific Street and Myers up from Buccaneer Park in Oceanside.
https://www.strava.com/segments/2366001 I'm about 15-20 lb from the leader board.

hairnet

Latigo Canyon because it was a segment in my first solo century. It's a really nice climb regardless and it's more mentally challenging than physical because of the length.

jmX

GMR to Baldy Village. Love it because it's so close to the urban LA sprawl, but within minutes you feel like you're in the middle of nowhere and traffic is extremely low. It also has a few nice variations you can do such that it can be a harder ride by going to the ski lifts, or going out to crystal lake.

I had a chance to ride the santa monica mountains (rock store, 'the snake' I think it's called?) this weekend and they were less exciting, and had higher traffic.

There's no road climbs I love in orange county, for for a challenge I do like Hidden Hills road in yorba linda just for the sheer pain of it all.

hamster

Mount Israel Road to Cielo

furiousferret

Sunset Drive in Redlands (only a Cat 4 climb but beautiful)
Devils Canyon in San Bernardino
GMR
I'd like to say Onyx but I haven't done it all yet

Bikegeek1968

For a short climb, I like Alta Vista in Laguna Beach. It varies from easy to really steep, is narrow and winds all over the place.
For a longer climb, try Blackstar Canyon. It is dirt, but anyone with a 34x25 and 25mm tires should be able to handle it. The view from the top is worth it.

calamarichris

Onyx isn't long, it's interminable. Breathless Agony was back in May and I'm still climbing it.
If you do Breathless this year, it's smart to just relax, eat, drink, save up, and let everyone shoot ahead on the way up Oak Glen; you'll be seeing them all again soon.

TacomaSailor

Otay Lake Rd to Campo Road (Hwy 94) to Honeyspring Road to Lyons Valley Road - Just about perfect scenery and some easy and very hard climbing and hardly any traffic once on Honeyspring Rd 2000 feet up and a wonderful ride.

Way south San Diego County

jsigone

Fav climb of the last yr was hands down Santa Clara Truck trail. From top of Little Tujunga Canyon riding the ridge to N3 (Angles Crest Palmdale side), cross the Pacific Crest Trail a couple times too. 30 mile section w/ ZERO support, 5% chance of cel coverage, 1 ranger station in the middle if there's epic failure w/ heli pad. Awesome views 360* as you're pointed up on some sketchy road filled with tennis ball size rocks, cracks wide enough to eat MTB tires and sand & gravel to help you pick the correct lines.

Gallo

East Grade to observatory Less traffic than the south

Up Torrey to La Jolla Scenic to Via Capri to Soledad and back again great vistas

Japutal it just keeps on giving


Did Deer Creek and others for the Mulholland and Malibu Canyon Deer Creek was my favorite the Malibu climbs have allot to offer but picked just one

Oynx was the toughest climb I have ever done

Walker Pass to Lake Isabella my first major climb

Nine Mile to Kennedy Meadows to Sherman Pass hardly any traffic great views in the meadows

CommuteCommando

I've only done Soledad from the PB side. Doing it via Via Capri is a goal by the end of next summer. I should have dropped another 20 -30 lb by then. (currently 7 lb from Clyde Emeritus) I've done the return via La Jolla Shores too.

Add anywhere in OB to Cabrillo Lighthouse. Only done it once so far. You can do this any one of about a hundred ways. All challenging with a great scenic reward at the end.

calamarichris

Mmm, +1 It's like a little chunk of Big Sur Highway washed up on the beach in San Diego. Awesome road, that.

Rick@OCRR

1. Hwy 39 from Encanto to Dawson Saddle. Challenging yet beautiful and not much traffic past East Fork
2. GMR/GRR to Mt. Baldy Village and extra credit for the Ski Lift climb. Lovely road, great scenery, v.few cars, some motorcycles.
3. Onyx Summit (Hwy 38) from Big Bear then down to Angelus Oaks for lunch, then back up Onyx via Jenks Lake Loop and back to Big Bear.
4. Hwy 2, Angeles Crest from La Canada/Flintridge to Wrightwood (or down Hwy 39 to Crystal Lake, etc.)

Rick / OCRR

heresy

I like that ride, but I wish I could have someone drop me off at Honey Springs Rd. I do not like riding the stretch of Campo Rd. from Jamul to Honey Springs Rd.

cdp8

Another vote for Highway 39 from Encanto Park to Dawson Saddle.

It is not the steepest, but it just might be the longest. It's about 35 miles and over 7000' (7600 or so IIRC). The closed section of 39 is fun to ride on. However, I haven't been up there since Caltrans put that crap on Angeles Crest.

Lesper4

Rick has a good list there. I road to Dawsons saddle on Saturday. The closed section is definitely my favorite part. It was also almost clear of all debris and I could see there were even some patches up there. As for Hwy 2 and that stuff they put down, this was my first time on it since the work. You did have to ride in the middle some what but the traffic was surprisingly light.

jimxyz

+1 Although I would add Mulholland out to the coast. Lots of varied terrain along the way ending with a great ocean view and a descent to the beach with a ride along PCH

ninevictor

Not the longest, not the steepest, but I love the view from Via del Monte in PV:

I'm on board with the others who like San Gabriel Canyon Road. Here's a view from the top of the switchbacks:

ovoleg

Where is the favorite descent thread? grr...

I like Old Topanga going south. Not terribly steep so I can still attack the climbers.

eja_ bottecchia

In no particular order (all local roads to me):

Deer Creek

Encinal

Rock Store

Balcom Canyon Road (from Fillmore to Moorpark)

Latigo Canyon

Potrero Road (from CSUCI to Westlake village)

Decker Canyon Road

ovoleg

lol wut. Not sure if serious.

eja_ bottecchia

???