 Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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on: February 20, 2012, 05:05:39 PM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« on: February 20, 2012, 05:05:39 PM » |
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I am looking for some good 2-3 day (1-2 night) routes in Southern/ Central California. I live in Santa Barbara and have done these two routes. Both are excellent rides in March or April (too hot in Summer). Please share any suggestions for other routes. I am mainly looking for dirt/fire roads, but I don't mind bikepacking on single track, if its downhill! Upper Ojai to Santa Barbara 2 days, 1 night for intermediate rider: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=354526Highway 166 to Ventucopa, I did this in 2 days, but I would recommend doing it in 2.5 days, unless you are a pro. http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=354534 |
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« Last Edit: February 26, 2012, 04:18:37 PM by erincarr19 »
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #1 on: February 26, 2012, 04:14:20 PM
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #2 on: February 26, 2012, 05:50:56 PM
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #3 on: February 27, 2012, 08:48:43 AM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2012, 08:48:43 AM » |
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Thanks for the recommendation. This ride sounds interesting. You would need to find some reliable sources of water in the desert areas, which could be a challenge.
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #4 on: February 27, 2012, 10:07:02 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2012, 10:07:02 AM » |
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I'm working on a sub-24 from Burbank into the ANF now. I made a stab at it a couple of weeks ago and found the section of the ANF i was trying to cross was closed to fire damage. I'm heading further east toward Mt Wilson this time. I might have some beta at the end of this weekend. I think once up in the ANF sub-24 can easily turn into multi-day. But I'm new to the area so I don't have any real knowledge till I go exploring.
I'm interested in what you've got out your way... been thinking of riding the Santa Monica's in some fashion to Santa Barbara from LA for a while now. Either making a big loop or just taking the train back.
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #5 on: February 27, 2012, 11:12:12 PM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2012, 11:12:12 PM » |
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Santa Monica to SB would be hard to do without a lot of road biking. Let me know how your ride in ANF goes. I have been wanting to figure out some routes in that area, but haven't rode much down there. If you want more info on the 2 routes i originally posted let me know. The first one has a hot springs option at big caliente hot springs (near pendola ranger station), which is always nice after a long day of riding.
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 09:34:40 AM
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Roland Sturm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 201
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« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2012, 09:34:40 AM » |
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Much of the Angeles National Forest, including all the rides I used to do, remains closed (since the Station Fire in 2009). This takes out a huge chunk and in particular the one that is most accessible (the SW corner at Altadena/Pasadena). Take a look at the most current closure map before you go: http://maps.fs.fed.us/stationfire/The closure order at the moment is through June, but it keeps getting extended, as far as I can tell, this is still the same closure order as 2 years ago. I last went there spring 2011 to explore what is available, but where you can ride legally at this point is extremely restricted. Nothing great, and probably involves Mt Wilson and east from there (which is a small corridor because of the Wilderness area). |
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« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 09:50:31 AM by Roland Sturm »
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 04:10:44 PM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2012, 04:10:44 PM » |
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Thanks for that map Roland! I have searched the web several times trying to find one with no luck! This little gem will help a great deal.
RR
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #8 on: March 13, 2012, 09:17:32 PM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2012, 09:17:32 PM » |
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For anyone considering this ride (link below), here are my favorite 5 photos from last years trip. April is the best time of year to go! http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=354534 |
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« Last Edit: March 14, 2012, 09:12:56 PM by erincarr19 »
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #9 on: March 14, 2012, 09:43:30 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2012, 09:43:30 AM » |
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An update from my trip two weekends ago. http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=357873The route was clockwise from Burbank and took almost 24 hours exactly. I left just befor noon on Saturday and Was back by 11:30 AM Sunday. Here are some pics.  Sunny and 80F when I left  Climbing up the oh-so-steep Chaney Trail leaving Altadena below.  Found a few small patches of snow and cooler temps on the mountains. |
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #10 on: March 14, 2012, 09:48:44 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2012, 09:48:44 AM » |
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Cont'd...  Found more. Took a bit of this snow with me in a ziplock for water if I needed it. I didn't know if I had any water sources along the way. I did, actually, just up the mountain a bit was a spigot at Red Box Canyon. Still ended up using the snow the next morning though!  An old rail tunnel just before the summit.  The tunnel goes under the saddle on the right of the photo. |
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« Last Edit: February 18, 2013, 05:14:05 PM by trebor »
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #11 on: March 14, 2012, 10:01:52 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2012, 10:01:52 AM » |
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Cont'd... Made camp about 1/2 hour after sunset halfway up the climb from the canyon floor. It was cold along the creek and I knew it would be cold at the top over night, so I found a flat spot under the branches of a pine tree and set my bivy. It was WAY too quiet out there. Maybe because of the Station Fire a few years ago? There were hardly any critters about... at all. An occasional bird or scamper of little animals... no other sounds. So quiet I could hear the blood coursing in the vessels of my ears. Makes it hard to sleep actually. Because of the early bivy time, I was up and packed by 4 AM.  More snow to navigate. Deeper and fairly long stretches of several hundred feet. I saw at least one other set of bike tracks in the snow. A like minded soul?  Glimpse of the San Gabriel Valley pre-dawn.  Remnant of the Staion Fire.  Almost to the SG Valley and find this old flood control dam. The sign indicated the 20' deep cut out allows water to flow over and is no longer manned by an operator. Also saw my first person since leaving Red Box Canyon the afternoon before. An early morning trail runner. |
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« Last Edit: February 18, 2013, 05:13:32 PM by trebor »
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #12 on: March 14, 2012, 10:35:13 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #12 on: March 14, 2012, 10:35:13 AM » |
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Cont'd Came across a conveyor system that when on for several miles. Seemed it was for sediment removal from a dam up on the mountain side. It caused me to alter my route a bit as it was fenced on the side I needed to exit. Took about 20-30 minutes to figure out how to get out.   Now back in civilization I spy a Starbucks for a breakfast egg sandwich, fruit and a black coffee. Good thing... I was already tired of trail mix! From this point on the route mostly follows city streets until just before I was back to Burbank... maybe 15 or so miles of paved?  In the mid-ground is downtown Glendale with its medium height buildings. The back ground is downtown LA with the Santa Monicas in the very distant smog. The ridge to the the right is Griffith Park - on which sits the famous Hollywood sign. I'm almost home! After a shower and a boatload of food, I rest and get a massage from my cat.  He's using his paws to kneed my quads as i rest on the couch. Good kitty!!  Loads of climbing. |
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« Last Edit: February 19, 2013, 12:20:43 PM by trebor »
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #13 on: March 14, 2012, 09:18:00 PM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« Reply #13 on: March 14, 2012, 09:18:00 PM » |
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Thanks for sharing the cool photos. That ride looks like a 2 and a half day ride to do it comfortably. I bet you did it in 2 days though. Would you reccomend it or do it again?
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #14 on: March 15, 2012, 02:45:54 PM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2012, 02:45:54 PM » |
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Depending on your desire to push limits/suffer on the climbing, it's a one day ride. But to make it a bikepacking route I left mid-day and finished mid-day the following. So less than 24-hours to complete.
We all have different expectations and desires on distance per day.
I will ride this again. Sometime in the next month or so I'll be back out and probably with some friends instead of solo.
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #15 on: March 15, 2012, 09:04:15 PM
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Roland Sturm
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Posts: 201
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« Reply #15 on: March 15, 2012, 09:04:15 PM » |
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Looks like Echo Mt/Mt Lowe railway tunnel. Last spring that was closed, too. A rock slide took out the trail and part of the tunnel just about where you took the picture, with signs threatening lots of things if you try going through anyway (it could be done, but was a bit scary). Looks like part of the tunnel is missing, but the road is apparently back judging from your picture. It's a much better way to go up than Mt Wilson.
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« Last Edit: March 15, 2012, 09:12:38 PM by Roland Sturm »
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #16 on: March 16, 2012, 07:53:24 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #16 on: March 16, 2012, 07:53:24 AM » |
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Looks like Echo Mt/Mt Lowe railway tunnel. Last spring that was closed, too. A rock slide took out the trail and part of the tunnel just about where you took the picture, with signs threatening lots of things if you try going through anyway (it could be done, but was a bit scary). Looks like part of the tunnel is missing, but the road is apparently back judging from your picture. It's a much better way to go up than Mt Wilson.
Indeed it is the tunnel near Mt Lowe. I had gotten beta that the tunnel may have been closed, but risked it anyway. Heard also that folks were just scrambling across the scree anyway... figured that would be my plan too. I was Jones'in for some adventure when setting off on this ride! Trying to figure out if a trip up to Idyllwild for some Stagecoach exploration is worth the gamble this weekend. |
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Rob Roberts
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #17 on: March 16, 2012, 12:51:14 PM
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Area54
Moderator
Location: Daisy Hill, Brisbane Australia
Posts: 418
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« Reply #17 on: March 16, 2012, 12:51:14 PM » |
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Cool trip, thanks for posting. I always enjoy a story about SoCal adventures.
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Amazing where riding a bike will take you...
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #18 on: March 29, 2012, 07:00:39 PM
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ec_duz_it
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 440
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« Reply #18 on: March 29, 2012, 07:00:39 PM » |
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Hey Rob would you mind giving me a route of your San Gabriel/ Burbank ride on bikeroutetoaster.com? My friends and I are planning a 2 nigher up here in SB county this weekend, but the weather might be crappy on Saturday. The weather in LA looks a little better. It would be good to have a back up plan! Thanks! -Erin
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Topic Name: Good 2-3 day routes for Southern and Central California
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Reply #19 on: March 30, 2012, 10:28:48 AM
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trebor
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 375
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« Reply #19 on: March 30, 2012, 10:28:48 AM » |
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Here ya go.
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Rob Roberts
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