Ride Report Mt Wilson bikecamping ride over Cesar Chavez weekend *pics intense*

In celebration of Cesar Chavez day, my buddies had the day off and I decided to join in on the fun bike packing adventure to summit Mt WIlson. We had completed this route last year but I did not write a ride report due to pure laziness. This year, I am motivated to get this ride report out of the way and share the route. The planned route for the weekend was to park our cars off Highway 39 (San Gabriel Canyon Road) and bike into Glenn Campground in Angeles National Forest on what’s labeled on Google maps as (Devils Canyon Dam Truck Trail Forest Rte 2N25). This route is closed for cars but is paved and open for hiking and mountain biking. From Glenn Campground, our goal was to continue on to W Fork Red Box Rd (Forest Rte 2N25) and hit a single track that would drop us out of Rim Trail and continue by foot to summit Mt Wilson. With the plan all hashed out, onward we go!

I don't want to bore everyone with all the minute details of the RR so I will just share some pics from our ride. If you want to see the complete ride report please check out my friend's blog here. In the pics you can completely see the signs of recent earthquakes and rains. I wish everyone gets out to explore new trails and share new trails with other STR members, this is what STR is all about!



All fits in my little Corolla!



To Glenn Campground from Hwy 39



My weekend gear all unpacked



View from Cogswell Dam with my buds



Water looks dirt from recent rains



Onward and beyond!



Signs of recent earthquake and rain



Keeps going and going



Nice view of Cogswell Dam from a distance



View of LA down below



Mt Wilson is in the distance way somewhere straight up ahead



Ditch our bikes to hike the rest







Some downhillers going down the ST



Beautiful view of where we came from down below



One of the smaller telescopes at Mt Wilson

Summary of ride report,
Total time 2 hrs on bike, 2 hrs on foot to get to the top from Glenn CG at about 4000 ft elevation gain. No mechanical failures and perfect weather of low 70s.

:bang:

 

I don't know those roads/trails. Why not ride all the way? Is that last trail hiking only?

 

For me I'm way too tired already from the fireroad climb and it's tight single track no room for fail. Not too technical of a climb but still hard enough for me to not want to bike up it. It is much more enjoyable for me to hike up it on foot. I'm still new to the whole LA area but I think if I wanted to bike the ST I would hit up the shuttles next time.

 

That would be the Rim trail that takes you to Mt Wilson from Newcombs Pass. It is a heck of a lot of fun to come down, minus one REALLY hairy hairpin (pun intended). Where did you guys end up camping? Ps. There is an option to climb Mt Wilson from the Fireroad on the South Side of the mtn. Managable grade, just a heck of a grind up. An alternate route is to start from Chantry Flats, but a lil HAB is most likely necessary, unless you climb hills like our resident Kanga.

 

I was riding Strawberry Peak Colby Canyon my first month of mountain biking. Plus living in Laguna I got used to steep loose narrow trails and to me that was what MTBing was about. So when I rode the OC Parks and it's buff trails and singletrack it was just to stay in shape for riding the Gabs. If you can get used to the narrow exposure of the trails in the Gabs you will be able to ride just about any other area in the West.

To climb Mt. Wilson from the South you can go up Mt Wilson Toll Road thru Henninger Flats....something like 4500ft climb in 9 miles. Or climb Mt Lowe Toll Road from Millard Day use area to Eaton Saddle and take the paved Mt Wilson Road t the top...the easier choice.

 

This is the shît – homegrown adventure. Fantastic job on the ride and report! TFPU!