Tycho Brahe 

https://www.strava.com/routes/5737319

I have never been to this area. How busy is Rt-2 on a weekend morning? There does not seem to be any shoulder from the little I have seen from Google Street View. How hot? Do not want to go to Mt Wilson just yet, so I will just loop back on FH 59.

Also, what is this area called? Second, are there any better names for those roads?

I will be starting and finishing about 11 miles away from the starting point (with about 1000+ft of climbing at the start). The starting point on the route above is where I would look to refuel since I do not think there would be anything in the mountains.

diphthong

starting before 9:00am, you will be fine. team ninja and the asst weekend warriors show up after 11am.

after 9:00am this time of year, it can get hot.

there is no "refueling stop" in the mtns save the water fountain and spigot at the clear creek ranger station
just before you make the left. it's approx 7 miles up the starting climb and before you descend into the oven...
er...canyon. top off the water bottles and douse yourself there because i've never come across reliable water
once descending into big tujunga canyon until the baseball fields on the south end of the canyon.

if you can't go early, hydrate beforehand as your life depends on it. if you can go early, hydrate beforehand
as if your life depends on it. it gets that roasty. phone reception is dicey and there is zero support on the loop
between clear creek ranger station and the outskirts of sunland-about 15 hard miles.

i think it works better as an early spring or late fall ride. summertime necessitates a sunrise start for comfort.

Tycho Brahe 

Thanks for the response. While I am new to the area, and I am not new to California, and I understand how the weather can vary greatly from area to area. Just because the weather is decent enough for summer riding in my locale, doesn't mean it is the same 15 miles out. My "refueling stop" would have been at the start of my route pictured. It is not the actual start since I still would be riding from home, but the plan was to get more water there. Might carry a third disposable bottle.

Going to skip the ride. Do not want to deal with the heat and the isolation on a solo ride. With the Euro Cup finally done, I have more free time, so I want to do much longer rides.

egress91506

You could try part of the ride. Perhaps "just" climb ACH (Route 2) to Clear Creek and come back down the way you came. Or turn around when you don't feel like climbing any more. There are usually a lot of riders out in the morning. I used to have a standard Saturday start time of 8am at the Shell Station (ACH and 210) and would find plenty of company. I'd ride from Burbank to the start and then climb. If I were doing it this time of year, I'd try to hit ACH by 7am. I've been out there when it is hot and never gone through 2 full bottles going up ACH to Clear Creek. Refill at Clear Creek, faucet on the side of the building.

I've never done the strava route you posted (counter-clockwise) but have done it clockwise (climb Big T to Angeles Forest to Angeles Crest down the mountain). Big T doesn't have much traffic.

TrojanHorse

Don't be afraid to wear a camelbak or something to enhance your water carrying ability in the mountains. Especially the first couple times you try it.

stockae92

I rode to Mt Wilson recent and it got hot after 9am. I barely got enough water with 2 bottle when I got to Mt Wilson.

So definitely carry more water if you can.

I did that on a Sat and the travel was manageable, except for a few motorcycle fly-by on the way up. And on the way down, I try to stay on the right so cars can pass on the left when its safe. And there were quite a few bike traffic going up and down as well.

I recommend it.

bitingduck

You may also be able to get water from the fire station a few miles above La Canada. I think they turned off the water fountain a long time ago, but there's usually a garden hose not too far on the other side of the fence towards Mt. Lukens, and firefighters are generally pretty agreeable about things like water- it decreases the chance that they'll have to come get you. Before they started doing the adventure pass thing and they set up the fountain, we always got water at Clear Creek from the fire station across the street.

We do Mt Wilson pretty regularly, though tend to do MTB lately more than road. It takes about the same amount of time, and usually I'll do 3-4 bottles of water. On the road I'll fill up at Clear Creek or Red Box (or both if it's really hot- we tend to leave late morning), and MTB I'll just carry more water since there isn't any on the way up anymore. If you're riding all the way to Wilson, there's water at Red Box (the fountain is off, but there's a spigot down low on the back side that works) and on weekends the Hahamongna info center is often open and sells cold drinks and snacks. There are spigots at the top of Mt Wilson - one in the parking lot near the ramp up to the Cosmic Cafe and a second one right outside the Cosmic Cafe shelter. The Cafe has great chili, as well as sandwiches and other snacks, plus cold drinks (and hot ones for cold days).

The route you posted isn't all that long between the last water opportunity on the way up (the Shell station at the 210) and Clear Creek where you can refill, and then it's mostly downhill on the Forest Hwy to get to Big T, and mostly downhill with some rollers to get back to Tujunga.

Lesper4

Shell station (start) to Clear Creek (first junction) and get water. Then mostly down hill to the foothills again where there are plenty of opportunities to get water at parks or stores or gas stations. Totally doble at 9 but it will definitely be warm. I road this last week starting at 7am although it was MUCH hotter. You won't be alone on the climb, other riders will also be out. Back side should be a little lighter with the traffic. I think two bottles will be fine.

f4rrest

I prefer the clockwise route (going up Big T) since the traffic is much lighter.

peckma

Big T is a rough road, better to ascend it than descend it. If you go that way, maybe start in Sunland. 2 large bottles should see you to Clear Creek Station.

Why not just take Hwy 2 all the way to Mt. Wilson? From Clear Creek, it's only another 4-5 miles to Red Box on Hwy 2 (which has water), then another 5 to Mt. Wilson and the Cosmic Cafe (water and food). Then simply descend the way you came. Hwy 2 descent past Clear Creek is a blast. Riding Foothill Blvd...not so much.

Tycho Brahe 

Thanks for the new replies.

I did the ride the weekend when I wrote my original post. Because of the heat, I did not want to do the original loop as planned, but just to the crossroads and back. At that point, I felt good, so I continued until the road that goes to the observatory. I could have still gone on, but it was very hot at that point and I did not want to push my luck.

Been wanting to return, but the weekends have been hot or I have been out of town. I am not getting up at 6am.

Because I hate out and back routes. I always try to make some kind of loop.

Tycho Brahe 

BTW, does anybody know what is the best weather station/town to use for forecasts going toward Mt. Wilson. Looks like this weekend still might be too hot.

TGT1

National Weather Service


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roadfix

Just watch out for the motorcyclists...