Cachequatch

Hi all,

I was planning on doing GMR to GRR to Mt Baldy and taking Baldy rd down back to San Dimas. While I am familiar with the area, and have taken GMR all the way down to East Fork, back to 39 and out back to San Dimas, I would like to try something new. My only concern is the decent down Baldy Road. Does anyone out there regularly take it down? My main worry is that it may be too steep where I wouldn't necessarily enjoy it like I do decending GMR and would be going faster than I'd like to without melting by brake pads! Any input would be great! I know I could just go back down GRR but I was just curious to see what other people thought. Thanks!

*I misspelled Decending, I hope that doesn't detract from my question lol

** The spelling elves have fixed it!

rooftest

I don't think that descending Mt. Baldy road feels significantly steeper than GMR. Think of it as GMR without having to slow down for the turns, and with a couple of tunnels thrown in.

rallison

Mt. Baldy Road is a sweet, sweet descent. I did a ride report that talks about the descent here:

https://www.toughascent.com/blog/?p=161

But, basically, the section from Mt. Baldy village to the bottom is fast but not technical. Most of the curves are sweeping so you don't have to hit the brakes much. The only part to watch out for is the tunnel sections. Slow down for those since you won't be able to see the road surface inside them very well. Also note that exiting the second tunnel has a slightly sharper curve (but you will probably already be slowed down enough here).

If you do want to check your speed going down, just don't ride the brakes. Take the lane and watch for any rock debris. And enjoy one of the best descents in southern California. The first part of the descent can get you up to 45-50mph. The later stretches are a bit slower (due to a gentler grade).

For what its worth, I find it to be a much easier descent than GMR. Baldy is basically straight down. GMR has lots of sharper curves and some decreasing radius ones. So, I find GMR to be more technical (if ridden fast).

Also, descending is spelled with an s.

tFUnK

from my one-time experience descending Mt. Baldy Rd, i would agree that it's steep and not technical (wide road, not a whole lot of tight turns). however, as mentioned, there were lots of little rocks/gravel and debris. there were also quite a few cars driving on that road that day, and i hit a massive headwind the whole way down (which i think saved me from riding my brakes too much).

Garfield Cat

On your descent, turn on your rear blinkies. If you don't have one, get a clip on type and clip it to your shorts. That way as you go thru the tunnels, they might see you better from your rear. When you finish the descent, stop and turn it off.

calamarichris

I've been trying to find a free weekend to come descend that sucker so I can finally break 60mph. I've hit 58 a few times on the cute little bunny-hills we have down here in SD, but Baldy Rd. is Southern Cal's Bonneville as far as I know.

Back when I was a junior, I got my Schwinn Paramount computer up to 71.1mph coming down that sucker. I've felt speed wobbles on motorcycles before, but that was the only time I'd felt them on a bicycle. The old Schwinn Paramount was accurate at speeds around 20-30, but 71 seems a little optimistic. I'm looking forward to what the GPS says, especially now that I'm 180lbs.

Mr. Beanz

The 1-2 mile section above the tunnels is steep. I hit 40 on the sections below the tunnels but don't care to descend the section above. Growing up inthe area and being on the road a thosand times, I've seen way too many boulder size rocks in the road and too much traffic to be comfortable about trying to set a top speed PR.

Although I have been on several rides where riders are more worried about descending the GMR swithcbacks so they take the straight shot down Baldy Rd.

WARNING: At times, there is water driping in the tunnels and the road can be wet. My advice is slow down some before you get there.

Cachequatch

Thanks for the advice! As soon as my schedule allows I'll be up there to check it out! Thanks again!

calamarichris

Thanks, Beanz. The nice thing about climbing that sucker is it's impossible to do it too quickly to conduct a thorough inspection of the road on the way up, so you can be prepared for the boulders, rocks, and disembodied appendages from the last couple of guys who tried to break 60.

Mr. Beanz

That is true. There are times that I frequent Baldy Rd form home to the tunnels (nice midweek 20 miler). I'd scope the oppostie side while riding up AND dismount for rock removal duty if necessary!

I'd rather take a minute or two to remove it than eat it on the way down.

jschen

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Mt Baldy descent. If you go all the way to the ski lift, it's steep and technical through the switchbacks, so you'll want to be careful. But if just from the village down, then it's flat out other than through the tunnels. Yes, you do have to watch out for rocks, but if you scan far enough ahead with your eyes, you should be fine. I'm a skinny guy, and I don't pedal much downhill, but I can think of 6 different stretches on the Baldy descent where under the right conditions, I have hit or exceeded 50 MPH:

1. near the ski lift (hit 56 MPH there... but gotta watch out for traffic near the campground)
2. just below Icehouse Canyon
3. just below the village (hit 54 MPH there... enough to just about coast up the little incline afterward if so inclined)
4. just above the tunnels
5. just before the junction with the turnoff toward Upland
6. the final little steep section into Claremont

surfrider

Suggestion: If you want a more car-free experience, wait until Thanksgiving. I was up there on T-day in 2009 (hiking, not riding) and there were very few cars. While coming down at 1PM there were probably as many bicycles as cars on the road. Sweet!

And, as mentioned above, the switchbacks between the Icehouse Canyon parking area and the ski lifts are a technical descent. Not only is it steep and twisty, but you'll have to deal with the mass of vehicles navigating that section, too. I'd suggest you drive up there on a weekend and see what its like (at approximately the time you plan to be on it) before trying it on a bicycle. Personally I wouldn't do it on a bicycle on a weekend in the mid-to-late afternoon going up or coming down.

rooftest

I do it solo in the late afternoon at least a few times every summer, and I've always found the car traffic to be pretty light above Mt. Baldy Village.