# Mt. Baldy



## tvJefe (Dec 25, 2012)

The other thread was getting off-topic, so I thought I would start a new one.

I rode up Mt. Baldy the last 2 Sundays - and what a difference between the 2 days. On the 6th, it was sunny, a little chilly but not too bad, and the air was super clear. I could see downtown LA and those reservoirs below are so pretty. There was still some snow on one of the mountains.

Last Sunday, however, (the 13th) - it was cloudy and frigid. I was in long sleeves, 3/4 bibs, and full finger gloves and I was still freezing. As I was ascending through the cloud layer it was 43 degrees and those little rollers got super chilly on the descents. Above the clouds it was gorgeous, but I wasn't there for long. (Started both rides between 8:30-9am)

Overall, it's probably the best/nicest ride I've done in California. It's on par (beauty-wise) with the Malibu/Latigo Canyons loop I do, but without so much traffic. I only went to the village, so I skipped the final push to the chair lifts. Doing this, it's probably a little easier than a Mt. Wilson ride, even though you have to tackle the rollers on the way back adding another thousand feet or so.

It's just so far away from Sherman Oaks, where I live. I think I will have to save these rides for special occasions and still get most of my climbing in on the Angeles Crest or Santa Monica Mountains.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

tvJefe said:


> The other thread was getting off-topic, so I thought I would start a new one.
> 
> I rode up Mt. Baldy the last 2 Sundays - and what a difference between the 2 days. On the 6th, it was sunny, a little chilly but not too bad, and the air was super clear. I could see downtown LA and those reservoirs below are so pretty. There was still some snow on one of the mountains.
> 
> ...


I did it last September and it must have been 90 degrees. Made for a tough climb. I went straight up Baldy Road. What route did you take on the way up?


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## tvJefe (Dec 25, 2012)

Glendora Mountain Rd. to Glendora Ridge Rd. - and I did an out and back. Although next time I will probably decent Mt. Baldy road to turn the day into a loop. Or is the reverse a better route?


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

tvJefe said:


> Glendora Mountain Rd. to Glendora Ridge Rd. - and I did an out and back. Although next time I will probably decent Mt. Baldy road to turn the day into a loop. Or is the reverse a better route?


Do the reverse loop. Baldy Rd. is only 8 miles to the village but is a tough climb (a lot harder than Mt. Wilson). If you really want to hurt yourself, do the last 5 miles to the lifts.


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## tvJefe (Dec 25, 2012)

I'm preparing for Haleakala right now. I need long stretches of 5-7%.


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## 007david (Dec 24, 2007)

redondoaveb said:


> Do the reverse loop. Baldy Rd. is only 8 miles to the village but is a tough climb (a lot harder than Mt. Wilson). If you really want to hurt yourself, do the last 5 miles to the lifts.


Yes it is. My third week after moving to Pasadena I rode out to Baldy, did the Baldy road to ski lifts climb, then back, and it is no walk in the park.

I do think I like the Glendora descent better, but that's partly because when going dowhill I like corners and don't care for tunnels.


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

007david said:


> Yes it is. My third week after moving to Pasadena I rode out to Baldy, did the Baldy road to ski lifts climb, then back, and it is no walk in the park.
> 
> I do think I like the Glendora descent better, but that's partly because when going dowhill I like corners and don't care for tunnels.


The Glendora descent is fun. No cars (at least the day I was there). Baldy rd. up, Glendora down. A lot of fun!


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## framesti (Jan 26, 2009)

*location of Glendora descent*



007david said:


> Yes it is. My third week after moving to Pasadena I rode out to Baldy, did the Baldy road to ski lifts climb, then back, and it is no walk in the park.
> 
> I do think I like the Glendora descent better, but that's partly because when going dowhill I like corners and don't care for tunnels.


Do you have intersection, .gpx file, from mt baldy? 
I want to do this route


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## redondoaveb (Jan 16, 2011)

Here's a profile from one of the RBR members.
Bike Ride Profile | Ouch! near Glendora | Times and Records | Strava


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## 007david (Dec 24, 2007)

This is the route I followed from campus to the top and back. Going this way took somewhere around 5 hours excluding stops for water and adding layers (too windy that day to comfortably put of a vest while moving).

I'm not sure whether I'd take the exact same route again, but that's mainly because some of the surface streets were busy during that time of day with a fairly narrow bike lane (hence some of the added speed: Fear because back in Texas that situation would have gotten me hit.)


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