# Latigo Canyon or Kanan?



## ccurry007 (Jan 18, 2005)

Do the 'locals' just use Kanan or use Latigo Canyon to Kanan on the stretch from the PCH over the hill? 
I'll be coming out of Sherman Oaks, head over to the ocean on Sepulveda, make my way up north on the PCH to one of them. I've done the Topangas mutliple times, Malibu Canyon the last ~10 times. It's time to step it up one more, which is Kanan.
By the end of summer I hope to make my way through the progression - Encinal, Decker, Mulholland, Yerba, and if I'm foolhardy enough (and still have it in me at 53) to give Deer Creek a go.
Thanks in advance for input.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I haven't done those routes in a number of years, but I always found Kanan to be a scary, over-trafficked proposition. And doesn't it have a succession of tunnels you must suffer through?


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## ccurry007 (Jan 18, 2005)

That's my memory of it as well and why I kept looking at Google maps for options. 
I'm tempted to just go to Encinal, but that's a bigger bite than I was hoping for in ramping up the effort. And it is gonna get pretty hot coming back through Agoura/Calabasas the later it is.


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## Mandeville (Oct 18, 2014)

Tunnels, especially some of those found in the Malibu/Hollwood/Bel Air Hill areas of Los Angeles County are bad news.


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## towfur (May 3, 2010)

As someone who drives Kanan Rd its far to dangerous for cyclists. There are three tunnels to navigate, with a very thin bike lane in the tunnels. Latigo is safer. Encinal is nice to from PCH.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

Latigo is definitely better - take it to Mulholland and then down to rock store - not the greatest on the weekend due to motorcycles, but if you've survived Malibu Canyon 10 times, you should be fine. 

Up Encinal and down decker/westlake is definitely the best way to go but it will put more miles onto the loop. Just be careful on the descent as there's a nasty off camber section that's steep. 

You left out Las Flores/Stunt. a tough one but shortest and not as bad as going up Topanga in terms of traffic


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## ccurry007 (Jan 18, 2005)

Thanks for the input. I heeded the advice and just stuck with Malibu one more time.
I mapped the route with geodistance.com using Encinal and it was an additional 25mi. 
I think I'm as focused on the heat as I am the extra distance. Locals know as soon as you get away from the ocean the temp rises fast. Then through Agoura and Calabasas - I'll have to head out early and need plenty of liquid.
I'll just get at it soon enough (and stop making excuses).
I lived in Camarillo for 10 years and all those climbs are my old haunt, so to speak. I went a period in the move/transition where cycling took a back seat. I'm back to where I believe I should be able to handle it. But I am 5 years older.
So it'll either be Latigo or just suck it up and go to Encinal.


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## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

here's a route from the valley out to Latigo and back. It drops you down to Kanan, but only briefly. Hang a right at the bottom then right again on Mulholland, then down past Rockstore as stevesbike mentioned. I'd avoid any longer rides on Kanan. I don't even like being on Las Virgenes that much.

(this particular time I took Cornell back and detoured off Mulholland. Then Orangle line train path home).

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/421579974


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## ccurry007 (Jan 18, 2005)

Man, that is just excellent. Thank you. Even includes a couple moves to avoid Kanan I would have missed no matter how long I stared at Google maps. And includes a stop at Pedalers Fork, which I bet I'll duplicate.
I'm using a Garmin, so I will likely use it as is and just get off the bike trail at Van Nuys.
That's my ride for Saturday. Thanks again.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Do Latigo. It's safer.


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## RoadHawg (Apr 10, 2015)

Latigo, for sure.


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