# Catalina riding?



## cadence90 (Sep 12, 2004)

Has anyone ridden on Catalina Island?
What's the riding like?
What about getting there, etc.?


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## achiral (Feb 24, 2005)

cadence90 said:


> Has anyone ridden on Catalina Island?
> What's the riding like?
> What about getting there, etc.?


I'd suggest going over to MTBR and posting/searching there, also. If I recall correctly, there are only a couple of miles of paved roads on the island. However, there are some miles (if memory serves correctly, about 20-30) of fire road. Unfortunately, to ride away from the coastline, you have to buy a permit. Several years ago, you could purchase a short term permit, which I think cost around $5. The policy was changed so that you can now only buy a year long permit for >$50.


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## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

I last visited Catalina Island about five years ago. When I was a boy, my family went there often. I can tell you this plain and clear, the roads on Catalina are some of the steepest I've ever come across...and I'm talking about the paved ones. They weren't in terribly good shape, either. As for getting there, there's regular ferry service between Long Beach and Avalon. It's a bumpy voyage, though, as the Catalina Channel is famous for its chop. (I sailed it many times in my youth.) The service is often suspended because of weather, too. For a lot more money, you can also helicopter there. There's also charter fixed wing air service to the absolutely wonderful, desolate, mountaintop airport. Have a bison burger! Buy a souvenir sweatshirt! 

In any case, unless you've got the legs of Hercules, Catalina is not quite roadbike heaven. It's still a fun place to spend a couple days, though.


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

*dirt catalina*

Day passes are once again available. I think for about $10/person/day. We got ours at Avalon (good luck finding their office in a house on a side street).

Just take your Energy Sink (mountain bike) and saddlebags/trailer. We took the ferry from San Pedro to Avalon. Pedaled up to the ridgeline and then dropped down to the western coast and camped overnight. It was about 16 miles one-way. Mostly dirt road riding, and we took some jeep tracks on the way back. The campground is called Little Harbor, and it's a bit of paradise. In fact, much of the western coast reminded us of the Big Island (HI) - on a smaller scale.

If you make ferry reservations in advance, you might try ferrying to Two Harbors (north end of island) and then pedaling down to Avalon (at the south end). Call Two Harbors and ask if the road is paved up there - it might not be.

Roads were mostly dirt, although the pavement definitely runs along the ridge from Avalon to the airport. You could take the road bike, just expect to bump around on the old wavy pavement...


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