LA Beta: West Conover St/Conover Fire Road in Lakeview Terrace/Sunland

[christian]

Appreciate if the LA folks can chime in here...

When I'm in LA for the holidays, I'm planning to ride the following loop:
Santa Clarita - Big Tujunga - Angeles Forest - Aliso Cyn - Soledad Cyn - Santa Clarita, which is about 80 miles, maybe 100ft per mile, though I may extend and go over little T, too.

Anyway, here's my question, when going east on Foothill Blvd in Lakeview Terrace, it looks like you can take West Conover St. to Conover Fire Road and connect to Big Tujunga off Oro Vista, avoiding going into downtown Sunland (up the hill past the Cocos and left onto Fenwick St.)

Is that rideable on a road bike? I've only ever gone through downtown Sunland, and looking left from Big T where that purported road is has always looked like a great big wash to me. 25mm tubulars if it matters.

Thanks LA peeps. I'm looking forward to being back in LA for a few days!

[false_Aest]

I haven't ridden that exact route but I suggest avoiding fire roads with road tires -- they're better done with CX tires (I've cut a few tires on fire roads around here).

Make sure you have enough water through Angeles Forest. The only 3 sure water stops I can think of are where Angeles Forest meets Angeles Crest, at Red Box (before the final climb to Mt. Wilson) and Newcombs Ranch.

I haven't done Big T + Angeles Forest/Crest in about 2 years so things might have changed. Back then a lot forest facilities were locked up.

[christian]

I don't think there's ANY water on my route, except at Big Tujunga Station maybe, and that's only a few miles after Sunland.

You could have refueled at Hidden Springs, but that burned down in 2010 in the Station fire, so now I think it's a gas station in Sunland and the 49er Bar on Soledad Canyon in Acton that are the spots to grab drinks. But I think I'm ok there - it's 20 miles from Sunland to the top of Pacifico Mountain. From there to Acton you don't need to pedal and it's quick...

Newcombs Ranch and Redbox are both on the Crest Highway, not the Forest Highway.

[Don49]

West Conover St is the turnoff before you get to Tujunga wash, near a prominent bend in the road, and into some private residences. I have ridden part of it on a mtn bike to get to Yerba Buena fire road and would not attempt it on a road bike. Just continuing on to Fenwick(L) to Sherman Grove(L) to Wentworth(right) to Ora Vista(L) (becomes Big T) would be my suggestion.

Another ride we do in the area is Clear Creek to Mill Creek about 20 miles, on to Valyermo fire station another 20 miles on the Big Pines hwy which has water. Next 15 mile stretch to Big Pines has at least 20 pitches of 10 to 16% grades 55 miles and 7000' gain to here. Angeles crest to Dawson saddle which has 5% average grades. Then the long descent back to Clear Creek. It's 100 miles and 11k'.

[christian]

Thanks Don49, exactly what I wanted to know. I've done the Foothill-traffic light at the Cocos-Sunland-Fenwick-at-the-park-and-elementary-school route about a million times on my motorcycle. Wanted to see if this was an option. Sounds like not. Thank you!

For the other route, you're talking:

Big T to Angeles Forest to Mt Emma Road and Fort Tejon Road (approaching Valyermo from the Palmdale/Pearblossom side) and then continuing on up to Big Pines and then back on Angeles Crest to Angeles Forest Hwy at Clear Creek and back to Big T? Jesus, that's a bike ride. I think I'd need 1000cc and 160hp for that! :)

[Don49]

So Christian, what's your honest opinion of the riding in the Sunland area compared to other places you've ridden? I ask because I used to live near Sunland/Tujunga but now live in Ventura, and still wonder if I shouldn't move back just for the variety of road and mountain riding. Nothing else seems to compare to the San Gabriels.