Pardon the interruption of the Excellent Adventure Series, but I finally got this “thing” done with Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains west of Los Angeles that has been haunting me since 2018.

Back in 2018 I accompanied Lisa on a business trip to La Jolla CA. She said “hey, I have a paid hotel on the beach, and the Southwest companion pass, you wanna go?” to which the answer was “Duh!”. So I backed up my Ritchey Breakaway and away we went. I looked around for interesting rides and did the La Jolla Hills, A tour of San Diego, and the pièce de résistance, an ascent of Mt Baldy, one of the hardest cycling climbs on the west coast used multiple times in the Tour of California.

I gave it a shot up the main Mt Baldy Road, the shortest but steepest route. At the time, I only had a 28 tooth cog on the rear cassette and it was fine for most of the 7 miles at 7% to Baldy Village. But as I started the last 4 miles up to the ski area, it just wasn’t enough with grades from 10-15 % and I got to the third switch back before calling it quits. I later drove up with Lisa and seeing what the rest of it was like, there was no way I was getting there with a 34×28, not to mention it was January and my fitness was not great. So after that, I was determined to get back there and give it another go with some better fitness and gearing.

As the summer of 2022 came around, I drove to San Diego for the Snipe Nationals and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to conquer Baldy as I had my primary bike with me in the van and had just fit an 11-34 cassette (for a 34×34 or 1:1 gearing) which you can kind of climb a tree with. but as I wrote in that piece:

I arrived in the LA basin about noon on Friday, basically a day and a half ahead of schedule. In the spirit of the replan effort, I decided to give the Mt Baldy climb a go as soon as I got there rather than on the way home where I would have subjected Lisa to waiting around while I went for a bike ride. Well, not sure what I was thinking trying to do one of the hardest climbs on the west coast after sitting in a car for 3 and half days. It was a beautiful afternoon, dry but a little hot. I got about 30 minutes into the climb and realized this is not working with my heart rate spiking and my legs feeling weird. Not wanting to hurt myself right before the regatta, I bailed, got back to the van and continued to San Diego arriving at SDYC late afternoon. I was beat, but had a few beers, chilled, talked with Snipe friends and had a nice pizza dinner…

Summer 2022

But that still left this Mt Baldy business that, after that failure, I was determined to finish. As the regatta schedule for 2023 rolled around, the Snipe Women’s Nationals was also in San Diego, again with the Southwest companion pass, no paid job to worry about and an opportunity to visit my mother in LA, it was another easy “go”. I again backed the Breakaway with an 11-32 and with (at least what I thought) was great fitness after 1000 miles of bikepacking the month prior, this time I was going to do it.

On the advice of others, I tried the longer route up Glendora Mountain Road/Glendora Ridge Road for a change as it is longer but a little less steep and the views are spectacular especially as you roll along the ridge. It joins Mt Baldy Road just below the Village and continues along Mt Baldy Road to the base of the ski lifts, and there is a gravel road that goes another 2 miles to the top of the ski lift. The route I made actually went all the way to the top as I was under the assumption this would be easier and I’d be able to go that extra 2 miles. Foolish thought in hindsight.

A long shot of Glendora Ridge Road rolling along the ridge. This was spectacularly beautiful.

Saturday morning I drove over to Glendora and got rolling a bit later than I had wanted, starting at about 10am after an hour drive. It seems like to go anywhere in the LA basin, it’s an hour drive even if it’s only 25 miles, but that’s a rant for a different post. I had a suspicion I might have messed up when I saw a ton of riders descending as I was going up. Clearly they know the area and do this climb in the summer early before the heat. I knew that might be an issue, but I just couldn’t get it together early enough with the time changes etc.

The first part of the climb up Glendora Mountain Road went very well and I felt good with the 34×32 gearing showing good power and cadence. However, it was getting hot and there is very little shade on this route. I stopped a few times in places where there was a little shade to eat a cliff bar. The ridge was scenic and rolling with mostly ups at about 4-5% and a few downs to get some recovery. But it is long and by the time I got to Baldy Village I was already 2.5 hours in – much longer than I expected – and the effort in the heat was starting to take its toll. I stopped at the Mt Baldy lodge and they have a bottle filler and cooler of ice so I filled one bottle up thinking that would be fine for the next 4 miles and I did not want to carry any more weight than necessary. I ate some quick energy food (lifesaver gummies instead of gels these days) for the final assault to the top and set out on the steep parts. It averages 10-15% but with switchbacks the grade is all over the place.

As soon as I started up I got really panicy because it was hard and I was not feeling like I was going to make it. I stopped to rest and I was starting to get really pissed off that I might not get to the top, but I got it together and kept going, but my riding was getting ugly at really low RPMs. I just kept telling myself “keep pedaling and focusing on the next thing”. It was hard to do because every time you look over your shoulder, you see the road WAY above you. It’s a nasty mental issue.

It was funny (and kind) that two people stopped to ask if I needed anything in the last 4 miles. One was a group of young women from NJ who asked if I needed water. I had enough and just said “thanks, I’m fine, just pissed off because I suck”. They seemed to get a good laugh from that. Another woman passed me a small bottle of ice cold Gatorade which I gracefully accepted. I must have looked like I was on a death march (not far from the truth).

I had to stop a number of times and at one point almost gave up, but decided to walk a little past a steep switchback and got back on until about the last half mile when I cramped up hard. It was my usual spot (adductors, the inside of the thighs, both sides) and as soon as I felt that first “twinge” I knew I was in trouble. I got out of the saddle hoping to get them to release, but no deal, so dismounted and stood straight up which did the trick. At this point, I was not going to turn around, so screw it, I walked to the top – this is called “the walk of shame” – but I got there. Oh, and the idea of going the two additional miles on the gravel, fugedddaboudit!

I rested a few minutes at the top and finally got back on the bike gingerly to keep from cramping and started the descent to the Village. It was a lot of work because with rim brakes you have to lean hard on them and I was going slowly, not taking any risks being so fatigued. I even stopped once on the way down as I felt a little lightheaded, not a good thing going down a 15% grade! I stopped at the Baldy Lodge for TWO bottles of ice water and ate another cliff bar and the rest of my gummies. I thought about getting real food, but I did not want to delay as I’d already been out for 4.5 hours.

The ride back was much faster – only about an hour and 15 minutes from the Village to the car – but on this route there were still some miles of ups, but not too bad as my legs had recovered a bit and I was not as crampy. It’s actually a nice swoopy kind of road, but I was pretty beat and not pushing it. I might have gone faster on my other bike as I’m just not really used to the handling of the Richey Breakaway. And in retrospect, I might have brought more electrolyte and real food if I new I was going to be out for almost 6 hours in the heat. I didn’t bonk by any stretch, but I was under prepared nutrition-wise.

Anyway, I’m now done with this climb. Forever. It’s off the list. Done. Completed. Flushed from the cache. Uh, maybe… if I am ever there again with a gravel bike, I might drive to the Village and ride the last 4 again and the 2 gravel miles to the top for something new. But that’s it.

Stravas: 2023 (this ride), 2022 (aborted), 2018 (aborted just after the village)