Champions of Angeles Crest Highway - Stories from the Racetrack in the San Gabriel Mountains

[ellisonz]

Part 58: Champions of Angeles Crest Highway – Stories from the Racetrack in the San Gabriel Mountains
December 31, 2013

By Zachary Ellison, Independent Journalist

Where will I be on the last night of 2023? On Angeles Crest Highway of course, but I won’t be there alone, and the Highway I travel is both the source of consternation to many and as I discovered in interviewing three champions of ACH there are many questions about the future. Earlier this year, Fodor’s Travel magazine put the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument on their “No List 2024” citing “Trash Production” declaring that a “lack of oversight and environmental awareness has led to the deterioration of what should be a natural oasis for Los Angeles County.”

If you ask most people what they think of Angeles Crest, the 66 mile route built from 1929 to 1956 that forms the backbone of the Monument crossing its highest elevation, they will tell you that it is dangerous. The Monument was established in 2014 by President Barack Obama, and has been essentially overlaid over the Angeles National Forest to give additional protections and distinctions, but without any additional funding or transference. Proposals to further expand the designation have faltered, and yet life goes on at a daily basis with people of all types safely accessing its splendor. I’m not sure about an “oasis” but if you ask me it’s a true paradise.

Link: https://zacharyellison.substack.com/p/part-58-champions-of-angeles-crest

Happy New Year DU! Please support local independent journalism. I know all three people I interviewed appreciate this story. Also Fodor's needs to take us off the "No List 2024" c'mon now!

Best,

Zach

Zachary "Obama" Ellison

[ripcord]

1. I grew up in Azusa and lived around there for years

What the public is doing to the mountains is just disgusting, honestly I think they are just too stupid to pack it out. And don't get me started on the dirty diapers, this area is flooded with inanimate trash as well as the human kind.

[ellisonz]

5. There are lots of opportunities to help clean-up!

I hear there are big on-going volunteer clean-ups in San Gabriel Canyon.

Taktaka is Tuesdays 8-9 am on ACH at the lower turnouts. Let me know if you can't find any!

[tinrobot]

2. I avoid that place on weekends. So many insane drivers.

Every time I've gone up on weekends, there's an overabundance of loud sports cars and motorcycles that treat it like a race course. Always some idiot flashing his brights in an attempt to pass in a place where passing shouldn't happen. Plus you're always hearing ambulance sirens for those who didn't quite make the turn.

Weekdays, however, it can be lovely. I've spent a lot of time hiking in that area, have backpacked a lot of the trails. It's amazing that we have such a wilderness within a half hour or so from downtown.

Still haven't managed to Ski Waterman, though. Either there's not enough snow and the lifts are down, or there's too much snow and the road is closed.

[DBoon]

3. the motorcyclists will ride your bumper

If you had to stop suddenly, they would go flying

[LeftInTX]

4. My dad took us to ski resort in those mountains in 1969. He had to put chains on the tires.

There was lots of snow.

[ellisonz]

6. I'll have more on these topics coming soon!

Just about everything else I've found on this place was limited to like motorsports or travel or outdoors. Never a mashup!