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Angeles Crest Highway
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Angeles Crest Highway
The Angeles Crest Highway is a 66-mile (106 km) two-lane highway over the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California. It runs through the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles National Forest. With the exception of a 1,000-foot-long (300 m) section in La Cañada Flintridge, the entire route is part of California State Route 2.
The road's western terminus is at the intersection at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada Flintridge, and its eastern terminus at the Pearblossom Highway (State Route 138) northeast of Wrightwood. The majority of the route passes through the San Gabriel Mountains located north of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Segments of the road reach elevations above 7,000 feet (2,100 m), with a summit of 7,903 feet (2,409 m) at the Dawson Saddle, which makes this road one of the highest in Southern California.
The segment from La Cañada Flintridge to the Los Angeles–San Bernardino county line is known as the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, which is both a National Forest Scenic Byway and an officially designated California Scenic Highway.
The route is best described as mountain-rural. Because the route passes through the protected San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest, development is very limited. There are not many buildings between La Cañada Flintridge and Wrightwood save for Newcomb's Ranch, and forest service campgrounds and visitor centers. Other points of interest along the route include the Mountain High and Mt. Waterman ski areas.
Mount Wilson and its Mount Wilson Observatory and various radio/television transmitters are about 4.5 miles from the junction of Mount Wilson Road and Angeles Crest Highway. Depending on visibility conditions, impressive views of the Los Angeles Basin are possible from the vicinity of Mount Wilson. The most frequent hindrances of what can be seen are the smog and/or a marine layer covering the basin below.
The westernmost segment of the highway, combined with Angeles Forest Highway to/from State Route 14, is heavily travelled by southbound traffic in the morning (and corresponding northbound traffic in the afternoon) that comprises commuters who live in the Antelope Valley and work in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The route is a convenient alternative to the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14) and the Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5), both located to the west, for reaching the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and San Gabriel Valley. Because the road is a two-lane highway, its vehicle capacity is significantly lower than either of the two freeways.
In contrast, the remainder of the Angeles Crest Highway is lightly traveled. Typically, this traffic is composed of vacationers, sightseers, and locals. The three areas comprising Mountain High ski resort are just west of Wrightwood.
Construction of Angeles Crest Highway began in 1929. It was originally intended to be a fire access road. In 1941 construction stopped because of World War II. In 1946, after the war, construction resumed; the completed highway eventually opened in 1956. The road was constructed by prison labor from Camp 37, which has since been razed. Division of Highways (now known as Caltrans) staff lived at a site called Cedar Springs. The staff is now located at Chilao Flats. Children of the staff attended Chilao Mountain School, a one-room school; the school has been closed for several years.
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Angeles Crest Highway
The Angeles Crest Highway is a 66-mile (106 km) two-lane highway over the San Gabriel Mountains in Southern California. It runs through the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Angeles National Forest. With the exception of a 1,000-foot-long (300 m) section in La Cañada Flintridge, the entire route is part of California State Route 2.
The road's western terminus is at the intersection at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada Flintridge, and its eastern terminus at the Pearblossom Highway (State Route 138) northeast of Wrightwood. The majority of the route passes through the San Gabriel Mountains located north of the Greater Los Angeles Area. Segments of the road reach elevations above 7,000 feet (2,100 m), with a summit of 7,903 feet (2,409 m) at the Dawson Saddle, which makes this road one of the highest in Southern California.
The segment from La Cañada Flintridge to the Los Angeles–San Bernardino county line is known as the Angeles Crest Scenic Byway, which is both a National Forest Scenic Byway and an officially designated California Scenic Highway.
The route is best described as mountain-rural. Because the route passes through the protected San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and Angeles National Forest, development is very limited. There are not many buildings between La Cañada Flintridge and Wrightwood save for Newcomb's Ranch, and forest service campgrounds and visitor centers. Other points of interest along the route include the Mountain High and Mt. Waterman ski areas.
Mount Wilson and its Mount Wilson Observatory and various radio/television transmitters are about 4.5 miles from the junction of Mount Wilson Road and Angeles Crest Highway. Depending on visibility conditions, impressive views of the Los Angeles Basin are possible from the vicinity of Mount Wilson. The most frequent hindrances of what can be seen are the smog and/or a marine layer covering the basin below.
The westernmost segment of the highway, combined with Angeles Forest Highway to/from State Route 14, is heavily travelled by southbound traffic in the morning (and corresponding northbound traffic in the afternoon) that comprises commuters who live in the Antelope Valley and work in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The route is a convenient alternative to the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14) and the Golden State Freeway (Interstate 5), both located to the west, for reaching the Foothill Freeway (Interstate 210) and San Gabriel Valley. Because the road is a two-lane highway, its vehicle capacity is significantly lower than either of the two freeways.
In contrast, the remainder of the Angeles Crest Highway is lightly traveled. Typically, this traffic is composed of vacationers, sightseers, and locals. The three areas comprising Mountain High ski resort are just west of Wrightwood.
Construction of Angeles Crest Highway began in 1929. It was originally intended to be a fire access road. In 1941 construction stopped because of World War II. In 1946, after the war, construction resumed; the completed highway eventually opened in 1956. The road was constructed by prison labor from Camp 37, which has since been razed. Division of Highways (now known as Caltrans) staff lived at a site called Cedar Springs. The staff is now located at Chilao Flats. Children of the staff attended Chilao Mountain School, a one-room school; the school has been closed for several years.
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