Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

Leisurely trail ride: Red Box to Rincon By Donald E. l. Betsworth Photos by Donald W. Betsworth A few miles above the freeway that runs along the base of southern California's San Gabriel Mountains, there is a little-used, fun-to-ride dirt road. This road is used mainly by forest rangers, hikers and a few four- 24 wheelers and sees only a handful of motorcycles. It's a shore 52mile round trip that has a lot going for it: a ride down a woodsy canyon, a pretty stream side trek, a ridge run, views down some incredibly steep. canyons. and a look at a lake unknown to most people. So, mom, send the kids to grandma's, get dad, two street-legal bikes, a nice lunch and have a go at it. Remember the street-legal bike; green stickies won't cut it. The road starts at the Red Box Ranger Station up on the Angeles Crest Highway. It then runs almost due east to the Rincon Ranger Station over on Highway 39 in San Gabriel Canyon. Generally its width is 15 feet, so care must be taken on the many blind turns. The weatherman said, "bright and clear." Up at five, we loaded up the bikes and were on the road at six. As we crossed Foothill Blvd. a light drizzle dotted my windshield. The hjgher we went, the worse the wealher. At Red Box it looked like it would clear. But as we started down the canyon the weather went downhill with us. At the West Fork station 1t had turned from ba'd to lousy. The heavy clouds settled down and the vibility dropped to less than 20 feet. Humidity was about 150%. At this point the clouds cost us the views down the canyons and up the pine covered slopes, but the most difficult part was the loss of visible check points. At one- hairpin turn we almost overshot, we stopped to check the map, Not being able to spot our location, we continued very slowly. On our return we stopped at the same spot, using a couple of large rocks in the road as a reference. We discovered we had stopped less than 15 feet from a larger water .tank and had not seen it. An area in the river bed near the Rincon station is open to ORVs. We stopped here for lunch and to observe the happenings. From what we saw . I'm glad I don't have to ride here. It was a real madhouse. Bikers were trying to run over the picnickers and sightseers; four-wheelers and pick·ups were aiming for the bikes. Two riders tried to cross the river at its deepest part, didn't make it and took a swim. Bike and all. Several conventional pick·ups and VWs' seats got wet and had to be pulled out. One of them twice. The whole thing looked like an ORVGongShow. To find the start, go to La Canada via the Foothill or Glendale Freeways. Get on Highway 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) and head up the mountains. Just short of 20 miles you will come to the Red Box Ranger Station. Park across the road and off load your bikes. It would be wise to call before you come, because they sometimes close the road. Call 2131790-1151 and ask if 2N24 is open. • Leave the parking lot, head south for about 200 feet to the sign showing tbe way to West Fork and beyond. Don't believe tbe mileage on the sign. It is wrong but they won't admit it. For tht- next 5.5 milcs it's a gradual downhill run. After a mile or so the stream you see on the right is the headwaters of tht- West Fork of the San Gabriel River. At West Fork you will see an old log cabin. This was the first ranger station in the forest, built by Louie Newcomb in 1900. In 1892 this mountain range was set aside by Uncle Sam and named the San Gabriel Timberland Reserve. 1907 came along and the name was changed to the San Gabriel National Forest. Since 1908 it has been known as the Angeles National Foresr and contains some 690,923 acres, For the next 3.2 miles it's an easy climb up the back side of Mount Wilson to Newcomb Saddle. A foot trail from Santa Anita Canyon on its way to the desert crosses here. It was originally an Indian pathway later modernized by Newcomb. If you've driven Highway 2 on past Red Box you probably passed Newcomb's Ranch. It was a good coffee stop for many years but burned down last year. All of this building and trail making kept old Louie busy for many years. After another mile you come to the first of the power line towers. You will criss·cross under them for approximately the next six miles. After the first tower, continue 1.3 miles to a road going to the left. This is the back road down into the Cogswell Reservoir. Do not enter even if the gate is open, it's a no· no. The front road enters off of Highway 39. MOst of the road from the highway to the dam was washed out during the winter of 1978. Continue and within a mile you will be able to see the reservoir and the dam down in the- canyon bottom. It was built during the 30s as a flood control measure. 1 find very few people have heard of it and even less have seen it. I assume that if you can't get there in a Pan Dragon 8 it can't be too much, so to hell with it. I hiked to it several years ago and it is quite a structure. The next 10,8 miles is a ride in the tall pines, then head· high chaparral. Then a sha rp tu rn a nd a very interesting look down into San Gabriel Canyon. From here you can see your destination, but it is almost five miles away. The grades on the ride are very easy and the switchbacks many, due to the heavy power company and fire trucks that use it occasionally. At 26.1 you reach Highway 39, a couple of hundred yards west of the Rincon RanKer Station. After lunch and watching the aforementioned funny show in the river bed we headed back. Bad. up into the clouds. This time the visibility was 100 feet and for awhile it was a mile or so. This is an easy ride and quite different from the dusty brown desert. If you don't mind riding pavement on your street·legal bike you can continue east out the East Fork Road. After approximately five miles and a right tum you climb up the very twisty Glendora Mountain Road. Several miles later you reach a junction with the Glendora Ridge Road. Take a left turn and after nine or 10 miles you will be in the settlement of Mount Baldy. Watch the time because it is a long ride back, . An Angeles National Forest map is the only one you'll need. They cost a buck each at the ranger station or just look at the one that's on display. Auto Club and topo maps can be helpful in picking out some of the historic and other interesting spots: The topo maps that show the route are the Glendora, Azusa, Mount Wilson and Chi lao Flat quadrangles. Ride more in the National Forests. Jt'syours. •

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