- Ride Details
- Distance: 17.9 miles
- Summit Elevation: 3423′
- Total Ascent: 2507′
- Time: 1-2 hours
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Que Sheet: Download
While Baldy Village the most popular route in the San Gabriel Mountains, not everyone has the 3-5 hours to make the ride. A popular ride for those looking for a great workout and a taste of the mountains is to ride from the bottom of Glendora Mountain Road to the maintenance shack about nine miles away. In the summer, you can pull this ride off after work (or before if you are an early riser).
We park on Palm street where it seems a little more traveled to avoid the break-ins that we’ve heard about on Glendora Mountain Road.
It’s a simple enough route. Point your bike up and go until you reach the shack. Most of the ride is about 6% so it’s hard, but still civilized. When you reach the gate a little less than a mile from where we park, the Strava segment starts. The segment is around eight miles and climbs a little over 2000 feet. It’s a great time trial workout. The pros grabbed all of the cups and the KOM during the Tour de California race, but there are age categories that can be had if you are a fast climber.
When you reach the shack, have a rest and then ride a little further to the Baldy Y at the junction of Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road. The summer views are wonderful, but if you can get up there when there is still snow on the mountains, it can be amazing.
It’s rare to find snow below the shack, but always be aware of road conditions. The descent from the shack is great fun, but do it safely. Traffic is usually not bad, but there are other bicycles, cars, motorcycles, and even skateboarders to watch for.