San Diego North County Rites of Passage Paved Climbs

It's been a long while, but yours truly haven't retired from the wearing habit of steep hills hunting. I have moved to the northern bit of the county, though, and it takes a while getting to know all the monsters in one's new environs. 

Without further ado, here is a list of 10 famous road cycling climbs in San Diego's North County (that is, north of Hwy 56, and west of Valley Center Rd/Bear Valley Pkwy or Hwy 67) that local riders tend to allude to when comparing how painful their last series of undulated suffering was. To be sure, there are gorier ascents than those on this list. I'm just listing the ones with the best combination of well known/ridden and toughness in different areas of North County. The list of the true hardest climbs will come later.  

10. Three Witches  (San Dieguito Rd from El Apajo to just before Camino del Sur): To escape from the old money neighborhood of Rancho Santa Fe via San Dieguito Rd to the neuvo riches along Camino del Sur (Santa Luz, 4S Ranch, etc), you must dispatch Three wicked Witches guarding the way: As far as tough climbs go, this triple-steps two-miler is rather tame both in gradient and in length. It is; however, a featured climbs on many trans-coastal rides including the San Diego Century. One must climb little hills before graduating to the truly nasty ones. Three Witches is a great hill to train on for more nastiness to come. 

Scripps Poway Pkwy climb toward Hwy 67.

9. Purple Monster (Scripps Poway Parkway from Pomerado to Hwy 67): Yet another featured climb from the famed San Diego Century ride! The 1.8 mile stretch of Scripps Poway Parkway to Hwy 67 on the Purple Course of the SDC is quite jacaranda purple in the cool of springtime, which is also the best time of year to tackle this ascent (or, really, any ascent east of I-15). The Strava segment has the climb starts a bit later than it should, really, as Purple Monster really stops being friendly to eastbound riders as far west as the intersection with Community Rd.

As a side note, although we call Scripps Poway Pkwy a monster, it is actually the nicest way to bike commute between Poway proper and Hwy 67. It is the mellowest climb - gradientwise - and the least traffically stressful compared with the likes of Highland Valley Rd and Poway Rd. There is ample shoulder on both ascent and descent to stay well away from the all too fast cars in the traffic lane. 

Scripps Poway Parkway climbing toward Hwy 67.

8. El Fuerte/Alicante (Carlsbad): This is probably my least favorite local hill repeat loop. It hurts multiple times in both directions, and a lot of it is the sort of hill that doesn't look like it should be that painful (or long) a hill, but it keeps kicking where it shouldn't. Then you get to a downhill, and it's all over with so soon... only to be followed by more climbing. Basically a lot of pain and not quite enough immediate rewards (but, keep coming back to it, and you'll likely get quite a lot stronger as a climber in the long run). 

The whole El Fuerte/Alicant is 7.6 miles long, with multiple nasty uphill stretches no matter which direction you ride it. The worst bit of the CW direction is probably the mile long climb from Poisettia to Alga. (Alga Rd climb from Alicante to El Fuerte is its own popular reference hill in North County, by the way) From the CCW direction, the stretch from Altiva to Corinthia is just awful. I personally prefer the CCW direction mostly due to traffic on Alicante north of Alga Rd. 

The gnarly strait of Gibralta dip...

Note: There is a much steeper way of climbing Alga Hill (the hill that Alga Rd, El Fuerte/Alicante live on), but it isn't very well known, and so doesn't have an entry of its own on this list. It involves approaching from Gibralta Dr north of La Costa Ave, traversing a terrible concrete dip that is not recommended at all during or right after rain, and turning right onto Bolero Dr all the way to the top. 

7. Lake Wohlford Rd (Valley Center): A featured climb on the annual Giro di San Diego Gran Fondo, this curvy 2 miler from Valley Center Rd to the lake is best tackled during the week when traffic is less bustling with boat-towing SUVs and trailers. The first mile is the steepest, then it modulates quite a bit on the way to the bridge which marks the top of the climb. Being a mostly east-west climb before veering due north at the lake, timing the climb so that the sun is not in the eyes of the drivers coming up behind you is quite important. 

The gnarly 1st uphill mile on HVR.

6. Highland Valley Rd from Sycamore Creek Rd to Ramona (Escondido): Highland Valley Rd is not one I would recommend to anyone new to cycling... mostly due to traffic. To be sure, HVR doesn't carry as much traffic as does the 78 to the north or even Poway Rd to the south, but the first mile of climbing is not only very steep, but also has no shoulder to speak of, and is so curvy and narrow that one can't count on motorized traffic to stay on the right side of the road. It is east of the 15, so tend to be very hot in the summer - fall months... but if you head out there early, you run the risk of having the sun rising right into the eyes of the drivers driving up the curvy road behind you. 

For seasoned cyclists, the HVR descent is one of the best in town, but one must always be careful to not count on the road being clear of rock fall debris on the other side of the blind curve (and that the oncoming cars will stay on their side of the yellow line). There are a couple of right turns on the descent that keeps turning longer than they should. It is a fun but quite unforgiving descent.

5. San Elijo Rd/Double Peak Dr (San Marcos): Known simply as 'Double Peak' climb. The 3 miles climb starts off quite gently at the intersection of San Elijo Rd at S Melrose Dr and continue straight thru San Elijo Hills community. It gets steeper (6-8%) after passing Elfin Forest Rd. San Elijo Rd keeps climbing for another 1/3 mile or so past Double Peak Rd traffic light, but we'll turn left on Double Peak Rd for a very punishing last mile up to Double Peak Park parking lot (those inclined could indulge in another short but steep dirt ramp to the proper top of the hill for extra credit). This is the fearsome last (and featured) climb on the local annual sufferfest Belgian Waffle/Wafer Ride.

Double Peak and its sister Mt Whitney require a post of their own, when it comes to horrible chain-stretching climbs. Stay tuned!

Descending Couser Canyon in the late morning shade.

4. Couser Canyon Rd (Lilac): 

Couser Canyon Rd runs north-south along the east side of Lancaster Mountain, and is exposed to the east, so it's best cycling it in the morning hours for optimum visibility (the afternoon sun can cast very dark shadow on the road and hide you from motorized traffic... and also hide road cracks and debris from you). This is an awesome cycling road connecting Escondido to Rainbow and on to Temecula via Rice Canyon and Rainbow Valley Blvd. It is a relatively mellow, quite scenic, curvy and constant 3.8 mile climb. Fairly low traffic, tho best avoid on weekends and holidays as it is a favorite of local sport motorcyclists. 

Coronado Hills Dr from La Moree.

3. Coronado Hills Dr (San Marcos): This is the lone legit route up to the top of little Mt Whitney, the tallest peak on the Cerro de las Posas mountain range that dominates the skyline of San Marcos. It starts out mellow enough heading south from La Moree, but when it starts kicking as you approach the only house on the east side of the road, it kicks with a vicious glee... and doesn't really let up until you earn the saddle at the intersection with Washingtonia. To get to Mt Whitney you would turn right there and climb more rolling bumps of various degrees of savagery until you get to the radio tower. Or, if you are looking for a morning of horrid hill workout, you could continue down the other side of the saddle to the SE end of the road and ride back up... and just keep going back and forth from one end of Coronado Hills to another until your legs fall off. It's a distinct possibility. 

The flat bottom just before Cole Grade Rd kicks up the hill for 3 miles of pain.

2. Cole Grade Rd from Hwy 76 to McNally (Pauma Valley): The 2.5 mile bicycling escape route from Rincon to Valley Center is one hot climb. Even when it's cold out, it's always hot climbing up Cole Grade Rd. Newcomers may roll their eyes at the number of times old spinners claim that they hurt so much more climbing up Cole Grade after Palomar Mtn than they did on Palomar itself... but it is oh-so-true! 

I think much of it is due to the physical and psychological drain Palomar usually has on you before you get to Cole Grade, and also because of the latter's more severe gradient... and the general lack of wind carving up that side of the hill. 

Nevertheless, Cole Grade remains the safest way to ride back up to Escondido from the SW side of Palomar Mtn (I, for one, would happily go downhill on Valley Center Rd from N Lake Wohlford to Harrah's casino, but not the reverse, which I had to do when I rode the first Giro di San Diego Gran Fondo in 2012. Happy to have survived it, and would rather not do it again... ever). 

Besides, whenever the Tour of California cycling race comes to town, the pros are usually made to ride up Cole Grade Rd after going over Palomar Mtn, and its steep S curve section is usually where the decisive break of the day gets away from the main peloton.

1. Palomar Mtn by Hwy 76 and South Grade Rd (S6): San Diego's very own Highway to the Stars, South Grade Rd was built in 19 to transport the Hale Telescope to Palomar Observatory. 

To the local cyclists, this 12 miler with 21 hairpin turns is our version of the Tour de France's famed L'Alpe d'Huez, with similar distance, gradient, and curvature. It is probably the most consistent long climb in the county. Aside from the lone 1/5 mile long false flat just before the left turn onto South Grade Rd, the climbing gradient is a near constant 7% (the last mile is the hardest one). With no chain-stretching gradient anywhere on the route, cycling up Palomar Mt from the south is more a test of will than anything else... especially during the hot summer months when the long middle stretch of the climb is infested by horse flies and gnats.

Avoid this ride on weekends and holidays when wiggly South Grade Rd is the hot spot for local sport motorcyclists, and the narrow lanes of Hwy 76 is busy with boat-towing trailers and semi trucks. Also, bring plenty of water with you if you attempt this in the hot season. The only watering spot on the climb is the little convenient store on Oak Knolls campground on the first mile of South Grade Rd, then there is nothing until Palomar Mountain General Store and Mother's Kitchen at the top.

As awesome a climb as Palomar South Grade Rd is, it is an even better descent... albeit one best taken with plenty of caution. If you are just doing out-and-back up Palomar, look at the opposite lane on the way up and make a mental note of any potentially hazardous debris field or pot holes/road cracks that might catch you on the way down. Also, beware of the 3 cow grates on the road (you never know if there could be anything stuck in them), and the blind curves. I've been lucky and only seen deer on the road twice in the many years I've ridden there. Some others have seen more. Don't go bombing down that road faster than you could safely control your bike.

Related posts:

San Diego (city)'s Rite of Passage Climbs

San Diego (city)'s Steepest Short Climbs (1-2 city blocks)

San Diego's Steep Sub-Mile Climbs 

San Diego North County's Steepest Sub-Mile Climbs 

Camino del Aguila 

Everest-Friendly Climbs in San Diego County 

Starvation Mountain via Camino Del Aguilar - Revisited

I was fairly starved of proper on-bike suffering (and the glorious euphoria you get when you finally summit a hard-earned peak) during my exile to Riverside County in 2016. Now that I've returned to Didacus Sanctus (albeit quite a few clicks removed from the old Smorgabode), revisiting favorite scenic out-of-the-way climbs is the mission of 2017! On top of my 'Re-Hit List', of course, is the sheer brutality that is the hawks-infested super steep paved lane up the SW side of Starvation Mountain just east of Escondido/Rancho Bernardo, Camino del Aguila.

The relatively gnarly 'warm up' climb on Highland Valley Road.

These roadside cuties sure weren't starving for any breakfast!

I started out a bit late on a weekday morning from Rancho Bernardo and got on Highland Valley Rd a bit after the morning rush hour. Sycamore Creek Rd was looking dry and tantalizing, so I went snooping around there a bit. There might be a post on that one of these days if I ever shape up and become more disciplined about writing up exploration rides again. At any rate, I made it up HVR to the Camino del Aguila turn off without making too much stink... I think.

Pausing at the top of the 2nd bumps thru the winery gives you a good survey of the suffering to come.

By the time you get to this bit, the 3rd switchback, you're already cursing the day you were born.

Man, could I tell that I was over a year older and rustier since I last tried to 'spin' my way up this hideously relentlessly gnarly lane. The opening ramp from the bottom of the dip was amazingly demoralizing (no less because I knew now how horrible long I'd have to keep going before the gradient would drop to the humane side of 10% again. There was no longer any 'ignorance is bliss (or, rather, hope) associated with first time-ing up this road. No, the darn thing doesn't even let you breath at all until the 3rd switchback turn). I should say, though, unless you're trying to set a Strava record, you really should take it easy in the relatively mellow mid-section of this climb and take in the view (which, alas, will be behind you). Camino del Aguila is really one of the prettiest roads in San Diego County!

 The view of the top of Starvation Mountain looked quite different from the last time I snailed my way up this road a couple of years ago, though. There were now a few more houses near the top of the slope. I dread the day when they'd start putting in gates and turn this into something of the forbidden Cielo Complex between Via Ambiante and Mt Israel Rd in Olivenhain area.

The Snowman Boulder is still guarding the last icky steep (about 22% grade) ramp on Camino del Aguila.

I didn't go to the fence just below the summit this time, but opted to go sight-seeing around to the water tank atop Starvation Mountain Rd instead. A couple of new car gates had popped up in the last 2 years since I last came through here... along with quite a few new houses.

Starvation Mtn peak is well guarded. You must go up 22+% grader to get to the balcony, no matter from which direction you attack this hill from.

Mind you, every body I saw on the mountain was very friendly, though, waving and saying hello as they drove by. It sort of reminded me of my days in rural Missouri. People are much more friendly in person than they are in the news or online...

It was bone dry under Kreitzer Ped/Bike bridge over Lake Hodges. This was just before the winter storms hit last winter, of course!

Being too out of shape to attempt Mt Woodson after coming back down to HVR, I enjoyed the curvy descent (one of the best short technical descents around) down to Lake Hodges where I spent an hour or so stalking birds and a lovely little American kestrel before catching the bus home.

I know I had pretty much swore off ever pedaling up Starvation Mtn again on my way up.... but hills like this have a way of inflicting you with short-term memory loss of some sort and I want to go back up it again already. Before I do, though, there are a few other hills to check off my 'Re-Hit List' first...

San Diego's Steepest Road Climbs: Magnificent Sub-Milers

San Diego's Steepest Short Walls
San Diego's Steepest 1-5 Milers
Everest-friendly Climbs in San Diego County 

North County's Rite of Passage Climbs

Long overdue, I'm afraid because it took a while to get out and personally check all the candidate sub-miler badass climbs around town. Anyhow, so far, here are the toughest just-less-than-a-mile-long paved road climbs I've encountered in San Diego County. This shouldn't be read as an exhaustive list, tho. There are loads of amazing climbs out there and I'm sure I haven't explored them all yet. The climbs with * on them take some finessing to get onto, I'm afraid, as they are gated access-controlled roads.

10. Alpine Trail [0.7 mile, avg 7%, max 43%]

Just the top ramp on Alpine Trail.

A back way to Alpine from Harbison Canyon, this extreme rollercoaster takes you through a new housing development between Galloway Valley and Alpine Heights. From west to east, the climb comes in two major ramps with a nice dip in between them that allows for a bit of sling-shotting. It's a bit of a dilemma placing this climb lower than Via Capri and Country Club... I suppose, if you aren't already strong enough to survive > 23% graders for about a city block, then Alpine Trail would be quite harder to climb than Via Capri and Country Club Drs on Mt Soledad. If you can cope with short stretches of extreme gradients, tho, I feel this climb a bit easier simply because it allows you good enough rest to catch your breath and shake some lactate off the legs before the gnarliness resumes.

9. Via Capri Dr (Mt Soledad) [0.8 mile, avg 10%, max ]:

When the locals talk about climbing up the steep side of Mt Soledad, they usually mean Via Capri Dr from Hidden Valley to La Jolla Scenic Dr. It is indeed a very stern test of legs and lungs of the relentlessly uncomfortably steep variety. The worst thing about climbing Via Capri, to me, however, is the traffic. I'm afraid most cars don't struggle up the steep slope as much as we cyclists do, and the fact that there are often cars parallel-parked on the steep ramp between Vie Sienna and Hillside Dr, forcing you onto the only uphill traffic lane sure doesn't help things much.

8. Country Club-Romero-Brodicaea-Encelia Drs (Mt Soledad) [0.8 mile, avg 11%]
But, really, the hardest climb on Mt Soledad is actually the lesser known and traveled Country Club route. At about the same length, this route is a full percent grade steeper than Via Capri Dr. It is lesser known, I think, because it dead ends for cars at the private gate to Upper Hillside Dr from Encelia Dr. This makes for much sparser traffic... and sort of makes climbing it feels a bit easier than Via Capri since you can actually paperboy (zigzag) up the ramps in next to no-traffic condition. The steepest bit of this climb actually comes in the middle of the first block of Country Club Dr at about 18%, then there is a short break after the left turn along the golf course before the gradient kicks up again to Romero Dr and doesn't drop again until the top of Encelia Dr, 1/2 mile later.

View from La Jolla Reservoir off Encelia Dr.

If you aren't fixated on getting to the top without ever stopping, though, I'd suggest veering left at the corner of Brodicaea and Encelia Drs and going down the little drop to the car gate with a magnificent view of La Jolla Shores. If you don't mind a bit of firm dirt riding or hike-a-biking, the little dirt trail leading left over the knoll from the car gate is worth some exploration, too. It is only about 40 yds long and takes you to perhaps the best panoramic view point in La Jolla.

7. Coronado Hills Dr (San Marcos) [.6 mile, avg 12%, max grade 25%]:

It is almost inhumane how steadily steep this main route up Mt Whitney in San Marcos is! It's a well paved thing with two wide lanes and hardly any traffic at all after all the Mt Whitney residents had gone to work during the week. Once the road kicks up it doesn't drop below 10% again until 'the top'.

Looking north down Coronado Hills Dr.

Of course, by the time you get there, you might as well turn right onto Washingtonia and climb a bit more (2 or 3 short steep ramps with level off or dips in between) to the radio tower at the top. The steep ramp from the 5-way intersection is quite holey, though (unless it has very recently been repaved), and might be even gnarlier to descent than to climb.


6. Black Gold Rd (La Jolla Farms) [.4 mile, avg 14%, max grade 23%]:

The paved access road to Black's Beach from La Jolla Farms is perhaps the best kept secret local climbs in the city! It is car-gated at the top, though sometimes service vehicles and some key-holding local residents would drive down to the beach there. For us cyclists, most of the time getting on this beautiful beast involves tossing the bike over the gate and walking through the tight peds access way through the gate.

After the road starts to drop the view starts to open up and this climb can look very intimidating, with the switchbacks mid-section looking quite steeper than it actually is. Have no fear, the worst of the climb is actually at the very bottom where the narrow lane branches around a triangular island and the tarmac becomes well dusted with sand. From that spot down to the benches overlooking the beach the grade average is around 18% with maximum of 23% (yes, you'll have to mount the bike and start climbing on a 17% grade slope... Oh, the price we pay for a glimpse of the city's only nude beach!).

From the bottom of Black Gold Rd.

You may notice a lot of skid marks on the road surface as you muscle your way back up. Because this road is mostly car-free, steep, well paved and curvy, it is a favorite road-surfing spot for the local skatboarders. So... keep a look out for those when you hear strange rumbling approaching from above!

6. *Montana Serena Rd (Crest) [0.9 mile, avg 12%, max grade 43%]:

Getting on Montana Serena Rd may be a bit of a problem as it is in a private housing complex off from Rios Canyon Rd from Mountain View Dr between Crest proper and Harbison Canyon. Once you get on it, though, it is a conquest worth all the sufferings it inflicts!

The mellow tarmac bottom of Montana Serena through the relatively new housing development turns into a bumpy white concrete monster as soon as the road turns right around the row of palm trees. From then on it is put-your-head-down-and-don't-look-far-ahead do or die sort of climbing until the concrete surface turns into tarmac again about .7 mile later.

Gnarly climb for spectacular view = good trade off?

There is a lot of view to see from this road, but chances are that you won't notice any of it on the way up. It is that nastily unrelentless and steep. And to make it worse, there is no bombing on the descent either. The concrete is rutted and so bumpy that if you hit a bump wrong at >10 mph you will be in for quite a lot of hurt. Besides... why would you go fast down this thing when there is so much view to see?

5. *Buds Ln - Double R Rd (off Old Coach Rd in Poway [0.7 mile, avg 14%, max 27%].
I'm afraid I can't tell you much about this one since I haven't managed to get on it yet. :) It hides behind a heavy duty gate off from Deer Valley Estates just below Ramona Reservoir.

Buds Ln - Double R Rd as espied from Old Coach Tr

It sure looks super gnarly from a distance, though. I think you'd have to know someone who lives on Buds Ln to get inside the gate... Either that or wait until one of the new houses in the complex is doing an open house.

4. Lake San Marcos Towers Trail N [0.5 mile, avg 15%, max 30%]:

Known to the local steepie-hunters as the Lake San Marcos 21% (dunno why that percentage, but there it is), this is the paved narrow access road from the north side to the radio towers overlooking Lake San Marcos on the western spire of Cerro de los Posas Mountain, and it is a feat of suffering with a very disappointing view at the top!

I'm afraid the trail head at the bottom is unmarked and looks just like a private drive way. It's basically the narrow lane next to #1520 La Plaza Rd, and it leads you through some nice fenced in avocado orchards before being nearly completely blocked with a giant car gate with about a million padlocks on it where you will have to toss the bike over and somehow squeeze through the narrow opening on the left side... and find yourself restarting on about a 14% grade slope. I know, I know, San Diego steepies are such pills sometimes!

Final ramp to the Lake San Marcos radio tower.

The pavement is quite good and just wide enough for some paperboy-ing, and if you can, you must take in as much view as possible on the way up since the top of the road only has enough flat space for the radio tower complex and nothing else... and the complex lies between the top of the road and the drop to the lake. So... there is no view whatsoever at the very top, unless you want to roll back halfway down the steepest ramp of the climb for it, which may be okay if you just want to out-n-back this thing. But if you want to traverse from the tower along the Ridgeline Trail to Double Peak, then this would be quite a lot of aggravation!

3. Camino del Aguilar (Starvation Mountain near Escondido) [.7 mile, avg grade 15%, max grade 24.2%]:

While most sensible cyclists ride up to Ramona from Escondido via
the splendid curvy climb of Highland Valley Road (HVR), the steepie-addicted ones are partial to the (not very) short cut over Starvation Mountain that branches off from it just east of Bandy Canyon Rd instead. Camino del Aguila is a paved private road that technically ends at the dirt connection to Eagle Crest Rd just a wedge shot from the top of the mountain, though on bicycle there are a few ways you could take downhill from the top.

Anyhow, the first part of the Aguila involves going over a steep ridge by the winery and avocado farms. Road surface is quite pothole infested and there are a few sharp speed bumps to be mindful off as you descend to the ravine. From the bottom of the ravine, though, the road kicks straight up and becomes distinctly hostile to normal legs and lungs functions. I'm afraid the next turn on the road won't bring you any relief no matter how much you wish it would, not until you get to the lone level-off with a low stone wall by a ranch house nearly a mile later!

Of course, the only traffic on this road are local residents, and there aren't many of them, so you probably won't run into any car at all (though if you do, tread carefully because the driver is probably having as much trouble staying on the road as you do... the thing wasn't quite engineered right and doesn't bank quite the right way at its many steep switchbacks).

At the top, you could either take the dirt road onto Eagle Crest Rd that'd drop you off on HVR just west of Sky Valley Dr (this involves going around a couple of gates and quite a bit of trespassing), or you could hike-the-bike up the steep dirt ramp leading off to the left to pick up the top bit of Starvation Mountain Rd. I'm afraid we can't get to the very top of the mountain since the big house on the top had gated it, but turning left will take you down Starvation Mountain Rd back to HVR about a mile further up than when you turned off it to climb the Aguila.

2. The Crow's Nest Lane (Harbison Canyon) [.4 mile, avg grade 18%, max grade 33.3%]:

The shortest on this list, and it's sitting at #2! No kidding! I'm sure many have glimpsed at this monster as they descend Mountain View/Frances Rd into Harbison Canyon, though not many have gone up it since the base of it isn't quite on the main road. As you can see from the gradient profile pic above... it is a mad road!

As there are only 2 occupied houses on The Crow's Nest, the likelihood of sharing the gnarly climb/descent with a car is quite slim. The road is pretty well paved, though it does have liberal amount of sandy debris on the surface (probably doesn't get swept often... or at all!), and there are a couple of really ill-placed sharp speed bumps right on the steepest bit of the climb that gave me quite a fright when I spontaneously wheelied upon hitting them (the 2nd one even came with a rear wheel skid due to a loose layer of sand). So... please make sure your brakes are in excellent order before attempting this thing because you will have to come down it. And, as much as I enjoy going downhill, descending the Crow's Nest Lane was like a pleasure cruise that caught the flu virus 500 miles off-shore with no other ship in sight. I was happy to be alive when I got to the bottom... after having snailed my way down at less than 8 mph!

1. **Rocky Lane (Muth Valley) [.7 mile, avg 17%, max grade 44.8%]:

Talk about a barricaded road... It takes quite a bit of acrobatic just to get onto Rocky Ln at all! And once you are on it, you sort of wonder what madness had come upon you and how in the world are you going to get back out! Have an equally crazy buddy with you or tell someone where you'll be before attempting ('cause if you run into a mountain lion while dragging your bike up this thing, you're toasted and probably won't be found within a month). Also, as hideous as cycling down Wildcat Canyon Rd is, considering its traffic, it still is probably safer than descending Rocky Lane. I don't think I would even attempt it if I have disc brakes... So there you go.

Honorable mentions: Rainbow Glen from the west (Fallbrook), Rice Rd (Rattlesnake Mtn in Santee), Gomez Creek Rd (Rainbow - Pala).

Another visit to Bandy Canyon and Camino del Aguila

Also quite a while back... because a smorg is only ever a few letters different from a sloth, Team Fun was planning on a ride east to Bandy Canyon and the lower bit of Highland Valley Road (HVR) and team captains were conspiring to go pre-ride the route. Since HVR is one of the many cool cycling roads that I had been neglecting of late, I figured I'd ride out to hang with Jill and the Heathers for a bit. It was a cool and foggy Wednesday morning when I got to South Escondido and started east on San Pasqual Rd.

San Pasqual Rd, shedding what little shoulder it has at Orfila Winery.

The 'milky' bit of Old Milky Way.

Looking SE down on Ysabel Creek Rd from San Pasqual Batterfield.

I really would not recommend cycling on San Pasqual Rd east of Orfila Winery, no matter how experienced a cyclist you are. Drivers are pretty crazy on that road... if you ride by the right edge of the pavement, they'll squeeze pass you at 40+ mph in the fog, and if you control the middle of the lane they'll still try to pass you at speed approaching blind corners (and honk bloody murder while they're at it, too). It's pretty insane how much many drivers will risk for just a few seconds of travel time. 

Memorial plaque on a boulder at San Pasqual Battlefield.

The pavement comes and goes on Ysabel Creek Rd.

Bandy Canyon Rd toward HVR, just before it really climbs.

It was quite a relief to finally get to turn off onto the much more mellow Old Milky Way/Old Pasqual Rd where the local cows thrive, and then onto mostly paved Ysabel Creek Rd to pick up the last flat bit of Bandy Canyon Rd before it turns uphill toward Highland Valley.

A male kestrel in the field.

Llamas in the ranch near the top of Bandy Canyon Rd.

Bandy Canyon Rd is a mostly gentle climb with much sparser traffic compared to the lower climb on Highland Valley Rd. The only sounds I heard spinning up the short steep-ish pitch were the humming of farm machinery in the valley below and a whole lot of bird chirping in the bushes. A few roadrunners scooted across the pavement as I approached, the last one stopping for a good look - probably trying to decide if I was really a harmless cyclist or a sneaky wily coyote.

Camino del Aguila winding its way up the west face of Starvation Mountain.

I topped out with so much time to spare before Team Fun captains were scheduled to arrive, of course, and standing around waiting after having sweated a bit on the climb would just make me cold... What to do but to sneak up to visit my most favorite climb in the San Diego North County?

Camino del Aguila AKA the Eagle, is a queen of a country road. The primary climb from the dip just beyond the little pond to the west col is only about 0.8 mile at a gnarly average gradient of 14.5% grade (maximum grade around 24%), but the view is worth every bit of suffering it inflicts! Besides, if the climbing proves too painful, you can always stop by at Altipiano Winery at the bottom for some recovery wine-tasting!

The west col with dirt connections to The Heritage complex off Old Coach Rd in Poway.

I hung around the col for a while, checking out the dirt roads connecting to the Stage Coach complex and Starvation Mountain Rd closer to the top before it was time to roll back down to the top of Bandy Canyon Rd to rendezvous with the gals. Descending the Eagle is quite a technical thing... I wouldn't recommend it to anyone new to mountain riding, especially in warmer weather. You have to know the road really well and know where to let the wheels run a bit to dissipate braking heat while always tightly control the speed to make all the sharp switchback turns whose gradients vary from 15-30%, depending on the line you take. Half way down I stopped to chat with a local lady who was out for her morning walk up the mountain. She thought it a marvelous exercise for me riding up and down the Eagle... I thought it even better exercise for her doing it on foot!

Lying in ambush on top of Bandy Canyon Rd.

Team Fun crew arriveth!.

HVR descending fun...

The Heathers and Jill arrived not long after, along with turbo George of REV in San Elijo Hills. I'm afraid they didn't see the llamas on their way up, but were properly greeted by a few roadrunners nonetheless. I rolled down the hill on Highland Valley Rd with the group before splitting to do some roadside housekeeping (pox on people who keep throwing drink cans and bottles and other trash out of their car!) and indulging in a really productive bird-watching session on the Kreitzer footbridge across the water-free eastern portion of Lake Hodges.

Kreitzer Bridge over Lake Hodges.

Kingbirds battle!

A boy kestrel and his lunch.

It was a load of fun, of course. We ended up modifying the Team Fun route a bit to avoid San Pasqual Rd, and the actual ride turned out quite a blast. Hopefully I'll head out that way again before it gets too warm. There won't be any kestrel around now (those cute buggers were just migrating through during the winter months), but I've heard rumors of bald eagles out in the hills... How fitting it would be to encounter one while climbing the Aguila!