L.A. Drives: Up to Mt. Baldy on the mighty GMR
Mt. Baldy is a great local ski resort in the winter.
The rest of the time – it’s a road trip, featuring some of the most exciting roads in Southern California.
To check it out, we borrowed a Porsche Boxster that we thought would be perfect for the tight technical turns we were hoping to encounter.
On a warm summer morning, we started out on Highway 39, north of the 210, after a coffee in historic old town Azusa.
Then we headed for the hills, making our way into steep San Gabriel Canyon, where turnouts offer inspiring views of huge reservoirs and the Mad Max-like Off Highway Vehicle park down below.
The drive from Azusa to Mt Baldy is one of the most exhilirating in the Southland -- especially if you know the best way to go.
We turned right onto East Fork Road — another option is to continue up the canyon and do some sightseeing at Crystal Lake — and followed the San Gabriel River past the café at Camp Williams Resort. On weekends, this is a cool place to dip your toes in the river and have a cool drink.
Then we hit the hairpin turn where the East Fork becomes the Glendora Mountain Road. Watch out! It’s a sharp one.
Very popular on the weekends, especially for motorcyclists and bicyclists, this is one of the Southland’s premier twisties. It includes 13 miles of tight, technical lefts and rights, and on the weekends has a fair amount of traffic headed up and down the hill. So it’s a good idea to mind your speed.
At the saddle, Glendora Mountain Road meets Glendora Ridge Road. We turned left, and kept climbing.
Here the twisties continue — but narrowly, and without the benefit of a center line. It’s critical here to stay to the right, and not to be too distracted by views of Mt. Baldy, which towers at just over 10,000 feet.
A motorcyclist who was hugging the wrong side of the road recently survived a head-on encounter with a fire truck along here. Heads up!
On this section of the ride the little Boxster proved the perfect car. Short, lithe and limber, it held the curves like a slot car stuck in the groove.
We turned left and uphill where the Glendora Ridge Road runs into Mt. Baldy Road, and stopped for some cool mountain air and lunch at the Mt. Baldy Lodge — which recently celebrated its 101st anniversary. The friendly staff and capable cook staff serve a fine patty melt here as well as a variety of adult beverages from the bar. Had one too many? The lodge offers cabin rentals by the night.
For the return trip, there are several options. You can go back the way you came, then stay left at the saddle where Glendora Ridge Road meets Glendora Mountain Road, and follow that all the way back down to East Sierra Madre Avenue.
For the more direct route, we took Mt. Baldy Road down the hill until it turned into Mills Avenue, then turned right onto Baseline and headed back to the 210 Freeway.
If you take the short option, you’ll drive about 60 miles. The longer one, via Mt. Baldy Road, would be 78 miles. Either way, this route is a classic tour of the San Gabriel Mountains, and a great L.A. Drive.
Where we went: Azusa to Mt. Baldy, via San Gabriel Canyon and Glendora Mountain Road
What we drove: 2016 Porsche Boxster GTS
What to see: East Fork of the San Gabriel River; San Gabriel Canyon OHV Area; Crystal Lake
Where to eat: Camp WIlliams Resort Cafe, 24210 E. Fork Road, (626) 910-1126, open Friday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Mt. Baldy Lodge, 6777 Mt. Baldy Road; (909) 982-1115, open Monday to Friday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to midnight
Total drive distance: 60 to 80 miles
Total driving and dining time: 2-3 hours
