I'm from the UK and due to my health I spend a lot of time having to lie down in a darkened room. Your videos allow me to go on adventures to places I'll never get to visit. Many thanks
Hello from Southern California! I'll think of you next time I pass the Huy Fong Sriracha plant when I'm near Azusa enjoying a view of these mountains. Mmm....Sriracha....
Thank you for sharing this! So it wasn't L.A.s MnDot ? Just a freak question Lol...My father worked for Minnesota's MnDot 43 years,than retired in 2001...Before our I- 35 Bridge collapsed..😮
Hello I'm from this area and have driven on this closed off road. I was camping in Crystal lake when a fire broke out somewhere near the HOV area before East Fork so no one could get back down highway 39. We were being smoked out so they had no choice but to open the closed road for the first time in like 50 years I think they said. We went like 3 cars at a time slowly. It was amazing it was so up high the view was beautiful and there were boulders the size of ambulances you had to swerve around on the road and a huge section of the road was missing.. one lane had fallen in a rock slide so it was nerve racking driving on the side that was still holding up. We made it through and it connected to Los Angeles Crest Highway 2, near snow crest. Definitely glad I got to experience that. Oh and I'll never forget a young woman who drove up to my car to ask what was going on in a panic. She said she was from Virginia on vacation.. I told her casually to follow the road that they were going to open. She was the first one to go on the road. 😅
The most amazing thing is someone went to California on vacation? With all of the illegals and crime one would figure intelligent people would stay away from that sh!!-hole!
Hey Steve, just for your info I work for the company that rebuilt all of the rockslide damage to the road back in the mid-2000s after 9/11 Homeland security mandated that the road must be open for emergency egress from the LA county in case of an emergency situation a company I work for at the time we spent nearly a year installing poured-in-place pile to shore up the slides that have closed the roads many years prior
It did appear there was very little rock slide damage given the many years the road has been closed. Now it makes sense that it was maintained somewhat since it was "closed"
Fascinating!! Explains the condition and makes a lot of sense that they would do that. I knew that forest agencies use parts of it for training and fire fighting ops. Thank you for that information.
Not long after it was closed my friends and I from Orange County went as far as you can go up the road; there is a section where the whole thing fell off the side of the mountain. We were told back then that they brought engineers from Switzerland to survey the damage and their statement was, "how did you build it in the first place?!"
I grew up in Northern California and videos like this make me so homesick for the time I spent with my parents back in the 80’s when life was so much easier. Those who didn’t have a childhood in California just don’t understand the love appeal it had.
I can only imagine! I only recently made it to California a couple times as an adult .. started learning alot about the mountains and ecosystems. It’s such a profoundly gorgeous, rich and complex land. I love the mountains. I’d still love to live there if i could. ✌🏼
In a suprise to absolutely no one besides those unaware of just how much wear and tear traffic generates, roads do hold up for 50 years or more if you don't have heavy vehicles barreling down them a million times a year. Highway 39 definitely does look like it would quickly become one of my favorite bicycle climbs if I lived in the area.
Yep its the 18 wheelers that destroy our roads. Then again the roads now a days are cheaply made using asphalt so they break really quick. Concrete roads just were allot better and far more durable.
Pretty heavily trafficked on the weekends, not as pristine as it sounds. The scenic drive is awesome but im always fearful of the cyclists that share the road with little space for error
Heavy vehicles are definitely a problem. But I read that asphalt roads deteriorate faster if they have zero traffic. I assume it's because tires rolling over the pavement closes cracks that form due to expansion and contraction caused by fluctuations in temperature and soil expansion.
As an Australian who has only visited the USA once, I have to say that watching that drive up to Crystal Lake makes me want to start planning another trip.
California is one of the most beautiful States, I've been to all of them, except Alaska. A lot to see here. National parks, beaches, deserts, forests with redwoods, and so on. I've been to Australia a few times and New Zealand. Great place.
I'm one of the few lucky people to have been able to drive on this road myself. I'm 24, and at the time of January 1st, 2019, the gates on both ends had been opened, and that same boulder that he walked by has been there all these years! So many cars were driving up and down this road enjoying the beautiful scenery of the New Years Day, and there was even snow on the road too, making it more memorable! Sadly, it was closed again the day after as some workers who had been using the road to get over to Highway 2 had left the gates open for the long weekend, but it was an experience like no other!
@@anon2414 glad I’m not the only one! Super annoying haha. Can’t even remember quarantine to be honest… it all blends together. For me I graduated high school into covid, and blinked and I was a junior in college!
I grew up in Arcadia during the 50s and 60s. My Dad would take us up to Crystal lake on several lazy Saturdays. This section of Hwy 39 allowed us to make the loop up from Azusa and down The Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2) through Altadena and home to Arcadia. When I started driving I drove this stretch of 39 many times. Thanks for the memories!
Me too. I also remember it being closed several times due to rock slides, partial road wipeout, etc., but they always fixed it. I think I had coffee at Crystsl lake in a small resort shop. It was not a spooky place back then, though after the last closure many wondered if it had anything to do with Jason. More often I came up from La Crescenta and drove hwy 2 all the way until hwy 39 which I used to return back home. After the last closure I would drive to Wrightwood and come home via hwy 15.
I lived in Glendora for 28 years and worked for Verizon, so spent a lot of time up Hwy 39 providing service to the new tracts they built right before getting into the mountainous areas, also service to the residents at the dam and the Crystal lake campground, especially after fires. I loved going up there, you’re instantly out of the city with beautiful views! Thanks for the memories!
I got to drive on the closed section back in 09 while working for the forest service. It was pretty rad. We even got to see a pack of Big Horn sheep while we creeped along towards Angeles Crest Highway
Thank you for doing this video. I grew up in Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga) from age 10 (1977) and spent every chance up in the Mt. Baldy/Cucamonga Wilderness area. Back in the spring of 2010, my wife and I, with our 4 year old son, camped at Crystal Lake for a week. We had a three room tent and were the only ones in that HUGE campground. They had just reopened a week before because of the big fire in the area four years prior. I saw it online as open, and we headed up. The store was open, and the owners (a sweet older couple) were so excited!!! It was an awesome hidden gem. A few nights had two other campers and a few day users, but most nights, we were alone. It was surreal. The big trees and the isolated ambiance were something else. It is a fond memory of my son's toddler years and his mother in her good time. Would love to go back. We live in the Midwest now so...
I was a desert rat for 30 yrs (No Bermuda Dunes), then returned to Midwest Corn country. I'm trying to put together a Crystal Creek kinda place where 2 rivers run through. Thanks for your remembrance. It breathes more life into my plan.
I almost died there, 3rd turn from the top of baldy going downhill, my gas pedal stuck wide open on my 68 csmero, around the time you lived there..loved that place.
Wow Steve, memories. I'm 65 and a local and I remember driving my old VW Bus up and down that road a few times from 1976-77. Even back then with the road intact, it was always a bit sketchy. The drop-off from the side of the road was crazy. Thanks for this posting.
"I'm 65 and a local and I remember driving my old VW Bus up and down that road a few times from 1976-77." I can't imagine a T1/T2 VW Bus' air cooled four banger being very happy climbing that grade!
Yep. Lived in Hacienda heights when the portion that goes through there and La Habra was still called hwy 39. Used to drive my 67’ Bug to the top of Azusa canyon when the Santa Ana’s would blow and the wind speeds would hit 80 mph +! ( Youthful indiscretion for sure). The views were tremendous to say the least. but of course nowadays even if the road was open, it would be closed due to fire danger, but not back then.
I swear that highway was reopened for a brief time in the mid 80s, i remember driving it from my grandmothers house in whittier to our home in wrightwood. But only the one time.
So many great memories. I use to go up there all the time when I was a teenager. My little brother and I hiked it back in the late 80s/early 90s. We hiked it almost all the way up to Highway 2, which was open at the time. There is even more of the road closed off now than I remember. You are right about the rock slides. There were sections of the road that were completely washed out, that we had to climb around. I highly recommend hiking it.
Having traveled into that area since the late 60's, I appreciate that area. Just behind you in the beginning of the video, that gate is a relatively new one as another is up about 1 more mile that was the closing point at another very wide spot in the road...not sure why they decided to stop people closer to the turn off to Crystal Lake. More than 10 years ago, I did witness,from a distance with binoculars, many trucks going back and forth on that road at the damaged area. I concluded that it was being repaired. Just a few months later, I drove to the junction of the 2 and 39...I walked down the 39 to where I had years before witnessed the big landslide that had closed the road. I found that there was major terracing down from the road to stabilize it. The road was complete and paved but a bit narrow with no yellow line and no guardrails. No only that, a major fire had just erupted further down the canyon that I could see as a narrow plume of smoke. As I walked two trucks filled with firefighters passed by me...further convincing me that the road was completed and done for emergency vehicles only as I later learned. Don't know what the road is like now but I suspect they keep enough big rocks out of the road in do enough maintenance to allow emergency vehicles to pass. For many years, Hwy 2 continuing east from the 2 and 39 junction was closed to through traffic. Now, as you said it is also closed now to the west before the tunnels and this junction. Yet I believe the emergency vehicles can get through. The West Fork, that you mentioned, was a 7 mile paved road to Cogswell Dam that was very popular and spectacular. This canyon was a destination for fly fishermen at one time and was stocked with trout. Unfortunately is suffered to being the origin of the Bob Cat Fire and subsequent major floods and washouts. Something similar happened in 1969 and it took years to recover. It is now closed but you could walk it but someone might yell at you.... 😐
Thank you for making this video. I went up the mountain for the first time yesterday 6/4/23 and it was beautiful. I've driven around the base of the mountain many times, but never drove all the way up. The drive is great and the views even better. The road is around 20 miles long and it takes a little more than 30 minutes from the base to the top, give or take a few. I found this video after my drive and loved the fact you covered the history about the road and what's been done since.
Hi Steve, great video. I grew up in Azusa, spent alot of years in that canyon. Before that road closed, my older brother Ritchie ran track for AHS. He was up there in the mountain's, someone he knew was snake bit, rattle snake. My brother ran, and ran and ran to finally see a ranger for help. That day Ritchie saved a life, made the papers, and made my parents so proud. I miss those mountains..
@@TheOpenSociety777 , ironically says one that is yourself, and the only thing that you have ever accomplished is being an embarrassment to humankind, King Nothing.
Back in the late 60's and early 70's when I lived in Azusa my wife and I loved to drive up to Crystal Lake on the weekends. The views from highway 39, as you described, were spectacular. And at the northern end of Azusa where the road starts up into the mountains was a small dairy farm where they had several buffalo you could stop and see. Great video. Thanks. Brought back old memories.
Yes and rent a horse you could go 4x4 for free, it's pay to play now, I haven't been there for 40 years lol I sank my 79 Jimmy up there took 3 trucks to pull me out, west fork trail is amazing you can make it to the dam.
My brother when he was 15 in the early 60s invented cookie soup at Crystal lake. Thats a story for another time. Great to see a highway i traveled many times. The ranger station above the upper lake was where i was taken when i had had been hit in the head by boulder as i was climbing down the rocky bank about a mile above the station. I had been deer hunting and took a short cut back down to the highway when the rock fell on me. Thank Jesus i survived as i received 16 stitches from it. Any way awesome to see the area again after 60+ years.
Been up there multiple times on motorcycle and always wondered when the heck the road was going to be finished, but turns out it's been out forever already. Thanks for the history lesson.
I walked and mountain biked this many times... now I live very far away and this is one of the places I really miss. I used to hike up Mt Islip right nest to this also. Thanks for the nostalgia! This section of Hwy 39 was how my father used to drive up to get to Angeles Crest Highway... I have memories of riding in the camper on the back of the truck with my own panoramic window in the over-the-cab bed. We also went to Azusa Canyon a lot and I've hiked and camped there many times. I read that camping is not allowed in Azusa Canyon any more... thats a shame... it's beautiful... especially after you pass the Bridge to Nowhere... It seemed a lot more peaceful in the 1960s 70s and 80s. I stopped camping there in the mid 90s because of damage to my vehicle/vandalism and stereo theft while we were camping far up the canyon for several days. Was also accosted by gang bangers at the first part of the hike several times and that wasn't all that fun either.... that combination of negatives made me prefer Big Bear area. At the top of the road right before the gate (where the gate used to be?) there is a big turnout that overlooks So Cal... We sat up there most of the night to see Comet Hale Bopp in 1997. It was spectacular!
Camping is absolutely still allowed, my gf and I head up there any chance we get. There's realistically three main campgrounds; West Fork, Coldbrook, and Crystal Lake. West Fork is always full, and gets kinda dirty and ugly, By comparison, Coldbrook is very quiet and incredibly peaceful with it rarely ever being full. They do sometimes restrict fires, but on the whole it's great if you just forget about West Fork and keep driving to Coldbrook and Crystal Lake.
@@warlordgonagy143 I was referring to camping in San Gabriel Canyon where there are no designated "camp sites" but many places where people have camped for decades. Sure people can camp at Crystal Lake and I have camped there but didn't enjoy it much... I preferred Little Jimmy Campground as a staging point to hike up Mt Islip but I hiiked it from several different starting points over the years. My favorite place to camp in the canyon was just above the Bridge to Nowhere.. a small spot big enough for a couple of small dome tents. Did you know that at the Bridge to Nowhere the tunnel on the far side was dug but the face at the bridge was never blasted out? There is a complete tunnel in that hill complete with concrete curbs but no paving. It was hard to find the opening to get in to it and probably now long covered over with rock and rubble. I explored many parts of that canyon that are now obscured by time, old mines etc.
You’re a great videographer. I enjoy the pace of your shots- for lack of a better term. Your shots are smooth and are long enough to really appreciate what you are pointing out. No choppiness or too-fast pans. Really pleasant!
@Repent and believe in Jesus Christ You should put this comment on those videos of people abusing animals that RU-vid seems to not care about. Or maybe those videos of gangbangers beating up kids, or committing crimes. Put this comment on videos where it makes sense.
I grew up near Beach Blvd. (Hwy. 39) in Orange County and never knew it went all the way up into the mountains like this. This was a fascinating video! After 72 years I'm still learning about the place where I've always lived. Thanks!😊
I lived at the end of 39/Beach Blvd. In HB and use to go all the way up where you were many many times. I love that whole area for camping, hiking fishing and panning for gold. I'm glad that section is closed off otherwise the traffic going up and down from Hwy 2 would ruin that whole area. Thanks for the memories, I hope to be back there some day.
Was on leave from the Air Force, in the spring of 1973, to our new "full time" home in Wrightwood. Wanted to visit some friends down in Covina, so decided to take CA-39. Fired up the ole Honda 175 and off we went. Beautiful ride down that hill, pleasantly surprised by the lakes (I didn't know they existed). Had a very pleasant evening "down below" until it was time to go home. Besides the extreme cold (one of the hazards of having a motorcycle as your primary transportation), I had to dodge many, many rocks on the upper highway, so many that i have always wondered if there had been an earthquake. Once again, you have brought up another, long ago, memory. Thanx.
Same here, grew up in La Habra and all you had to do was drive down Beach Blvd. for about 40 minutes (with light traffic) until you hit Huntington Beach. Personally, I always made the trek down PCH to Newport for the more scenic beaches. But if you're after a classic boardwalk beach experience and endless miles of open sand, then Huntington Beach is a good fit.
@@AslanKyoya1776 I'm from La Mirada, and Imperial Hwy will take one to Manhattan Beach and a lot of fun but almost always we went to Huntington Beach. We had a lot of fun back then, didn't we!
This is one of my weekend motorcycle rides. I was considering getting a street legal dirt bike to go through that last 4 miles that were cut off. It is one of the most beautiful views you will ever see if you're into mountain wilderness. When I'd go up there I used to buy my snacks at that same store. Haven't been up there since my buddy had a bike accident, be safe everyone.
I lived in SoCal from 2006 to 2012. I had a Miata and would drive Rte 2 from LA Canada all the way to Islips Saddle. For about an 8 month stretch, they had finished making improvements to 2 and I drove it all the way to Rte 138. What an amazing drive! A forest fire and subsequent mud and rock slides took out the newly repaired stretch and I was never able to drive it again.
Maybe 25 years ago, a friend and I rode bikes up from where you began. We got to the spot where the road had completely washed away. We thought we could get off our bikes and carry them across the washed out part, but it was so precarious we left our bikes and walked the rest of the way up to the Angeles Crest Hwy. What was so amazing was the metal guard rail had held on both ends. It hung in the air ( still with the wood posts still attached ) like if you held a string of pearls with both hands. Despite the washout, the guard rail and posts hung at a great height over the giant chasm. I was back there sometime later and they actually repaired that portion of the road. I guess they don't want it opened is because it is such a high maintenance road which they feel they don't really need.
Thanks Steve! Nice look back at how beautiful the parts of California truly are. Spent plenty of time up in those mountains along Angeles Crest Hwy on my Harley. Hope you are holding up well out there,
Add 25 years ago it was totally closed off Way way way before were you got no one was allowed up there at the first break at the first camp down there on 39 it was closed off to everyone Big signs no one beyond this point yet guys in her bicycles they thought they were above the law and they constantly would go by there riding in groups with their spandex on nothing against bike riders I ride one myself but they were reasons why they weren't supposed to be going on the other side I guess when you're in big numbers forestry fishing game and the sheriff's department aren't going to stop you😂😂😂😂
I grew up just a few miles from there. When I was a kid rt 39 was still open through San Gabriel Canyon; my parents would take us up on the Angeles Crest as a scenic route out to Baldy. Then the road was closed... and never opened again. We moved away in 1979 when I was in high school, but I've never forgotten and still miss it.
@@jeffreybailey175 I remember seeing a VERY strange-looking boy from a distance when I was riding my bike. This would have been about 1973 or 1974. I asked my parents later about what I'd seen but they had no idea what i was talking about. I did read up on the boy (never saw the movie) and it's astounding he survived birth much less live to age 16.
So great to see someone highlighting the amazing things to see in my home state - especially in such an urban area. I hope more people living in the city make the drive to enjoy the national forest
Thank you for posting this!!! My wife and children visited this area a couple of years ago when staying in Pasadena! Being from Florida and not seeing much geographical change we rented a Jeep and decided to take the kids exploring. We came across this and wandered on foot past the gate but did not get more than a mile before the kids wanted to go to the beach! Again thanks for posting. I always wondered what the damage looked like!
OH! California's San Gabriel Mountains...one of my favorites places on Planet Earth. Once you've seen them from Colima Road during a very active Pacific storm season (as I did in Winter 2004-2005) your life will never be the same.
In the early 80s, I hiked that road from both ends, but then you could not go through, because part of the road had slid down the canyon, leaving only the guardrail, hanging like garland on a Christmas tree. Also, south of the main break, there was at least one boulder in the road that was almost six feet high. I know this because I still have the photo of it, including a family member for perspective. Thanks for this great video!
I remember that. The whole roadbed was completely gone. No way to get past it without climbing gear - if you could even find something solid to secure it to.
I spent many days and many nights on this road and many times parked at the view points with a very special person in my life..... you know who you are. I am grateful and always will be for this road and for Azusa canyon for all that it provided for us at that time. Thank you for making this video..... Takes me back to a truly heartfelt time.
Am I the only one who saw that boulder in road as the head of a man with a grimacing expression on it's face? Furrowed brow, straightened lips, high cheekbones, the ear on side & what looks like a pompadour hair style. This is an amazing video, beautiful views and wonderful history of my beloved California - thank you for taking up along with to see more of the beauty of California. I'm born, raised and never leaving this paradise. My teens & early 20s in the 1980's were some of the best years of my life. Now retired we left the hub bub of SF Bay Area (San Jose) after 53 yrs and relocated to the smaller town of Tracy, CA with it's abundant almond groves. In the last 7 yrs it's grown exponentially with Bay Area transplants such as us - but it's still a peaceful place to live & come home to after those Bay Area visits.
Not only no maintenance, but also extremely rare traffic. One of the reasons most roads seem to deteriorate so quickly is the traffic, I'm also willing to be there might be something to do with modern techniques as well.
i am just glad you didn't end up on a cougar's menu... they are all up and down there, you are very lucky. Next time, bear spray or hand gun. Remember humans run away slower than mountain goats
When I was much younger I drove this highway many times from Azusa to the Crest Highway before a landslide took out the upper section. It was a beautiful drive and I have always lamented over the failure of California to fix and maintain this scenic highway.
I drove Route 2 a few years back, West to East. Not far, but far enough to be an amazing place all alone. I remember thinking at the time I cannot believe I am so close to LA and there was nothing but complete silence and blue sky. Not even planes to/from LAX. I sat for almost an hour just being in peace and quiet.
Thanks for exploring this area! I'm an LA resident and have hiked quite a bit in the San Gabriels and at Crystal Lake. I once parked where you did and took a short walk up the road, but didn't go far. I always thought it would be fun to take my bike up that closed section, but never did. I'm older now and don't hike as much, but I hope to get an ebike one of these days, so I'll make sure to explore then!
Same with me, and I spent good money on a really good quality E bike and it is the funnest damn toy I have ever had in my life! Be careful if you test ride one because you may be coming home with it and explaining to your wife why you just dropped $5000 on your credit card! It will give you a new lease on your youth!
I remember going up there with my telescope and the police stopped by to ask me what I was doing. I simply pointed at the scope and said I was waiting for the dark. They asked if they could look after dark and I said happy too.
I just went up here for the 1st time last week and it was awesome but it was overcast so we were riding through clouds. Seeing the views you got makes me wanna go back on a clear day. Good video man.
I instantly recognized the image of that gate in the thumbnail; been going to Crystal Lake and San Gabriel valley all my life. My dad's a jeeper, and every once in a while we'd go offroading to the canyon. We haven't been offroading in a long time, but we still visit Crystal Lake. Good memories of family and friends up there. Awesome vid, always wondered what lied beyond that final gate.
How cool. I used to go up to that area a lot, but didn’t know the history. Just drove up, hung out and then drove down. Winter time is nice too. Thanks for sharing the historical significance.
I've ridden through this section on my bike dozens of times. I've seen it perfectly spotless and clean of any pebbles and I've seen it with boulders over 10ft in diameter. Seen it with 2" thick of ice in the spring too. Its beautiful and quiet and a treat to ride when connecting Crystal Lake to Highway 2.
Randomly came across this video and I don’t usually watch videos about areas that are “forbidden”, but I made it through the whole video without skipping through it. Sure that this is not the first time anyone has made this comment, but his voice is really soothing, made it really easy to watch.
I used to go up there with my friends in the early 2000s. Camp Crystal Lake was just a spooky abandoned place and it was always fun to drive up late at night and get spooked. Thanks for bringing back fun memories!
I was puzzled at first about Hi 39 being closed, because I grew up in Orange County, and 39 was a major arterial. I drove it myself many times. But this was the southern half, and I had never heard there was a northern part! Interesting to know more!
I drove this road before it closed. It was a magnificent drive. So sad that it never reopened. The view to the north across the desert is even better. Doesn't look like you made it that far.
I have visited this area countless times in the last 15 years, yes have hiked along, Couple of years ago i ran into a caltran engineer while hiking, according to him it would cost today more than a $150 Million to fix this stretch of road, they need rock guards all the way around, because all those rock hills are very unstable at this part o the road ,
I lived near the base of this road in Azusa, CA for 9 years. I absolutely loved driving up and down these mountains many, many times before moving out of CA in 2002 and sadly never returned. I have so many great memories from that time period in my life and this video is incredibly nostalgic for me. Thank you for sharing! ❤
About 15 years ago I went to the lookout at the end of the road (4:52) and saw a California condor. Just below the parking area there were some telephone poles installed on the slope in such a way that the top of the pole was near eye level. At first I just thought it was a huge vulture, but while sitting there it spread its wings as if to show off to us. It also had a tag on it, something I think normal vultures don’t get.
I once read that vultures and condors spread their wings in order to allow the sun's UV rays to kill the bacteria on their wings and body. Smart creatures if true.
Steve, although I live in Az., I absolutely love your explorations and explanations of all these areas in my neighboring state. Also, I am aware of the videos that you make in Az and even learn somethings about my own state that I have forgotten about(76 years old), or maybe never even was aware of. Thanks , and keep these vids coming !
In 2003, my wife and I went on Highway 2 to the Islip saddle. Had something to eat at the bar on the way and then hiked down 39 if you had come from the other way or finished your hike you would've seen the repaired road. My wife was lucky enough, but didn't realize how lucky she was to see a bighorn sheep from only 7 feet away.
I was 14 when it closed forever. The last time I was on it was after it had snowed in November '77. Half way to Angeles Crest from Crystal Lake, it was icy. We wanted to comnect with hwy 2 to get to the trailhead for Badin Powel. Two miles east of the 39-2 junction it was all black ice. We turned around and settled for another hike. Then went back to Crystal Lake on 39. That was the last time I rode through 39 there. A year later, we discovered the closure, so we camped at Crystal Lake and hiked Badin Powel from the camp. More than twice the distance and a lot more climb. We started early in the morning and came back in the dark. But finally completed it. The next time I saw 39 in that area, it was covered in rocks and boulders, and sections of the road had washed down the side of cliffs. I didn't think they'd ever be able to rebuild that. Now, after becoming used to seeing it that way for so long, I find it strange to see it all cleared and seemingly repaired and completed throughout the length. At least what I could see with my drone. It would be nice to open at least one lane and put a traffic signal on each side to let each direction of traffic move one way at a time.
Actually, it was torpedos the Navy tested there, not missiles. There used to be a large steel rack system that they were launched from, that kinda resembled a ski jump. I forget when it was removed, probably the early 2000's.
Well torpedos are kind of "underwater missiles" 😁. In the 60's we use to drive up that hwy and pass that lake going on boy scout trips. On the way back we would stop in Azuza at a A&W stand.
If you drive the incredibly scenic Sea-to-Sky Highway just north of Vancouver Canada, you see rockfalls and standing water, black ice in winter, but they keep it maintained and open since it leads to the legendary Whistler Mountain Ski Resort, and to some local towns. Worth a look, buddy!
it sure was a real gem in the 80's and early 90's before it underwent its upgrade. Enjoyed it very much on 2 wheels, still do but today overly congested as is everything, so early rides are the way to go hitting it at 5am returning home by 1030/11 and having balance of day to enjoy
In 1992 or so I read about Tyax Lake Resort Lodge in "Best Places to Kiss in the Pacific Northwest" . I lived in Seattle at the time so I booked a surprise weekend for my wife. When I called for directions I was told to go through Whistler "until the pavement runs out - then follow the orange signs that say "Tyex". There was no mention that the gravel road was essentially fire roads leading up into the mountains for miles. We would drive 5 miles or so and start to get worried when we saw that the "orange signs" were just spray painted stumps with an arrow. The drive back via Lillooet and the Fraser valley was the scariest I've ever been on. Back country at it's best.
Funny how they think this is a difficult road to maintain when we have days worth of roads going though worse terrain in the Mountains of Western Canada .
One thing I truly miss about California is its natural beauty and majestic views, especially up in the mountains. My wife and I got married up in Big Bear Lake back in 1994. I lived in SoCal for 22 years and left in 2011, but I still miss Cali very much. This video really reminded me why.
@@SoCal780 only thing I'll miss is the cost of living, fortunately me and my wife got around that by getting multiple streams of income, and not getting too many toys.... Boats, RV, ATVs, brand new cars, etc. Lots of folks who leave California do so with a nice chunk of cash in their pocket from the equity they were able to build up while in California, but it's funny how they never mention that. My wife and I have friends in their 60s now, he was a doctor and they were probably able to buy a house outright in TN, but it's weird how they never mentioned the good fortune they had to earn that money while in CA.
I actually got to ride in the car with my mom on this closed highway back 76 or 77, I was 7yrs old at the time, my mom used to bring me camping here every summer and as a young man, I walked it many times also, love the videos, keep'em coming.
Great video. When I was young I fished at Crystel Lake. There was actually water back then with fish! Always wanted to continue on Hwy 39 but it was closed for much of the time. The Navy used the first reservoir to test torpedoes. They finally figured out that fresh water was not the same as salt water. The installation that fired the torpedoes was still there when I went to Crystel Lake. Thanks for bringing us great videos on areas less explored. My kind of trip.
I am actually incredibly amazed that road is still in such good condition after having no service and baking in the heat for 40 years! I've been on way worse roads with service!
It's the traffic that kills the road, not the elements. If you look at how small the contact area on an HGV's tyres really is, and how much the vehicle weighs, you can imagine how immense the pressure is going to be in that tiny area supporting all that weight. Take that off the road, and it basically lasts forever.
Seriously though I was thinking their road department are a bunch of wusses. We have canyon roads in Utah that have far worse rockfalls streams and all sorts of blockages but the road department keeps them all open! We just had a winter with massive avalanches and the road department kept them open!
@@Welgeldiguniekalias The elements destroy roads. The sun will absolutely destroy roads. Any temperature spikes above 95 F will damage any weak asphalt you can google that if you don't believe me. Add rain to that and asphalt will deteriorate. I am an inspector in this world and all it takes is one good crack to destroy a road. I have seen trees grow in cracks in old roads and start growing through it bursting and destroying all the asphalt. I know there is hardly anyone who drives on this road but the fact that you could still drive most of that road if you really wanted after 40 years is pretty incredible including the fact that there has probably been hundreds of rockslides on the road, heavy rain and extreme temperatures...40 years is a long time! Considering the average high temperature in July can be 84 F it certainly is at a point where this road would buckle from rain and heat. I have explored some abandoned roads in Canada and because vegetation was left uncut it essentially overtook the road and plants started growing through it. Unless you had a chainsaw and a lot of free time, the road was simply impossible to continue down and I had to turn back. It would be even worse if the road was made out of tarmac. Anything on tarmac at temperature above 90 F in the sun it will literally start to sink into the tarmac. I know this because I had to chisel my kickstand on my motorcycle out of a road in Northern Ontario because it was sunk 5 or 6 inches in the tarmac and after it cooled off my bike was literally stuck in the road. Great times... Up North in British Columbia on the Stewart Cassiar Highway you can see the channels in the tire tracks that logging trucks have made over decades. They can be a death trap to an unsuspecting motorcyclist! Have a good day.
As a teenager, I lived at a dairy, with hundreds cows, 8:23 at the foot of the mountain. Their was a trout farm (Happy Jacks) across the street. An old abandoned cafe a mile or so up was used in a few movies too. Lots of cool history on that mountain road.
I had the privilege of driving on that closed section from Crystal Lake to La Canada back in 2016. There was a fire in azusa canyon and we were at Crystal Lake. The forestry service unlocked the gate and let us drive through on it unescorted. Beautiful scenery and scary steep cliffs.
Back in early 1978 So Cal was hit with some crazy Rain storms. My brother was joy driving up on Highway 39 and was hit by a mud slide which completely covered his vehicle, he was lucky to get out. The road has been closed since...Thanks for the Video...
Hey, “that old forest rode” is actually a service road that leads to the cogswell dam. The dam is about 8 miles down the road and is absolutely spectacular. The whole area is awesome. The road runs right along the San Gabriel river and there’s many spots to fly fish. I highly recommend revisiting!
Back in the mid 80s I used to ride my road bike from Glendora, up Glendora Mtn Rd to East Fork Rd and to the 39 south. It was around a 37 mile loop. I was the only one riding a bike on those roads as biking was not a thing back in the 80s.
Thank you for sharing your video. You helped me see the part of the drive that I missed. The very first time my mother ever rode in the car with me driving, we went up Highway 2 and down Highway 39 to Crystal Lake. It was a beautiful drive with blue skies as far as the eyes could see. Suddenly, we were in heavy fog. There was a downdraft in a side canyon that sucked the clouds down, completely enveloping us in its dense eeriness. As we arrived at the lake, visibility was about three car lengths, at the most. We couldn’t see the lake, but we could hear the waves lapping the shore. We didn’t stay long. On the way back we went through that same downdraft, leaving us in the bright, sunny day that we started with.
Very well done and amazing section of the Angeles. So beautiful with the lack of cars and sounds of the birds. I was on highway 2 leaving Wrightwood one afternoon heading towards La Canada during a thunderstorm and experienced rocks tumbling down the step roadside hills. Amazing how the boulders become loose so quickly once the rain comes down. Great vid!
I have been binging your videos over the past few days. Such fascinating bits of hidden history! I love learning about things that were lost to time and only leave their story behind! ❤ every video is well paced and the footage is beautiful ❤❤❤
If I ever make it to California, I definitely need to see that road. That road is in better shape than the street I live on, and better than most roads in Michigan.
I use to live at the base in Azusa. I would drive up just to look at the stars out of the city flood lights. It's a beautiful area, thanks for the memories!
There is a perfectly straight and flat 1.5 mile section of highway near my house that was bypassed. It runs under an local highway. It looks like driving over a runway. Pretty strange. When closed, concrete barriers were dropped in place. The next day, those were unofficially moved and the area had a new drag strip.
Hi Steve and Thanks for this video and many others. In 1974 I rode my Kawasaki 900 Z1 up that road and over to Hwy 2. It was a great ride, one of many back in the day when the population was smaller. Laguna Canyon road (SR 133), Carbon Canyon road (SR 142), PCH (US 1)) up to Santa Barbara, Palos Verde Drive (North, East and West), Hwy 74 from San Juan Capistrano to Lake Elsinore, and Hwy 76 to Lake Henshaw where just a few of the roads that were fun to ride with very scenic views. Thanks for bringing back ALL of those memories.
As a long time L.A. resident, I am glad to see hwy 39 getting some great coverage here...but at the same time, it pains me to see that we live in all that smoggy haze in the distance. We often drive up Interstate 2 towards the Mt. Waterman ski lifts to get out of the smoggy city air and into the fresh mountain air. It's especially nice sometimes when we get rain in late winter because there is also snow up there if the weather was cold enough, without the need to go all the way up to Big Bear or Lake Arrowhead. But like you mentioned, a huge chunk of interstate 2 is closed near the connection to the 39 now, and I do miss being able to drive up that far.
My family used to go to the San Gabriel canyon, splash around and ride our inner tubes. We'd stop at a little Mexican food stand and get tostadas and lemonade on our way home. Great times. I miss California. Thanks for the memories. New sub.
I’ve been living in Azusa for 60 years now and seen many changes to Highway 39. The highway from Azusa to the closed road is filled with trash and graffiti. Lots of homeless people have found there way into the canyon and leave filth everywhere. The best part of the highway is after the closed gates, it’s clean and no graffiti as you see in your video. Thanks, for the video it was fun to watch.
Thank you for your videos of your trips. I use to love exploring, camping and hiking. I can't do it anymore. But I feel like, I am there again, enjoying the great outdoors, watching your videos. Thank you. Stay safe and enjoy the gifts of life.
Hi Steve, as a new subscriber, I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much I am enjoying your videos. Your production and narration is quite enjoyable and informative. I plan on catching up with all 3 years worth of your videos. Lots of binge watching ahead. Thank you for what you do, and looking forward to your future installments!
Just found your channel, great content, I will be subscribed! But 1st... 😉 Can you tell me what kind of tree that is, by the guardrail??? Thanks, glad your videos popped up on my RU-vid 🧡💙🧡
Thank you for such a pleasant, informative, and inspiring video :) I love the background music too and you have a great narrative voice. I wish California wasn't all the way across the country. I would visit this road for sure if I was closer!
As always, excellent video Steve. This was such a relaxing video to watch too. Between the stellar views, great weather, informative narration, and mesmerizing music track, I think my blood pressure dropped 20 points by watching this!
Amazing content. I'm so grateful that the algorithm directed me to your channel a couple months ago. You have fantastic contribution to those of us who wander. Thank you!
I was driving on that road with a friend just a few days before the slide/closure. The weather was stormy, but we had a great time watching the wild weather, with no idea of the danger. I miss that stretch of road very much. Besides the amazing drive itself, when it T-boned with Hwy 2, you got a breathtaking view northward into the Mojave. Can't believe that was 40+ years ago!
Jupiter, I used to drive that stretch of road back in the day in my MG. Remember to single lane portion? A bit scary. Also, do you remember the restaurant and resort ? Have had lunch there many times. I think it was called Running Springs because of the year round spring. Not to be confused with the other Running Springs on the way to Big Bear.
Another great state route closure is the backside of CA-173 from Lake Arrowhead to Hesperia. It’s still commonly used as an offroad track and it’s real easy to skirt the gates - and to my knowledge it’s gravel and not grated nor actively maintained, but still remains somewhat functional as a fire evacuation route off the mountains. I’ve never traversed it myself - i keep meaning to as my in-laws live very close to the southern terminus of the closed route - but the views should make for great content.
I can't believe it's been 40 years! My brother used to take me for a drive on this hwy. We would drive across the mountains and end up in LA Canada Flintridge. It was a great drive.
As a kid in the 60's we would drive up that highway going on boy scout trips. We were always fascinated by the Torpedo test range that was there in the lake. There was a lot more traffic on the road back then.
Thanks for sharing this. Nearly 10 years ago I hiked Shoemaker Canyon Road and went through the Tunnels. While on the way I mistakenly went past East Fork Road and knew that California Highway 39 was closed at a certain point. Though curious and interested in checking out the closed section of 39 I didn't have the time to do that and went back to check out "The Road that goes to Nowhere". Thank you because you showed me what I would've seen.
Great video! Thank you for sharing. My mom was a teacher in California in the 1960s. She has a California geography map from then, which showed Highway 39 being planned to go from Huntington Beach all the way through the mountains to Juniper Hills / Pearblossom Highway in the antelope valley. My son used to do donuts with his buddies at that lookout!
I spent many days at Crystal Lake Campground growing up. that was over 50 years ago. I used to buy candy at the store there. It's been 20 years since I was last up there. There is an outdoor amphitheater that was built in the 40's I think it was from stone and concrete. I used to love attending the shows the forest service put on at night and sometimes Smokey the Bear would show up. I was devastated to see what had happened to the amphitheater. The entirety of the seats were covered with graffiti. I literally cried at the sight. There were barriers at the entrance that were closed at night to prevent entrance. Speaking to the rangers was heart wrenching as they told me of the vandalism that they were up against. They do not have the funds to eradicate the damage. Some of my happiest childhood memories are there and I developed a deep and lasting love of nature and the outdoors during that time. So glad I found your video.
Lack of funding by Congress resulted in many of the programs and facilities decaying or being dropped. Lobby your Representatives and Senators to increase Forest Service funding ... lets bring back the joy of being in the mountains!