Mount Wilson, Mount Harvard

18 November 1989

By: Bikecat Thompson

Leaders: Bob Thompson, Arthur Schain

The first scheduled trip of the new BHPS (Bike & Hike a Peak Section) met at La Cañada at 8am. Five hardy souls decided to try one of the most strenuous bike trips in the Angeles Forest. We carpooled over to the roadhead in Altadena and started biking up to Henninger Flats via the Old Mt. Wilson Toll Road. It was a very steep pull on a bike but all made Henninger Flats and enjoyed a tour of the museum and facilities. Then it was on up (grunt) the long toll road with a short side trip (grunt) to Mt. Harvard where we signed in the register. A wide firebreak has been bulldozed right over the top of the peak so we rode our bikes to the top.

After enjoying the great views and weather of a mid-November day, we continued up the toll road to the top of Mt. Wilson where we bought lunch in the pavillion. Then began the exciting part of the trip. Down the Mt. Wilson Road (paved) to Eaton Saddle, out to Markham saddle through the tunnel and around the road and Mt. Lowe Railway route to Mt Lowe Campground. Then we headed down the Sunset Ridge road past Millard Campground and back via city streets to our cars. A beautiful but strenuous 30 mile loop with 4800' gain.

Thanks to Arthur Schain for his able assistance and to participants Mike Baldwin, Emmanuel Molina and Michael Morgan for a great group of Mountain Bikers/Hikers who respect the mountains and roads they pass through.