Angeles Forest Hwy

Angeles Forest Highway
{aka: County Road N-3; FH-59; Palmdale Cutoff}

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Unique, Intellectual, Irritating: Rates a perfect 5 on our 5 scale

Double apex heaven! Natural, double and triple apex blind sweepers!

Approved during the 1920s, a marvel of 20th century civil engineering, Angeles Forest Highway was completed in 1941, 21 years later. Approximately 24 miles long, Angeles Forest Highway favors lightweight, low profile, turbocharged, all-wheel drive (AWD) automobiles. Definitely drives best going south to north; drives best late at night.

Fair Warning: Kick-out another half degree, negative camber, and take your tyre pressures us, for Angeles Forest. Front engined vehicles, Angeles Forest Highway is murder on your left front tyre. Ex post every 10/10ths run, on Angeles Forst Hwy, squat down, at your fore-port corner... see for yourself.

Lots of passing opportunities. Prone to fog during Spring. Takes considerable snow during winter (it's always sanded if not infrequently closed during winter). This road can be driven at highway speeds. An average automobile with an average driver can expect to cruise 50 mph, end to end, without the need for brakes. No Botz Dots, no cattle bars. Excellent condition; very smooth (you won't bottom out your suspension). Visability is somewhat variable, ranging from fair (blind corners) to good. Going from Angeles Crest Hwy to the tunnel (near Hidden Creek Inn Cafe), there are four passing opportunities, only one of which where doing so is legal. However, there are numerous turnouts. Depends on your car (if you're in a Porsche, people will get out of your way; a Honda? Not likely...) whether or not they move over, so you'll likely have to lean on your horn. after the Hidden Creek banked turn segment, there is perhaps one or two opportunities to hit triple digits (but don't try it your first time out, get some practice runs under your belt, first).

Going South to North: It's unique turns differentiate Angeles Forest Hwy from all other canyon roads. Nearest it's endpoints are where Angeles Forest Hwy is most challenging. Going north from Angeles Crest Hwy, the first segment begins with some 60 to 80 mph blind sweepers that ever so gradually become ever tighter. Meandering two major switchbacks that crease two major watersheds, Angeles Forest then tightens up the closer you get to the tunnel. Continuing northbound, just before the tunnel, is a bridge, where visability improves, enough to permit a well timed pass over the double yellow (but don't try it your first time out; drive it a couple times, first).

Tunnel constitutes a place I've taken-out many a stubborn motorist, who flat refuses to turn-out.
After the tunnel, you'll enter the Hidden Creek banked sweeper segment of Angeles Forest Hwy. Emerge through the tunnel, not having got your passing done? Then, you'll be stuck, from there, all the way through the Hidden Springs Banked Turn Segment, to Upper Big Tujunga.

Emerging the tunnel, suddenly the world just changes. Everything look different.

Having the Hidden Springs Banked Turn Segement, all to yourself, those banked turns really make you feel like a canyon carver. Do not early apex those banked turns. It's unnecessary. And, don't assume they're devoid discontinuities. Some have abrupt undulations which oftentimes precipitate dire necessity of drastic remedial countersteer. Oncoming traffic, suddenly appearing, out of nowhere, at speed, through that segment, is quite unnerving (e.g., "irritating").

Through the Hidden Springs Banked Turn Segment, you'll crest a rise. A straightaway emerges, downhill, to the intersection of Upper Big Tujunga which rewards only those having anticipated it well, with your first informal passing opportunity (e.g., over the double yellow), since the tunnel. Only way you can pull it off: You'll have throttle-down, well before you crest that rise. Then, snap shut, ex post the rise, if you can't make it, or keep the hammer down, sail passed, if you can.

Continuing northbound, just past Upper Big Tujunga, the Hidden Creek Banked Sweeper segment (...it begun, just north of the tunnel) ends, with two abrupt, startling, false apex, diminishing radius turns, with armco positioned, appropriately. You'll see skids, marking where the others before, pushed-off. Thereafter, Angeles Forest Hwy open up! Then, out of nowhere, a passing lane suddenly appears, and you'll start picking up elevation, and velocity, simultaneously. Depending on how much horsepower you have, turbocharged vehicles can approach their terminal velocities, here.

Several miles, now, north of the tunnel, leaving the Hidden Springs Banked Turn component, this legitimate passing zone you'll encounter, is a first class pain in the ass (e.g., "...irritating"). Despite having two lanes, most oftentimes I'll still have to go wide, over the double yellow, three abreast, but for no good reason than stubborn motorists, playing lane monitor, blocking the passing lane (pick-up truck guys are notorious, for that).

God of canyon driving made this particular segment, of Angeles Forest Hwy, for Porsche GT2 guys, not to reward them, but... to test their resolve. Hammer down through that passing segment, it's as though the God of Canyon driving, looking down, upon that poor Porsche GT2 guy, utterly terrified of his car, says to his fellow Gods, there in heaven: "Ah! Look! A dilettante. He lifts!"

Having that passing lane segment, entirely to yourself is Heaven on Earth! Hammer down, "...no prisoneeeeers!", foot-flat, through that segment, spooling up, 3rd gear, 4th gear, then 5th, dial sweeping passed two o'clock, on your speedo, Angeles Forest Highway becomes a blur!
That passing segment of Angeles Forest divides the Hidden Springs banked turn segment, from its hill climb component. Just as Angeles Forest Highway regresses, back into two lanes (one going each way), the very first turn you'll encounter, when it does, is a daunting, tricky right hand kink. Going northbound, not only is it imperative you line-up that right-hand kink, correctly. Don't get your braking done, early, for that kink, you'll lose critical velocity, as you begin the hillclimb segment. Get your braking done early, for that kink, and carry your velocity through, foot flat, and you sail right passed anyone foolhearty enough to have scrubbed-off speed, to take you, ex ante that kink.

Up the hill, away from the passing zone, Angeles Forest Hwy goes sweeper-straightaway, sweeper-straightaway, sweeper-straightaway, as you acquire elevation. Turns you can really sink your teeth into, you'll pay. Dearly. From the passing zone, to the summit, this segment of Angeles Forest Hwy is murder, on your left-front tyre! Here, you'll encounter two more formal passing zones, the last, just as you reach the summit, marks Angeles Forest Highway's transition, from hillclimb, to downhill.

Once past the Pacifico Mountain fire break (e.g., Mill Creek summit), you'll plunge, encountering successions of tricky downhill esses, punctuated by switchbacks buried in mountain coves, where your car becomes very loose. Continuing northbound, suddenly the pavement changes... that's when Angleles Forest Hwy opens up, into a series of unique, challenging sweepers, in particular, where you'll pull high 3rd (4th gear if you're free wheeling) gear Gs, through double apex turns, for more than 5 seconds. Those two turns, both of them right handers, last more than 5 seconds. The second of the two is the trickiest (a very subtle double apex).

One frustrating aspect of Angeles Forest Hwy is its geology. Since this range is composed of sheered, unlifted, twisted intrusives, its exposures are exfoliating as a function of diurnal temperation variations, in tandem with pressure release, a function of its ongoing orogeny. Henceforth, falling rock is every bit as as pervasive, as it is razor sharp. Godspeed, on Angeles Forest Hwy, with soft, speed rated rubber, one eencie-weencie little rock implies career threatening injuries. Many times, these rocks fall, right where you need to be. 10/10ths, they can be hard to dodge. Many times, I've found myself putting my right side rubber, right into the shoulder, to miss an oncoming car that's dodging rocks!

However, nowhere is county maintenence better, than on this road. Yeoman's work, kudos to the County of Los Angeles, Angeles Forest Hwy is sweept, 24/7-365. It it wasn't, within 120 days, it would be navigable, only with 4 wheel drive.

There is no ideal set up for Angeles Forest. Understeer you'll need, going down the esses and switchbacks, after Pacifico Mountain Firebreak, is a hinderance on its fast sweepers. Henceforth, AWD is a signal advantage on Angeles Forest Hwy; turbocharged, all the better.

Marvel of contemporary civil engineering, remarkable thing about Angeles Forest Highway, it is sewn together so well. If you can think like an engineer, you'll know exactly where this road is going to go, That frame of mind, it becomes apparent exactly where it's going to change. But, transition, as you graduate intralata, through each component, from hillclimbs to downhills, off-camber back on, late-apex to early apex, are never abrupt. Only after you know Angeles Forest, through and through, does it makes sense. Once you do, it flows. Once you know it, you'll drive Angeles Forest Hwy drives one turn ahead, involuntarily. Angeles Forest Highway is not physical. Opposite Yerba Buean, Angeles Forest Hwy is pure intellect (e.g., try it, a few times, get good at it, and you'll see what we mean).

You can be sloppy on Yerba Buena. Not here. Drive this road, fast, you have to be perfect. Like Yerba Buena, Angeles Forest is not a no brainer. Unlike Yerba Buena, where reflexes are imperative, Angeles Forest Highway requires patience, maturity, forethought, and a delicate touch. You have to be smooth. Every turn you line up, must be impeccable.

Best way to learn Angeles Forest Hwy, is going no brakes, point 'n squirt, in your daily driver, several times. If I get a clean run, then I can do the whole thing in my AWD daily driver, one handed, 60 mph, never having to touch the brakes. Only when you finally get it right in your daily driver should you attempt serious runs in your go fast machine.

Something peculiar about Angeles Forest Highway, by the way, good wheel bearings, you can coast half of Angeles Forest Highway, nevering falling below 60 mph, never having to touch your brakes. From Mill Creek Summit (e.g., Pacifico Divide), going southbound, you can coast, in neutral, freewheeling each turn, passed Upper Big Tujunga, all the way to the tunnel, across the bridge, and just beyond. Hence, going southbound, it's possible to better 50 MPGs, driving almost anything on Angeles Forest Hwy, while still having fun.

Fair Warning: ONCOMING TRAFFIC WILL APPROACH YOU, AT HIGHWAY SPEED. Be precise. Thing we don't like about Angeles Forest: In your lightweight machine, any incident you're likely to incur, will be with oncoming traffic (e.g., head-on). That oncoming traffic is traveling highway speed, any altercation you have on Angeles Forest will likely be fatal (...or worse). We like Angeles Forest at night (e.g., headlights; you can anticipate oncoming traffic much easier, at night). Angeles Forest Highway is arguably the worst canyon road we have with regard to oncoming traffic (e.g., "...irritating"). Poor to awful visibility relative to velocity, there is no warning whatsoever, what's coming around the bend. That every turn is a road-cut, you don't have the luxury of even one second to countersteer, or react, to oncoming traffic. Oncoming traffic, suddenly appearing, out of nowhere, right in your face, at highway speed, just as you're exiting a turn, is quite unnerving (e.g., "...irritating").

WEEKDAY COMMUTER ADVISORY: Angeles Forest Hwy is dominated by commuters weekday mornings, and weekday evenings. Henceforth, watch out for shit for brains drivers, during these hours (FYI: some of these commuters are quite good, however). Traffic flows predominantly southbound, during weekday morning hours, then north the other way, evenings. When you find yourself going against the flow, anticipate fatigued commuters early apexing their turns, going over the double yellow, inadvertently (e.g., "...irritating"). We don't have occasion to use Big Tujunga, all that often, but consider it a favorable alternative to avert bottling up your caravan, behind traffic, going north up Angeles Crest Hwy, from La Canada. There are some nice esses, on Big Tujunga. Doing Big Tujunga, though, the opportunity cost is dear, traffic notwithstanding, when you consider what you'll miss, some unique double and false apex esses, on Angeles Forest Hwy, in the first 5 mile segmemt, just north of Angeles Crest.

"ON ANY SUNDAY" ADVISORY: Anticipate Los Angeles variety Valentino Rossi wanabes, lining up their turns, all wrong, "on any Sunday." These guys tend to ride together, in trios, or foursomes. Going for it, nearly horizontal, their sport bikes may be on the correct side of the road, but their heads commonly inch right up to the double yellow. Ex post apex, seeing a car guy going for it, coming the other way? Scares the crap out of them. Me, too (e.g., "...irritating"). Only time we go balls-out, on Angeles Forest Hwy, in our two-seaters, is during the wee hour, when there are no bikes. Nice thing about the sport bike contingent? Like Ponch & John, they're never out, at night.

SOUTHBOUND ADVISORY: The sport bike contingent never takes anything into account, but themselves. When they are there, they think they're the only people, in God's canyons. Just after the Hidden Springs banked turn segment, just before the tunnel, there's a popular rest area they use there, just at the north end of the tunnel, to wind down, refresh themselves. Going southbound, emerging from the last, long, banked 80 mph left-hand sweeper, just before you upshift, for a blast through the tunnel, be prepared to go hard, on the binders, in anticipation of sport bike guys, pulling very slowly, inattentively, back out onto Angeles Forest Hwy, from that rest area (e.g., "...irritating"). Typically, they'll pull out, right into the middle of the road, then throttle off, and stop, zero miles per hour, and take a look back, as they wait for their buddies to form up, behind them, utterly oblivous to you, rounding that banked, ultra fast bend. Trouble is, exiting that sweeper, you cannot go hammer down, on the brakes, not until you've completely exited that turn. Or, that is probably going to be the last time you crash and burn.

Ponch & John Advisories: Mt Emma and Angeles Forest Hwy (weekdays, late afternoons). Angeles Forest Highway is infrequently patrolled by motorcycle officers everyday, daytime hours, especially weekdays, during commuter hours. Unfairly so, Ponch & John speed trap aggressively at both terminal ends of Angeles Forest Hwy, in the passing zones (e.g., "...irritating"). But, that it's never patrolled, late at night, Angeles Forest Hwy constitues a very nice summer evening drive... Best, under a waxing moon.

~ Geography of Angeles Forest
~ Elevation Profile along Angeles Forest Hwy
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