For those of us who ride the Mount Wilson toll road, we’ve all faced the prospect of racing to beat the closure of the gate at Pinecrest Avenue at dusk.
Mountain bikers are not the only ones affected by this troublesome and potentially hazardous gate. Hikers, equestrians and dog walkers also face the prospect of being trapped behind the gate after dark.
For cyclists, this is especially troublesome as there is no alternative legal place for cyclists to exit without backtracking up the Mt. Wilson Toll road or Altadena Crest Trail to an alternate trailhead. Bicycles are prohibited in Eaton Canyon, which is in itself a hazardous journey after dark for all trail users.
The Altadena Crest Trail Restoration Working Group has recently made their feelings on this foreboding gate known to the Mayor of Pasadena and other key government officials. CORBA fully supports their position, demanding that the gate be removed or replaced. Our official letter to the Mayor of Pasadena and other officials is below and continues after the break.
We encourage all concerned trail users to write to the Pasadena’s Mayor and City Council to express your feelings about the Pinecrest Gate situation.
The Pinecrest Gate, as seen on Google Street View. The now-repaired landslide is visible if you rotate the image to the right:
A PDF copy of the letter is available for download, or read on below:
October 26, 2010
Hon. Bill Bogaard, Mayor
City of Pasadena
100 N. Garfield Avenue, Room S228
P.O. Box 7115
Pasadena, CA 91109-7215
Re: Pinecrest Gate at Eaton Canyon Park
Dear Mr. Mayor,
We urge you to remove or open the Pinecrest Gate to allow full 24/7 recreational access to the Altadena Crest Trail, the Mount Wilson Toll Road and Angeles National Forest.
As a non-profit serving and representing off-road cyclists from the greater Los Angeles region, CORBA has received numerous reports from our concerned members about the condition of the Pinecrest gate. The Pinecrest trailhead is a historically significant and popular access point to the Angeles National Forest for off-road cyclists, hikers and equestrians alike.
