Having recently climbed both Mt. Diablo in northern california I was looking for something similar
within striking distance of west LA. I knew about the Angeles Crest Highway, Mt. Baldy and Big Bear
but I'd never heard of Latigo Canyon. I'd been over Malibu and Topanga but, besides not being
particularly bike friendly (fast traffic and narrow/missing shoulders), they're nowhere near the
scale of Mt. Diablo. I never expected something like Latigo in the Santa Monica mountains. I started
up about 9:30 last sunday morning. Approximately 4 miles north of Malibu Latigo heads east off of
Pacific Coast Highway. Almost immediately the road rises, swings left, and the hectic traffic, and
noise, is left behind. I was concerned about traffic, I'd heard motorcyclists liked the road, but
there was very little. I saw 2-3 cars and a dozen motorcycles in the 50min it took to climb. Since
the road is fairly twisty the upbound traffic was fairly slow, even the motorcycles. It felt very
safe. The climb was pretty nice, the road surface is good and the grade steady. I'd guess around
5-6% for most of the climb. There is a brief flat at around 3 miles and a downhill section near 7.
Mt Diablo is a beautiful, unrelenting beast. Since it's a state park and the road dead-ends at the
summit there was very little motor vehicle traffic. There was quite a bit of shade, especially on
the lower portion, and there seemed to be fewer switchbacks. Except for a mile or so of flat just
before half-way the climbing is unrelenting. The top 5 miles are a punishing 7%, capped by a 500'
wall near 18%. I used a 39-27 for the last bit and barely made it up.
In terms of rideability, safety and beauty they're both excellent climbs but Mt. Diablo has it all.
It's more epic, a longer, more consistent climb, scenic, quiet, awesome. I'm glad to have discovered
Latigo as I live in LA, and anticipate riding it often, but am anticipating, with relish, the
october climb up Diablo (www.mtdiablochallenge.com).
Climb on!