19 CHILAO FLAT: MOUNT HILLYER LOOP

KEY AT-A-GLANCE INFORMATION

Length: 8.7 miles

Configuration: Loop with 1.2-mile spur

Technical difficulty: 4

Aerobic difficulty: 3

Scenery: Broad panorama of San Gabriel Mountains atop Mt. Hillyer

Exposure: 50% exposed

Trail traffic: Light on weekends and weekdays

Trail surface: Pine-needle loam, loose granite rocks, sand—40% singletrack

Riding time: 2–3 hours

Access: Sunrise–sunset, 7 days a week

Maps: USGS 7.5-minute quad: Chilao Flat

Special comments: This area can be very hot in summer and cold enough for snowfall during winter, so prepare accordingly. Forest Adventure Passes are required for all vehicles parked here. These can be purchased for $5 from various private vendors and ranger stations listed at www.fs.fed.us/r5/sanbernardino/ap/welcome.shtml.

GPS TRAILHEAD COORDINATES (WGS84)

UTM Zone 11S

Easting 406892

Northing 3799328

Latitude N 34.19′52″

Longitude W 118.00′44″

DIRECTIONS

From I-210 in La Cañada, drive on the Angeles Crest Highway (CA 2) about 25 miles. Just beyond the Chilao Campground is the Chilao Visitor Center, which is clearly marked with a sign on your left side. Turn left into this driveway, and park near the entrance to Silver Moccasin Trail, which is about 0.5 miles beyond the visitor center. Don’t forget to hang your Forest Adventure Pass from the rearview mirror.

In Brief

The Chilao Flat area provides a mountain bike experience that is vastly different from that of the other routes in the San Gabriel Mountains. Instead of 2,000-plus-foot climbs and steep, vertigo-inspiring descents, the Chilao area provides two separate loops that, although aerobically challenging, are characterized by mild climbs and descents through a hilly rather than mountainous pine forest. Deep in the heart of the Angeles National Forest, the Mount Hillyer Loop is more technical than its mellower sibling—the Vetter Mountain Loop, which is also covered in this book. Perhaps the perfect time to enjoy this route would be before or after a mild snowstorm in the winter. Just make sure you bring your all-wheel-drive vehicle.

Description

Once you’ve parked your vehicle near the intersection of Silver Moccasin Trail and Forest Service Road 3N21 (the road that passes the Chilao Visitor Center), hop on your steed and pedal west on FS 3N21 just over 0.3 miles, and turn right on FS 3N14.

The pavement ends at roughly the 1.4-mile mark. The ride continues with a mild ascent toward Alder Saddle that features majestic views of the Granite and Pacifico Mountains to your left. Turn right onto the dirt road marked FS 3N17, which becomes pavement and descends for a mile. At about the 4.35-mile mark, turn right onto the road that leads you to Horse Flats Campground, where both Mount Hillyer and Silver Moccasin trails begin.

Rubber meets granite at Mount Hillyer.

For the most technical riding of the day, head southwest, ascending Mount Hillyer Trail. It’s a sketchy stretch, so you’ll definitely be walking or carrying your bike over more than a few obstacles. Just think of what fun they’ll be on the way down, and keep going. At roughly the 6.4-mile mark, you’ll reach the summit of Mount Hillyer, where you can enjoy 360-degree views of the natural splendor that is Angeles National Forest. You can also be thankful that Mount Hillyer is outside the San Gabriel Wilderness boundaries, within which, due to the efforts of foot-traffic-only advocates, bike travel is forbidden.

The Mount Hillyer Trail descent is a hoot that begs to be ridden over and over again. You can choose from multiple lines, plus several air-catching opportunities along the way. Although Mount Hillyer Trail ends at roughly the 7.6-mile mark, the fun doesn’t, because now you get to descend Silver Moccasin Trail back to your car.

Silver Moccasin’s technical challenges come in the form of man-made obstacles rather than natural subtleties. Several log steps form one- to two-foot drops all the way down. If you choose to roll over these steps, get your weight as far back as possible, or loft your front wheel and “wheelie drop” it—but do so with adequate speed, or you may crash.

At 8.8 miles, you’re at the end of the more technical sibling of the two loops at Chilao Flat. Bring a wholesome spread of food and cold beverages to replenish your energy for the Vetter Mountain Loop (see next profile), which will make it an epic day. Shoot, any day spent riding your bike is good day, so don’t feel bad if you can’t muster the zeal to ride any longer—you’re out of the rat race, and that’s good enough.