San Gabriel Mountains
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The San Gabriel Mountains are located in northern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County, California, USA. The mountain range forms a barrier between the Greater Los Angeles Area and the Mojave Desert. This Transverse Range lies in and is surrounded by the Angeles National Forest with the San Andreas Fault as the northern border to the range. The highest peak in the range is Mount San Antonio, commonly referred to as Mt. Baldy. Mount Wilson is another famous peak, famed for the Mount Wilson Observatory. The observatory may be visited by the public.
The main road that runs through the San Gabriel Mountains is the Angeles Crest Highway, California State Highway 2. It starts in the southwest at the city of La Canada Flintridge and ends at its junction with California State Highway 138 just past Wrightwood near the Victor Valley. Past its junction with Angeles Forest Highway traveling east, Angeles Crest Highway suffers from blind curves, and various bumps and potholes. This section of the "Crest" is often closed during the winter.
Another key county route which connects Angelenos to and through the mountains is Angeles Forest Highway. Angeles Forest Highway begins 11 miles northeast of La Canada Flintridge at its Angeles Crest Highway junction. Ending near Acton, it allows easy access to the central Forest and the fast growing Antelope Valley. Because the "Forest" and the 11 mile "Crest" portion leading to La Canada Flintridge is well traveled by Antelope Valley commuters, its road maintenance is much better, and is open much of the winter.
Hiking, backpacking, picnicing and camping are some of the activities of its visitors. From time to time, a hiker gets lost or stuck on a mountain ledge, or may fall downhill. Some of the more extreme cases of emergency search and rescue will often be given air time on Los Angeles television and radio newscasts.
Telegraph_Cucamonga_and_Ontario_Peaks.jpg
Significant peaks
- Mount San Antonio, AKA "Mount Baldy"
- Mount Wilson
- Mount Disappointment
See also
- Nearby mountain ranges:
- San Bernardino Mountains
- Santa Monica Mountains
- Sierra Pelona Range
- Tehachapi Mountains
External links
- The Natural History of the San Gabriel Mountains (http://home.earthlink.net/~zelicaon/sgm/)
- Geographic, Biological, and Geological information (http://www.tchester.org/sgm/places/angeles_forest_hwy.html)