One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Mount Wilson Toll Road Officially Reopens
Photo by USMARINE0311 via Flickr
Since the torrential rains of 2005, the Mount Wilson Toll Road leading up to Henninger Flats and Mount Wilson has been closed. The popular, yet historic, trail has been a favorite for outdoors enthusiasts. The fire road leads into the hills above Pasadena and offers sweeping views across the San Gabriel Valley and beyond towards downtown and Catalina Island. After nearly four years, it officially opened last Friday to hikers and mountain bikers.
"The view of the city from the overlook is truly breathtaking at night," volunteer hike leader Richard Nyerges would write in e-mails to Outdoors Club members when it was open. Unfortunately, using the trail at night or camping will stay off limits until officials with LA County Fire fully repairs vehicle access. That's because rescues and emergencies, if they should occur, are more difficult to manage at night without the road open to emergency vehicles.
"It's going to be dependent on whether or not we can get our heavy equipment operators up there to do some work," explained Kevin Johnson, Assistant Chief of the Forestry Division for LA County Fire, when asked about the completion date. "There's some additional work to do to make it safe for vehicles. It's going to require more than just annual maintenance and they're all tied in fire season right now."
Casey Schneider at Modernhiker notes that "the Old Mount Wilson Toll Road is a fairly steep, 9 mile (one-way) winding route to the Mount Wilson tower farm, observatory, and visitor’s center." To Henninger Flats and back, it's 5.4 miles.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
