Sponsored message
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

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.

Arts & Entertainment

Video: Skateboarder Bombs Down Echo Park's Baxter Street

This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.

L.A.'s notoriously steep Baxter Street was just schooled by a skateboarder who took a gnarly ride down the epic hill.

While San Francisco get a lot of buzz for their ridiculous hills, Los Angeles is actually home to four of the steepest streets in the country, all of which actually beat out our neighbors to the north. (Shhh, don't tell them.) And Baxter Street, which runs through Echo Park and Silver Lake, is one of our most brutal.

With a 32 percent street grade and rollercoaster-like ride, Baxter has been challenging bicycles, cars, limos, buses and delivery trucks since it was devilishly engineered in 1872. And while some might cower at the sight of Baxter (or look for an alternate route), the epically steep hill merely stood as an invitation to pro-skateboard Don "The Nuge" Nguyen to take on the challenge of bombing down the hill on his board.

As you'll see in the video—or as you may know by experience—Baxter is not only dizzyingly steep, but is also viciously craggy. But, no matter, The Nuge was determined. He even ignores the warning of a little girl in the back seat of a passing car who yells, "You're going to die!"

(You can jump to the 2:21 mark if you want to skip the build up):

Whoa. Now might be a good time to mention that in case any aspiring skaters are thinking of taking The Nuge challenge, not only is it obviously super risky, it also could be illegal. A city ordinance passed in 2012 made it illegal to "bomb" steep streets for failing to use the road safely. If busted, offenders could be fined $250, which would be a total bummer.

Sponsored message

[h/t: The Inertia, Curbed]

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.

Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.

If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.

Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today