Remote climb in eastern San Diego County into the Cleveland National Forest.

CLIMB SUMMARY

​Kitchen Creek Road on Mt. Laguna is a San Diego County outlier (56 miles east of San Diego in the Cleveland National Forest).  There are no houses and no provisions along this 11.3 mile ride, so come prepared (it can be tortuously hot with desert-like conditions during the summer).  

Kitchen Creek Road dead ends at a gate at mile 5.25 (ater 1,186’ at 3.5%).  The next 6 miles are at 4.9%, gaining 1,625’.  At the gate at mile 5.25, motor vehicle traffic most turn back (although there is really minimal traffic along this road) and we have another 6 miles on a single lane roughly paved road riding up towards, but not reaching, Mt. Laguna peak (we can travel another 3.1 miles (285’) to Mt. Laguna and Laguna Mountain Lodge and Store for a rest and provisions before the trip back to the start.

We pulled up 5 miles short of the finish due to inclement weather.  We did the entire climb on the 2012 Mt. Laguna Bicycle Classic.  

Roadway surface and traffic:  There is minimal to no traffic along this climb.  The first 5.25 miles of roadway is excellent, the next  and the second half is closed to motor traffic and paved, but a bit rough.