Comments on: Santa Monica Mountains Leg Burner – Tuna Canyon, Fernwood & Corral Canyon

By: rallison

rallison — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 07:05:51 +0000

Ben,

My apologies for not responding way back when. Life gets busy sometimes, but that is not really an excuse.

I actually finally got to climb Noranda recently. I have a few choice words for that mini-climb. Yellowhill is still (I know, I know) on the to do list.

By: Ben FR

Ben FR — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:02:16 +0000

I’m looking forward for the write-up on Yellowhill Road and Noranda Lane!

By: rallison

rallison — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 21:09:52 +0000

Nicely done with the 39/25. Grades like that are very much a matter of balance – both to keep from toppling over and to keep from lifting the front wheel. Screw it up and you may go sliding backwards for a bit!

By: Paul

Paul — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:12:22 +0000

On to Grand View. Hoofta!
Not for the weak hearted. If you find the approach difficult, better come back another day. At the cadence I could sustain in 39/25 it was almost more a question of balance than leg strength and even arm strength became a factor. Also technical for the arms, had to pull backwards rather than up to prevent front wheel lift off.
Could be a difficult dismount wearing bike shoes.

By: rallison

rallison — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 07:05:19 +0000

Ah, I see. I didn’t descend Tuna, but I can believe that it is a rather brake-heavy descent. As for Corral – the dirt portion appears to eventually connect to Latigo according to Google Maps Satellite View..but that is assuming none of the road is closed off or private of course. You could always do recon in a car first. If you ever try it, let me know how if it works and if a standard road bike would be good enough to climb the dirt section. Also, with regard to descending Tuna on the hoods – next time try descending in the drops. You should have greater control and strength over your braking.

And, glad you like the blog and glad that it has pushed you to try some tougher climbs! There is nothing better than that feeling of accomplishment when you conquer a tough climb.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:16:25 +0000

No, I came back down Tuna, just to do it legally. Very hard braking from the hoods.
I had no choice on Coral, it’s a dead end, though one day I might continue past the end of the maintained road, it looks like it might connect to Latigo, a far easier descent(and climb, for that matter).
I really appreciate your blog. Got me off the easier climbs, doing some real work.

By: rallison

rallison — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 08:48:44 +0000

Thanks for detailed comment!

Yeah, that wall on Grand View is ridiculous. One of the steepest bits of road I’ve seen anywhere (and this is coming from someone who aggressively seeks out such roads!).

Congrats on climbing Tuna – that is not an easy feat with 39/25 gearing. It is hard enough climbing it in my 30/25! As for the turning your arms to jelly, did you descend down Las Flores? If that is what you are talking about, I can definitely understand – Las Flores is a steep road for descending. Good idea on Fernwood to Topanga.

Corral is pretty tough up to the housing area. I didn’t even get to go much beyond it due to time, but it sounds like it is pretty nasty above there as well. As for prettier…I’ll trust you since the whole area was completely fogged in when I climbed it! Guess I need to go and climb it again…during clear skies and all the way to the end.

Also, with the climbs you are doing, you’ll be physically up for both in the same ride sooner than you might think. Keep on riding.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:06:22 +0000

I’ve been stuck in Woodland Hills the past few months, enduring the heat on Fernwood, Stunt, Topanga and Mullholland. Once, I used Grand View as a warm up for intervals on Fernwood. Used it, that is, until I reached the wall in your picture. Then I realized it might negatively impact my repeats, so I ducked the challenge. Next time.
I read your blog and decided to go out and try the infamous Tuna and yesterday evening, the equally infamous Coral.
By paying great attention to pacing I succesfully climbed Tuna last week. It’s hard, very hard. Had me standing a lot with my 39/25. It’s amazing how thin the air can get 1000′ above sea level. Very nice finish, the 9% seemed flat by comparison. I’ve done Fernwood many times and, if you have the time, would strongly recommend descending it and Topanga rather than returning the way you came, which turned my arms to jelly.
The best thing about Tuna, is that when it’s over, it’s over.
The same cannot be said about Coral, you pace yourself up similarly steep grades for slightly less time and then get a break from 0-5% among the first houses. Then it ramps up again, not all the way, but with short hard rolling pitches and then a sustained period 8-10%, or possibly higher. By then it feels a lot harder of course. At last, after 3 miles, it really is over, gently rising the for last 2 miles until you reach the end of maintained pavement. Another arm breaking descent follows, smooth at first, but then nasty and jarring, as you return to sea level. Don’t know what the altitude was at the end, looked like 1500+, that’s in just over 5 miles.
Definitely found Coral the harder of the 2 and prettier, some of those perched houses have views forever.
Don’t think I could do both in the same ride yet though.
I plan on doing them every week this summer.

By: rallison

rallison — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:38:08 +0000

Fair Point. That is a concern and also why I hesitate a bit on recommending that others do this climb. The only reason I rode – and did a ride report – on Tuna is because it is a climb that is known and done by cyclists. If you are descending Tuna – or any road for that matter – I would advise caution coming around blind curves. You always want to give yourself a margin for error on an open course. With that said, I am not going to make Tuna a staple of my climbs as I do not want to tempt fate too much. And, if I do make it back, I’ll be as far to the right as possible (just as this time) – something I would hope anyone climbing it would do.

I do appreciate the comment. I’ll add an extra note at the top covering this.

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 20:15:09 +0000

I enjoy your website and climbing reports. However, I’m slightly concerned about your report of climbing Tuna Canyon, as I have been descending that somewhat frequently on my bike. You mention that you can hear cars and motorcycles coming, but would you be able to hear a bike? Probably not. I’m just scared that I’ll be going down around a blind curve one day and run into someone going the wrong way that I didn’t know was there.