flyboy333
06-22-2008, 04:58 PM
Here is just a quick list of canyon roads between Topanga and Decker, and a small summary of each. Hope this helps for those of you who want to visit. I will list South to North.
Mulholland: Very long, and boring until you cross Las Virgines road, when north of there, Mulholland has some ridiculously fast sweepers and great scenery. Usually light traffic, but watch for bikers of both types. As you get toward the intersection of Mulholland and Kanan, it gets very twisty with lots of blind turns, so watch for fast cars coming the other way. When you reach the far northern end, you can take a left and go north, you will find some very fun twisty rises and falls, banked turns, and smooth pavement, but be careful, as the road is narrow. Eventually it runs into the coast. Between the sweepers and the twisties you can find the Rock Store, which usually has more motorcycles than can be imagined, and is a generally neat place. Access to: Stunt, Old Topanga, Cold Creek, Latigo, Decker.
Old Topanga:Old topanga is a short romp up and down a mountain, with the east side having fun medium speed turns, with one very tight one, and an uphill u that defies description beyond freaking awesome. Once you reach the coastal side and come back down, there is a mix of fast turns that can seem bigger than they are, and there are quite a few houses, so watch for other cars. The end peters out performance wise but the deep forest atmosphere makes for good cruising. The road ends into Topanga, which goes to the beach in a civilized but not boring manner, usually with much traffic. The intersection of old and new Topanga has many neat shops and restaurants, and soon after it, one can get onto Fernwood Pacific, which is a very residential, super tight road, but too tight and residential for safe or fast driving. The thing is that Fernwood Pacific leads to Saddle Peak and...Tuna (Muahaha!)
Tuna: The mother of all awesome/deathwish roads. Do not drive unless you can control your car, or yourself. This is a one way, downhill only, all turns, hairpin laden thrill ride that will literally blow your mind and your brakes. There is either no guardrail, or a concrete block, and a tremendous drop or a sheer cliff face. No scenery, no traffic, no hope. Don't f**k it up.
Stunt: It weaves up the side of a mountain, and the most fun part is in the beginning, where there are some fast s bends. The views from the road are good, and there are many spots to get off and take a hike, the bottom most spot being next to a shaded creek, quite a relaxing place. There is usually too much traffic in the day, but you aren't driving stunt because it's fun. You're driving it to get to the 3 way of Stunt, Saddle Peak, and Schuren, where performance car enthusiasts gather often, and where one can find great views, a bomb shelter filled with water, and a good place to take that special someone O0 . However, there exists a better place...
Saddle Peak: An average fun, somewhat residential road, with some very good benefits, and a few fun sections. The scenery is good, and at night there is the mother of all views, in which one can see near all of Los Angeles lit up, all the way out to the Pacific (Impresses the ladies better than the top of Stunt.) The other really good benefit of driving Saddle Peak is that it leads to Tuna.
Schuren: A short but fun connecting road between Piuma and Stunt, has some fast bits and great views of the ocean and mountains. I often work on my heel-toe shifting on this road.
Piuma: A long and varied ride through the tops of the coastal mountains, ending in Las Virgines. The beginning has some sweepers and s turns, and not many houses. The midsection has great views of the ocean, and you can carry serious speed going up or down it. The end section after doing a huge c turn is a series of squiggly switchbacks that can be very fun, just watch for people, there are a few more houses. This end section is the most fun part if you like to really be lefting and righting, and if your car rotates well, it should be almost as fun as Tuna through the long c turns. Watch for traffic on this road, and take time to get off at one of the spots, like the plateau that the big c surrounds (great place to eat lunch, has benches.)
Los Flores: Connects Piuma to the PCH, and is the steepest road on the list in the middle. Has a great drop u that made for a WTF moment when I drove it downward and almost flew off the road (understeer FTL.) Has a few too many houses, and really is more of a connecting road than anything else. You can exit Tuna then go up Flores to do Piuma. There can be pretty neat scenery too. You may be tempted to try Rambla Pacifica, but it is a private road, and after a fun bit, it becomes private and no non-residents are allowed. If you turn around before then it's a fun road.
Corral Canyon: One of the best roads, it has 3 distinct sections. The first is a mad uphill climb through mustard fields over rough road, the second is a series of banked continual s turns that make for a roller coaster ride, and the third is a ridiculously cool mix of elevation and curve that makes the car come alive and boogie like never before. Its fun without being scary, and I dig it. A warning though, you must turn around at the end and go back down, it turns into a dirt road. Also, watch for the residential sections (there are two or three of them, houses all clumped together.) A must drive. It can have some traffic, but don't push, these locals don't need more harassing.
Latigo Canyon: One of the purest of the canyons, long and forested, with quite a few tight bits. It leads to Kanan, which you can then take to Mulholland within a minute. Latigo has all types of turns and pavement and elevation, and is a great all around road for all skill levels and likes. Just be careful around the houses. I could write a whole report, but you really just have to drive the road.
Decker Canyon: On the way to Decker, make sure to stop at "free zuma" and chill at the beach, or stop at Hows market on the way to grab a bite to eat. Decker is a frantic road with two true OMGWTFROFL hairpins, and it winds up through the mountains in the deep forest. Few houses and cars make for a good drive, and it turns into the fun end section of Mulholland eventually. Along the way there is a campground that looks to be interesting. You can also get to Ventura from this road, and the way there is fun.
I hope this helps, and feel free to post any suggestions or corrections. Also, google map Las Virgines Canyon and zoom out to really see how these all connect. Thanks for reading
Corbin
Mulholland: Very long, and boring until you cross Las Virgines road, when north of there, Mulholland has some ridiculously fast sweepers and great scenery. Usually light traffic, but watch for bikers of both types. As you get toward the intersection of Mulholland and Kanan, it gets very twisty with lots of blind turns, so watch for fast cars coming the other way. When you reach the far northern end, you can take a left and go north, you will find some very fun twisty rises and falls, banked turns, and smooth pavement, but be careful, as the road is narrow. Eventually it runs into the coast. Between the sweepers and the twisties you can find the Rock Store, which usually has more motorcycles than can be imagined, and is a generally neat place. Access to: Stunt, Old Topanga, Cold Creek, Latigo, Decker.
Old Topanga:Old topanga is a short romp up and down a mountain, with the east side having fun medium speed turns, with one very tight one, and an uphill u that defies description beyond freaking awesome. Once you reach the coastal side and come back down, there is a mix of fast turns that can seem bigger than they are, and there are quite a few houses, so watch for other cars. The end peters out performance wise but the deep forest atmosphere makes for good cruising. The road ends into Topanga, which goes to the beach in a civilized but not boring manner, usually with much traffic. The intersection of old and new Topanga has many neat shops and restaurants, and soon after it, one can get onto Fernwood Pacific, which is a very residential, super tight road, but too tight and residential for safe or fast driving. The thing is that Fernwood Pacific leads to Saddle Peak and...Tuna (Muahaha!)
Tuna: The mother of all awesome/deathwish roads. Do not drive unless you can control your car, or yourself. This is a one way, downhill only, all turns, hairpin laden thrill ride that will literally blow your mind and your brakes. There is either no guardrail, or a concrete block, and a tremendous drop or a sheer cliff face. No scenery, no traffic, no hope. Don't f**k it up.
Stunt: It weaves up the side of a mountain, and the most fun part is in the beginning, where there are some fast s bends. The views from the road are good, and there are many spots to get off and take a hike, the bottom most spot being next to a shaded creek, quite a relaxing place. There is usually too much traffic in the day, but you aren't driving stunt because it's fun. You're driving it to get to the 3 way of Stunt, Saddle Peak, and Schuren, where performance car enthusiasts gather often, and where one can find great views, a bomb shelter filled with water, and a good place to take that special someone O0 . However, there exists a better place...
Saddle Peak: An average fun, somewhat residential road, with some very good benefits, and a few fun sections. The scenery is good, and at night there is the mother of all views, in which one can see near all of Los Angeles lit up, all the way out to the Pacific (Impresses the ladies better than the top of Stunt.) The other really good benefit of driving Saddle Peak is that it leads to Tuna.
Schuren: A short but fun connecting road between Piuma and Stunt, has some fast bits and great views of the ocean and mountains. I often work on my heel-toe shifting on this road.
Piuma: A long and varied ride through the tops of the coastal mountains, ending in Las Virgines. The beginning has some sweepers and s turns, and not many houses. The midsection has great views of the ocean, and you can carry serious speed going up or down it. The end section after doing a huge c turn is a series of squiggly switchbacks that can be very fun, just watch for people, there are a few more houses. This end section is the most fun part if you like to really be lefting and righting, and if your car rotates well, it should be almost as fun as Tuna through the long c turns. Watch for traffic on this road, and take time to get off at one of the spots, like the plateau that the big c surrounds (great place to eat lunch, has benches.)
Los Flores: Connects Piuma to the PCH, and is the steepest road on the list in the middle. Has a great drop u that made for a WTF moment when I drove it downward and almost flew off the road (understeer FTL.) Has a few too many houses, and really is more of a connecting road than anything else. You can exit Tuna then go up Flores to do Piuma. There can be pretty neat scenery too. You may be tempted to try Rambla Pacifica, but it is a private road, and after a fun bit, it becomes private and no non-residents are allowed. If you turn around before then it's a fun road.
Corral Canyon: One of the best roads, it has 3 distinct sections. The first is a mad uphill climb through mustard fields over rough road, the second is a series of banked continual s turns that make for a roller coaster ride, and the third is a ridiculously cool mix of elevation and curve that makes the car come alive and boogie like never before. Its fun without being scary, and I dig it. A warning though, you must turn around at the end and go back down, it turns into a dirt road. Also, watch for the residential sections (there are two or three of them, houses all clumped together.) A must drive. It can have some traffic, but don't push, these locals don't need more harassing.
Latigo Canyon: One of the purest of the canyons, long and forested, with quite a few tight bits. It leads to Kanan, which you can then take to Mulholland within a minute. Latigo has all types of turns and pavement and elevation, and is a great all around road for all skill levels and likes. Just be careful around the houses. I could write a whole report, but you really just have to drive the road.
Decker Canyon: On the way to Decker, make sure to stop at "free zuma" and chill at the beach, or stop at Hows market on the way to grab a bite to eat. Decker is a frantic road with two true OMGWTFROFL hairpins, and it winds up through the mountains in the deep forest. Few houses and cars make for a good drive, and it turns into the fun end section of Mulholland eventually. Along the way there is a campground that looks to be interesting. You can also get to Ventura from this road, and the way there is fun.
I hope this helps, and feel free to post any suggestions or corrections. Also, google map Las Virgines Canyon and zoom out to really see how these all connect. Thanks for reading
Corbin