Mt. Wilson, in the Angeles National Forest just above Pasadena, is about 5710 ft. high. The ride starts (and ends) at Griffith Park - about 500 ft. above sea level. The total climb therefore is about 1 mile. The route is laid out to cover 100 kilometers (62 miles) - a metric century. The climb up is long and fairly steady, but generally not overly steep. The first Sunday in May is chosen because the weather is not (usually) too hot or too cold - although we have been snowed and hailed on once or twice.

The route starts in the small parking lot at the Crystal Springs Drive entrance near the miniature railroad (Los Feliz off-ramp; see below). Get there at least 10 minutes early for a 7 AM sharp departure. Bring a lunch to eat at the Red Box Ranger Station just before the last 5-mile climb to the observatory. Bring snacks to munch on the way, and water. Water is available at the several ranger stations along the way - one bottle should suffice. You may need a moderately warm jacket - and warm gloves - especially for the long fast coast down the mountain.

Mt. Wilson is home to one of the worlds most famous observatories, with the first modern large (100") astronomical telescope. The Observatory is still active, but the site is now a national park. There is a small snack bar in the park, but it is not always open early in May - depending on the weather and the Park Service budget.

Mt. Wilson is also home to the television broadcast towers for most stations in the Los Angeles area. Note that the radiation level from them is fairly high. Some years back, 4 members lost their odometers when passing one of the stations (hasn't happened since, however).