Banning, CA to Bakersfield avoiding Riverside:Pasadena

I hate the roads in the LA basin (who doesn't) and am willing, within reason, to go out of my way to avoid them. I know I've taken an alternate route but it's been too long to remember the details.


Shortest route, which I'd like to avoid, is Banning 10/210/5 over the Grapevine


Alternatively there is 10/215 Cajon Junction 138/58 Tehachapi which is my preference. Just can't recall the grades on that route


Thx

I hate the roads in the LA basin (who doesn't)

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I don't, I love LA and the roads. I used to live 50 miles north of LA and went there several times a month for Dodger games, record stores, concerts, first run movies and Disneyland. Highway 1 (PCH) is my all time favorite road, though not technically in the LA basin. I also really love driving on Sunset Strip especially though UCLA, Bel Air and Beverly Hills. People love to complain about LA drivers but they are worlds better than the drivers here in Florida.

SeilerBird said:

I don't, I love LA and the roads. I used to live 50 miles north of LA and went there several times a month for Dodger games, record stores, concerts, first run movies and Disneyland. Highway 1 (PCH) is my all time favorite road I also really love driving on Sunset Strip

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Come'on Tom, I'm not talking about looking for a surfing spot on PCH or star watching on the Strip (neither of which will get me to Bakersfield).  :  I'm talking about heavy traffic on super-rough concrete throughways. I'll check back with you when I want to go to a ball game, first run movie or Disneyland    (BTW, you realize there's no more record stores, right?  ;D ;D )

CA 146 over the Tehachapi Mountains goes to just about 3,770 feet in elevation.  Going east is the biggest grade because you're starting from a lower elevation than in the other direction.  There is a lot of truck traffic but it's a good road and we take it a lot.

ArdraF

Sun2Retire said:

Come'on Tom, I'm not talking about looking for a surfing spot on PCH or star watching on the Strip (neither of which will get me to Bakersfield).  :  I'm talking about heavy traffic on super-rough concrete throughways. I'll check back with you when I want to go to a ball game, first run movie or Disneyland    (BTW, you realize there's no more record stores, right?  ;D ;D )

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I have driven an RV in heavy traffic on super rough concrete many times and never had an issue. Thank heavens there are no more record stores. ;D In order to go to a ball game, a first run movie or Disneyland required driving in heavy traffic on super rough concrete. No big deal.

I vote for the 10/215 Cajon Junction 138/58 Tehachapi route.  All Interstates suck within 100 miles of L.A.  IIRC the 138 is not bad.  The 58 is a newer 4 lane divided highway. 

I-10, to I-15N, to 395N, to 58W to Bakersfield... would be my route. Has been many times. Good road, minimal traffic.

ArdraF said:

CA 146 over the Tehachapi Mountains goes to just about 3,770 feet in elevation.  Going east is the biggest grade because you're starting from a lower elevation than in the other direction.  There is a lot of truck traffic but it's a good road and we take it a lot.

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Ardra, I can't find CA 146 other than between Soledad and Pinnacles. I'll be on 58 coming from Mojave, Tehachapi Pass westward to Bakersfield

BIG JOE said:

I-10, to I-15N, to 395N, to 58W to Bakersfield... would be my route. Has been many times. Good road, minimal traffic.

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There's only about a 5 minute difference but you like 395 better than 138/14 through Llano/Lancaster?

As I recall 138 from I-15 at Mormon Rocks to Lancaster has been referred to as "The Highway of Death".

A two lane road with a history of head on crashes from passing vehicles.

Maybe it is more than two lanes now.

HueyPilotVN said:

As I recall 138 from I-15 at Mormon Rocks to Lancaster has been referred to as "The Highway of Death".

A two lane road with a history of head on crashes from passing vehicles.

Maybe it is more than two lanes now.

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Yes, Hwy 138 has been considerably improved.  It's a wide shouldered two lane road with passing lanes from I-15 to the junction with CA 18 and widely separated 4 lanes from there west to Palmdale ... the former "highway of death" stretch.  I wouldn't hesitate to use it but watch for winds coming down from the mountains in the winter.

Up until a year ago I used to drive that route regularly as part of my job.  From Banning, I'd pick a non-commute starting time (10 am - 2 pm) and take I-10 west to I-215 and follow it north to I-15 and over Cajon Pass.  Near the summit you can pick up CA 138 and follow it to CA 14.  There are a couple of relatively short but steep climbs between I-15 and Wrightwood, but they've been improved with passing lanes.

Or if you want to avoid those grades, continue north on I-15 to US 395, then turn left at the second stoplight (about a mile past the Pilot truckstop) at Phelan Rd.  Take it west to join 138.  It's a mostly rural, flat 55 MPH road with a couple of stoplights.  Then continue on west on 138 to CA 14.

Then take CA 14 north, if you're not afraid of descending the Grapevine continue west on CA 138 north of Lancaster.  It's a fast, flat rural highway to I-5 at the top of the Grapevine.

Or continue north on 14 to CA 58 over the Techahapi Mtns.  It's an easy climb going westbound.

The problem with taking 385 north to Kramer Junction is the half dozen stoplights going through Adelanto, then north of there are several grades without passing lanes that keeps everyone stuck behind slow trucks.

The alternate back road route from Banning to Apple Valley is to go east on I-10 to CA 62, then north to CA 247 in Yucca Valley.  It's considerably longer than going west to I-215 and has a couple of mile long grades on 62, and a steep climb on 247.  Then you'll face about 10 miles of city driving to get through Apple Valley to CA 138.

HueyPilotVN said:

As I recall 138 from I-15 at Mormon Rocks to Lancaster has been referred to as "The Highway of Death".

A two lane road with a history of head on crashes from passing vehicles.

Maybe it is more than two lanes now.

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Yikes. Sounds like a road in the Andes.


Looks like it's 4 lanes now

Sun2Retire said:

Yikes. Sounds like a road in the Andes.

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Nah, there was nothing wrong with the old Hwy 138, the problem was impatient LA drivers who weren't used to passing on two lane roads using it as a shortcut.

Thanks Lou. Think I'll try your Phelan Rd to 14 to 58 route. Not afraid of the Grapevine as I've done it several times but my toad's pretty heavy and the exhaust brake isn't as effective as I'd like, so that sounds like the way to go. I need to do the exact reverse trip in a week, how's the downhill going east?

Going east on 58 you'll have a moderate 3500 ft. climb from the junction of 233 to the Tehachapi summit, then no problem on the east side, it's a gradual  1200 ft. descent into Mojave.

I-15 south over Cajon Pass is a moderate descent, the southbound lanes take a longer path downhill than the northbound lanes to lessen the grade.

Sounds good thx

I run over the Grapevine a lot and 58 a lot. I'll take 58 anytime. 

Yes, a few steep grades on 58 but nothing like the Grapevine especially when headed north.

BIG JOE said:

I-10, to I-15N, to 395N, to 58W to Bakersfield... would be my route. Has been many times. Good road, minimal traffic.

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    This is my choice also

Scott, I realized as soon as I got to the next post that I was thinking of the right road but a different number.  California 46 is a cross road between I-5 and 99 to Bakersfield.  I definitely meant highway 58 over the Tehachapi range!!  Duh.  I was really confused!  Sorry for the confusion.

ArdraF

No problem Ardra, I don't need any help to be confused  :  For example between Google dropping a waypoint and the GPS having a different plan, I ended up taking 15/138/14/58. Was planning on trying Lou's Phelan Rd route and made a wrong turn. Climb on 138 wasn't too bad (I'd guess 7%ish), coming down the other side there was a couple 6-7 mile stretches of 6-7% downgrades, normally a piece of cake but it appears I've lost my exhaust brake and I've got a 6500 toad pushing me. Any longer and I'd have to slow to under 40 and drop to 3rd. Areas of 14 a few miles south of 58 were very rough.