The Altadena Public Library is located at 600 E.
Mariposa Street, in Altadena, at the southwest corner of the intersection of Mariposa Street
and Santa Rosa Avenue ("Christmas Tree Lane"). Exit the I-210 freeway northbound at Lake Avenue
in Pasadena. Go north on Lake about 2.5 miles, and turn left (west) onto Mariposa Street.
Go to the second stop sign, which is Santa Rosa, and the Library is on the SW corner of
the intersection. Turn left onto Santa Rosa and then right into the parking lot behind the Library. The lectures are held in the Library's Community Room, located just to the right as you enter from the parking lot.
Mount Wilson Public Access: All roads leading to Mount Wilson were either blocked by mud/debris slides or severely damaged by floods during last winter's storms. Major repairs are now under way.
The main route to Mount Wilson, Angeles Crest Highway from La Canada-Flintridge, is anticipated to remain closed until sometime this coming Fall. For information from Caltrans on the status of Angeles Crest Highway (State Highway 2) go to Angeles Crest Closures.
An Alternate Route, on LA county roads, is now open to the public and can be used to get to the Observatory. It is described by the county as "Construction Zone. Expect Delays", so caution is advised. Heavy truck traffic and short delays for construction equipment are common in some areas, although most of the route is very good. However, since the hillsides near the road are completely bare, the county has been closing this route whenever rain threatens. This can happen with short notice, so before leaving for Mount Wilson, we strongly recommend you check the current status of LA county roads. To do this, go to the LA County Dept. of Public Works at County Road Closures.
The alternate route is 36 miles long and starts in Sunland. Large, clear signs mark turning points. A map can be found at Map. Turn-by-turn directions can be found at Directions.
The Mt. Wilson Observatory is located about 19 miles (approximately 45 minutes driving time) from the Angeles Crest Highway exit from the I-210 freeway in La Canada-Flintridge. Turn north toward the mountains and follow Angeles Crest Highway (California Route 2) for about 14 miles. About halfway up, do NOT turn left onto the road toward Palmdale (go straight). At the "Mount Wilson" sign, turn right and follow the paved county road for about 5 miles to the top of the mountain. Keep to the right and go past most of the TV transmitting antennas. Go through the gate, and park in the large parking area located about 200 yards past the gate. The Pavilion is directly above the parking lot to the east. The Observatory, museum, and auditorium are reached by walking about a 1/4 mile along the access road starting on the far north side of the parking lot.
To help you find your way around the Observatory, MWOA has created a Self-Guided Tour Brochure. Copies are available free at the museum. Or go to the Tour Brochure page to download a version in PDF format.
Note:
WE ADVISE ATTENDEES TO DISPLAY THIS PASS INSIDE
THEIR WINDSHIELD TO AVOID POSSIBLE TICKETING BY THE FOREST SERVICE.
Another Note:
SO DON'T OVERLOOK THE HEADLIGHTS.
When Angeles Crest Highway is repaired and is again open, the following old directions will again be valid:
The U.S. Forest Service is currently requiring motorists parking in the
Mt. Wilson area to display a "Forest Adventure Pass" on their cars. The
cost is $5.00 for a one-day pass or $30.00 for a season pass. It can be purchased
at major sporting goods outlets (such as Sports Chalet) or at any Forest Service
facility. Passes are usually sold on weekends at the Clear Creek Ranger Station,
about halfway to Mt. Wilson where the Palmdale road branches off from Angeles
Crest Highway. Passes are also usually sold on Saturdays at Red Box, where the Mt. Wilson road branches off from Angeles Crest Highway (where you turn right). To the best of our knowledge, this regulation has never been enforced. However ...
Angeles Crest Highway has been designated by the California Highway Patrol as a
"special enforcement zone". Daylight headlights are required on the road from
just above La Canada all the way to where the road to Palmdale branches off. Just read the
big signs. The requirement is rigorously enforced (!), and the ticket is over $180 (!!).