Southbound


Heading toward Dome Mountain from CA Route 138. The last photo looks east.


Looking west, White Mountain is to the left, Black Mountain to the right, just north of Pyramid Lake. There are many others of each name in the state.


Sure enough, here's the lake, starting at Brazzos Arm.


Some views northeast up West Fork and regular Liebre Gulches in that vicinity.


Left and right alongside Dome Mountain and Pyramid Lake's Chumash Island.


The southeastern end of Slide Mountain juts in from the west.


I'm trying to keep heading south but Slide Mountain keeps popping in, transitioning from Whitaker Peak in the 4th-6th photos.


Osito Canyon is now to my right, along with the south side of the combined Slide and Dome Mountains. The 1930s alignment of US 99 snakes inside it; 2nd and 3rd photos are left and right.


Whitaker Peak gives way to Violin Summit, which then gives way to Palomas Canyon. I-5 southbound crosses over west of the northbound side, which follows old US 99 up the grade the other way as seen in the last photo.


Down, down into Castaic Valley, down to Lake Hughes Road for a very special Ridge Route tour of the original US 99 alignment improved in the 1920s.

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Northbound


Returning to the top of the original US 99 Ridge Route, I-5 northbound follows the newer old US 99's Five Mile Grade up the side of Violin Canyon.


To the top of the grade where the highway directions come back together. The last three photo pan from the base of Slide Mountain slightly west to slightly east.


Alternating north and east photos with Reservoir Hill to the right.


Pyramid Lake views to the left, with the second at Brazzos Arm at the north end of the lake. Compare this lighting to the SB photo, similar vantage, just 45 minutes apart.


The first two photo are between the Pyramid Lake views. The last looks northeast at Smokey Bear Road, the end of the interesting ridge formations.

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Over to old US 99, the Ridge Route

I-5 road photos
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