During December 2017, I made a road trip through downhill paradise known as California together with Patrik Orlainsky. We got to skate many amazing roads, but this article is going to be about a very special one: The Tuna Canyon Road hidden in the Malibu mountains right at the outskirt of Los Angeles.
I compiled my experiences for you and edited a video of me skating this hell of a run, so you can see what I’m talking about.
What’s so special about it you ask? Firstly, it is a one-way road, so you can be sure there won’t be any upcoming traffic. Secondly, downhill skaters are known and tolerated there which makes it even more fun. And finally, the course of the road is freaking crazy, challenging, unique, and so much fun!
Like always, if you’re planning to skate spots in other countries, hit up locals to let them introduce you to spots so they can let you know about where and when to skate and how to behave. The downhill scene in Los Angeles is big and if you go to Tuna on the weekend, you can be pretty sure to meet some skaters.
The local skaters usually gather somewhere before the one-way section, so we used to start the run in a two-way traffic section. That’s where you should take it easy and save your energy for what’s to come. A stop at the big cactus is obligatory to take in the stunning views.
Once you’re on the one-way, you can cut corners and take the most amazing inside lines. The track starts quite mellow but becomes steadily faster and more technical. The whole run takes about 10 minutes in total, depending on how fast you go.
Coming from Europe, the pavement feels strange in the beginning. The so called “slurry seal” is quite rough and therefore wheel-and-puck-eating, but you get used to it.
Unfortunately, the shuttle ride back up to the start usually takes about 35 minutes, since you can’t go directly back up, but must take a detour around the mountain and it’s totally worth it.
I’m riding the soon to be released Icone Attacks longboard with SKOA Vertex trucks with support of Longboardshop.eu.
SO STOKED Tuna is now one way. When I grew up in Topanga in the 60’s – 80’s, this was not so. Remember skating Saddle Peak to Fernwood, practically every night back in the day…