Exploring the Station Ridge Trail

Paul Ayers · Post by **Paul Ayers** » Sun Jan 28, 2018 7:30 am

For the last couple of months I have been exploring a historic trail that descends from the parking lot opposite Angeles Crest Forest Station at Milepost 27.7, Angeles Crest Highway. The trail gets you to Paul Little in less than 1/2 hour and has a nice cabin site to visit near the bottom. The trail is well marked with orange tape down to the cabin site. From there, currently, you can scramble down a use trail to the Gabrielino off the 60' high promontory the cabin sits on.

View from about 1/3 down Station Ridge Trail showing Promontory Cabin

and Paul Little

1938 aerial view of Station Ridge Trail.

Jim at collapsed fireplace, Promontory Cabin; the trail that passes over the Brown Canyon Debris dam can be seen behind.

Post by **Sean** » Sun Jan 28, 2018 12:36 pm

Very cool. Do you think the trail predated the highway?

Paul Ayers · Post by **Paul Ayers** » Sun Jan 28, 2018 5:23 pm

I actually think it was a response to the 1938 flood. After 3/1938 there was no way for cabin owners to access their cabins as Arroyo Rd. was wiped out; I think the cabin owners at, below and above Paul Little built the trail to get to their cabins. A very clear 11/8/1935 aerial clearly shows the Promontory Cabin, but no trail

The trail appears in the original post 7/1938 aerial. Interestingly, by 5/6/1941, the course of the trail has changed and additional switchbacks installed.

Shortly thereafter the Forest Service revoked all the cabin and resort permits and I assume that is when the trail went into decline.

Girl Hiker · Post by **Girl Hiker** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 8:22 am

My friend Bob and I hiked that area last year. We saw your orange tape but went in the opposite direction. Next time we will have to check out the fireplace.