(Excerpt from History of Pasadena by Hiram Reid)
We figured it had to be somewhere above Castle Canyon. I subsequently explored a couple potential sites, but basically came up short of a certainty regarding the location of Mt. Vesuvius. The most promising peak was on a ridge I called Castle Spur, because it's home to the large rock formations which inspired the name for Castle Canyon. On old topo maps the point has a spot elevation of 3987', but on the '95 USGS there is no spot elevation anymore, so I refer to it now by number as Peak 3960.
3960 seemed promising because it matched the basic description provided by Reid. It's a little north and east of Echo Mtn. It's approximately a thousand feet higher--more precisely about 780'. Also, it can be seen from Rubio Pavilion.
During my explorations, I also found a few remnants of a trail on the ridge, as well as a large cairn on the summit.
Over the last few years I've made three trips to 3960, not sure whether it was Vesuvius. On the map below, routes #1 and #2 are class 2ish, while routes #3 and #4 are class 4ish. I did the harder routes with Willie. I wouldn't recommend trying them solo due to the potential for catastrophe on unstable cliffs. The line in blue from Inspiration Point is by far the easiest way to the point.
So until a few weeks ago I had given up on confirming the identity of Vesuvius. Then Paul revived the subject by sending me a bunch of old articles that mention it, and how it was used as a launch pad for an 1893 fireworks show that could be seen from many miles away down in the San Gabriel Valley and Los Angeles. The show contained a series of fireworks that gave the impression of a volcano erupting. Hence the name, Mt. Vesuvius.
Then a week ago I happened to be looking through Reid's book again, and I noticed a picture in the section about the Mt. Lowe Railway's Alpine Division.
(Page 453, History of Pasadena)
In the upper left corner is a pointy peak which Reid labels as "Mount Vesuvius." Either I had never read this part of the book or I had forgotten about it, because this was exactly the clue I needed to solve the great mystery. Using my Google-fu powers, I found out that the picture is actually a photo of a painting (circa 1895) by George Gardner Symons. Here is a little better quality B/W copy.
I have been unable to track down a color copy.
Here is an old photo postcard showing the real-world view back then from a slightly lower point than the painting.
Despite the different POV, you can still see the pointy peak (Vesuvius) from the painting.
With these clues, I now felt confident that 3960 was indeed Vesuvius. But I would have to visit Symons' Point to confirm it with my own eyes, as the intervening ridgelines in the pictures caused slight confusion.
Cecelia joined me on Monday for a hike up the Sunset Ridge Trail out of Millard.
(Approaching Cape of Good Hope.)
(On the ridge shortcut with ruins of Circular Bridge in background.)
Symons' Point is just above Circular Bridge, at the bend in the road turning north (right). This is about where George Symons looked east toward Circular Bridge and captured Mt. Vesuvius. This is the same view as it looks today (May 2018).
Being there in person, I could see all the surroundings, and get my full bearings. Finally I could confirm that 3960 was in fact the same pointy peak from the Symons painting, which Hiram Reid labelled as Mount Vesuvius.
I noted that the cut and knob made in the ridge for the railway had been leveled for the later Forest Service fire road, which now runs above the footings for the old bridge. Also, Symons had used his artistic license to alter reality a bit. For example, he squeezed the landscape features in order to fit Echo Mountain into the frame. However, he apparently kept the relationship between Circular Bridge and Vesuvius, which I was able to use to match my picture of the scene with his.
So, in my view, Vesuvius finally has been identified. We only need to assume that Reid's labelling of Symons' painting is correct--an assumption I'm happy to make without reservation.
