Hikin_Jim wrote: So, did you go to the camp on Fish Fork above the falls or did you go to the camp where Fish Fork joins the N Fork of the San Gabriel River? What route did you take from Guffy? Just down the road? And then the trail from Lupine or down Prairie Fork to the N Fork?
I believe we camped at the fish fork above the falls, which was on the south side of pine mountain ridge, we didnt quite make it to fish fork creek, but we were next to a stream. At fish fork, the map indicates a mile to go to get to the fish fork stream, but there wasn't really any trail to follow and too much bushwacking, so we abandoned the idea.
We followed the road from guffy to lupine, and continued it over pine mountain ridge, and around the other side.
Fish fork camp is also known because it's the start of the abandoned "dawson peak trail." I tried to find this too from there, but no such luck. You can also locate the end of the dawson peak trail while hiking the north backbone trail between pine mountain and dawson peak. If you continue down this path, you'll eventually end up in fish fork, after 6 long switchbacking miles and 3600' of elevation loss. never tried, but will.
Hikin_Jim wrote: Been there just once about 20 years ago. Interesting area and not so stripped like some of the other mines. Lots of old gas cans and stuff. Big old cast iron stove there. Hard to find. I just did a compass bearing from the N Fork and went up the side of the canyon. Serious bushwhack. I found it because I saw chimneys from old cabins sticking out of the brush. I tried to go again another time using the old trail from the Allison Mine (because it was so tough to get to from the river), but it was so overgrown even twenty years ago that I abandoned the idea. Might not be able to find the trail anymore. The trail to Allison mine was badly overgrown the last time I was there, but twenty years ago it really wasn't that bad. I even took a backpack down to the mine and spent the night there. Some of the buildings were still intact twenty years ago. The old outhouse had a TP spindle still in place twenty years ago, but nothing was intact when I was there last. Likewise the Bighorn mine still had some wooden buildings -- cabins and such -- back in the 70's when I first visited. Nothing left but the remains of the stamp mill by the main shaft now.
Wow, that's quite impressive. Stanley Miller is rarely visited. I saw a picture of an old ore wagon at the entrance of the tunnel. Neat. I believe there was another picture of an intact cabin there, with an old mattress and everything (i might be thinking of gold dollar). Are there spring nearby stanley miller mine? I really want to visit that place now.
Bighorn is also neat, but like you stated, its been vandalized. I walked in the tunnel quite a ways a long time ago, its a weird sensation.
There are a few other mines as well in the san gabriels. Gold Dollar mine on san antonio ridge, which is rarely visited. Cables are still intact, running up the side of the ridge from cow canyon area. This can be a good heaton flats hike i think.
another good hike is mt williamson from devils punchbowl, VERY steep and sandy though. You come across an airplane crash on the saddle as you approach mt williamson.