About a couple weeks ago i was on the Idlehour loop. At the end i ran into some USFS people that were amazed at the route i took using the seldom traveled idlehour loop. The mentioned some thing about old wooden cabins/ranches hidden some where below mt wilson east of Mt lowe. I was wondering if any of you cross country dudes have stumbled upon it?
Or any thing else exciting for that matter. Ancient indian artifacts? ruins?
Hidden gems in the SG's
Always loved the idea of running into cabins but never really found/saw any - is that because the forest service leveled so many of them - or me not looking in the right spots?edenooch wrote:The mentioned some thing about old wooden cabins
Well, I know this sounds kinda wrong, [since my butt probably won't do the leg work to reach them [these days]..... but anybody have any pictures of odd ball, off the tract, cabins in the San Gabriels?
Dirt Pour, greetings, now did you bring your camera
Thanks Dirt Pour, be cool see a pic...
Only going on hearsay, well, and a few photos, it sounds like the FS probably leveled a few cabins in their times [1950's & 60's especially so I've been told]
Some cabins were hardly hidden, a few even sitting right there on the front face ranges of the SGmountains.
Sure would be great if more of these cabins still stood, but that's not how it worked out, probably for multiple reasons,,,,, dang it...
Always wondered what it would be like to live in one of those cabins in Big Santa Anita or Ice House canyon, bet those people have some stories...
Only going on hearsay, well, and a few photos, it sounds like the FS probably leveled a few cabins in their times [1950's & 60's especially so I've been told]
Some cabins were hardly hidden, a few even sitting right there on the front face ranges of the SGmountains.
Sure would be great if more of these cabins still stood, but that's not how it worked out, probably for multiple reasons,,,,, dang it...
Always wondered what it would be like to live in one of those cabins in Big Santa Anita or Ice House canyon, bet those people have some stories...
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erickpfaff
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- Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:46 am
I have been to a cabin there. It was nice. Still kept up. Not sure exactly where. It was upstream from a trail.
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Sewellymon
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- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:55 pm
I've always been a huge fan of old cabins in the local mtns- especially ones that gave shelter in a rain...
best was above orchard camp. very well known. hippies and cholos liked it lots. FS tore it down in '78
one or two cabins was still standing at Kelly's camp in the mid 70's. not sure when they went ....
water distict (state? local?) used to keep 2 cabins open to the public on raywood flats south of san gorgonio (7+ mie hike to closest one..). i'd not been since '78 or so.. recently learned they are gone..
used to be an old cabin in the frog closure region upstream from williamson rock. also an old cabin right below the road to the mine on Baden Powell. and how 'bout that old leaning cabin high on Iron Mt (Gold Dollar mine?).
I've eyeballed old topo maps - it shows the cabin near Idlehour. I'd like to learn more/ visit it...
Wildest cabin is privately owned- the last one you see at the start of the Bear Canyon Mt Baldy trail. Has a cable trolly across the stream, then steep as*sed climb to a tiny cabin perched on a little hilltop.
best was above orchard camp. very well known. hippies and cholos liked it lots. FS tore it down in '78
one or two cabins was still standing at Kelly's camp in the mid 70's. not sure when they went ....
water distict (state? local?) used to keep 2 cabins open to the public on raywood flats south of san gorgonio (7+ mie hike to closest one..). i'd not been since '78 or so.. recently learned they are gone..
used to be an old cabin in the frog closure region upstream from williamson rock. also an old cabin right below the road to the mine on Baden Powell. and how 'bout that old leaning cabin high on Iron Mt (Gold Dollar mine?).
I've eyeballed old topo maps - it shows the cabin near Idlehour. I'd like to learn more/ visit it...
Wildest cabin is privately owned- the last one you see at the start of the Bear Canyon Mt Baldy trail. Has a cable trolly across the stream, then steep as*sed climb to a tiny cabin perched on a little hilltop.
A guy I knew had a cabin somewhere in the Angeles - sorry I don't know where.
It and others burned in a fire ~200-2001 or so. USFS wouldn't them rebuild and the holders of his note still wanted $.
I'm sure someone will probably know more details of what I'm talking about.
It and others burned in a fire ~200-2001 or so. USFS wouldn't them rebuild and the holders of his note still wanted $.
I'm sure someone will probably know more details of what I'm talking about.
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Sewellymon
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 8:55 pm
I think that was the San Dimas Canyon fire? Cool, funky community of cabins up there lost to fire. Or 75% of the cabins and now the FS really wants everybody out. Just tried to Google the article but could not find it. Also think the same thing also happened to cabin owners below Crystal Lake (fire, unable o rebuild).Rumpled wrote:A guy I knew had a cabin somewhere in the Angeles - sorry I don't know where.
It and others burned in a fire ~200-2001 or so. USFS wouldn't them rebuild and the holders of his note still wanted $.
I'm sure someone will probably know more details of what I'm talking about.
Sewellymon wrote:best was above orchard camp. very well known. hippies and cholos liked it lots. FS tore it down in '78
one or two cabins was still standing at Kelly's camp in the mid 70's. not sure when they went ....
Thanks a million for these recollections Sewellymon!By any [long] chance, was this the one by Orchard Camp?
That's wild to hear that the cabins at Kelly's were there into the 70's - recognize any of these
Gotta dig into the boxes, got some cool cabin material around the Mt. Lowe area...
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Richard N.
- Posts: 91
- Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 9:47 pm
There was one cabin still in the upper reaches of Eaton Canyon when I last visited it in 93'. There was one next to it and the story goes a bear got inside and tore it apart. So bad that the bear actually demolished.
Its nice to hear stories like that.
Whether or not the fire got into this particular location is hard to say. Its almost down to Idlehour in a side canyon.
Granted, most of the secluded canyons locally have been wiped out.
Bear Canyon is gone and so will the pools once the rains come. The Arroyo got the brunt of the fire right from the beginning. The Grand Canyon & Millard will never be the same in our life time. Upper Pacoima & Chimney Canyons also to a very hard hit. I heard Lightning Point with its 100 year old Ponderosa's is all gone now. That's really sad. I was just camping there a couple of months ago and commented to our group what a loss it would be if a fire rolled though there. Oh to speak to soon. Lightning Point is about 1/4 mile from where the fire fighters were killed when their truck went off the road.
As far as the exact location of the lone cabin, sorry. You'll have to seek it out on your own. I once mentioned on one of these pages its location and name. Once is enough. Some places don't need more visitors. This is one of those places.
Its nice to hear stories like that.
Whether or not the fire got into this particular location is hard to say. Its almost down to Idlehour in a side canyon.
Granted, most of the secluded canyons locally have been wiped out.
Bear Canyon is gone and so will the pools once the rains come. The Arroyo got the brunt of the fire right from the beginning. The Grand Canyon & Millard will never be the same in our life time. Upper Pacoima & Chimney Canyons also to a very hard hit. I heard Lightning Point with its 100 year old Ponderosa's is all gone now. That's really sad. I was just camping there a couple of months ago and commented to our group what a loss it would be if a fire rolled though there. Oh to speak to soon. Lightning Point is about 1/4 mile from where the fire fighters were killed when their truck went off the road.
As far as the exact location of the lone cabin, sorry. You'll have to seek it out on your own. I once mentioned on one of these pages its location and name. Once is enough. Some places don't need more visitors. This is one of those places.
There goes what was left of the trail down Pacoima canyon. It's been neglected/abandoned for years. This is probably it's death knell. That was a nice little trail.Richard N. wrote:Upper Pacoima & Chimney Canyons also to a very hard hit.
Dang. Those were stately trees. Sometimes big pines like those will bounce back. Let's hope so.Richard N. wrote:I heard Lightning Point with its 100 year old Ponderosa's is all gone now.
Probably the one just east of the ridge the Heaton Flats Trail takes to get to Iron Mtn. The Baldora, Eagle, Gold Dollar (I think), and Widco mines are all there.TacoDelRio wrote:Which COldwater Canyon?Zé wrote:guess I gotta go back soon to Coldwater Canyon before any potential Santa Ana wind fires get there...
