Abandonment of the San Gabriel Mountain frontier

Augie · Post by **Augie** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 6:07 pm

Article on the decline of the great recreational/commercial ventures of the first part of the 20th century in the San Gabriels.

http://www.kcet.org/socal/departures/sa ... ntier.html

Post by **Uncle Rico** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 7:14 pm

Man Augie, your boy's on fire! Keep 'em coming. 8)

BrownMtnBob · Post by **BrownMtnBob** » Thu Feb 20, 2014 10:45 pm

Good stuff. The history of the SGs, from the "golden age" is pretty cool.

Augie · Post by **Augie** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 1:14 pm

Thanks Rico and Bob.

outwhere · Post by **outwhere** » Fri Feb 21, 2014 8:10 pm

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑Man Augie, your boy's on fire! Keep 'em coming. 8)

You feelin' it too Uncle ? 'Feelin' youuuuu!' Daniel Medina.... as the wild and nutty 'Vic the Brick' would say

I've always had a huge soft-spot in my heart for all the camps/cabins/buildings/hotels etc etc that once stood in the San Gabriels so ya got me hooked right away... not ashamed to admit it but if I could turn back the SG mountain hands of time, I'd put the stairs of Rubio Canyon in spring and a ride to the Mt. Lowe Tavern pretty high on the list...

I know plenty of folks would disagree with me but I woulda loved to been able to stay at cabin at Mt. Wilson or at the Mt. Lowe Tavern or take a dip in the pool at Opids after a BBQ chicken lunch, ooops, I meant after a long hike, spilling my cup of coffee on the putting green at Switzer's.....ok, I better stop before I really look like the 'city slicker' that I am

But seriously, another interesting, and thought provoking article, Michael... respect. Even someone that doesn't know anything about the San Gabriel Mountains will get a good insight at just how much 'civilization' took place in such a relatively rugged area... the Mt. Lowe Railway being the ultimate example imo.

Plenty of factors changed commercial ventures in the San Gabriels but this one certainly hits home as to why it's not too 'over-crowded' up there [aside from legal factors]

:

The sheer natural forces of the San Gabriels -- the floods, fires, and incessant of rates of erosion -- that laid waste to these ventures also demonstrated that the mountains could not be readily domesticated. Angelenos realized that the efforts to harness the fantasy of the frontier were Sisyphean in nature. It was no longer a priority to be pursued.

That '38 flood was a real corker!

It certainly changed a lot of things for that moment and probably forever.

Thanks again Daniel for writing about the San Gabriel Mountains. Most people probably only see these mountains, at all, as an obstacle to their straight shot to Vegas........

Hayduke · Post by **Hayduke** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 8:44 am

great article, as always i look forward to the next one

Augie · Post by **Augie** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:00 am

Thanks guys for commenting. I'll pass along to Daniel.

ur2slo · Post by **ur2slo** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 5:14 pm

Fantastic articles. Now I'm gonna get back to reading them all. Keep the history alive. Speaking of which, I been holed up here since December when I kinda stumbled into meeting some great people one day in a blinding storm.

https://www.facebook.com/bigpineskiclub

If I ain't up in da hills, I'll be there for a season or two or three or......8)

RCKSIL · Post by **RCKSIL** » Mon Feb 24, 2014 8:53 pm

Really enjoy information like this. Thanks

Rick