Orchard Camp 6/12

JakubRZ · Post by **JakubRZ** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 12:44 pm

Newb here. Been following this group for a while. Love the content and the dedication here.

I went up to Orchard Camp this Sunday. So quiet and peaceful up there on a hot June day. Spent some time bushwhacking across the stream from the rest area and found some remnants of what must have been an impressive site a long time ago. You can still tell where some areas had been flattened out and trees cut down. I found at least 3 concrete pads for what may have been canvas tents and adjacent stone structures, which look like old fire pits? Otherwise I found rusted cans, old buckets, corrugated metal...wish I had taken more photos to share.

I always wonder if anyone has a map of what the camp looked like in it's glory days? That would be super cool to see. Cheers!

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 1:05 pm

Cool place. Lots of history (that I don't know about

, but would love to know more of). I peeked into that rabbit hole though and saw some vintage pictures of the site...

https://www.google.com/search?q=orchard ... 1Br8ltQa8M

Didn't go any further than that though.

Welcome.

Post by **HikeUp** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 1:10 pm

Okay, I went in a short way...

https://homesteadmuseum.blog/2021/06/23 ... june-1922/

$25 bucks!!! Holy crap. I'm mean, shit, that's a fucking lot of money.

JakubRZ · Post by **JakubRZ** » Tue Jun 14, 2022 1:16 pm

Thanks, there is some good Orchard Camp history and photos on-line. Sounds like Mr. Thoman had one too many?

Post by **Sean** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 3:19 pm

Thanks for posting and welcome! I used to hike to Orchard a lot several years ago. I even did the Mt. Wilson trail race which goes to Orchard. It's a great place to have lunch and hang out. I've heard they had an actual orchard up there but I don't know what they grew.

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu Jun 16, 2022 5:47 pm

Sean wrote: I don't know what they grew.

Apples. I remember reading that somewhere while googling it a couple of days ago.

maxmapper · Post by **maxmapper** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 9:28 am

There is a good history of Orchard camp/Half-way house in this issue of Trails Magazine https://trails.lacounty.gov/Files/Docum ... er1937.pdf

Post by **Sean** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 9:53 am

maxmapper wrote: There is a good history of Orchard camp/Half-way house in this issue of Trails Magazine https://trails.lacounty.gov/Files/Docum ... er1937.pdf

Cool picture of the cabin.

Screenshot_2022-06-17-09-50-01~2.png

JakubRZ · Post by **JakubRZ** » Fri Jun 17, 2022 11:04 am

maxmapper wrote: There is a good history of Orchard camp/Half-way house in this issue of Trails Magazine https://trails.lacounty.gov/Files/Docum ... er1937.pdf

Oh those are some cool publications and so well preserved. I am sure somewhere in the public record domain there is a map showing the full extent of Orchard Camp including the actual orchard. I mean the place was open to the public as a resort for decades...