Forgotten Anniversaries

[Sean]

I mean the BS is especially strong with this...but the group descends.

My BS detector is at a very low level. Initially Mueller and the others may have put on a strong face, understating the challenges and saying it was an enjoyable adventure. But in reality they struggled and came near freezing to death. In Mueller's reported account he admits a couple times that they were "fortunate." Yes, they were very fortunate to reach Mr. Colby that second day. But I suspect also that they had a map and knew Colby was nearby. Perhaps this knowledge, and the lack of provisions, prompted them to beat feet down the canyon, out of the wind and toward hope. I'm sure they also needed water and so remained in the creek as long as possible.

They lite a fire(why?). They ate 1/3 the food....hmm.

I don't follow your skepticism. Why do most people make a fire and eat food when they are trying to survive? I do find it curious that they only had one match, but that's explained in Brouwer's article. Matches weren't allowed near the hydrogen-filled balloon. The threat of exploding was also why they didn't land at Camp Sierra, where Mueller saw campfires burning.

Finally they get the the end...having gone 1/2 a mile in 2 days.

More like 24 hours. They landed in the afternoon/evening of the first day and reached Colby in the afternoon/evening of the second day.

Also, if they landed in the flat area near the top of Grotto Creek, it would have been approximately a 2.5 or 3-mile trek down canyon then around and up to Colby Ranch. If they landed on the shoulder of Strawberry, it would have been a little longer--and probably much tougher. So my guess is they landed somewhere around 5200' right next to Grotto Creek. According to the topo, there is a relatively flat section of ridgeline there, maybe 400 feet long and 475 feet at its widest.

Considering the extreme XC travel, low provisions, poor gear, and group pace, I'm not surprised it took them 24 hours to find Colby.

30 or 50ft "fall". Wasnt it more 190ft..who came up with 30?

Perhaps it was a tiered waterfall, and they could only see the top tier. Or maybe they couldn't see the entire drop but knew it was too much to downclimb.

[Sean]

On the evening of March 25, 1913, the original Mt. Wilson Hotel burned to the ground due to a stove fire.

Image courtesy of the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science Collection at the Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Fortunately no one was killed, and the hotel was quickly rebuilt. The large blaze could be seen from down in the city.

(Los Angeles Herald, March 26, 1913)

[JeffH]

Then, at 2 PM on March 23, 1909, something amazing happened. The lost ones staggered into Switzer's Camp, having self-extracted themselves from an emergency landing on the north side of Strawberry Peak. ....

Whew!! I'm glad everyone made it out OK!
Thanks for a good story.

[Sean]

Let's not forget that time in 1923 when Boy Scout Executive Harold Benner led twenty-six boys on a four-day trek to Mt. Gleason. One hundred years ago today, these scouts started from Big Tujunga, camping at Iron Mountain, Mt. Gleason and Trail Canyon. It was dubbed a "pioneer" hike, testing each boy's outdoor fitness on a long journey. I'll have more small stories of the early Boy Scouts, as many of their adventures were recorded in local papers.

(Eagle Rock Sentinel, April 5, 1923)

[Sean]

In the early hours of April 3, 1911, Charles Beck was rescued from the head of the West Fork San Gabriel River. After an afternoon hike to Mt. Lowe, he had separated from his daughter and followed the wrong trail in the wrong direction. Thinking he was heading back to Alpine Tavern, he was actually traveling east to the San Gabriel River, presumably via the old Cliff Trail that crossed Eaton's headwall and through Eaton Saddle. Found by searchers at 2 AM, Beck could no longer walk and had to be carried out.

(Los Angeles Herald, April 4, 1911)

[HikeUp]

He had to get across the south face of San Gabriel didn't he? When was Mueller Tunnel built?

https://www.robertstrongwoodward.com/Sc ... rails.html

I've always understood there was a trail carved into the cliff face that is the south wall of the tunnel. Is it still visible?

[Sean]

He had to get across the south face of San Gabriel didn't he?

Yes, or go over San Gabriel and down the ridge route. But from the article it sounds like he went across the south face. I'm not sure when the Cliff Trail was built, but I think it was already in existence by this time.

When was Mueller Tunnel built?

1942

I've always understood there was a trail carved into the cliff face that is the south wall of the tunnel. Is it still visible?

Some of it, along the exterior of the tunnel. The rest was wiped out when the road was built.

[Sean]

https://www.robertstrongwoodward.com/Sc ... rails.html

I don't think historical aerial imagery supports the theory that the Mueller Tunnel existed before 1942. I might create a different thread to address it thoroughly. But you could check the evidence by downloading the 1938 and 1952 aerials from UCSB.

[HikeUp]

https://www.robertstrongwoodward.com/Sc ... rails.html

I don't think historical aerial imagery supports the theory that the Mueller Tunnel existed before 1942. I might create a different thread to address it thoroughly. But you could check the evidence by downloading the 1938 and 1952 aerials from UCSB.

Yeah, I just gave that link a cursory look and didn't get into why he thought the tunnel may have predated '42. One of these days perhaps.

[walker]

I'm not sure when the Cliff Trail was built, but I think it was already in existence by this time.

Great thread! So much to learn through these accounts. Not sure if anyone has a copy of Robinson handy to fact check this, but I believe the Cliff Trail was worked on by John T. Opid between 1917-1921 as a way to complete his "new trail" and shorten the route between Opid's Camp and Alpine Tavern. Previous to the "new trail," his trip went from Alpine Tavern around Mt. Lowe and over "San Gabriel Pass," which was the saddle between Mt. Disappointment and San Gabriel Peak, then down to Red Box and down the West Fork to Opid's so the "new trail" directly from Opid's to Eaton Saddle and across the Cliff Trail made a lot of sense. I believe some of the first forest service funded trails built during that time were commonly referred to as "government trail" on some of the old maps and literature. The Mt. Lowe "trail trips" brochures refer to the route over San Gabriel to Red Box as "government trail" as well.

So I'm guessing that Mr. Beck might have made his way up and over the pass and then gotten lost in the terrain that has some severe drops into the west fork off the shoulders of San Gabriel. Seems like he would have been really turned around in the storm to keep going all the way up like that so maybe there was another way across Eaton Canyon.

Regarding the Cliff Trail, the Opid's Camp scrapbooks have pictures of blasting on the cliff from 1921, but not 100% sure if that was widening a pre-existing route or carving out a new one. Here's a shot of the Cliff Trail around that time, traces of this can be seen to the left of the tunnel today:

Here are some images from the Opid's scrapbook showing blasting work on the cliff trail:

[Sean]

Not sure if anyone has a copy of Robinson handy to fact check this, but I believe the Cliff Trail was worked on by John T. Opid between 1917-1921 as a way to complete his "new trail" and shorten the route between Opid's Camp and Alpine Tavern.

Thanks for the information and photos from Opid. Robinson states that the Cliff Trail was built in 1919. Also I have a photo from George Bauwens' scrapbook depicting the trail from sometime after 1921, when he began exploring the area, looking for a site to build a cabin.

It seems like a strange thing to do, but perhaps Beck did go over San Gabriel pass in his confusion.

[Sean]

Regarding the Cliff Trail, the Opid's Camp scrapbooks have pictures of blasting on the cliff from 1921, but not 100% sure if that was widening a pre-existing route or carving out a new one.

I found this snippet from the Herald on June 18, 1921.

Sounds like they were carving out a more solid piece for the trail.

[Sean]

Here's another article about the blasting in 1921. It was to straighten out a section of trail. Sounds like the original route had a substantial dip to avoid rock cliffs.

(Los Angeles Herald, March 15, 1921)

[walker]

Thanks, Sean! Nice work on unearthing those articles. I couldn't find anything in the LATimes archive. I did find a few sad, tragic or oddball incidents that pop up in old articles though. Are the rules of this thread to only post something that happened on today's date in the past?

So based on that last article, it seems as if there was some kind of access through upper Eaton towards Mt Wilson before the Cliff Trail was blasted across that face, but I wonder how far down you had to go and where you would come back up since the head of Eaton Canyon is really steep on every side right there. Maybe it just hugged the bottom of the cliff along the talus? Saw mention of the route to Wilson from Lowe being a toll trail (25 cents) in one list.

Got my popcorn ready for the next one.

[Sean]

Are the rules of this thread to only post something that happened on today's date in the past?

Not necessarily, that's just how I'm doing it. Feel free to contribute what you like.

...I wonder how far down you had to go and where you would come back up since the head of Eaton Canyon is really steep on every side right there. Maybe it just hugged the bottom of the cliff along the talus?

Before all the blasting (for the Cliff Trail and later Mueller Tunnel), I believe there was a little more tree cover in the area, and much less scree. I'm guessing that the dip was substantial but at the base of the rock was a more normal slope with soil and plants. Even in the 1938 aerial there are many more trees around than after the tunnel and auto road were built.

[Sean]

If Clarence Martin fells a tree in the forest and it crushes his foot, does he make a sound?

(Los Angeles Herald, April 10, 1909)

[Sean]

On April 18, 1914, one Harvey Light was caught robbing cabins in the Arroyo Seco. He tried to flee up a cliff, but fell instead and broke a leg. Dumbass.

(Los Angeles Herald, April 18, 1914)

[Sean]

Who could forget the day Elmer Ramage went insane?

It was the morning of April 20, 1909. Ramage took a trip on the trolley to Mt. Lowe. At the end of the line, around noon, he entered the tavern, knelt down and started praying. He then explained that he had been put in charge of the Henry Huntington-owned railway and had come to take possession of it. This was news to manager Brown and conductor Hall. They offered to telephone the office and check on matters, but after some pacing back and forth, Ramage attacked Hall and started choking the conductor. It took twelve men to restrain Ramage and tie him up with ropes. He was later straightjacketed and taken to a hospital in Los Angeles.

(Los Angeles Herald, April 21, 1909)

[Sean]

On April 29, 1908, the first Mt. Wilson trail race took place. Back then the runners started from the foot of the trail, climbed to the summit, took a thirty-minute break, and then descended. The event was managed by Charlie Fox, and the award was the Fox Medal, also called the Police Gazette Medal.

Some participants had trained for months, and anticipation was high to see who would be victorious.

(Los Angeles Herald, April 29, 1908)

At go time it was very cold in the canyon. Also the trail had problems. One of the favorites, Paul Reinwald, abandoned the race when rocks tore up his shoes and feet. Ultimately an Irish-American from San Francisco, Joseph King, claimed first prize. He ran up and down Mt. Wilson in only two hours, eleven minutes and thirty-five seconds.

(Los Angeles Herald, April 30, 1908)

[Sean]

Here's one for Mother's Day! Yesterday, May 10th, was the anniversary of Russell Hubbard's rescue from Eaton Canyon. In 1931 he and his mother hiked two miles down from Alpine Tavern. Suddenly the wind blew off her hat. Russell, being a good son, jumped to retrieve the item. While doing so he managed to fall and break his leg. Mother bolted up the trail for help. It took five men to carry poor Russell to safety at the tavern. That'll teach him to help his mother.

(Illustrated Daily News, May 11, 1931)

[Sean]

Good news! On this day, May 12 in 1902, the lost Louis Letter was found alive. He had departed Martin's Camp on May 8, a Thursday, to go fishing. His trouble was not discovered until the next day, when he did not return to Pasadena. A search party failed to find him on Saturday. Then Guy Bisbee, a guide, tracked Letter to San Olene Canyon. A foreign half-wit, Letter had been hiding from Bisbee, worried that Bisbee was out to get him for stealing food from a cabin. Bisbee finally found Letter on Monday, in the nick of time. Letter was almost exhausted, and he had mangled his feet over five days of wandering and suffering. Rescuers carried him out on a stretcher.

(Los Angeles Herald, May 13, 1902)

(San Diego Union and Daily Bee, May 13, 1902)

[JeffH]

Are there only a few measurements for wit, like the phases of the moon? What if he was actually 54 percent witty, could he have survived? And how did he prepare the rice?

[Sean]

Are there only a few measurements for wit, like the phases of the moon? What if he was actually 54 percent witty, could he have survived? And how did he prepare the rice?

The IQ test wasn't invented until two years later in 1904, so maybe "half-wit" was generally used to describe the mentally challenged. With 54% wit, methinks he'd've caught a fish to eat. He prepared the rice by tossing it in the creek.

[Sean]

Death came for young Dorothy Hayes on May 24, 1925. With family and friends, she hiked Fish Canyon one Sunday morning. She left the trail to peer over a 185-foot cliff. Stanley Morgan then joined her at the edge. Suddenly the cliff gave out. Dorothy started falling. Stanley grabbed her dress. But the dress gave out too.

(Illustrated Daily News, May 25, 1925)

[Sean]

On May 26, 1907, the Mt. Wilson Toll Road racing drama began. After a year of construction, the old burro trail had finally been widened to accommodate the freight truck that would haul parts for the latest and greatest telescope. But before that would happen, a young Edward Loudenclos raced his motorcycle up the fresh road in only forty-nine minutes. This was allegedly the first motorized vehicle ever to reach the summit of Mt. Wilson.

Not just a motorcycle racer, Loudenclos was something of an inventor too. He later received a patent for the motorcycle shock absorber and he also designed and built his own airplane engines.

(Los Angeles Herald, May 27, 1907)

[Sean]

Shortly after the first motorcyclist reached Mt. Wilson, three cars made the trip on May 28, 1907. A Franklin, driven by S.S. Whitman, was the first to reach the summit. It was closely followed by a Cadillac. A third car, possibly a Buick, went up later in the day and set the initial speed record for an automobile. Its occupants were J. Elliott Jennings, Dunstan Collins and John Daggett.

(Los Angeles Herald, May 29, 1907)

Daggett, I believe, worked for the Times, which might have influenced the Herald's lack of details about the record-setting car. Also, the Herald very much favored the Franklin car company. Both Franklin and Cadillac advertised in the Herald, while it does not appear that Buick did. I'm guessing Buick primarily advertised in the Times.

I'm still learning about the nature of these rivalries between car companies and the newspapers. In the early days of the toll road, newspaper men would often accompany the auto racers to write about the story. Of course these were stunts to promote local dealerships, and the papers had to keep their advertisers happy.

Unfortunately the relevant Times' article isn't free, though the preview suggests that the third car was a Buick.

(Los Angeles Times, May 29, 1907)

[dima]

Here's the LA Times article. Much longer, and even has a photo! The first car is a "Franklin"

[Sean]

Thanks, but I can't read it. The resolution is too low.

[Sean]

Today, May 29th, marks the 90th anniversary of a terrible auto accident on the road between Red Box and Mt. Wilson. In 1933 a car began to slide off the road. One of the passengers, a pregnant and terrified Mrs. Greenwood, attempted to exit the vehicle, but she was crushed to death when it rolled over the side.

(Eagle Rock Advertiser, June 1, 1933)

I'm pretty sure these are images from the incident, but I downloaded them years ago and can't verify the source now.

[dima]

Thanks, but I can't read it. The resolution is too low.

It's the full-res image. Keep clicking on it until it's big and you're looking Whitman and Hamlin in the eye.