Old-timers still remember Elmer “Slim” Von Schaible. Because once you met Elmer, you could hardly forget him! For one thing, Elmer stood an astonishing six-foot-seven-inches tall. For another, he eked out a primitive existence in the Eastern Sierra hills for more than 20 years. His camp site shifted with the seasons and his whims, rotating […]
The Story of the Ridge Route (Part 1)
The Story of the Ridge Route (Part 1): How did the Ridge Route get started? First, of course, came early game trails and Indian footpaths. When the Spaniards arrived, their carreta roads made use of those same rough tracks. They’d follow the route of today’s Temple Street north through what we now call Hollywood to […]
Discover the Odd Fellows Rocks
Ever visited the Odd Fellows Rocks? Most folks don’t even know they’re here. But they’re a fascinating and easily-accessible site along the old Emigrant Trail, near the top of Carson Pass! Several jubilant emigrants paused here between August 25 and 27, 1849, after successfully ascending the infamous “Devil’s Ladder” — one of the most difficult stretches that […]
Peters Station on Old Kingsbury Grade
Halfway up Kingsbury Grade once stood an early hotel known as Peters Station. If you were a teamster, this was the place to stop! Situated on a flat spot at a big bend in the trail, Peters Station was a welcome oasis where men and animals alike could eat, drink, and rest from their labors […]
Summit Lake Mysteries (in Alpine County, CA) . . .
Photographer John Calvin Scripture captured this haunting image of a mysterious lake about 1874. The hand-lettered caption calls it “Summit Lake,” and confirms the location as Alpine County, California. So where was this 140+ year-old picture taken? There is, of course, a “Summit Lake” in Alpine County not far from today’s tiny airport, and another (on some maps, at least) […]
The Adventuresome Samuel Chapin
The sign on the tall, blue house in Virginia City caught our eye as we whizzed past one recent afternoon: “The Chapin House.” It’s an unusual last name — and one we recognized from old letters in Alpine County. So, just who was Samuel A. Chapin? We tracked down a few pieces of his life story puzzle — and […]
Hidden Treasure Near Double Springs? (Part 3)
It was 1863 when a lone highwayman stepped out to stop the stage near Double Springs, Nevada. Whether it was sheer luck or courtesy of an inside scoop, the robber hit payday: the heavily-laden coach was carrying some $17,000 in gold coin on its route between Aurora and Carson. Naturally, the robber couldn’t get too far hauling all that […]
More Traces of the Emigrant Trail:
Iron Mountain Road Today’s Iron Mountain Road was the route the Mormons took as they headed east over the mountains in 1848. And it soon was followed by the great westward migration — becoming an important leg of the early Emigrant Trail as wagons rushed for Gold Country. You may remember our earlier newsletter taking you as […]
Ham’s and Cook’s Stations on the Amador-Nevada Wagon Road
Have you ever driven past Cook’s and Ham’s Stations on Highway 88, and wanted to know their stories? Yup, these were original old “stations” along the early Amador and Nevada Wagon Road in the 1860s! Here’s the scoop: The “Volcano Cut-Off” had ferried travelers from the Old Emigrant Road in this direction since 1852. Then […]
Ancient Survivor
We were driving home through the mountains recently when Rick suddenly swung the car around. “Look at that!!” he exclaimed, pointing. “That” turned out to be the largest sugar pine either of us had ever seen, towering 150 to 200 feet in the air. What a survivor! Rick estimates this ancient tree at over 300 years […]
Tragedy Spring
One of our recent rambles was a visit to the historic site of Tragedy Spring. We began by heading west on Highway 88 heading west, then took the right-hand turnoff toward Tragedy Springs. (To follow the directions that follow, stop here and set your odometer.) Continue a bit farther along the Tragedy Spring loop road and […]
Key in the Tree
You gotta love it when you stumble across a mystery. Especially two mysteries in one day. On a recent drive up Highway 4 we found an old key, firmly embedded in the trunk of a tree. Just a guess, but it’s probably been there at least 50 years — long enough for the tree to almost […]