This is probably old news here, but even if it is I thought someone might like it.
Take a look at what Wentworth looked like in the early days.


History of Wentworth Springs (http://www.gerlecreek.com/history/gerlecreekhistory.htm)

And GerleCreek:

http://www.gerlecreek.com/documents/gerlecreek.htm

cool history, now I have some BS to spew while waiting for the broken rigs to clear the trail :barf:

Sweet Link!

cool history, now I have some BS to spew while waiting for Jeeps to clear the trail :barf:

Lol.

Thanks for the link. There is some cool history around there.

Somebody should build a Model T and run the trail!!

Somebody should build a Model T and run the trail!!

The last one I know of that did it was a Georgetown local in the middle 60's.

Here's an article some of you might find interesting . . .

From the Sacramento Bee
June 3, 1931

SPICKARD FIRST TO SPIDER LAKE, Dealer Pilots Car over Granite Boulders to Reach Fishing Paradise.

Driving through mud holes, around fallen trees and over granite boulders in the sluice box region of the headwaters of the Rubicon River, C. R. Spickard of the local automobile firm of Spickard & Loughland, and Ray Weatherwax, service superintendent for the firm, were the first to reach Spider Lake this season.

They made the trip over the Memorial Day weekend, driving there via Georgetown, Uncle Toms and Wentworth Springs in five hours Friday afternoon and returning in the same time Sunday night. Road Good for a ways. Spickard said the road up the Georgetown Divide was very good to Wentworth Springs, forty-six miles east of Georgetown and 103 miles from Sacramento.

From Wentworth Springs on ten miles to Spider Lake the going was bad and much difficulty was experienced. However, by persistent effort, the two auto men worked their car to within a few yards of the lake and pitched camp. Rewarded By Trout. After they had broken the trail, two or three other cars followed, but stopped further from the lake.

They were rewarded for their effort by fine catches of large trout in Spider and other nearby lakes. There is a road that runs from Spider Lake on through the granite sluice boxes and down to Lake Tahoe at McKinneys, but it is in such poor condition that but a handful of cars have gotten through to the lake by this route in the past several years."

Nice Rockcrusher, any pictures?

cool history, now I have some BS to spew while waiting for the broken rigs to clear the trail :barf:

That comment just might come back to bite you in the butt

I'm willing to take that chance Chopperman, eventually we all break you just have to be prepared for it.

I've helped plenty others on the trail so I'm hoping good karma will prevail.

cool!

Glad to see some of the sticky's gone here but it would be cool to have a "historical pictures" thread sticky.

A travel brochure from the 1920's
http://webpages.charter.net/rockcrusher/192xRubSprBroA.jpg
http://webpages.charter.net/rockcrusher/192xRubSprB.jpg

Loon Lake Dam a year before my first Rubicon trip . . .
http://webpages.charter.net/rockcrusher/1957LoonDam.jpg

A logging train somewhere between Stumpy Meadows and Uncle Tom's in the 1930's . . .
http://webpages.charter.net/rockcrusher/193xLogTrain.jpg

crappy pic but I photocopied it so that's the best I could get, sluice in 68'

http://rcrc4x4.com/gallery/albums/miscrubicon/sluice68_001.sized.jpg

nice historic info and pics, I love it

A logging train somewhere between Stumpy Meadows and Uncle Tom's in the 1930's . . .
http://webpages.charter.net/rockcrusher/193xLogTrain.jpg

That looks like Pino Grande. It is very near Stumpy Meadows. My family used to go exploring out there. It was a big logging town until it burned down. I have pics at home and I'll try to find them.

That looks like Pino Grande. It is very near Stumpy Meadows. My family used to go exploring out there. It was a big logging town until it burned down. I have pics at home and I'll try to find them.

That particular engine was Number 4, a Climax that was built in 1902 for the El Dorado Lumber Company (later the Michigan-California Lumber Company). It's main use was by the track laying gang. The photo was probably taken near Camp 12. It was scrapped in 1942.

Interestingly, The logging trains sometimes carried automobiles from Pino Grande to Camp 12 to save them from the beating they took on the Wentworth Springs Road. From Camp 12 it was only about 15 miles to the old Wentworth Springs ranger station and then a short trip to Spider Lake and a weekend of fishing.

Great info guys, Thank you.
I second the sticky for History and pics.

Lance posted a great BW pic of the box one time but I can't seem to find it. Anyone ?

This one?? Stop by Uncle Tom's sometime and check out the walls. They also have some photo albums with some neat pics from the area around Pino Grande and Mosquito. Showing the cable crossing to Camino for logs.

I would give anything to have my old Rubicon pictures today but, sadly, they went MIA sometime during the course of 5 or 6 international moves.

These 2 aren't mine but they were posted on PBB sometime back. I can't positively date either pic but CA stopped issuing the plate on the dune shooter in '63 or '64 . . .

i cant believe the juniper tree and how it looks the same today. How long do they live like 1 thousand years or somthing

I rember watching the buggies when i was a kid, they would get to something tough and most everyone would get out and the driver would get a run at it. Fun to watch.

i cant believe the juniper tree and how it looks the same today. How long do they live like 1 thousand years or somthing
I believe that Juniper was core dated back in the late 60's by some people from UC Davis . . . IIRC, it was right around a 1,000 years old.

Here's another photo . . .
http://www.rockcrusher4x4.com/images/Rubicon/rubicon_littlesluice.jpg

I believe that Juniper was core dated back in the late 60's by some people from UC Davis . . . IIRC, it was right around a 1,000 years old.

Here's another photo . . .
http://www.rockcrusher4x4.com/images/Rubicon/rubicon_littlesluice.jpg

amazing

Damn, link is dead now

i cant believe the juniper tree and how it looks the same today. How long do they live like 1 thousand years or somthing

There is one off hiway 108 (Eagle Meadows area) that is over 7,000. They found another up there (dead) that dated around 10,000 years.

Very cool history, I like to wheel and look for old towns/camps/and buildings, so that I can metal detect them and take pics....

I know the next time i run the Rubicon i will look at it differently, this has been the best thread i have ever seen on here. Thanks to everyone

When I was a kid (during the 50's) my family used to camp at Wentworth Springs Resort. I even stayed in the old hotel once for three nights. I used to roam the entire 640 acres. On one ocasion I found some carvings in the rocks that I think were made by those who made the old stone block Loon Lake Dam. Does anyone have any info about these?
A quick ps I once rode with Mr Wickander in his Model A to Buck Island to fish and walked back to Wentworth. I had some beautiful fish.

Another link. This one is about Gerle Creek and Airport Flats

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457038

More stuff... a timeline from Sacramento Municipal Utility District Upper American River Project FERC Project No. 2101 relicensing documents: http://hydrorelicensing.smud.org/docs/iip/iip_c.pdf
- 1963 Construction of the Rubicon Dam, Auxiliary Dam, and Reservoir
- 1963 Construction of the Rubicon Rockbound Tunnel
- 1963 Construction of the Buck Island Dam and Auxiliary Dam
- 1963 Construction of the Buck Island-Loon Lake Tunnel
- 1963 Construction of the Loon Lake Dam, Auxiliary Dam, and Dike
- 1966 *Construction of the Loon Lake Picnic Area and Boat Ramp
- 1967 *Construction of the Loon Lake Campground and Day Use Area
- 1967 *Construction of the Desolation Wilderness Trailhead
- 1968 *Construction of the Pleasant Boat-in Campground
- 1971 Construction of the Loon Lake Power Tunnel and Penstock
- 1971 Construction of the Loon Lake Powerhouse (including the Turbine and Generator)
- 1971 Construction of the Loon Lake Switchyard and Transmission Line from Loon Lake to Robbs Peak
- 1971 Construction of the Loon Lake Powerhouse Tailrace Tunnel
- 1987 *Construction of the Loon Lake Equestrian Group Campground
- 1989 Construction of the Loon Lake Chalet
- 1990 Construction of the Northshore Loon Lake RV Campground and Red Fir Group Campground
- 1991 Construction of the Loon Lake Equestrian Campground
- 1991 Enlargement and Reconstruction of the Loon Lake Campground
- 1991 Reconstruction of the Loon Lake Day Use Area into the Group Camps of the Loon Lake Campground
- 1992 *Relocation of the Desolation Wilderness Trailhead
- 1992 Construction of the Loon Lake Sanitation Station
- 2000 Reconstruction of the Loon Lake Boat Ramp
Note: * Constructed by USFS