ORCHARD CAMP DAY HIKE
MOUNT WILSON TRAIL, SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS
January 15, 2000
This is a hike with roots deep in the history of the San Gabriel Mountains, even though the signs of its famous past have all but disappeared. Beginning in the foothills above Sierra Madre, this trail climbs to Orchard Camp and beyond, all the way to the peak of Mt. Wilson itself.
The route that we follow today was traveled by the Gabriel no tribe long before the modern-day trail was constructed by Benjamin Wilson in 1864. Wilson, a rancher with holdings in what is today San Marino, was the grandfather of General George Patton.
Wilson built his trail to exploit the timber resources atop the peak that eventually would bear his name. As construction of the trail progressed, Wilson built what was called the Halfway House at the midpoint between Sierra Madre and Wilson's Peak, to serve as a camp for the laborers who worked on the trail. However, discovering that the lumber was substandard for use on his ranch, Wilson allowed the trail to fall into disuse.
Five years after construction of the trail, a new town was established in the San Gabriel Valley. From its humble beginnings, the City of Pasadena would grow rapidly, and it was not long before adventure-seeking residents and tourists alike began to avail themselves of the recreational opportunities offered by the San Gabriels. Within a decade after John Muir climbed near the summit of Mt. Wilson in 1877, hardy travelers once again followed Wilson's trail, and the Halfway House provided overnight lodging on the two-day horseback trip to Wilson's Peak.
Mt. Wilson also drew the attention of men with more serious intentions. At the urging of the president of the University of Southern California, and with financial backing by a former mayor of Los Angeles, the director of the Harvard College Observatory selected Mt. Wilson to be the site of the world's largest telescope. By the spring of 1889, a 13-inch refracting telescope had been brought up the trail and installed on Mt. Wilson, presaging the installation of a 40-foot reflecting telescope once the observatory was established.
It was to be an inauspicious beginning. The winter of 1889-1890 would bring the worst storms that had been experienced on Mt. Wilson in recorded history. When construction of the 40-foot reflector was completed, it was installed not at Mt. Wilson, but in Wisconsin.
The great astronomer and astrophysicist George Hale, however, was not a man to be deterred. Discovering Mt. Wilson for himself in 1903, he decided that it was the ideal place for his newest telescope, a 60-inch reflector, which was brought up the trail and finally assembled by 1908. In the years that followed, the pack mules and burros would make 60 trips to the peak, hauling up the materials for yet another telescope. Completed in 1917, the 100-inch reflecting Hooker Telescope was to be the largest in the world, a distinction that would not be eclipsed for another 30 years.
Our hike today, however, would not take us all the way to the Mount Wilson Observatory. Instead, we would follow the trail to the site of Wilson's Halfway House, which we now know as Orchard Camp.
Beginning at Mt. Wilson Trail Drive in Sierra Madre, we assembled for the hike at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. There was a good turnout, with 18 hikers in attendance, including both veteran and first-time hikers. We were favored with unseasonably warm weather, and much of the cold-weather gear was left in the car. Exceptional air quality gave virtually unlimited visibility, and Saddleback Peak and Mt. San Jacinto loomed impressively on the horizon as we began our hike into the hills above Sierra Madre.
The trail begins with a steady climb up the western slope of Santa Anita Canyon. The lack of rainfall was evident as we hiked through the dry chaparral. Whatever the first mile of the trail may have lacked in scenic beauty was more than compensated by the extraordinary views of the San Gabriel Valley and beyond.
After about one and one-half miles on the trail, we dropped down into Santa Anita Canyon. Here, by the site of the old Quarter Way House, we paused for our first break, relaxing along the heavily wooded stream and enjoying an energizing snack.
We resumed our hike, climbing gently toward Orchard Camp. As we walked amid a forest of live oak and California laurel, the fragrance of bay leaves accompanied us for much of the next two miles.
Before reaching our destination, we would drop down to the stream once again, where we were able to pause and enjoy this peaceful riparian setting.
Following the trail across the stream, we climbed a somewhat steeper section of trail until we arrived at Orchard Camp.
Orchard Camp at one time was both an orchard and a camp. Today, there is little more than the ruins of concrete footings to remind us that this is the site of Wilson's Halfway House and the hotel that succeeded it.
After Wilson abandoned the Halfway House, George Islip and George Aiken would establish a homestead here, and it was they who planted the plum, apple, cherry and chestnut trees from which this place derives its name. Taking advantage of Southern California's real estate and tourism boom of the 1880s, James McNally established a resort at Orchard Camp in 1890. So popular was this destination that it would attract visitors for 50 years before it was closed permanently in 1940. More than 40,000 visitors stopped here in 1911 alone.
Today, Orchard Camp is a pleasantly wooded location in a setting of live oak, canyon oak and spruce. It proved to be a splendid place to stop for lunch. There was ample time to savor our trail food, whether it be a canned snack or a gourmet repast. It was possible to go exploring for historical remnants along the stream or just to relax and share good conversation under the forest canopy.
After lunch, we all circled together as trip leader Rob Talbert gave the second installment of his wilderness preparedness talks. Today's topic was outdoor clothing, and Rob ably explained the importance of choosing the right materials for wilderness travel and being properly prepared for inclement weather.
Before leaving Orchard Camp, we could not help but admire the majestic canyon oak that is found here. This tree is among the largest and oldest in all the San Gabriels, having first set down roots around 500 A.D.
The return trip took us back along the same trail as we retraced our steps toward Sierra Madre. The trail was surprisingly verdant, given the low precipitation this season.
Eventually, we rejoined the main trail, descending the western slope of Santa Anita Canyon. Passing once more through the chaparral and the occasional patch of withered prickly pear cactus, we returned to our cars at the trailhead.
Afterward, we drove down Baldwin Avenue to the heart of old Sierra Madre, a town that still retains its quaint charm. Here we stopped at a coffee house, where we relaxed and shared conversation over our favorite beverages. It was a great way to cap off the day
Our trip today was of only moderate difficulty. One of the outstanding features of Great Outdoors is that it encourages first-time and less experienced hikers to join in the wilderness experience. The first outing in winter is an easy hike that can be negotiated without difficulty even by those without prior hiking experience. Each succeeding trip generally is somewhat more challenging than the last. By the time that summer arrives, most hikers will be sufficiently conditioned to enjoy the backpacking trips that are popular year after year.
As this was our second trip of the season, we chose a trip that was reasonable, both in distance and in elevation gain. There was a gain of approximately 2,000 feet, and the round-trip distance was about nine miles. Hikers of varying ability and experience were able to handle this hike with ease.
