2020 - Trip Report - Finding Charles Vincent's Cabin

Finding Charles Vincent’s Cabin

December 2020

by Stephen Mersmen

I did some exploring in the San Gabriels last month. The weather was absolutely perfect. No wind and an out of the ordinary warm week.

We headed up Highway 2 to Vincent’s Gap. You need an Adventure Pass to park in the parking lot. We parked, and instead of the usual hike to the Big Horn Mine, we decided to look for Vincent’s cabin. We tried one other time on our way down to Cabin Flats but missed it somehow.

I didn’t realize how close it is from the parking area. It’s a very easy hike. Round trip it’s only a mile and a half. There is a great story on Charles Vincent Daugherty on Wrightwood’s website at wrightwoodcalif.com.

On the way back home we stopped and explored the limestone quarry that you can see from the high desert. It’s the big white scar on the side of the mountain when you’re heading u Highway 2 on the right side, just off desert frontage road. I don’t know much about the mine, all I know is a friend of mine’s father used to haul the limestone from the quarry down to Colton in end dumps around the 1960s. You need four wheel drive to get to the mine. The road is pretty washed out from being abandoned the last 50 or so years. 

Then just a day later the weather changed completely! And here comes the snow. I’ve shoveled the driveway off three times this year already!

Sure makes the desert beautiful though! ~ Stephen