New Date: Old Ridge Route to Knapp Ranch, Gillette Mine...& More!

--NEW DATE--There is a lot of history on this ride. We'll be riding a segment of the Old Ridge Route to Knapp Ranch and Gillette Mine

🚵Ride will be 25 miles with 3,075 feet total ascent. About 13 miles are on paved or asphalt roads with the rest on dirt road -- no single tracks.

HISTORICAL NOTES

The "Ridge Route" opened in October 1915. It was the first major highway project and first new mountain road project undertaken by the State. Hailed as a marvel of engineering in its time, it would last as the main road from Los Angeles to Bakersfield for 18 years. The roadway exists today in segments and the part that runs from Templin Hwy to Sandberg was granted historic status on the National Register of Historic Places.

There have been two more "Ridge Routes" since the 1915 version. The 1933 3-lane US 99, known as the "Ridge Route Alternate" (converted to 4 lanes during the mid 40s to early 50s), and today's 8 lane I-5 completed in 1970. US-99 was severed by construction of Pyramid Dam.
We'll be riding on a section of the Old Ridge Route to get to Knapp Ranch

Knapp Ranch
In 1911 Frank Knapp Sr and his family from Austria settled in Owensmouth (now Canoga Park). He built his house on Owensmouth and Cohasset. As craftsman, artist and stoneworker Frank played a large role in the early development of the West San Fernando Valley.

The name "Knapp" should be familiar to many here. You may remember the "Owensmouth Castle" at 7511 Owensmouth St. That was Frank's 2nd house (destroyed during Northridge earthquake).

Skipping over to 1962, Frank Jr and brother Alfonso purchased a ranch in Angeles National Forest (our destination), planning to convert it into a hunting lodge. Alfonso died in 1968. Frank Knapp Jr died in 1988. Joe Knapp, Frank's other brother inherited the ranch, and owned it until he died in 1992.

The ranch was then sold by the nephews and nieces to an organization called Friends of the Forest bankrolled by Rosie Greer, who had a ranch over by Lake Hughes, for a price of around $400,000. Rosie Greer then swapped the ranch to the forest service for 200 acres of forest service land that abuts their ranch over in the Lake Hughes / Lake Elizabeth area.

Gillette Mine
Frank Knapp also worked for King Gillette of Gillette razor blade fame. Gillette built an estate with lots of elaborate Knapp stonework in Malibu Canyon. King Gillette became obsessed with finding the Los Padres Gold mine in the late 1920's and early 1930's and Knapp helped Gillette search for the legendary mine. At one point, Gillette hired a seer in 1932 for $100 a day. After 4 days of hiking Bear Canyon, the mystic shuddered in the middle of the creek bed, and shouted "it's here, the gold is right under us 17 feet down!" Gillette ripped a shovel out of Frank's hands and started digging frantically. The mystic then told Gillette, "Stop. It won't do any good. The spirits of four Indians are guarding the treasure, and they'll move it as soon as you get close."

Maybe we will be luckier

👉Other historical sites we will visit include (click/tap on link):

• Sandburg's Summit Hotel
• Tumble Inn

DIRECTIONS

Head for the address given and park on street