Visions of California

Anyone who has spent time hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains has experienced stepping into a world out of time. The rough ridges clothed in chaparral with pines sheltering in the upper canyons invoke a feeling of the distant past. Indeed, these mountains were used by bandits and horse thieves to abscond from the law. This article attempts to tell how the story of outlaws seeking refuge in the mountains led to the first recorded ascent of Santiago Peak (the tallest peak with radio towers at right in the image) in 1853. The complex human story of both Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains that led up to the ascent is a compelling chapter in the great story of the American West. The First Recorded Ascent of "Old Saddleback" Horse Thief Raids on Orange County Ranchos, 1830-1855 “After an infinite amount of scrambling, danger, and hard labor,” wrote Major Horace Bell, “we stood on the very summit of the Temescal mountain, now by some called Santiago mountain.” So begins the sto...

Weir Canyon is visible in the lower-center right, indicated by the line of oaks leading to the right. The highest ridges of the Santa Ana Mountains are visible on the horizon, including Sierra Peak (3,045 ft.) on the ridge to the left. Pleasants Peak (4,007 ft.) is in the shadow of the clouds on the horizon in the center. Old Saddleback (highest point being Santiago Peak, 5,087 ft.) is in the clouds to the right. The whitish cliffs in the lower center-left were a source of material for ceremonial body paints and hair hygiene for a Kizh (Tongva) village that was located in the canyon. Recent research suggests that the village inhabitants entered into the mission system in the years 1808-1812, probably as result of the nearby Yorba and Peralta Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana being established about this time. The Orange County Historical Society held a history hike on April 23, 2022 that visited Weir Canyon. I was fortunate to lead the group on a tour of the canyon's rich history. Below...