Near Pinecrest in Tuolumne County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Following in their Footsteps - East Flange Rock

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 24, 2016

1. Following in their Footsteps - East Flange Rock Marker

Inscription.

Following in their Footsteps - East Flange Rock. . , "The passage of this emigrant train, which forced its way through this almost impassable section of the Sierra Nevadas in 1852, was one of peculiar hardship and suffering - excelled in this respect, perhaps only by the ill-fated one of '46 that starved on the Truckee." Hutchings' California Magazine 1858 , Driving from Highway 395 to Sonora, California might take you four hours. In contrast, in 1852, the first pioneers struggled across this section of the Sierra Nevada for 35 days! , Observe the landscape before you. Imagine you are a member of the Clark-Skidmore Party. Exhausted, starving, running low on provisions, you must raise and lower your wagons by hand around these forboding [sic] peaks. , General Morehead, your guide, promised it would be less than 10 days to reach Sonora and Columbia. But after moving tons of rocks to fill chasms, and draining Fremont Lake to make it passable, General Morehead is still nowhere in sight. He, Nathan Clark, and five others went ahead to get help days ago. Will they return? , Ahead is East Flange Rock. Relief Valley lay beneath. The group makes its way here and waits for rescue. Unlike the 1846 Donner Party, the Clark-Skidmore emigrants' odyssey ended successfully when they were rescued and reached their destinations. , Forging a new route through the wilderness cost dearly, but for some in the Clark-Skidmore Party, the rewards were great. John App married Leanna Donner, survivor of Donner Party, just a few weeks after arriving in Columbia. They settled in Jamestown, opening the very profitable App gold mine. Their home still exists today as a testament to their spirit and endurance. , To continue your travels in the footsteps of pioneers and learn more stories about the California Trail: visit USDA Forest Service ranger stations on Highway 108, the Tuolumne County Museum and Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau in Sonora, California. . This historical marker was erected by Sonora Area Foundation and Davis Family Foundation. It is Near Pinecrest in Tuolumne County California

"The passage of this emigrant train, which forced its way through this almost impassable section of the Sierra Nevadas in 1852, was one of peculiar hardship and suffering - excelled in this respect, perhaps only by the ill-fated one of '46 that starved on the Truckee." Hutchings' California Magazine 1858

Driving from Highway 395 to Sonora, California might take you four hours. In contrast, in 1852, the first pioneers struggled across this section of the Sierra Nevada for 35 days!

Observe the landscape before you. Imagine you are a member of the Clark-Skidmore Party. Exhausted, starving, running low on provisions, you must raise and lower your wagons by hand around these forboding [sic] peaks.

General Morehead, your guide, promised it would be less than 10 days to reach Sonora and Columbia. But after moving tons of rocks to fill chasms, and draining Fremont Lake to make it passable, General Morehead is still nowhere in sight. He, Nathan Clark, and five others went ahead to get help days ago. Will they return?

Ahead is East Flange Rock. Relief Valley lay beneath. The group makes its

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 24, 2016

2. Following in their Footsteps - East Flange Rock Marker

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way here and waits for rescue. Unlike the 1846 Donner Party, the Clark-Skidmore emigrants' odyssey ended successfully when they were rescued and reached their destinations.

Forging a new route through the wilderness cost dearly, but for some in the Clark-Skidmore Party, the rewards were great. John App married Leanna Donner, survivor of Donner Party, just a few weeks after arriving in Columbia. They settled in Jamestown, opening the very profitable App gold mine. Their home still exists today as a testament to their spirit and endurance.

To continue your travels in the footsteps of pioneers and learn more stories about the California Trail: visit USDA Forest Service ranger stations on Highway 108, the Tuolumne County Museum and Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau in Sonora, California.

Erected by Sonora Area Foundation and Davis Family Foundation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1852.

Location. 38° 19.009′ N, 119° 44.012′ W. Marker is near Pinecrest, California, in Tuolumne County. Marker can be reached from Sonora Pass (California Route 108), on the left when traveling west. Marker is about 3.8 miles east of the Kennedy Meadows Resort,. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pinecrest CA 95364, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

California Route 108 (Sonora Pass Highway) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 24, 2016

3. California Route 108 (Sonora Pass Highway)

East Flange Rock can be seen in the distance.

18 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Emigrants of 1852-1853 (approx. ¾ mile away); Jewels of the High Country (approx. 0.8 miles away); Hayes Station (approx. 3.1 miles away); Sonora Pass (approx. 5.3 miles away); Sonora Mono Toll Road (approx. 5.3 miles away); Route of the Bartleson-Bidwell Party - 1841 (approx. 10½ miles away); The Last Battle (approx. 10½ miles away); Golden Gate Mine (approx. 17½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pinecrest.

Also see . . . Emigrant Wilderness: A Profile. USDA entry (Submitted on February 7, 2021, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 24, 2016

4. California Route 108 (Sonora Pass Highway)

View of the Sierra Nevada from the marker.

LLoyd Haigh Tribute image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Alvis Hendley, October 24, 2016

5. LLoyd Haigh Tribute

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2016, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. This page has been viewed 479 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 12, 2016, by Alvis Hendley of San Francisco, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.