Just A Pile Of Rocks Or An Old West Icon

Here's a 2002 newsletter I penned for the now defunct "Chatsworth Equine Cultural Heritage Organization" (Chatsworth ECHO).  The question remains: Are they just a pile of rocks or the hidden gold of Chatsworth?

Over the past 100 years Chatworth, California's rocky hills became an Old West icon that cannot easily be separated from mythical cowboy heroes, names like Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, and, of course, the Lone Ranger.

To learn more search this blog -- keywords: Rock Stars http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/search?q=Rock+Stars  and 100 years of Chatsworth Movies http://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/2012/04/celebrating-100-years-of-chatsworth_30.html

Not much has changed in a dozen years.  In an October 2013, Los Angeles Times news article we learned a Newport Beach developer is reviving a recession stalled housing development, and will soon build 314 houses in Chatsworth's Deerlake Highlands.

Will they be respectful to our history or just bulldoze away?  Will horsemen (and women) be forced out of Chatsworth as they have been in most of the rest of the San Fernando Valley?

Stay tuned...

Yosemite Winter Club History

In 1927, the Ahwahnee Hotel (above) was completed in Yosemite National Park.

Near the hotel California's first ski school opened the following year with Jules Fritsch -- a Swiss ski expert -- as instructor.  In those days Fritsch led six day snow excursions in Yosemite from the Ahwahnee Hotel to Tenaya Lake to support and strengthen the ski school.

Also in 1927, the Curry Company completed a four-track toboggan slide near Camp Curry in Yosemite National Park. 

About the same time Dr. Donald Tresidder, the first president the Yosemite Park & Curry Company, formed the Yosemite Winter Club.  The rare and highly collectible watch fob (above) is part of my collection.

In 1928 the Yosemite Winter Club built small ski hill and ski jump near Tenaya Creek Bridge.

In 1933, a ski lift was built at Badger Pass and the first slalom race in California was held that year.  While in high school about 1958, I learned to ski at Badger Pass.

Today Badger Pass is still a popular ski area for both downhill skiers and nordic skiers.

Reel Cowboys of the Santa Susanas -- Jack Hoxie

Jack Hoxie (1885–1965) was an American rodeo champion and Western motion picture star whose career began in the silent film era and thrived through the 1930s.

Jack Hoxie's limited Santa Susana locations filmography includes:

Outlaw Justice (1932) starring Jack Hoxie, Dorothy Gulliver, Donald Keith (Iverson Ranch) Majestic

Gun Law (1933) starring Jack Hoxie, Betty Boyd, Mary Carr (Iverson Ranch) Majestic