Jump to content






Photo
* * * * * 2 votes

Getting To Mormon Island


  • Please log in to reply
47 replies to this topic

#1 Steve Heard

Steve Heard

    Owner

  • Admin
  • 13,752 posts
  • Gender:Male

Posted 21 September 2015 - 11:16 AM

I had a call asking about the best way to get to the ruins or Mormon Island.

 

Last year I went to Brown's Ravine to kayak and saw dozens of people out there looking at ruins. Was that Mornon Island? Is Brown's Ravine the best way to get there?

 

 


Steve Heard

Folsom Real Estate Specialist

EXP Realty

BRE#01368503

Owner - MyFolsom.com

916 718 9577 


#2 aztransplant

aztransplant

    Hall Of Famer

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,114 posts
  • Gender:Female

Posted 21 September 2015 - 11:40 AM

Hi Steve,

Take a look at the last 3 or 4 posts in this thread:

http://www.tomatopag...ic=41886&page=2

Hope that helps; haven't been out there myself.

#3 Robert Gary

Robert Gary

    Superstar

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 981 posts

Posted 22 September 2015 - 10:37 AM

Last year there were tons of people out there. This year it seems like few are there.

#4 caligirlz

caligirlz

    Living Legend

  • Moderator
  • 3,163 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:Folsom

Posted 22 September 2015 - 03:26 PM

I went a few weeks ago, but didn't see much. 



#5 Robert Gary

Robert Gary

    Superstar

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 981 posts

Posted 23 September 2015 - 07:43 AM

It does seem like people may have picked most of the artifacts clean. Its mostly just buildings and some bottles that I suspect actually feel from boats.

 

Personally I think the relics near the old Salmon Falls bridge are more interesting.

 

-Robert



#6 Mark C

Mark C

    Netizen

  • Registered Members
  • Pip
  • 13 posts

Posted 18 October 2015 - 12:55 PM

Hi Steve. I saw your question about Mormon Island, and I do have the answer but it is easier to take people out there and show them, because what is being referred to as Mormon Island in the news media is mostly incorrect. If anyone here would like to take a free tour of what's out there on the dry lakebed, feel free to join my group, Folsom Dry Lake Explorers. It's on meetup.com, and I will keep doing these tours until the lake comes back. There are three different areas so far that we go. By the way, I will show you exactly where the town of Mormon Island really was -still far under water.I hope to see you out there. http://www.meetup.co...Lake-Explorers/

#7 Mark C

Mark C

    Netizen

  • Registered Members
  • Pip
  • 13 posts

Posted 19 October 2015 - 12:41 AM

For those who just want questions answered, Don Chaddock's article in the telegraph in January 2014 answers many FAQ. See attached pdf copy below.
 
Also found this about Henry Mette, who built the group of buildings in Eldorado County commonly referred to by the news media as Mormon Island:
 
http://www.usgennet....ies/hmette.html
 
Mormon Island is in Sacramento County, by the way. According to the topo maps, most of the town would be over 75' under water right now. Just go to Folsom Point day use area to overlook where it is, off the shore of the old cemetery ruins visible from the historical marker there. It's about a mile from red banks. No matter... Get out there and see this stuff quick, before it gets muddy and then flooded again for 25 years. There is plenty to see on the Beals Point side as well, and up the forks too.
 
My apologies regarding the bad links I had here originally. I found them pretty easily so just search "henry mette vineyard Eldorado" and "red bank winery Eldorado" to see the original pages I saw if the link or pdf don't work correctly. Enjoy!
 
Mark C

Edited by Mark C, 26 October 2015 - 04:31 PM.


#8 folsom500

folsom500

    Folsom Gardner

  • Moderator
  • 6,562 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Folsom

Posted 19 October 2015 - 06:38 AM

Mike-- Although I am very familiar with the hikes you (a mention this is Great Information !    Not just on Mormon Island but the other links and links from those links about hiking/ walking venues and groups... 

 

On the actual history, I could not get the first two links in your second post to bring up the right stuff.


Another great  day in the adventure of exploration and sight.

 

 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"
-Margaret Mead-


#9 caligirlz

caligirlz

    Living Legend

  • Moderator
  • 3,163 posts
  • Gender:Female
  • Location:Folsom

Posted 19 October 2015 - 08:54 AM

 

For those who just want questions answered, Don Chaddock's article in the telegraph in January 2014 answers many of them very well. It can be found archived here on about page 23 (look for Jan 23, 2014):

http://www.thedirect...omtelegraph.htm

or reprinted here (easier to get at):

http://www.basslakea..._Telegraph).pdf

 

 

these links do not work for me either



#10 JMB83

JMB83

    Veteran

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 108 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Folsom Lake

Posted 19 October 2015 - 11:38 AM

Rode my bike around the peninsula between the North and South Forks yesterday.  Saw some neat stuff. Practically rode to the dam!

 

12088217_10206849743515016_6659953118701

 

Oops!
12122861_10206849815836824_5820080964910

 

 

One of the larger foundations I've seen around the lake.  Had a smaller one nearby, as well as evidence of a long gone pond with irrigation.
12122735_10206849745475065_1151769059439

 

 

Old bridge on the road that would have crossed the South Fork to get to Mormon Island:
12144788_10206849742955002_4525743617298

 

I'd guess I'm on or approaching Negro Hill:
12088154_10206849744515041_4370889610955

 

Well, well, well...

12096551_10206851953210257_2696775268771
 

Some holes/mines(?) have been covered:
12112153_10206852398061378_2526184657820

 

 

12088399_10206852419141905_6212373324888

 

 

I need a fat bike for more exploration out there!



#11 Mark C

Mark C

    Netizen

  • Registered Members
  • Pip
  • 13 posts

Posted 19 October 2015 - 01:09 PM

Sorry folks. I could not get a direct copy & paste into this thread for some reason so I typed it. See the attached PDF file at the bottom of my earlier post for Don Chaddock's story. The photos don't come through well on it unfortunately. The Telegraph archive is all on one page, so very hard to get you directly to the original story. You may have to type in the search parameters I gave. The Henry Mette link should work better.Nice photos JMB83! That is a haul just getting out to the peninsula. Thanks for posting them. Mark C

#12 ducky

ducky

    untitled

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 9,115 posts
  • Gender:Female

Posted 19 October 2015 - 02:33 PM

JMB83, thanks for sharing the awesome photos for those of us that probably won't make it out there.



#13 folsom500

folsom500

    Folsom Gardner

  • Moderator
  • 6,562 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Folsom

Posted 19 October 2015 - 02:40 PM

JMB83- Great Photos. A couple of questions.

 

You are riding a bike so it takes less time but where did you start and how far do you think it is to the end of the peninsula  walking?     I would sure like to see this stuff personally. 

In fact I want to go there on Thursday with my walking buddy if it is not too far (6-8 miles is OK round trip for the weekday)

 

Also - what are you using to post the pictures here on the forum ?  I keep wanting to post some as I hike the lake and other locations and often come across some good shots....


Another great  day in the adventure of exploration and sight.

 

 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"
-Margaret Mead-


#14 aztransplant

aztransplant

    Hall Of Famer

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,114 posts
  • Gender:Female

Posted 19 October 2015 - 02:52 PM

In fact I want to go there on Thursday with my walking buddy if it is not too far (6-8 miles is OK round trip for the weekday....


Looks like some good info here:

http://insuremekevin...lake-peninsula/

#15 JMB83

JMB83

    Veteran

  • Premium Member
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 108 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Folsom Lake

Posted 19 October 2015 - 06:15 PM

JMB83- Great Photos. A couple of questions.

 

You are riding a bike so it takes less time but where did you start and how far do you think it is to the end of the peninsula  walking?     I would sure like to see this stuff personally. 

In fact I want to go there on Thursday with my walking buddy if it is not too far (6-8 miles is OK round trip for the weekday)

 

Also - what are you using to post the pictures here on the forum ?  I keep wanting to post some as I hike the lake and other locations and often come across some good shots....

I started at Salmon Falls bridge and rode Darrington trail and other stuff to eventually get there.  The most direct route from SF bridge is still 13-ish miles one way.  If you drove to Peninsula CG, the gate is closed so you'd have to park just outside the campground.  From the gate, it would be about 2-3 miles walk or pedal to get to the peninsula area... then you have a good 3-4 miles of peninsula to explore towards the end of it.  You could easily tramp around for miles and miles on the peninsula since it is so wide now.  I'm guessing walking the perimeter would easily be 10 miles.  I don't recommend taking a mt. bike unless you are used to pedaling in and around sand... but you could always pedal as far as you want from the gate and then walk the rest.

The easiest access is probably to paddle a canoe, kayak or paddleboard over from Granite Bay.  Browns Ravine would be a similar paddle, but you can't drive down to the water, so hauling your boat down from the parking lot can be a pain.  It's a pretty short paddle from either launch though.  The more interesting stuff is towards the west anyway (the area that is usually under water).

 

For photos, I just use the URL for each photo that I have in a Facebook album (using the Image tool in this forum). 

Have fun! 






0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users