Snowy Dash Cam Trip Down Mt Lowe RR Alpine Division Historic Right of Way - December 28, 2020 in 4K
Channel: Jeremiah Small
Date: 31/12/2020

In southern  CA, snow is a rare treat. As members of Altadena Mountain Rescue Team, we have to stay abreast of trail and terrain conditions. After snow fell overnight, a couple of us headed out on December 28, 2020 to check snow levels and trail conditions. On the way up the Lowe Road, a fresh steady snow began falling. At the Five Points intersection where the Mt. Lowe Road meets up with Middle Sam Merrill Trail, Idlehour Trail, and Muir Peak Road, we had two hours of daylight left and the snow was showing no sign of stopping. The decision was made to turn back.

Five Points is just above the historic terminus of the Mt Lowe Alpine Division, so I rigged up my iPhone like a dash cam, and the result is this 20 minute nostalgic trip through falling snow from Alpine Tavern to Cape of Good Hope, very much as passengers on the Mt. Lowe Alpine Division might have experienced it over 100 years ago. The dash cam footage is interspersed with some historic maps, photos, and music for context.

The mood music mostly evokes what I imagine could have been heard as a visitor to Alpine Tavern. The only exception is the final jazz number which plays as we're emerging from the snow. The vintage spell is broken at Cape of Good Hope where the road diverges and tour ends with a final nostalgic look at a couple of photographs showing the route the Alpine Division would have taken down the last leg to Echo Mountain terminus.

Landmarks:

* Alpine Tavern 1:45
* Granite Gate 9:52
* Circular Bridge 15:05 (Sadly, due to operator error, footage of making the turn is missing.)
* Horseshoe Curve 17:22
* Dawn Station 19:30
* Cape of Good Hope 21:17

The music is all under the YouTube Audio Library License.

The photos and maps are from the following sources:

* https://www.lamag.com/citythinkblog/citydig-get-a-birds-eye-view-of-mount-lowes-enchanting-defunct-railroad/
* http://mountlowe.altadenahistoricalsociety.org/the-alpine-division/
* https://waterandpower.org/museum/Mt_Lowe_Railway.html
* https://www.mountlowe.org/mlpsi-collection/photography/rounding-the-cape-of-good-hope/