One has to have some idea what one is doing when you come to Spahn's Ranch. The property is owned by a Church and they don't exactly offer tours. There are no NO TRESPASSING signs on the property so I guess you could claim you got lost or something.
When you come to the main location, opposite Rocky Peak, you immediately realize how SMALL the main ranch actually was. There was a lot jammed in to a very small space.
But then you scuttle down the back towards the stream and you start to get your FAMILY on!
May 2011 Tour!
Click twice on a foto and feel like you are there!
6 comments:
Great Stuff- I am anxious to see where this leads- and this is getting me very psyched to get out there and do this myself - next summer!!
I would have thought they would have fenced that area off or something to discourage gawkers like me lol
St. Circumstance, you'll see when you go there, it's a small, roadside plateau on a canyon road in the middle of rocks, boulders and hills...there is something quite familiar about it, at least for me, probably from the old tv westerns my Dad would watch. The bare rockiness of the hills is very distinct. And yet, the freeway and Topanga Canyon and the valley are just around the corner. It's not like the prairie where you can look out and see the horizon...it's congested with rocky peaks and canyons. You could hide in there real easy, or rot...like poor Shorty.
The land that the movie set was on is a flat parcel in a curve in the road...the only flat piece of land there, if you come from the Simi side on Santa Susana Pass Road... you can easily see the Spahn Ranch plateau come into view around the curves as you wind down the canyon. You'll know it instantly. And if you come from the Topanga side, it's just all of a sudden right there. It's very close to Topanga Cyn Blvd. There is also a spot on the Reagan Fwy in front of it where it pops into view...briefly. The fwy is very fast and steep there so if you blink you miss it.
The set buildings had to have been much closer to the road than we imagine because it's a relatively small area. The Spahn Ranch wagon must've been right up against the road. The rocks and hills haven't changed at all, and you can easily visualize where the buildings were situated by the corresponding rocks in the surrounding peaks.
You paint the very good portrait!!
I CANNOT wait!!
I checked it out twice...once in 2007 as a "drive by" and again in 2009 for a more in depth look. When I got out of the car right along the road in the same spot where Col. took the first couple of pictures, a car came across the bridge on the property headed to Santa Susana Pass Road. I actually thought the guy was going to run us off, but instead he stopped, got out of the car, and answered all of our questions as to location, etc. We didn't walk into the back woods...something I'd love to do. Hopefully next summer.
From the road, there just isn't much to the place. I did wander in a few yards to the main ranch set plateau. Found a burnt utility pole...probably from the 1970 fire!
Marliese said.....
"The set buildings had to have been much closer to the road than we imagine because it's a relatively small area. The Spahn Ranch wagon must've been right up against the road."
The buildings were only about 60 feet from the street. They look farther than that in images taken of the place when the buildings were there.
The church doesn't own the area where the buildings were. They don't own any part of the land we have an intrest in. They will tell you they do if you ask though. It is state property and is a park. You are free to walk any where around there without being hassled The land on the other side of the creek is private. That guy will give you hell if you trespass.
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