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17. GUAPIABIT

This Summit Valley Indian village site was visited by, and documented
in the diary of Jose Zavidea in 1806. Here he baptized three men and
three women. Lt. Gabriel Moraga and his diarist Fr. Juaquin Nuez stopped
here in 1819. Further baptismal activity was recorded for 1821 when 19
men, 16 women and 11 children received the sacrament.

Jedediah Smith recorded passing this village in 1826. In 1866 desert
Indians killed three cowboys at Guapiabit . Archaeological fieldwork was
begun here in 1939, disclosing what seemed to be circular house pits and
providing many artifacts for study.

18. HERCULES' FINGER

Hercules' Finger is a 60-foot tall, finger-like granite monolith in
the Cinnamon Roll Buttes area. It has very steep, smooth sides that make
it difficult to climb.

A small battle was fought near Hercules' Finger in 1840. Horse thieves
from southern Utah, led by Chief Walkara of the Ute Indians, and accompanied
by mountain men Peg-Leg Smith, Jim Beckwourth , and Old Bill Williams, raided
southern California ranchos , stole between 3,000 and 5,000 horses, and pro-
ceeded to drive them through the desert. Several posses of California
vaqueros were in pursuit. One posse, 2 3 men under the leadership of Ygnacio
Palomares, found the horse thieves, but unfortunately rode into an ambush.
Only eight returned.

19. UPPER NARROWS

In 1849 Hunt ordered his wagon train to dismantle here so that the
pack animals could carry all goods piecemeal from this point up the
mountain and down into the San Bernardino Valley.

20. WEST CAJON

Called El Cajon de los Negros , this rugged wagon route was developed
by William T. Sanford, Phineas Banning' s brother-in-law, in 1850. It
served immigrants going to Los Angeles but would not do for transport of
mining machinery needed for the gold mines north of Baker. Sanford ac-
cordingly cut a new road leading from Oro Grande to Cajon. West Cajon
was used by the first large Mormon train in 1851. Marker here should in-
clude this data.

21. SAWPIT CANYON ROUTE

The Old Mojave Indian Trail followed the Mojave River into the San
Bernardino Mountains at Sawpit Canyon and thence to the summit. The Ute
Chief Walkara reportedly used the canyon route in his forays across the
mountains and into the San Bernardino Valley.

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