The Great California gold rush was roaring on the Klamath, Salmon and Trinity Rivers by the 1850s. Miners were crowding into the drainages and canyons, highly excited in the search for the precious metal. Supplies to sustain life in the mining settlements were brought in solely by packers and their mule trains over long and hazardous trails carved from the wilderness.

The Humboldt Bay region became well-known as a supply center for the packers. Hundreds of loaded pack-mules arrived from and departed for the interior mines weekly — they left from places such as Humboldt City, Trinidad Bay, Union and Rohnerville.

This is a story of a mule-skinner of that period and of the packing venture to the Humboldt Bay area 123 years ago.

In early February 1856, we find George Bramlett in Weaverville, the owner of 30 head of fine pack animals, and several expert packers in his hire. The weather was beautiful — warm, clear, sunny skies — a touch of spring was about. Experienced mountaineers like Bramlett pondered if this might be the anticipated February “weather break.” ‘This stretch of good weather in the Pacific Northwest can last up to three weeks, then suddenly return to the normal weather pattern. If this was the winter “weather break,” Bramlett was contemplating on making a dash to the coast with his pack-train.

Mules laden with choice food items would bring premium prices from the miners, especially in the winter months when packing came to a virtual standstill. Bramlett decided that butter, eggs, buckwheat flour — all needs high in demand at mining camps — would make up his cargo on the return trip to the Trinity River.

Waiting several more days, with good weather still persisting, Bramlett decided the time was right. Rounding up his men, saddling the horses and outfitting the mules, a gamble was in the making. A race with the weather; if successful, handsome rewards were anticipated.

Bramlett wondered if the Eel River-Weaverville Trail would be open. Were the high passes plugged with deep snow? Were the rivers and creeks swollen, making fording dangerous? What were the chances of being ambushed by hostile Indians?

If trail conditions became severe, Bramlett reasoned, he could always turn back — nothing ventured, nothing gained. Two days later, Bramlett’s outfit plodded into Hyampom Valley via North Fork, Cox Bar, Corrall Bottom and Eltaponi Creek. In Hyampom, he was elated to hear that the high pass over the South Fork Range was open. Travelers reported deep snow, melting somewhat under sunny weather. Late the next day the snow pass over Blake Mountain in the South Fork Range was conquered. Traveling had been difficult for the mules in the deep snow.

Night fell and camp was made on Pilot Creek at a site now called Beckers Cabin on the western slope of the massive mountain. Deep snow was now behind them, however, other worries overtook them. Discussion in camp that night centered on the crossing Mad River into hostile Indian country in the vicinity of Showers Pass and the headwaters of Yager Creek down to the confluence of the Van Duzen River near Hydesville. Noon, the next day, Mad River was forded without incident, no Indians were seen, and everything was going better than anticipated. Two days later, Bramlett arrived on Main Street in Rohnerville in good shape. Towns folks could hardly believe a large packtrain had arrived from Weaverville over the Eel River-Weaverville Trail in February.

Bramlett didn’t waste time — he stated what he came for and said he was is a hurry. Merchants and ranchers from Rohnerville, Slide, McDiarmind Prairie and surrounding settlements furnished him with enough butter and eggs to load half the mules. Bramlett sent the train to Cooper’s Mill on Yager Creek to load with flour.

In the meantime, Bramlett was seeking extra help to get the goods across the mountains to Trinity. A half-dozen Wiyot Indians were hired and several days later, at early dawn, the packtrain pulled out of Cooper’s Mill, fully loaded. The trail took them up Yager Creek to the trail junction at Blanton Prairie — here, the trail crossed easterly to the headwaters of Little Yager Creek to a point near Yager Junction. From here the trail proceeded down into the Mad River Crossing. Bramlett and his men had been here seven days before.

One of the Wiyot Indians who was cook for the packtrain was riding bell mare well in advance of the rest. He swam his mare across the Mad River and on gaining the opposite shore he came on a band of Whilkuts. The Wiyot became so frightened that he hurried his mount back into the turbulent waters, returning to the west shore. When the packers arrived on the scene all they could see was a fleeing band of Indians, trailing smoke from their fire, which they carried away with them. From this point on, nothing Bramlett could say or do would persuade the coast Indians to stay with the pack-train and make their way toward Holm Ridge and South Fork Mountain, which was ahead of them. They firmly believed the region beyond was abundantly inhabited by fierce Whilkut bands, for centuries feared by the Wiyot people.

Undaunted by the desertion, Bramlett and the remaining packers got the train safely across river. For the first time he began to worry. Shorthanded with manpower, he became uneasy about the weather. Looking skyward, mares trails (clouds) were appearing on the horizon to the south. A gentle, cold southerly wind was at the nape of his neck. Bramlett knew a storm was approaching, perhaps a day or two distant, but there was enough time to clear the high pass ahead and make it to the Trinity. Darkness overtook the party when it had almost reached the top at the steep 6,000 foot level. They reached the snow-line some distance back, which had made the going rough.

It was decided to rest the mules, camp for the night and break through the belly-deep snow in the morning. The animals were unloaded and a snug camp made. Around midnight Bramlett and his men were wakened by a heavy snowfall. They were dazed and speechless, and could not comprehend how a storm had moved in so quickly and quietly upon them. By daybreak a foot of snow had fallen, in addition to that already on the ground.

Several hours were spent trying to conquer the last one-half mile to reach the summit in a blinding blizzard. Now it was realized the effort was hopeless. The mules were exhausted; they gave up and stood motionless with their flanks pointed to the storm. A decision was made — the loads quickly unpacked and stashed in the timber by the trail. The butter and eggs were buried in the cold snow to prevent spoilage. The precious flour was covered with canvas to keep it dry. When the storm ceased, they would return, repack the mules and finish the journey to Hyampom and the Trinity. The mules were then turned around and headed downhill. To lose elevation fast was of utmost importance, or they would all freeze. Reaching Mad River, it was found the storm had turned it into a raging torrent and crossing to Rohnerville was not possible. A succession of heavy storms hit the area and they became prisoners, trapped between the Mad River and South Fork Mountain. Their food was soon exhausted and they had nothing to eat except what they could hunt and kill. Several attempts were made to reach the food in the cache on the mountain, but these efforts failed.

Bramlett and his men endured their misery, and 22 days later the storm abated and the water level dropped enough to allow the train to make a safe crossing of Mad River.

Early in March, the packtrain struggled back into Cooper’s Mill empty of cargo. The men were weary and the animals gaunt — all was lost — many dollars were spent in buying goods never to be recovered. A month later, Bramlett’s train left lUnionnion by way of the Humboldt Trail for the Trinity River. The train was loaded with provisions for the miners. Bramlett was anxious to get back to home base; his friends would be glad to see him, and there was a lot to talk about.

The story cannot end here for one segment of the historic Eel River-Weaverville Trail still exists. A long section of the trail Is located on the Mad River District of the Six Rivers National Forest and is still maintained by the U.S. Forest Service from the top of South Fork Mountain near Blake Mountain to Pilot Creek at Beckers Cabin, then westerly up Pilot Ridge to Mud Springs. This section of the Eel River-Weaverville Trail over the years has been renamed and is now referred to as the “County Line Trail.” The trail traverses the dividing boundaries of Humboldt and Trinity counties.

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The story above is excerpted from the November-December 1979 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.