The Mono Hot Springs Bailey Bridge

[Max Rockatansky]

Photos 1 and 2 in this post are of the current Mono Hot Springs Bridge on Edison Lake Road in Sierra National Forest.  This prefabricated Bailey span was installed at the South Fork San Joaquin River in 1968 and is 123 feet long.  In Photo 1 if you look closely, you can observe the concrete footing for the 1952-era Truss Bridge in the riverbed.

Photo 3 is a photo from the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project archives.  It was taken from the same position as Photo 1 on October 25, 1952, when the northern spur of Kaiser Pass Road (now Edison Lake Road) was being modernized.  Photo 4 is from a 1958-era postcard which is taken roughly from same position as Photo 2.  Photo 4 shows the wooden deck and metal truss of the 1952-era Mono Hot Springs Bridge.

What is now known as Edison Lake Road was constructed circa 1926-1927 by the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project.  The purpose of this northern spur of Kaiser Pass Road initially was to permit access to the site of a division dam at Mono Creek and Bear Creek.  The diversion dam is located approximately six miles north of the Kaiser Pass Road/Florence Lake Road junction.  This roadway corridor was also used to construct the Mono Syphon which can be seen in Photos 1-4. 

The Mono Hot Springs Resort opened on the northern spur of the Kaiser Pass Road in 1935.  What I am unclear on how vehicles in this era were getting across the South Fork San Joaquin River.  Photos 5 and 6 are from a 1942 era postcard.  This postcard depicts a footbridge to Mono Hot Springs being present.  The note written on the back only describes the road to Mono Hot Springs as being "really bad" but lacks detail about the river crossing.

Conjecture has it that vehicles would ford the South Fork San Joaquin River to Mono Hot Springs prior to 1952.  I'm hoping someone reading this post has some clear evidence for a ford being present.

Beginning the early 1950s the Big Creek Hydroelectric Project would begin construction of Vermillion Valley Dam.  This dam led to the rebuilding of the northern Kaiser Pass Road spur and the construction of the truss bridge at Mono Hot Springs in 1952.  Vermillion Valley Dam impounds Lake Thomas A. Edison and modern Edison Lake Road is now a component of Forest Road 05S80.

My second question that I'm hoping someone has an answer for is what happened to the 1952-era Mono Hot Springs Truss Bridge?  I'm guessing that a flood on the South Fork San Joaquin River likely wiped the span out?  A flood would certainly explain why a Bailey span went in as a replacement in 1968. 

IMG_6303 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

IMG_6298 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Mono Hot Springs Bridge 1952 by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Mono Hot Springs Bridge 1958 A by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Mono Hot Springs foot bridge 1942 A by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

Mono Hot Springs Bridge 1958 B by Max Rockatansky, on Flickr

[cahwyguy]

Remind me the next time you're down this way: I think I have a whole book on the Big Creek project.

[Max Rockatansky]

Remind me the next time you're down this way: I think I have a whole book on the Big Creek project.

Someone else mentioned that on Facebook.  I saw a copy up at the cabin I was staying at before the Tollhouse Road presentation.  I flipped through it but I wasn't aware at the time to be looking for a ford at Mono Hot Springs. 

[cahwyguy]

Remind me the next time you're down this way: I think I have a whole book on the Big Creek project.

Someone else mentioned that on Facebook.  I saw a copy up at the cabin I was staying at before the Tollhouse Road presentation.  I flipped through it but I wasn't aware at the time to be looking for a ford at Mono Hot Springs. 

This is the book: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-men-copper-wires-centennial/dp/0870460684/