The Lodge at Echo Summit, Lincoln Highway, Part 6

The early autoist would have finally reached Johnsons Pass after climbing up the steep Meyer’s Grade from the Tahoe Valley floor. These old autos would need supplies like water and oil once they reached the summit, as they were constantly leaking or burning up fluids. Fortunately, entrepreneur TC Wholbrick had built an early service station and food stop that he called a “Canteen.” We have talked about TC and his Canteens here. While there had been a small forest service cabin, TC added to it, creating the building we see in the above photo.

Inside of the Echo Summit Lodge and Canteen.

Above is a rare photograph of the inside of the Echo Summit Canteen. Everything seen in the photo was handmade by TC. Some of the furniture is inside the present Alpine Club Lodge, which occupies the site today.

The view from the Echo Summit Canteen, looking east.

While enjoying a break from the road, you could head to the deck in the back and check out the magnificent view, as seen above.

Once your supplies were purchased, you started back down the west slope of the Sierra Nevada. If you were a transcontinental autoist, having left New York weeks ago, this was your final mountain challenge on your way to San Francisco. The sign pictured below was just 100 yards beyond the Canteen, a popular spot to photograph your passengers and auto.

Summit of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Johnson’s Pass, Echo Summit, El Dorado County.

In the photo below, we look back at the lodge as we head down the west slope of our journey on the Lincoln Highway. You can see a Lincoln Highway sign in the tree on the right.

Looking east at the Echo Summit Lodge and Canteen.

Below is the official Lincoln Highway map showing the location and features. To see the entire interactive map, go here.

Map showing locations. Click the map for a larger view.

Meyers Grade to Johnson's Pass, Lincoln Highway in El Dorado County, Part 4

We have been discussing the route of the original 1913 Lincoln Highway through El Dorado County, and with our last post, we started the climb from the Lake Tahoe Valley floor up Meyers Grade towards Johnson’s Pass. The photo above shows an automobile making the climb from where I believe the present Highway 50 passes. There are only a few flat spots along the grade, and one such spot is where Meyer’s Grade Road passes over the present-day freeway. In the map below, we show where this photo, #1, was taken. When the present freeway was built, some of the original section of the last climb up to the pass was destroyed. We believe the car is where the present-day freeway passes.

Click map for larger view!

This section from Highway 50 up to the pass was considered the last major obstacle on the way to the promised land of California. This is likely the steepest ascent yet, and you can still drive this section! Imagine trying to pull with oxen a wagon full of your goods up and over this section. Early automobiles would often break down, trying to navigate this last section and call for help from the Celio Ranch, in Meyer’s. In the photo below, we see the 1919 Army Convoy members being assisted by a caterpillar tractor.

1919 Army Convoy on Meyers Grade getting an assist from a Caterpillar tractor.

The photo below is a TC Wohlbrück photo showing his car in about the same spot as the photo above with the Army Truck. At this point we are almost at the summit, maybe less than a quarter of a mile away. Imagine driving this dirt road after rain!

A Theodore Wohlbrück photo from a few later than the Army Convoy photo at the same hairpin turn.

Once you reached the top of the pass after 1922, you would be greeted by a Canteen Service Station run by Theodore Wohlbrück. There you could pick up supplies, get water for the radiator, and have a bite to eat while enjoying the spectacular view. In our next El Dorado County Lincoln HIghway post, we will look at that Canteen service station and the summit pass.

The view looking east towards Lake Tahoe from Johnson’s Pass.