This section of the guide describes the geology of the trail and presents a brief history of its use, from the time of the Maidu Indians up to its present-day use by four-wheelers from around the world. Here are some excerpts from the guide:
Geological Features - The Rubicon Trail takes you through a full range of geological features. The area around Georgetown is made up of very old metamorphosed (changed) sedimentary rock in the form of meta-sandstone, quartzite, slate, limestone and schist. As you move east on Wentworth Springs Road, you cross the Melones Fault Zone. This fault zone is located about 11/2 miles east of Georgetown near Hanson Hollow Road.
Native American Use - The Rubicon Trail has been in existence for thousands of years. Native Americans used it as an east-west trade route from the foothills of Central California to Lake Tahoe, and other points east.
The Gold Rush - In 1848, gold was discovered in Coloma, about 10 miles southwest of Georgetown. This discovery brought thousands ofÊ "outsiders" to the area, forever changing it. The influx of over 100,000 gold prospectors was devastating to the Native Americans. Diseases like tuberculosis, to which the natives had no resistance, took a terrible toll, and the prospectors and settlers sometimes killed and often displaced the Indians from their territory.
Jeepers Jamboree - In 1952, several residents of Georgetown held a meeting to discuss the possibility of an organized jeep tour from Georgetown to Lake Tahoe, via the Rubicon Trail. On August 29, 1953, 55 jeeps with 155 enthusiastic participants left Georgetown on a two day trip that is now known as "Jeepers Jamboree 1." The last weekend of July each year, four-wheelers follow the tradition of these "pioneers."
This section of the guide describes the geology of the trail and presents a brief history of its use, from the time of the Maidu Indians up to its present-day use by four-wheelers from around the world. Here are some excerpts from the guide: 