The Abandoned California Mountain Resort
Nature quietly claimed back what once was California’s mountain getaway.
High above Altadena, California, sits a haunting reminder of what happens when ambition meets nature’s power. Echo Mountain was once a bustling resort that drew thousands of visitors eager to escape the summer heat and enjoy mountain air.
Today, crumbling foundations and rusted machinery are all that remain of this grand experiment in mountain tourism.
The story of how this resort rose and fell is a fascinating chapter in Southern California’s history.
Getting to Echo Mountain
Getting to Echo Mountain wasn’t exactly a casual stroll in the park. Visitors rode the Mount Lowe Railway, which included the Great Incline funicular that climbed an absolutely crazy steep grade.
- The Great Incline funicular climbed 3,000 feet in just under an hour.
- The incline was so steep that it felt like riding a roller coaster straight up into the clouds.
The incline was so steep that it felt like riding a roller coaster straight up into the clouds.
Author’s summary: California’s abandoned mountain resort reclaimed by nature.