Skedaddle Mountain is known to many people for different attributes. Rockhounds enjoy exploring it, just as much as a chukar hunter. Whatever the case may be, many are not aware how it got its name.

Skedaddle was a Civil War term used primarily by Southerners meaning “to flee”. The mountains were named by the Kidder & Ives state line boundary survey crew in 1863. Their formal report stated: “The line crosses Honey Lake Valley east of the lake, about eight miles and thirty-eight chains west of High Rock Spring, from thence over a barren volcanic country to Rush Creek, crossing said creek one quarter of a mile east of Rush Creek Station. Between High Rock Spring and Rush Creek, a small valley, hitherto undiscovered, and named by us Skedaddle Valley, from the following circumstance, viz: On first discovering it we found a number of Pi Utes, of the Smoke Creek Band, who seized their weapons and rushed to the rocks, apparently to give us a warm reception. We immediately signaled them, held a parley, and induced some four of them to visit our camp. I then thought it best, in company with one man, to visit the Indian encampment, leaving orders to retain the Indians in our camp until my return. Soon after arriving at one of their bough houses, where we found several more Indians, we were recalled by one of our men, who stated that those retained in camp had escaped, not heeding the weapons which were aimed at them, but not fired. I then deemed it best to move camp that night, which was done, arriving at Mud Springs [Bull Flat] about twelve o’clock. Luckily, the line had been run the soldiers who went there to hunt the Indians, that there must have been at least fifty camped at that point, and they must have departed almost simultaneously with ourselves. I have consequently named the place Skedaddle Valley, thinking, however, that the victory was on our side, as we captured one gun from the enemy.”

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When the Bremner sawmill and dam was constructed on the Susan River, a short distance above today’s well known Hobo Camp, not much thought then was given how it would affect the river’s fishery.  It took a little while before the local anglers noticed the trout population below the dam was greatly diminished.

On June 15, 1892, Bud Heap and Ben Hunsinger went on a fishing expedition, traveling by wagon going up the grade west of Susanville for several miles. The ambitious men, then hiked down from the canyon rim and found the fishing par excellent, returning with some twenty pounds of trout. It was from that episode, that had been an ongoing discussion, for the need of a fish ladder at Bremner Dam, gained traction. In the fall of 1892, a fish ladder was installed.

An interesting footnote about that fish ladder. The Bremner mill was destroyed by fire in 1894, along with a major portion of the dam. The fish ladder remained intact until it was damaged  by spring floodwaters in 1915.

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It was in mid-August 1926 when a fire on the Plumas National Forest broke out. High winds sent embers and a spot fire erupted in the Last Chance area. As the winds fanned the flames, the fire came over the crest of the Diamond Mountain Range between Milford and Doyle. The fire rapidly spread past Bird Flat (Herlong Junction) on its way to Doyle. After burning through four ranches, it appeared that fire threatened Doyle. Then a strange thing happened. The wind abruptly changed direction blowing the flames back to the area it burnt and it slowly extinguished itself. Bert Downing lost a barn with 150 tons of hay and several other buildings, but his house was saved. However, H.W. Sutton, John Wagner and Paul Zurfluh were not as fortunate and lost there homes. Another causality was the Lucerne Schoolhouse, but it had closed the year before due to a lack of students.

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