Holy Jim Canyon 1

Posted on June 1, 2003 in Biomes Fact-Dropping Hikes and Trails Photos The Orange

Holy Jim was anything but devout. His reputation among the god-shrugging-off people of Trabuco Canyon was that of a apostate screaming the names of unmentionable body parts and the things they did at every setback.

Turn of the century Government inspectors — who could not bring themselves to put “Cussin’ Jim” on the map — though, elsewhere in California they had a “Nigger Hill” and a “Squaw Tit Mountain” — rechristened him “Holy Jim”. The emerald canyon with the topaz waters in today’s galleries are the site of this man’s life, where he kept bees and bellowed at a grizzly bear who came for the divine honey flowing from captive combs.

Click on the image to see the gallery. For information on hiking Holy Jim canyon click here. Holy Jim Canyon will be the site of this month’s South Orange Writer’s Walk.