Friday, August 12, 2011

The Gun Smugglers Rock (The Alabama Hills Series)

Here is one that is in Lone Ranger Canyon on the way to Gene Autry Rock, but is very easy to miss. If you are where the Lone Ranger Ambush scene was then you just go a little further east on the road and just off trail to your left.

There is a rock that is cutout rather nicely. Actually, there is another rock like this one too nearby, so it is nice to have a picture from the movie to tell which one is which. When I originally looked for this one years back, I did not have any pictures with me. I knew the approximate site due to knowing how Lone Ranger Canyon is used in Tim Holt's Gun Smugglers. I ended up taking pictures and old camcorder footage of both spots. I then had to verify it at home.

In this scene the army is ambushed in Lone Ranger Canyon. Martha Hyer pulls the Sergeant into the cutout rock.Here is that rock. Notice the little hole in the rock?
Martha Hyer then defends herself behind the rock. Tim Holt and Chito eventually show up to help out.Here is a different look from some years back. The clouds were covering the mountains that day making it overcast.The L.P. Film Festival has a sign out for this one in October. It is one you could easily walk past, but during that weekend you can't miss it if you look for the signs. Edit note: I am told this has changed in the past few years. Since I have not been to one of the recent festivals I do not know how they do this now, but from the recent comment I received they do not have the signs out at the sites anymore. :(