Ridgewood Summit is a low mountain pass in Mendocino County, California , traversed by U.S. Route 101 at an altitude of 1,956 feet (596 m). It crosses the Mendocino Range , connecting Ukiah and the watershed of the Russian River , on the south of the pass, to Willits and the watershed of the Eel River on the north. It is the highest pass on U.S. Route 101 in California . Greenough Ridge and Irene Peak rise to the west of the pass. The spur of the Mendocino Range to the east of the pass is called the Laughlin Range.
6-657: Ridgewood Ranch , the last resting place of racehorse Seabiscuit , lies immediately to the south of the pass, in the Walker Valley. A large rock near the pass is called Black Bart Rock. However, although Black Bart twice robbed stagecoaches on the road from Willits to Ukiah, in October 1878 and again in June 1882, he did so from a smaller rock near Forsythe Creek, to the south of the pass on its descent to Ukiah, rather than on
12-436: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This California road–related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Ridgewood Ranch 39°19′10.00″N 123°18′30.00″W / 39.3194444°N 123.3083333°W / 39.3194444; -123.3083333 Ridgewood Ranch is a large ranch situated 7 miles (11 km) south of Willits, California , in rural Mendocino County . It
18-455: Is probably best known for being the final resting place of the racehorse Seabiscuit . Situated in a low mountain valley below Ridgewood Summit , the 5,000 acres (20 km ) that would become Ridgewood Ranch were originally inhabited by the indigenous Pomo peoples. The property was purchased by automobile magnate Charles S. Howard in 1919, and he quickly transformed it into a fully working ranch and thoroughbred facility, complete with
24-483: The Howards' large Craftsman style home, and horse stud barn. In May 1926, Charles's son Frank was killed in a vehicle accident on the ranch. That tragedy led the Howards to fund the construction of Frank R. Howard Memorial Hospital , opened in 1928 in nearby Willits. At the end of Seabiscuit's successful racing career in 1940, he was put out to stud and live his retirement at the ranch, finally being laid to rest on
30-424: The pass itself. The rock he used has since been blasted away. Another bandit, John Schneider, held up another stagecoach in the pass in 1896; it was called "robber's pass" as a consequence of these frequent robberies. 39°20′27″N 123°19′00″W / 39.3407°N 123.3167°W / 39.3407; -123.3167 ( Ridgewood Summit ) This Mendocino County, California –related article
36-566: The property in 1947. Today the property is owned by the Golden Rule Church Association, which has taken steps to preserve its historic and environmental value. The Howard family's house still stands, together with Seabiscuit's stud barn and the remains of an old Pomo village. The ranch is also home to nearly 20 acres (81,000 m ) of first and second growth redwood , large fir forests and oak woodlands. It contains some rare vernal pools and provides habitat to
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