1955 Map of Mt. Stakes

About this map

The San Antonio Valley serves as the primary corridor for movement and settlement through this portion of the Diablo Range in the mid-1950s. San Antonio Road winds through the valley floor, connecting the few scattered landmarks of this isolated region. Evidence of early rural infrastructure appears in the form of the Harney School (Aban'd) and a small Cem near the valley's northern end. The terrain is defined by dramatic peaks such as Mt Stakes and Black Mtn, with a network of watercourses including Orestimba Creek and Coyote Creek carving deep drainages. Cultural sites like Shanti Ashrama and remote settlements like Grizzly Flats highlight the specialized uses of this landscape, while routes like the China Grade Road and Skunk Hollow Trail provide access to the high ridges and steep canyons that characterize the boundary between Santa Clara and Stanislaus counties.