If you read this Blog frequently I imagine you are somewhat familiar with Disneyland and more than likely presently on parole or residing in a half-way house.---which is perfectly fine, I'm not passing judgment. I would, however, caution you to stay on your best behavior, resist the urge to take the easy way out, and check in with your parole officer frequently. Oh, and keep being a faithful "Jungle is 101" reader while you're at it.
Anyway, we've established you're pretty knowledgeable about Disneyland and a reformed criminal. Again, that's perfectly fine.
Now.
Let's talk about what I will term "stuff off the beaten path."
The "road less traveled" that Robert Frost so eloquently captured in verse.
Things that not everyone notices or picks up on.
You get the picture.
First up, Frontierland, along "Thunder Trail" at the back side of the attraction. Long time Disneylanders know this area used to be part of the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland and the Rainbow Caverns. There are plenty of reminders of this old attraction back here (my thanks to Yesterland for the great compendium on extinct attractions like this one). As you exit Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and look to your left across the path, you'll see a rounded tunnel in the side of a hill, that appears to have been boarded up.
Through this tunnel passed the trains of the old Mine Train attraction, and, on the other side was Cascade Peak, with its enormous waterfall.
The name of the waterfall?
Big Thunder.
Go figure.
Big Thunder the waterfall is gone now, along with Cascade Peak, but the old tunnel remains. And so does this one.
This tunnel once had a large tressel located at the end we see in the photograph. The tressel crossed the water feature in an area of the Mine Train attraction known as Bear Country (maybe you've heard that term somewhere before in Disneyland).
Bottom line: if you look in the water in this area you will see fish jumping. Holdouts from
Bear Country? I can't say that for sure, but they are a nice hidden touch that most folks walk right past without ever noticing.
I know, I know. You old timers say this is old news.
Well...
we are OLD, so sometimes we repeat ourselves. For those of you who never knew: you heard it here at Jungle is "101."
We'll do this again sometime soon. Bye now! Bye now.
By now you should be off my boat.
