any on , ▁( av oid ing ▁the ▁C añ ada ▁de ▁las ▁U vas ) ▁and ▁then ▁desc ended ▁San ▁Em ig d io ▁Creek ▁into ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley . ▁ ▁Old ▁Te jon ▁Pass ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 6 , ▁Father ▁Jose ▁Maria ▁Z al v idea , ▁di ar ist ▁for ▁the ▁expedition ▁of ▁First ▁Lieutenant ▁Francisco ▁Ru iz ▁into ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley , ▁named ▁the ▁can y on , ▁cre ek , ▁and ▁pass ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁discovered ▁in ▁ 1 7 7 6 ▁by ▁the ▁expl orer ▁priest , ▁Father ▁Francisco ▁Gar ces . ▁He ▁recorded ▁the ▁name ▁as ▁" Te jon " ▁( bad ger ) — after ▁a ▁dead ▁bad ger ▁found ▁at ▁the ▁can y on ' s ▁mouth . ▁ ▁This ▁original ▁Te jon ▁Pass ▁( l ater ▁called ▁" Old ▁Te jon ▁Pass "), ▁was ▁situated ▁ 1 5 ▁miles ▁to ▁the ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Te jon ▁Pass . ▁The ▁old ▁pass ▁went ▁through ▁the ▁Te h ach api ▁Mountains , ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁divide ▁between ▁Te jon ▁Creek ▁C any on ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley ▁and ▁Cot ton wood ▁Creek ▁C any on ▁in ▁Ant el ope ▁Valley . ▁ ▁Before ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁the ▁main ▁route ▁of ▁travel ▁into ▁the ▁San ▁Jo aqu in ▁Valley ▁had ▁come ▁directly ▁north ▁from ▁Elizabeth ▁Lake ▁( origin ally ▁Lag una ▁de ▁Ch ico ▁L ope