Two Cuddeback groups headed to California at about that time. One headed North and settled in Humboldt Co., the other as you say settled around Tehachapi. I have no information on their journey. They also mined around what is today known as Cuddeback Dry Lake. I'd be most interested in the contents of your "family lore."
Here's the Humboldt Co. group out of Michigan via Ohio and Skaneateles, NY.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op...And here's the Tehachapi grup, father Peter and son Grant Price.
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op...Both are from my database.