It closed as a resort, but McMillan rented out the cabins to long-term tenants. I could read these stories for hours! the whole area was heaven on earth to me. I’m not 100% positive, but I believe that some of Soper’s place wound up turning into the Ojala Resort. Drew we love your rambling on and on. Your email address will not be published. After he retired, he decided to live in Matilija Canyon. I always wanted to go out in a boat onto the lake…never did though. The incident was reported at 2:28 a.m. Friday at the dam located near Matilija Hot Springs Road and outside Ojai. The project will address safety concerns of the local government that the deteriorating … I know my older brother Drew use to live at Ojala. Had a huge posse, everyone got wasted and died. from 1959 until the first big flood. In the 70’s and 80’s we often started or ended many a backpacking adventure near Matilija Lake at the trailhead parking lot. I still smile every time I drive past that old swinging bridge on my way to the backcountry! I can barely remember the launch ramp and boat docks which were located at the mouth of Rattlesnake Canyon. For the project, the county bought the land that held the hot springs. For those of you who like Google Maps, here are driving directions. Boating, swimming, angling, off-road vehicles, ski resorts, golf courses and other activities or land uses can negatively impact salmonid populations and their habitats. Matilija Hotsprings (officially to be known as Ecotopia Matilija Hot Springs Sanctuary) is a natural sacred healing sanctuary located in the mountains of Southern California. We used to have a trailer at the Ojala Resort in the 70’s.. (Never knew it was “resort”) some of the best memories of my childhood are from there…i learned to swim in that pool in fact…and can remember catching lizards and frogs every weekend, always bringing them home home to our house in oxnard, our yard sounded like Matilija Creek for years from all the frogs! Anyway we were out with our dog and he jumped in the water which was not okay with the ranger up there so he told my father to get than darn dog out of the water. He also told me of time when I was a baby and a group of bikers showed up and were being loud and obnoxious.  =  Johnny and I did a lot of trout fishing and laughing. I worked one summer at Steckel Park in Santa Paula. Destruction of the 200-foot dam has … Doesn’t surprise me that you and your brother (Mitch) jumped off Matilija Lake Dam. I remember many fine outings to the lake with my parents for fishing and camping trips. Over the years I have mentioned this to others who did not remember any such place. This story will show you a photo with ” Soper’s Ranch at Ojala”. Thank you. The Matilija pool was actually two pools side by side. You may want to purchase a Los Padres National Forest map. The above is excerpted from Patty Fry’s book The Ojai Valley: An Illustrated History. Finally, there’s the confounded trail! The lake was closed to public use then and has never been reopened. It was a dream come true! The Federal Bureau of Reclamation completed Casitas Dam in 1959. Campground No. It was a dream come true for me. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION, at the Vons the road splits, take the left side for the 33. It was a wonderful way to spend a hot summer day. The impacts are generally minor; however, concentration of multiple activities in one region or time of year may have cumulative impacts. When he found out we were local he just told us we could swim but not to fish so that’s what we did. Gene Marshall – Piedra Blanca Trail, Before & After, July 2020. We used to going camping at Matilija in the 60’s & 70’s when I was small. Posted on July 20, 2020 by Bryan Conant. Tight lines! Wheeler Springs is an unincorporated community in Ventura County, California.It is located 6 miles north of the Ojai Valley, within Los Padres National Forest.It is named for Wheeler Blumberg, who founded the town in 1891, and the many natural hot springs.. Wheeler Springs is most known for its former resort, natural hot springs and for previously being home to the smallest post office in the U.S. Mr. Mashburn: You will find the trail head to several United States Forest Service trails at the end of the road. two I recall when I was a boy, about 9 yrs old- so that would be around 1971- my uncle killing the largest tattlesnake I’ve ever seen. He rented the cabin that hangs over the river and is on stilts. This created problems because this spring was on private property. What finally drove me from the lake were the gusts of wind that seemed to whip down the valleys of the surrounding hills. Clay began oozing from under the dam foundation in Matilija Canyon, and the carpenters walked out. }. He wound up selling it to the Rowes and it became one of their rental boats. This water percolated into the ground and helped replenish the wells below. The resort/swimming pool is downstream from the Matilija Lake dam. He is 6’2″ and with arm holding this monster up it’s head nearly touched the ground. When I returned to the park at daybreak, the house had been undermined. I do remember we were on the other side and there was a man made swimming pond near the restroom facilities (I think). Two more Park Rangers followed him. Matilija Dam, built in 1948 to provide drinking water to the Ojai Valley and reduce flood hazards on the Ventura River, is choked with 6 million cubic yards of sand and dirt and is cracking with age. A little information about Ojala Resort! He found out later that one of the riders and passenger were killed in the canyon when they drove off the road. Required fields are marked *, 2 The 1969 flood did considerable damage to the swimming pool and some of the buildings, but through the efforts of Bill Olivas, the resort was restored to its former glory. You Mashburn boys have always been a little nuts! On Feb. 10, 1978, Matilija Creek was a raging torrent. It is also where … All three places were fun places of my childhood (1950 to 1969) and I have many good memories of the area and the Maricopa Highway. The department sold the piece of property to a private concern. You will most likely go straight on the 150 cuz you are and idiot, don’t do it. A neat piece of history, but I hope that they finally tore down the Matilija Dam . Glad to know I was not imagining this. We met when I worked for Bud Rowe at Casitas Boat Rentals in the late 70’s. .hide-if-no-js { Thanks in advance to anyone with some history on Ojala. Johnny Steen was the last Ranger there in Matilija and he was such a good friend of mine. display: none !important; The latest prank is indicative of that (see scissors photo below). And Johnny Steen was always larger than life. When I was a teenager, several of my buddies and I would ride our small motorcycles to the park for camping trips. He went and found the Ranger and they went and confronted the bikers. deep, cool and utterly refreshing when the temp was hovering around 100. yes, it was illegal. The aging wall of concrete is slated for removal some day, if there’s still money and ever agreement as to how to do it. I remember one time the 4 of us found a wooden raft and we used branches to paddle the thing out on the lake over by the dam. I barely got out with my first wife, two dogs and three cats. BEFORE AND AFTER: Photos taken July 2 and 12 of the drained Matilija reservoir reveal the evolution of the channel cut by flows through sedimentation from the Thomas Fire. Recently the discussion around the dam has ignited a strong call for its destruction. Consultants for the flood control district recommended a 90,000 acre-foot reservoir on Coyote Creek to stop the Matilija overflow, and the project was approved. Often times, I had to open a locked gate, then drive down the single lane, dirt road to the dam. The reservoir behind the dam is now 90 percent full of sediment, so the dam no longer serves its original purpose of water storage for agriculture. The cabin I rented was demolished years ago. Matilija Lake was quite a bit larger then as you can tell by the notching at the dam. Matilija Creek Matilija Dam Cozy Dell Trailhead No rth 0 0.125 0.25 0.5 mi river parkway the ventura 150 101 33 33 UPPER PARKWAY to explore The Ventura River Parkway Trail Guide was prepared by: Friends of the Ventura River www.FriendsofVenturaRiver.org with assistance from The National Park Service Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance Program Funding for this project has been provided by: … What a time it was to be a part of all 3 swimming pools, not to mention the creek. Additionally, The Matilija Dam traps sediment and prevents it from being transported to the Ventura beaches. Great trout fishing there. no, we didn’t care. Our Senior Girl Scout Mariners group, the M.S. The trails are fantastic to hike! Anyway, some good memories of old times are filled up on this page. The Matilija Trail follows the stream bed of Matilija Creek into the wilderness; however, the more remote sections of the trail are unmaintained and have been washed out in places. The Matilija Dam—made famous in 2011 by activists who painted scissors and a dotted line down its face—presents a similar problem. No water is served to customers from this source. There was a small natural water swimming pool, but it was empty. 37+ years later, I’m still with the department, but my title has changed to Park Services Ranger II. The cabin I rented was near the “old swinging” footbridge you mentioned. See related sand movement on Ventura Beaches Earthcache. The Matilija Hot Springs lies directly downstream of Matilija Dam. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. In the late 70’s, I also recall there was a cable trolly car that hing on a csble spanning the small lake below it…I’m not sure, but I seem to recall it was for Ranger use. It was a lovely place to live, but when it rained too hard, the river you needed to cross on one side would become very dangerous, as the suspension bridge was droopy. It was almost gone. … I’m positive that you will find the trails in Matilija Canyon a delight! I have to say after knowing what dams can do to an ecosystem I really wish they’d remove that dam and let the canyon recover. This was the first year that the lake filled to capacity. That same ranger that Mitch Mashburn mentions may have been the one who objected to my small sailboat that I launched several times at Matilija. And sooooo many stories. The dam created a flume that filled Lake Lagunita with drinking water, but the flume and dam have not been operational since the 1930s, according to the university. I worked for four summer seasons for the Parks Department while I was attending high school and college. Bud and his dad started the Boat rental operation at Matilija with a couple of skiffs and a handful of 3hp motors in the back of a pick-um-up truck. Mirrow Pond was good for rafting, catching frogs, and running away from whoever owned the property. Campground No. I don’t think very many people benefited from the lake itself, having been wrought with problems and mostly a mystery to kids my age. Happy Trails! When they do come down all you have to do is swim to the other side … That demand was also evident in Ventura and in 1944, an act of the legislature formed the Ventura County Flood Control District. The impacts are generally minor; however, concentration of multiple activities in one region or time of year may have cumulative impacts. To my knowledge, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is the main law enforcement agency that enforces the closure. “There is a Class A habitat above the dam, and we need to give them that passage,” said Nica Knite, Southern California regional manager for Cal Trout, a California conservation group. Therefore, he’d drop by the park almost daily and we’d chat. Matilija Lake Matilija Lake is a water feature in Ventura County and has an elevation of 1129 feet. I’ve heard that Hanging Rock was demolished in order to construct the dam for Matilija Lake, but others believe it was not demolished and is under Matilija Lake. dam removal projects and support the work of local groups and agencies in removing them. A few friends and I drove an hour north of the San Fernando Valley in California to jump off of this abandoned dam. My experiences were in the early 1960’s. Fond memories of what now seems like an old-fashioned childhood. I did also jump from the Dam into the Water, and it was a long way down! A beautiful hike is from Cherry Creek above, down into the North Fork canyon to cars waiting at the trailhead. In 1965, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Olivas leased the Matilija Hot Springs resort and spa. I believe that John Steen (deceased) was the last Park Ranger to work/reside at the park when Matilija Lake was still open for public use. The 70’s still meant pretty good fishing along the upper North Fork. I believe a lady named Bernie McMillan owned Ojala at the time. The trail heading upstream is clearly define now thanks to BAER work. Dad would get us up early to go catch fish for breakfast. There wasn’t enough rain during that time to make more than a mud hole of the huge reservoir and that is what water customers were getting–mud. I, my brother and my best friend built the fence around her place and installed the drywall in the barn where her elephant stayed. It wS headed towards the swimming hole we were all in and too ornery to alter it’s path. Till spring 2014, peace. He made it out only minutes before it fell into the raging water. Your email address will not be published. I could go on and on, but I’ve rambled too much already. These photos of recent sedimentation in the Ventura River watershed were submitted with comments on a recent draft Matilija Dam Removal Sediment Transport Analyses report that is part of the ongoing Matilija Dam Technical Studies. By March, 1952, 44,960 acre-feet of water had been lost over the Matilija dam spillway to the ocean. The springs needs our help now to preserve & protect everything that is special that visitors & locals have enjoyed for hundreds of years. Middle Matilija is also in need of some love. A downed tree has removed some of the upper portion of the camp and a standing hollow oak is threatening to fall across more of the camp (choose your site wisely). The camp BBQ stands are toppled. Looks like it just went through a wildfire followed by two huge storms - oh wait, it did. Designed for water storage and flood control, it impounds Matilija Creek to create the Matilija Reservoir in the Los Padres National Forest, south of the Matilija Wilderness and north of Ojai. This was the final summer cliff jumping session of 2013. A big part of Brown’s and my jobs was to keep trespassers out of the closed lake area. As children are apt to do, I had an imagined troop of monkies that picked apples at Rancho Arnaz. Unexpected delays, rising costs and heavy criticism plagued the job. We spent the night at a neighbor’s (retired Park Ranger John Steen’s home that was upcanyon). The lake has been closed to the public since about 1965. This August I am visiting Oakview and Ventura (where I grew up) for the first time in about 30 years, and I will plan on driving in to the trailhead and doing some hiking. Enjoyed reading the info-history about Wheeler Hot Springs, Matilija dam, lake and resort and Ojala. I recommend that you first make a stop at the United States Forest Service office on Ojai Avenue in Ojai before hiking the trails. There was some sort of concrete structure that we would climb up and jump from. My father in his lay back way said if you think you can get him out go ahead and try. 2. The dam had it’s cat-walk removed and had been notched at the top to lower it’s holding capacity of water. On August 26th 1974, I began my career as a Park Ranger with the Ventura County Parks Department. Plus, the USFS office sells hiking guide books that contain pertinent information about the trails. Along the Ventura Coastline, beach sand is constantly moving southward. I remember one time my aunt put rocks in the fire pit one time I think to hold the grate and the rocks exploded due to the moisture in them (The great rock exploding trip). I guess I must have been a pretty good worker because, a few years later, the department hired me to run Matilija Lake Park. Designed for water storage and flood control, it impounds Matilija Creek to create the Matilija Reservoir in the Los Padres National Forest, south of the Matilija Wilderness and north of Ojai, California. Yes, Steen was quite a character! 2 was obliterated. In 1947 an increasingly thirsty Ventura County needed more water and plans were made to build a dam across the Ventura River in Matilija Canyon. To my knowledge there aren’t any hot springs in the canyon that are open to public use. After Steen retired, Ed Brown became the next Park Ranger to work/reside at the park. This is a great spot to kick it and swim around in the pools. I recall it as not more than a single lane in and out. It is available in the museum’s store and through Amazon.com. Hello Friends, Amidst all the recent cancellations and tribulations, we wanted to share a story of success and accomplishment. The outdoor swimming pools still exist, however, cracks prevent filling. A possible fault caused the project to be canceled, but after further investigation, this decision was reversed. This is so cool reading what everyone has written about the area. In the mid 60’s, my friends and I would ride our bikes up 33 from Ventura, past the dam and lake, and up the road with all the little cabins on it, past the sulpher spring, and go “off road” back in there somewhere. They employed Donald R. Warren as consulting engineer to evaluate the local water situation and he recommended a $3 million bond issue to construct a dam in the Matilija Canyon and another on Coyote Creek. The jump spots are on the side facing the lake, they range from 20 to 50 feet and I have yet to hit bottom. I remember swimming in the pool at Ojala in the mid 60’s. I remember when I was around 5yrs old taking a row boat with my father (H.C. Mashburn) born and raised in Ojai himself. It was a Huck Finn childhood. I also remember the swimming pool at the resort and how nice it was. The jump spots are on the side facing the lake, they range from 20 to 50 feet and I have yet to hit bottom. Until my family “blew up” in mid-50s, the entire Valley was my playground. Fun times though. — Drew Mashburn. Since it’s super hard to get down to the pool cops and rangers rarely visit to bust kids for open containers and HS 11357. Nearby, excavation at the Ojai Rock Quarry clogs the North Fork of Matilija Creek with rocks and soil … I just want to add that Jack Dempsey the boxer trained at the Matilija Hot Springs. It was evident that a larger facility was necessary, especially when considering the long-range water picture. A mile or so, before Matilija Canyon Road on Highway 33, is a road that goes to the resort/swimming pool and the dam. They have been turned into rentals. My father (Harold C. Mashburn) built a small rowboat. But with the dam blocking the fish from swimming upstream from the ocean, only a few dozen now inhabit the Ventura River. The local law showed up and we all walked up to meet him. Bud Rowe and his dad were the original Boat Rentals owners at Matilija Lake (before the concept of Lake Casitas). Ten years ago, when I was still living in Ojai, i visited some friends who lived in the cottages at Jack Dempsey’s old training camp. We swam in the Ventura River, Matilija Creek and creeks & irrigation ponds on what was called Matilija Ranch. Finally, during the winter of 1951, a storm produced enough rain to fill the reservoir to capacity and the first spill occurred the following January [1952]. I used to go fishing and swimming in lake Matilija with my younger brother and my cousins when we were kids.

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