Bluff Lake Reserve: A Road Less Taken
Bear Valley & Redlands Toll Road, Big Bear Lake, Bluff Lake, Bluff Lake Stage Stop, Brian Keith, Burro Trains, Camp Gilboa, Castle Rock, Champion Lodgepole Pine, Clampers, Claremont, Dr. Doolittle 2, Eddie Murphy, Edwards Cabin, Hayley Mills, James S. Edwards, John H. Fritz Fisher, John Healy Williams, Kirk Phillips, Maureen O'Hara, Mountain Auto Line, Pomona College, Shay Brothers, Sylvanus Thurmon, The Parent Trap, The Wildland Conservancy, White Stages
Hans Landel
The lake and the camp (now Gilboa) used to be a YMCA camp. We went to “Family Camp” a few times in the 1960s. I have lots of fond memories catching garter snakes and frogs, canoeing and fishing on the lake, swimming in the lake and the pool, riding in a half-track army vehicle to go to the dump to see bears, watching movies and having hot cocoa in the mess hall (with bats flying around inside), responding to the ringing of the big mess hall triangle for each meal, hiking to the champion lodgepole pine tree, horseback riding, shooting BB guns and .22 rifles (once I got old enough) at the shooting range, shooting arrows at the archery range, making lanyards and insect cages… so much! Campfire was always fun, and each family was supposed to put on a skit sometime during the week. Those were glorious days with my parents and brothers and sister!!
I credit my career in natural resource management and conservation, and my interest in nature, In large part, to our experiences at Bluff Lake Camp.
Jaylyn
Thanks Hans so much for sharing your amazing memories for all to enjoy! On behalf of Bluff Lake, we thank you for your service.