01
Aug
08

Pine View Lodge History

By Larry Steimle 34 Comments Categories: Photos and Pine View Lodge 1942 to 1974

In January 1942 my parents, Leonard “Skipper” and Margery Steimle purchased from Pacific Electric Company the PE employee vacation camp near Blue Jay, California.  It consisted basically of 40 cabins, a lodge, swimming pool and several out buildings located on a beautifully wooded 20 acres between Blue Jay and Agua Fria on highway 89.  The slogan was: Families with Children Preferred

The first name chosen for the camp was Beverly Pines.  Skipper had taught several years at Beverly Hills High School.  Around 1944 the name was changed to Pine View Lodge, by which it was known until our father died in 1974.  It never operated again.

Everything is gone now (2008).  All that remains is the lodge’s fireplace and chimney, remnants of the fire ring, and acres of magnificent trees.  Pine View was an unusual resort…made so by two special energetic and talented people who encouraged their four children to get involved.  If you were one of the many who remember the Steimles and Pine View Lodge, we would love to hear from you.

Larry Steimle  lawrencesteimle@gmail.com

 

 

 

Winter of 1948

Winter of 1948

Cabins 15 & 16

Cabins 15 & 16

 

pvl-old-pool

New Pool

  • dholmes

    Thank you so much for the history. I often wondered what might have happened to the resort. Skipper was a very special man and Pine View Lodge provides me with some of my fondest memories of childhood. Some of the best experiences I had with my family were there.

  • seesjackson

    I was 7 years old when my family came to visit Pine View Lodge! My math says it was around the summer of 1973. My dad passed away in 2004, and my mom died just 9 months ago. As I’ve spent the past few months going through their things, I came across a letter written by your father, “Skipper” as I remembered him, thanking us, “The Beecroft Family”, for visiting Pine View Lodge. It was like a whirlwind of memories flooded back, when I came across this letter from Skipper. Very good memories!

    My memories of Pine View Lodge are vague, but at the same time, very vivid. We stayed in these small cabins, and there were Blue Jay birds everywhere! I remember being given the opportunity to help run the store. I guess we could sign up to help, perhaps? I just remember feeling so grown up and responsible at 7 years of age. I remember also making a leather key chain of some sort…and working with leather in general. I’m guessing these were craft classes, I don’t remember. I also was given an award for being the fastest 7 year old in a swim meet, and I still have that in my box of treasures from when I was a child.

    These are all just “snapshots” of memories…but my fondest memory, is gathering in the large lodge at night, a huge circle of all of us guests, with Skipper leading us…and we would sing. I remember learning the song “Side by Side” on this vacation…was it at Pine View Lodge, maybe? I think we had a talent show one night, and my family sang this. There were my parents, and my 5 siblings and I. My oldest sister Debi at the time was 17, then my sister Julie was about 12, then my sister Pam was about 10, then I was 7, then my sister Jackie was 5, and my youngest brother was only 2 or 3. I also remember singing “Tell Me Why” in the large circle. It became one of our family favorites…and just before my dad’s death, we all gathered around in a circle around my dad’s bed, and our family sang this song.

    I remember Skipper so well. He was just sooooo genuine, so fun. He made each one of us feel so welcomed, and I think as a 7 year old, I felt that he was an old family friend. I had no idea that my family had just met him that year on that vacation. I remember learning of his death the year later, and I cried and cried. My heart was broken that Skipper had died. I asked one of my sisters this past summer, after finding this letter from him, if she remembered Skipper from the Pine View Lodge. Her eyes lit up, and she said “Yes, I do!! Wow! That was such a long time ago!” We enjoyed sharing memories of that summer. Anyhow…I happened to google “Pine View Lodge” today, just out of curiosity I guess. I was hoping to see that it was still up and running, in hopes that I could bring my own family there to visit. I’m sad that it isn’t. It was a very happy time for our family, that summer!

    I hope that you will hear from many guests as time passes.

    Thanks for listening to my stroll down memory lane!

    Lisa (Beecroft) Jackson

  • SBanneck

    Wow…. thanks for all the memories! For many summers my family would load up our VW 411 and head up to Pine View Lodge. I spent many birthdays there as a child as we would often be there the last week of August. That must have been the late 1960’s to the early 1970’s. We almost came up a few times during the winter season to play in the snow.

    I remember so much from Pine View Lodge. The swimming pool, the evening activites in the beatiful lodge, the every-present Skipper, the Hobo Hike (complete with song of course…)

    “I’m a hobo, I’m a hobo. I’m a hobo till I die….”

    I remember the archery compititions (I kept up with that as an adult), the diving for coins, the ping pong table, and of course all the blue jays that would beg at the back door of the cabins. I remember going down the hill a bit to eat at the Mexican restaurant. I remember the ice skating in Blue Jay and the sleding on the pine neddles. Somewhere in my memory box I have some documents from Pine View Lodge.

    Everytime I drove up to the mountains I wonder what ever happened to Skipper and Pine View Lodge. Once, many years ago, I stopped and walked around the property. I saw the foundation of buildings, some of the stone walls, and the pool. So what ever happened to Pine View Lodge and the property.

    Well, again, thanks for the memories.

  • Sharon Wright Nakamura

    I have fond memories going to Pine View Lodge. We went several times when I was little in the late 60’s. I remember swimming lessons, The watermelon eating contest, Bow tie night, That incredible high dive, along with Skipper going off it on a bike(I believe) and sledding on hay. Every time I drive to Lake Arrowhead I stop at Jensen’s Market just so I can drive by the overgrown property to just maybe catch a glimpse of a part of a building or the lodge or pool. My memories there are so rich that I have taken my family to a nearby Family Camp every summer for the last 12 yrs. Thanks for the Memories! I love seeing the pictures.

  • Glenn Laird

    I went to work at the Scout camp in Cedar Glen this year and happened to go to dinner at a small restaurant nearby. I drove past the location of pine view lodge and saw the remains of the lodge. I felt a bit sad that there was not much left of the resort. I have some fond memories as a child of going there and swimming in the pool and learning archery from Skipper. He was a warm individual who made a lasting impression on me. We stayed in an old cabin that was very simple, yet inviting. I wish there were more pictures as my memories are a bit fuzzy and any photos of that era from my family are long gone. Who owns the property now? Every kid should have such memories.

  • Larry Steimle

    We appreciate all comments. It’s been over 35 years since my father, Skipper, died. The property has been sold several times since then. I don’t know who owns it now. If you email me directly I will address any specific questions or requests and appreciate photos and personal memories. I’m always interested in when you stayed at PVL and your memories. Thank you. lawrencesteimle@gmail.com

  • I was a young boy 4-6 years-old when my family, the Wuco Family, Walter and Helen (Dad and Mom), Ray, Andy, Tony, Susan, and Frank (me) used to go to Pine View Lodge. The Hobo Hikes were my favorite. In fact, while camping this very New Year’s weekend while camping in Sebring, Florida I took my own daughters and our neighbor’s kids on their very first Hobo Hike. Blackened their face with burnt cork (instead of the charcoal we used at PVL), packed lunches in bandannas, and marched them for a few miles. Passersby (especially the elderly would say, “Look at the hobos!”). All thanks to Pine View Lodge and Skipper! Just because of that hobo hike, I went on line to look for Pine View Lodge and could not have been happier to find this site. I had no idea he passed so long ago. I also remember the sing-alongs in the main lodge and my dad doing fancy dives off the high dive. At some point in the day, one of the workers would come along an toss coins into the pool for a coin dive. There was also sledding and tobogganing down a hill covered with pine needles. Somewhere, we’ve got pictures of us kids in our hobo outfits, with charcoal on our faces, bandannas on stick over our shoulders. Yes, and then there was Jensen’s Grocery and Bakery with their amazing Shepherd’s Bread and pastries. Thank you for taking the time to build this site.

  • Frank Wuco, Thank you for your comments! What years were you at PVL? I just subscribed to your website. I’ll spend some time there. Larry

  • We made our visits circa 1967-1971/2.

    One quick question: Was Skipper ever actually in the Navy?

  • Skipper was never in the Navy. He earned that nickname at his Balboa, California seamanship camp before World War 2. Check out the website at http://www.skippersteimle.com My parents were remarkable people.

  • Just passed info on PVL website to my brother, Ray, who achieved many sports milestones at the lodge. Hopefully, he will share them here. Our middle brother Tony, who passed away on Jan 10, 2010 would have loved to see the website. He was quite the adventurer and loved our visits to PVL. Again, thank you Larry, for unlocking this portion of the hard drive between my ears. You should consider a screen play or book about your father. What a contrast with the Great Depression, seeing the sailing classes was conducting at Balboa!

  • What great memories of Pine View Lodge! I went there for several summers as a small boy with my mom and dad (Ed and Doris Jenkins) along with my older sister Nancy. I think we were there from 1960 through 1962 or so. (my sister might know for sure… I’ll be forwarding your website to her).

    Hobo Hikes with charcoal on our faces. I think we always had watermellon at the end of the hike, or was that a treasure hunt?

    Penny Dives… I remember collections were taken from the adults the night before to “fund” the penny dive. I think my dad was suspicious that some of the coin was pocketed… but that was only a harmless rumor.

    Skipper taught me how to swim in that beautiful pool.

    In the evenings, I remember singing “I’m a little nut of brown, lying on the cold, cold ground. Everybody steps on me, that is why I’m cracked you see”. I used to laugh when Skipper would try to play his saxophone but couldn’t because there were all kinds of things in it. He would ask folks to come up and see what was inside. I remember pulling some women’s underwear out of the saxophone one time, and I got all embarrased. For the talent nights, my sister and I would sing “Strolling Through The Park One Day, In The Merry, Merry Month of May…” (I did the “roggyshies” really well). The evening would usually end when we sang Taps.

    I remember watching my Dad play billiards on the pool table, and I thought the colors of the billiard balls were really neat. I wanted to play too, but it was only for parents.

    Skipper came to our home in Van Nuys, so see my dad about business maybe? My dad was an architect, and I followed in his footsteps. Skipper was like a celebrity to me, and when he was at our home, I remember I was star struck!

    One time we spent a Christmas at Pine View Lodge. I think it might have been just our family and Skipper? I remember “fixing” a ping-pong table with my Handy Andy Tool Belt, and there was a big fire blazing in the fireplace.

    Thank you for creating this website. Some of my most favorite childhood memories took place on those twenty acres!

    God bless you!
    Greg Jenkins

  • Scott Reynolds

    I remember going to PVL when I was 5 or 6 years old with my family. I remember the hobo hike and the adults playing pool (probably drinking a few beers?) They had a small wading pool and a larger deep pool with a diving board. I wish I had pictures. Does anyone happen to know the old address of PVL?

    Great memories!

  • Scott Reynolds

    correction… no liquor was allowed. Great place.

  • sarah steimle (skippers great grand daughter)

    my dad told me all about pine view lodge a couple nights ago and about the penny dives,hikes, archery too. i wish it was still in buisness!:)

  • Glenn Laird

    Sarah,
    It is a shame we can not meet previous generations in person, but through stories and photographs they live on and still serve as role models. Here is some stories about life at Pine View Lodge. I was about 11 or 12 years old at the time, most likely 1971-72. I had had a great time earning an archery award through the Camp Archery Association. I had watched some of Skippers demonstrations with a bow and arrow and was very impressed with his skills with a long bow. He coached me along until I was able to earn an award. I still do archery to this day. He gave me encouragement each step along the way.

    I was at the pool with my mom when a family from from a non english speaking country came to swim. The kids were swimming in the shallow end and their grandfather came to join in the fun. He did not know how to swim or that there was a deep end. He jumped in and started to panic and scream as he was splashing around in distress. There was a pole next to the pool with a net for pulling out leaves and bugs so I grabbed it and extended it to the old man who latched on to it with a white knuckle grip. I pulled him to the side and my mom jumped in and helped him out of the water. Skipper made a point to thank me publicly that evening for my services. He made me feel very proud of what I thought was just a simple common sense act. As a child you often do not get someone to build your self esteem the way he did for me that summer day long ago. Your great grandfather was someone your family can be proud of for even more generations.

  • Larry Steimle

    Thank you Glenn for that thoughtful reply to my granddaughter Sarah’s comment.

  • Steve Banneck

    Wow! I was just looking through some old files and I came across my Certificate of Merit for membership in the TADPOLE CLUB of Pine View Lodge. The certificate is sign by instructor “Skipper” Steimle (Instructor)and dated “this 24 day of Aug ’72 … two days before my 10th birthday.

    Here are the crequirememnts for successful entry into the Tadpole club…
    1. Blow bubbles.
    2. Put Face in water.
    3. Ride on front.
    4. Ride on back.
    5. Put head under water.
    6. Jump into shallow water.
    7. Flutter-kick at wall.
    8. Jelly Fish float.
    9. Front glide. (Then flutter kick).
    10. Float on back to count of 50.
    11. Diving glide … sitting.
    12. Underwater swim… 20 ft.
    13. Open eyes in water.
    14. Swim 15 feet in small pool. (I apparently did 20′!)

    Skipper’s Certificate also included an interesting look into his philosophy of how “Parents Can Help”. I would like to scan this and send it to you for your collection. There aren’t many things that I still have from my childhood…. but this is one of them and it just showed up 40 years and 5 days after Skipper signed it.
    Steve

  • Steve Banneck

    Oh, and…. Another memory that just came to me. During one of our late August visits one of the evening programs in the lodge was promoted as being “Bow Tie Night”. We all had to fashion bow ties from whatever we could find around camp. Paper napkins, plates, aluminum foil, pine needles… anything could be made into a bow tie. My father, true to form, fashioned his bowtie from his Bear recurve (archery) bow and wore it proudly that evening. I remember everone had to dodge his bow everytime he walked by. Skipper was particularly impressed with my father’s creativity.
    Steve

  • Jeanne de Haan

    Such fun memories of Skipper’s Camp come back to me as I read through these comments! Spent some time reminiscing with my folks this past week and This camping experience was one of them! We stayed at the camp in 1964 when I was all of six years old! We came with our cousins and just had a ball! I have a photo of boat races in the swimming pool with a man who I believe was Skipper standing in the pool with us. I also have a photo of two of the cabins. Wish I had more pictures! One of my most vivid memories is dropping my swimming cap, which cost all of a dollar, in the pit toilet! My mom fished it out, washed it off and I wore it again! No need to buy a new one! Yikes! Loved the hobo hike and the campfire circle and the talent show. I remember singing “This Land is Your Land” and “Jesus Loves Me” and many other wonderful songs! What a wonderful memory! So soryy to hear the camp is gone!
    Jeanne (de Jong) de Haan.

  • Randy Herbert

    Skipper’s Lodge is what the Herbert family (Phil, Shirley, Randy, Chris, Neil – from Lakewood Calif) called Pine View Lodge .. the hobo hikes (with the watermelon), the swimming in the pool (my dad tried to show-off each visit with big fancy dives off the diving board) .. staying in the cabins .. the archery .. walking and playing in and around the huge pine trees and mountain terrain .. the camp fires .. the games .. the activities .. the simple days with tons of stuff to do .. i am trying to find out from my parents (yes they are still with us at 86 yrs) just how many times the Herbert’s traveled up to Skipper’s Lodge (i am thinking 3 or 4 times late 1950’s/early 1960’s) .. to this day something from Skipper’s Lodge just makes me smile and smile .. remember at the end day, with a group or combined event, as the sun set and the evening good-byes were being said that famous good-night song would come out by all … the day is done, gone the sun, from the hills, from the lake, from the sky, (something) safely rest god is nigh, and then Skipper would ring out his famous ending to this tune in happy singing fashion … “SO RUN ALONG HOME AND JUMP INTO BED, SAY YOUR PRAYERS AND COVER YOUR HEAD FOR THE VERY SAME THING I SAY UNTO YOU .. YOU DREAM OF ME AND I WILL DREAM OF YOU “.. how could you NOT be happy walking back to your cabin and go to bed with happy thoughts? after that Skipper send off into the night .. please know that from time to time over these many years i would sing that very same song to my 7 children and they would look at me and laugh … obviously a good time was had by this multiple times visitor over 50 years ago .. i am glad that i found this site and thanks for the opportunity to say thank you for a chance to be at Skipper’s Lodge because skipper took a chance and shared his skills and talents with those who took the time to come and stay awhile … all the best randy herbert

  • Dear Friends of Skipper Steimle,

    We do appreciate all your comments of memories at Pine View Lodge.

    PLEASE NOTE MY NEW EMAIL ADDRESS. I HAVEN’T GOTTEN ANY EMAIL TO THE OLD ALTRIONET ADDRESS SINCE AUGUST. lawrencesteimle@gmail.com

    Remember the merry-go-round in the playground? It’s in our backyard here in Arcadia now. Call for a spin appointment! 626.698.2759 c

  • Michael Steimle

    Good memories. Cold Pool

  • Kathleen Peirce

    My family stayed at the camp during the summer of 1957. My brother was 7, I was not quite 5, and my sisters were 4 and 18 months. I remember the cold, cold pool; the hobo hike and watermelon at the end of the hike.
    I recently had some old family movies digitized and found footage of our vacation that year. There is a short clip that includes Skipper heading up the Hobo Hike.

  • Larry Steimle

    Thanks Kathleen for the memories. We would love to see your PVL movies!
    lawrencesteimle@gmail.com

  • Kathleen Peirce

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icRiSudC_V4

    Your father can be seen at about the 1:32 mark in this clip.

  • Virginia Brier

    Such wonderful memories! It was the BEST vacation we ever had as a family. I believe we went twice – once in 1959 & once in 1960.

    My sister and I still sing the song (to our grandchildren) we sang for the talent show! I sang lead and “forced” my younger sister by 5 years to sing the “echo”. I think there were more verses, but these are the 2 we both remember.

    The Very Best Place (echo)
    I’ve Ever Been (echo)
    Is Pine View Lodge (echo)
    In the Mo-un-tain. (echo)

    We learned to swim
    We learned to float
    We learned to swim
    Just like a boat!

    Other memories include playing games in the lodge in the evening and a very large man jumping into the pool from the diving board and creating such a splash, that everyone who was around the pool was soaked. Also the ghost stories and the sledding on the pine needles on the hill.

    Bless Skipper. He was a wonderful man!

  • Patrick OConnell

    Loved this place, just found it this weekend. I always thought it was called Skippers.what a great man! Just walking around brought back so many good memoirs. But it was very sad to see it the way it is now.

  • Perry Morris

    hello I am trying to join the group please let me know if I was successful

  • Larry Steimle

    Patrick, Thank you for those excellent photos and your kind words. We are reminded how temporary this life is, how important people and memories are.

  • Larry Steimle

    Hi Perry, What are some of your Pine View Lodge memories?

  • Larry Steimle

    Ah yes, the Tadpole Club! My email address is: lawrencesteimle@gmail.com for anyone who has photos etc. to send or questions.

  • Perry Morris

    Boy I can fill a whole journal with stories of the lodge please call my home after the Seahawks game my number is (360) 387-2609 thanks

  • Larry Steimle