Lopez Lake

[Lumpy]

I live about 8 miles from Lopez. Most people I know bitch about it being too cold all the time and it mostly is but occasionally its pretty damn nice. I love taking my
boat here often thru the summer when I can because its so close and I can give her a shake down / test drive when ever I feel like it. Unfortunately Lopez has been so low
ya can't launch until this year.

I

 

[coolchange]

I love Lopez. It used to be a default camp spot, Back in the day. Haven’t been there in a long time. I need to go back. I was supposed to be in the area this weekend, but then this,

I assume the water is pretty stained right now. Hmmm… but it’s supposed to rain like this for another month.

 

[Lumpy]

I love Lopez. It used to be a default camp spot, Back in the day. Haven’t been there in a long time. I need to go back. I was supposed to be in the area this weekend, but then this,
View attachment 1210552
I assume the water is pretty stained right now. Hmmm… but it’s supposed to rain like this for another month.

Yup...lotta debris right now. 5mph limit right now due to submerged logs and crap. Soon as the weather clears I plan on running a wave runner out there to check it out. Sounds like a lot has changed since you were here last...the general store is still here, they have a restaurant and a bar now. Looks like they have updated the fuel station but no fuel dock so ya gotta trailer it out in order to refuel but hell the place is pretty small.

 

[coolchange]

Yup...lotta debris right now. 5mph limit right now due to submerged logs and crap. Soon as the weather clears I plan on running a wave runner out there to check it out. Sounds like a lot has changed since you were here last...the general store is still here, they have a restaurant and a bar now. Looks like they have updated the fuel station but no fuel dock so ya gotta trailer it out in order to refuel but hell the place is pretty small.

God I hate when I have to remember how long it been since I’ve been somewhere. 15 years at least.
There was a snack bar and some pool tables in the store’s building.
Is the water park still there?

 

[NicPaus]

Been 30 years since I camped there.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Lopez has some amazing LMB.

 

[coolchange]

Lopez has some amazing LMB.

That’s kind of what I was wondering…

 

[Lumpy]

7 Years Ago...this happened at Lopez............

 

[Ziggy]

Wifes cousin & her husband live offgrid near the lake not far from where the waterpark is/was.
He was a park ranger and actually was one of the Lopez "boatcops".

 

[Lumpy]

Wifes cousin & her husband live offgrid near the lake not far from where the waterpark is/was.
He was a park ranger and actually was one of the Lopez "boatcops".

The water park is still operating during the summer...was the biggest slide in country for a short period of time...lots of memories there. Your wife's cousin and husband must be up high mountain rd. around the back. Spent a lot of time back there at the boy scout camp when my son was in scouts...some fun off roading back there too...use to go to "big fall/ little falls" during my younger years.

Lopez has some amazing LMB.

Yup...seen a few monsters pulled out of that lake!

 

[Lumpy]

My lovely lady just sent this to me...

The first people interviewed are my next door neighbors. These two people are the most selfless individuals on the face of this Earth...I'd give my life for them...

 

[rivermobster]

Drove past it years ago when it was mostly full. Looked like a pretty cool lake!

 

[Lumpy]

Drove past it years ago when it was mostly full. Looked like a pretty cool lake!

It really is! So much has changed at Lopez but so much is still the same. My Parents took me there in 1969 in a VW BUS my Mom won on "Lets Make a Deal".

 

[boatnam2]

We use to go there 50 years ago as a kid, 2 things I remember about it, catching butt loads of crappie and the night my grandpa made all this noise like a bear was in camp and scared the shit out of us.

 

[coolchange]

Wind surfing capitol of the WORLD!

 

[boatnam2]

Throwing down tough skins and all , 1972ish.

 

[Lumpy]

One foot to go...looks like it will happen this evening.

 

[redone76]

There she goes!!!

 

[brgrcru]

Lopez lake where poison oak takes no prisoners
Lol
Been 50 years but still remember the itching

 

[RIVERMANBEN]

I went back there one summer in the late 80s. It was nice in the morning but then the wind kicked up. I didn’t realize it was a windsurfing spot.

 

[MOUZER]

took a flatty there in 79 for a week of camping

(FLATTY not a FATTY)

 

[MOUZER]

Wind surfing capitol of the WORLD!

wouldnt that be lake isabella LOL

 

[4Waters]

wouldnt that be lake isabella LOL

I thought it was Silverwood Lake

 

[Lumpy]

The locals here have nicknamed it Blowpez and usually is blowing in the afternoon. It gets a lot of ocean air flowing across it in the afternoons, hell the Oceano Dunes are only 10 miles away but I've also been there when its 107 degrees!

 

[WhatExit?]

25 years!

Sightseers flock to Lopez Lake to see the reservoir spilling over for first time in a quarter of a century

A scene of rushing water, cars lining the street and bystanders stopping to snap photos. An unusual sight to many Californians.

www.ksby.com

 

[Lumpy]

Well it finally happened,

I've been waiting and watching for this moment for 25 Years. The last time I skied this lake full I was 29 years old.

I truly wish my brother Bill was still alive to see this. Tomorrow is a triathlon I think so if the weather permits and I'm up to it, my plan is to strap on my wetsuit and run a couple wave runners across it on Sunday with my Son.

Unbelievable...God told Mother Nature to rain and She did............

 

[rivermobster]

wouldnt that be lake isabella LOL

I thought it was Silverwood Lake

I'd vote for Isabella also...

I remember going there as a kid and there were light on the tops of the hills. Green? No worries. Yellow, get the fuck off the lake right now!!!

Best to be inside when they turned red.

 

[JM21]

Well it finally happened,

I've been waiting and watching for this moment for 25 Years. The last time I skied this lake full I was 29 years old.

I truly wish my brother Bill was still alive to see this. Tomorrow is a triathlon I think so if the weather permits and I'm up to it, my plan is to strap on my wetsuit and run a couple wave runners across it on Sunday with my Son.

Unbelievable...God told Mother Nature to rain and She did............

That’s super cool! Thanks for sharing.

 

[boatnam2]

Grew up at lake Isabella, have so many memories of hunting/fishing and 4x4 ,dirt bike riding, they actually had a legit moto track when i was older. My one boating story from there was, my uncle bill got a new glaspar tri hull, he had all the top shit, triple wide mobile, buggies , harleys etc etc, like most current day RDPers. We are out taking a cruise and come up on 3 guys in something similar, black guys if i remember and the one is getting in the water has a set of doubles, has a red white and blue vest on, big hat of some sort and guy hands him the rope. Guy was maybe 20 ft off back of boat and yells hit it ski cat( that was the classic part) guy mashes the throttle and the big tri hull comes to life ( picture Elvis boat)about 5 seconds later all the slack in rope is gone and dude takes off through air and the skiis and hat never moved. My Dad had a classic laugh and he was whaling, about pissed his pants that day.

 

[rivermobster]

Grew up at lake Isabella, have so many memories of hunting/fishing and 4x4 ,dirt bike riding, they actually had a legit moto track when i was older. My one boating story from there was, my uncle bill got a new glaspar tri hull, he had all the top shit, triple wide mobile, buggies , harleys etc etc, like most current day RDPers. We are out taking a cruise and come up on 3 guys in something similar, black guys if i remember and the one is getting in the water has a set of doubles, has a red white and blue vest on, big hat of some sort and guy hands him the rope. Guy was maybe 20 ft off back of boat and yells hit it ski cat( that was the classic part) guy mashes the throttle and the big tri hull comes to life ( picture Elvis boat)about 5 seconds later all the slack in rope is gone and dude takes off through air and the skiis and hat never moved. My Dad had a classic laugh and he was whaling, about pissed his pants that day.

Like a fucking cartoon!

Great story

 

[MOUZER]

I'd vote for Isabella also...

I remember going there as a kid and there were light on the tops of the hills. Green? No worries. Yellow, get the fuck off the lake right now!!!

Best to be inside when they turned red.

remember the lights also parents had 172 acre ranch back n the valley walker basin we would hook the boat up early head out get to the top of the mountain and my dad would pull over get out look for the lights and say its yellow or red and we would turn around and go back home

 

[MOUZER]

had many good times on Lopez in the 80,s

 

[rivermobster]

remember the lights also parents had 172 acre ranch back n the valley walker basin we would hook the boat up early head out get to the top of the mountain and my dad would pull over get out look for the lights and say its yellow or red and we would turn around and go back home

Damm. That's awesome. Does your family still have ranch?

We ride/explore Dove Springs a Lot. When we've gone Way in deep, we come across some pretty cool spreads back there.

Beautiful county.

 

[stephenkatsea]

Grew up at lake Isabella, have so many memories of hunting/fishing and 4x4 ,dirt bike riding, they actually had a legit moto track when i was older. My one boating story from there was, my uncle bill got a new glaspar tri hull, he had all the top shit, triple wide mobile, buggies , harleys etc etc, like most current day RDPers. We are out taking a cruise and come up on 3 guys in something similar, black guys if i remember and the one is getting in the water has a set of doubles, has a red white and blue vest on, big hat of some sort and guy hands him the rope. Guy was maybe 20 ft off back of boat and yells hit it ski cat( that was the classic part) guy mashes the throttle and the big tri hull comes to life ( picture Elvis boat)about 5 seconds later all the slack in rope is gone and dude takes off through air and the skiis and hat never moved. My Dad had a classic laugh and he was whaling, about pissed his pants that day.

Years ago there was a similar story going around. Only that story supposedly took place at Mission Bay, it was a dry standing beach start, and the shout to the boat driver was ‘Hit It., Ski King!’.

 

[jetboatperformance]

Many wont know but long before The dam/lake was made , the canyons produced a very long meandering stream from back in the Santa Lucia range progressing to Arroyo Grande . When I was a Kid my Old man and I went there every year to trout fish although it had both natives and "plants" we would always limit out . Good memories of times past

Lopez Lake - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org