Camp Scheideck, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Camp Scheideck, California
Unincorporated community
The chapel at Camp Scheideck
Camp Scheideck, California Location in California Show map of California Camp Scheideck, California Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	California
County	Ventura
Elevation	3,894 ft (1,187 m)
Time zone	UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-7 (PDT)
GNIS feature ID	273601

Camp Scheideck, California is a small, quiet place in Ventura County, Southern California. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county. This community is nestled in the Cuyama Valley, about 37 miles (60 km) north of Ojai and 30 miles (48 km) from Frazier Park in Kern County.

Exploring Camp Scheideck's Location

Camp Scheideck is located right on Reyes Creek, deep inside the Los Padres National Forest. It's about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from a county road that connects Lake of the Woods to California State Route 33. The community sits high up, about 3,780 feet (1,150 m) above sea level.

Camp Scheideck's Weather

The weather in Camp Scheideck is like a Mediterranean climate. This means it has very hot and dry summers, where temperatures can sometimes go over 100 °F or 37.8 °C. Winters are mild and rainy, but at night, temperatures can drop below freezing. Sometimes, there can be sudden flash floods or heavy snowfall. These events can make it hard for people to leave the area for a few days because river crossings become blocked.

The History of Camp Scheideck

How Camp Scheideck Started

Camp Scheideck was founded in 1888 by a man named Martin Scheideck, who came from Germany. He traveled with his friend, Gebhardt Wegis, to avoid having to join the army in their home country.

The two friends walked all the way from San Luis Obispo to Upper Cuyama. They felt this area reminded them of southern Germany. Both men claimed land near the Reyes family, who had been raising cattle in the mountain valleys since the 1850s. Gebhardt Wegis married one of the Reyes daughters, Rosa, which helped establish the Wegis family name in the area.

Martin Scheideck built a house and a small store. He was known for being friendly to everyone. He would offer treats to children who came to the post office. People even called him "Judge Scheideck" because he studied lawbooks left by a lawyer and used them to help settle disagreements among the community.

Another report says the settlement was founded by Eugene Scheideck, also a German immigrant, in 1888. He built a two-story wooden building around 1900, which became the Ozena station for the U.S. Post Office. Over time, Scheideck built a lodge and small cabins along Ozena Creek. By 1975, there were 54 of these little houses. People owned these cabins, but they were built on land leased from the Scheideck family.

Who Lived There?

In 1975, only two couples lived in Camp Scheideck all year round. One of these couples was Barbara and Harold Brake, who ran the local gas station, a community gathering place, and a store. By 1992, the number of permanent residents had grown to nine. These residents included Bugs and Frances Lackey, Uncle Vane Fort, J.R. and Rose Putzier, Betsy Paine, John (The Painter) Hilton, Frances Hawkins, and Stephanie Rogers. A reporter from the Los Angeles Times described Camp Scheideck as a "self-contained mountain colony." At that time, there was no regular phone service, only two mobile phones for connecting with the outside world.

Changing Owners of the Land

The Scheideck family owned the property for ninety years. Eugene Scheideck's nephew, also named Eugene, was 81 years old when he owned it in 1975. In 1978, Jim Cory, an Oxnard auto dealer, and four other people bought the land from Jim Scheideck. Then, in 1990, it was sold to Ozzie Osborn, who was a rancher and a plumbing contractor.

What Makes Camp Scheideck Special?

Camp Scheideck is known for being a unique and interesting place. For example, "Judge" Scheideck used to organize fun egg hunts on both Easter Sunday and Halloween, which was his birthday. This tradition was still happening in 2013!

In July 1979, a special golf tournament was held there. The golf course was "scratched into" the natural landscape, meaning players had to dodge bushes, gullies, and even rattlesnake holes! Instead of smooth green putting areas, they had "browns." Golf clubs were made from tree branches or plastic pipes, and sometimes people even used a croquet mallet. They played with tennis balls instead of golf balls, and three-gallon containers were used as golf cups. The money raised from this tournament went to a local 4-H Club, which is a youth organization.

The community is quite remote. It's about 37 miles (60 km) north of Ojai, and you have to drive on winding roads, over Pine Mountain (which is about 6,500-foot (2,000 m) high), and then down to 4,000 feet (1,200 m). After that, you turn onto dirt roads and cross the Cuyama River twice before climbing into a valley called Ozena Valley. Even though it's a long way to get there, many people find it. Some see a small sign that says "Scheideck's Lodge. Turn here, go in 1.5 miles." But most people hear about it from those who live there.

Scheideck's Lodge is more than just a place for visitors or hikers. It's a central spot for the community. In a place without regular phone service, the lodge is where people share news and information.

Things to See and Do

Camp Scheideck has many old cabins, a mock cemetery called "Boot Hill," and a small chapel where weddings have taken place. It's also a popular stop for motorcycle riders.

In August 2011, the 120-year-old lodge was owned by Tony Virgilio.