Exploring an Abandoned Fishing Lodge!

A quick tour of an abandoned fishing lodge in the remote wilderness. A fire burnt down the main lodge 16 years ago and the place has been vacant since.
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#Fishing #Fishinglodge #Explore #Abandoned

[@brianspooner9047]

I just got back from our yearly trip to pipestone. We obviously did not stay there but another lodge on the lake. We used to stay at Happy Landing in the mid 90's through the early 2000's. We were very sad to hear that the main lodge burned down because it was a very beautiful lodge and the staff was great. The first Cabin is the one we always stayed in when we were there. Thanks for the video it brings back some great memories.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it

[@prasm1959]

I visited Happy Landing Lodge several times in the late 90's and early 2000s, before the last owner took over. Barb and Geordi (sp) owned it when I visited with their son, Rob, and daughter, Riley, helping them run the place. It was a fantastic place to visit while they owned it. Then around 2002 or 2003 a man (Matt) from Minnesota, Grand Rapids area I believe, took over. He had been caught on trail camera stealing from neighboring cabins in the dead of Winter which I believe led to some legal problems for him re-entering Canada. I think it was the following Winter when the main lodge mysteriously burned down. I have nothing but great memories of the place, very sad to see it in this condition. I've stayed in at least one of the cabins they walked into. I will be visiting the area (Yoke Lake) in June, I might just stop by and check it out.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Yea it’s a shame what happened there. Not too far to get into from where you’re going, pretty easy walk really worth checking out for some old memories!

[@donkatz1376]

You two are terrific. It's obvious you love the north woods. Keep up the very interesting videos!!

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Thank you! Will be some stuff coming out from Emily up in northern Saskatchewan soon and I have a tour of some old gold mining history in the area in the works right now

[@kenbrown5449]

Great video. I really liked the old photos, they gave a great feel for what it was like.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Thanks! The original owners that the photos were from were said to have taken very good care of the place

[@frontierfishingwithryanmac1981]

What a sweet little find!! Very cool video!!

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Thanks!, you never know what hides in the woods around here all sorts of interesting stuff

[@paulehlers2225]

That lodge must have been something special in it's day! I wonder why it didn't get rebuilt after the fire? Kinda sad seeing someone's dream business abandoned like this. I can imagine the good times & memories made there. Thanks for showing it to us!! Congrat's; The wait is over - The border is open as of this morning!! Game-on this fall!!

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

I heard something along the lines of insurance problems but not sure the real story. Seemed like a nice place, it's very unfortunate! Hopefully it stays open and we will see you soon enough in the duck blind!

[@coldlabatts3538]

The old Happy Landing Lodge on Pipestone. Fun fact....the owner of the lodge during the "mysterious" fire also owned Camp Manitou on the Lower Manitou. Not soon after the fire that lodge also went bankrupt. That area is now owned by the Manitou Weather Station. Lots of rumors swirling around , but all of them revolve around money issues.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Yea lots of rumours around. Either way it’s a shame what’s left of the place

[@coldlabatts3538]

@@darylgilbertoutdoors Oh yes definitely. I made 3 trips to Pipestone but never stayed there. Those that I know that did go there loved it.

[@alcheckalski9716]

After watching the video I was interested in trying to find more information and photos on the Lodge. My search on the internet found the website that has the same still photos you show in your video. I was able to correspond with him the last few days after I sent him the link to the video. He was very knowledgeable on some of the history of the lodge as he told me his father started going there in the 1960's. According to him, Emily was correct in mentioning that the Gazebo was where the fish fry's took place and the big patio deck was where many would stand around and visit telling fish stories and so forth. So sad to see a place like this fall into this state of disrepair.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

It’s even worse now unfortunately . There’s a canoe company that their groups travel through the lodge on their portage and the kids seem to like to destroy the place every time they go through smashing windows and breaking whatever they can

[@danmittler6321]

I go on those kind of trips, but no toilets

[@ScottyMelvin]

Thanks. Surprised there was that much stuff still there.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

There’s a few more places like this we found recently , have to make a video at some of the others we’ve found..... even more cool stuff and buildings

[@guyincognito1431]

Some background for everyone: The camp was built up and ran extremely well by the Stahn family. They sold it and the place began to trend down (I think there actually might have been 2 owners in between them and the government). When the main lodge burnt it was never rebuilt and the camp was likely on its way out anyway by then due to various reasons. He eventually let it go back to the government for tax reasons. Anything of real value disappeared not long after that. In fact since the gov takeover 2 cabins have not so mysteriously ended up on other lots on Pipestone Lake. At this point it is essentially a worthless camp on a semi decent chunk of property. (it is bordering Pipestone and Yoke if anyone wants to Google Earth it). The gov tried selling it for approx 8 times what it is worth and I'm sure can see how that turned out. The cost of teardown far exceeds the value of the lot by now. As it turns out the cabin takers actually ended up doing the gov a favor by reducing the garbage cabins by 2. I'm sure if you a Google search you can find what it looked like in its hayday (Happy Landing Lodge Pipestone)

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

I heard the original owners had it run very well and in great shape

[@brianeveringham8175]

Really sad to see it in this condition. Clearly it was a busy place.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Definitely! It’s too bad someone didn’t take it over and maintain it

[@randyclement2429]

I still go to a friend's Lodge on the Manitoba Ontario border 70 years old and same scenario running out of clients and money is on its last legs ,government lease so probably can't sell it for nothing. it's a shame but there's lots of them all over the North. Cool video spent most of my life in some Fishing lodges like this

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Lots of cool old fishing lodges around!

[@greggaston6906]

What a bummer to see it going abandoned! A lot of nice guest buildings but losing the main lodge was too much I guess?

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

I believe there were some legal issues and because of them it was taken over by the government and they just left it to rot

[@tomdesorcy1120]

Thanks for a cool video, so sad to see it go to waste. Does Emily have a KZbin channel?

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

It is a waste! She’s starting one soon

[@randyclement2429]

I'm guessing they had a maintenance man or some staff members spend the winter there that's why there's dip records all year long

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

They ran ice fishing at the camp I’m told!

[@mrmoparrr]

Alot less Fishing pressure with that size of a Camp going out of Business entirely’

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Pretty big lake it was on with a few other camps aswell and limited access. I’m sure they don’t mind the lack of pressure though

[@jakeowens1770]

Yeah nobody wants to be a carpenter anymore. It all goes to pots. Can't get enough of your channel yall

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Thanks!

[@davidpavlik9113]

does anyone know how many acres are included with the property?

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

There’s nothing now I believe , the government owns it and I believe are going to burn it down and turn it back to crown land

[@dustinludwig2061]

Would something like that come for sale? Would take a pile of work to fix the water damage and Mold.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

I believe it was for sale for awhile but they were asking an extremely high price that everyone knew wasn't worth it with the work that was needed. Ive heard rumours of the government going to burn it down now in a controlled burn.

[@guyincognito1431]

It is extremely for sale. Just contact the MNR. I'd guess if you spend 3/4 of a million you'll have it cleaned up enough to start building new buildings (I've done camps like this but wont quote on this job due to its distance bringing equip in) . Not sure why you wouldn't just by land near it for a small fraction though. This place is done and has made the feds look very stupid when they had multiple fair offers while it was still save able.

[@davefleming1117]

I have seen this young lady fish with Troy Linder on TV.. such a shame about this place. Hope someone invest in this and bring it back to life

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Unfortunately it will never be restored to anything, the government is apparently talking of burning it down one day

[@gerardhaubert8210]

Doesn’t look tone in total ruin. Is the lace up for sale?

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

The government had it listed for 500,000 usd but I believe they took the listing down now

[@randyclement2429]

Cool video spent many years and lots of lodges just like this in Manitoba and all over, they'll be a lot more of them in this shape in the next Ten Years After covid

[@danmittler6321]

They never fished

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Just explore!

[@mackieb6989]

What a waste and sad to see all that scrap inn and near the water.

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

A waste for sure!

[@aaron2k2]

Bro they need to hire her to sell that property lol

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Then it would be sold a lot time ago!

[@angusm9419]

Is that private property?

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Gov owns it

[@angusm9419]

@@darylgilbertoutdoors Thanks...just curious. We shoot trespassers down here in the hills.... Nice place at one time!

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

@@angusm9419 wish we could too

[@angusm9419]

@@darylgilbertoutdoors Can't imagine Justin Dildeau would tolerate anything we do down here.

[@gerardhaubert8210]

We’re you able to find any history of the lodge? Check to see if water pollution caused the lodge to go out of business

[@darylgilbertoutdoors]

Happy Landing lodge, The main building burnt down from an unknown fire and the place never ran after that.

[@guyincognito1431]

There is zero pollution of any substance on Pipestone. It is a spring fed lake that many of us drink right of with zero filtering at all. You can see 35 feet down and it tests very well.