Valley fire-ravaged Harbin Hot Springs in Lake County aims to reopen later this year

Harbin Hot Springs announced on its website this week plans to reopen the pools and springs to day-use visitors and campers sometime in the fall.|

Harbin Hot Springs announced on its website this week plans to reopen the pools and springs to day-use visitors and campers sometime in the fall.

The last of the charred rubble has been removed from the Valley fire-devastated resort and retreat center, paving the way for a gradual rebirth that could begin as early as this summer.

The fire destroyed 95 percent of the popular, clothing-optional destination’s structures when it raged through southern Lake County in September, burning 76,067 acres, destroying more than 1,200 homes and killing four people.

It’s expected to take years to fully restore the resort. The first phase of reconstruction includes replacing the pool filtration, water and electrical systems and the retaining walls and pool decking. There are plans to create a temporary services area that would include space for reception, food, massage and bathrooms.

But specifics have yet to be hammered out, said Eric Richardson, the non-profit resort’s human resources manager.

“We are still determining how each of these services will be housed and provided,” he said.

The resort’s owner, Heart Consciousness Church, has not yet submitted any requests to the county for construction or operating permits, according to the county’s planning department. No costs for any of the three proposed rebuilding phases were available Wednesday.

Phase II of the planned rebuild is expected to begin in the fall, according to the website. It involves re-constructing select structures, including 12 cottages for guests, two domes, a pool-area dressing room and a camping area with a guest kitchen and small grocery market.

Phase III is a return to full operations. It involves building main guest rooms, a restaurant, market, gathering/meditation spaces and a large conference/workshop area. It also includes building staff housing and administrative space.

On Harbin’s Facebook page, many of its devotees had expressed hope that the resort would at least reopen the hot springs and pools while the rambling facility, located on more than 1,700 acres on Cobb Mountain, is resurrected. The church also owns an adjacent 4,000 acres.

Many regulars of the resort continue to stop by, email and phone, as they have since the facility burned, Richardson said.

“About 30 guests show up every weekend” to check on the progress, he said, calling the interest “touching.”

Meanwhile, a fundraising site has raised about $300,000 for displaced employees so far, Richardson said.

It’s unclear how many visitors the resort could accommodate during its initial reopening. Early visitors will need to be willing to ”rough it,” the website warns.

Harbin was able to accommodate almost 1,000 visitors daily and had a room capacity of about 350, Richardson said in a previous interview.

Before it burned, Harbin had about 245 employees, of whom some 60 lived on site, Richardson has said.

You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MendoReporter

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.