In 15 violent seconds, the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake rendered Lupin Lodge a wreck of toppled cabins and cracked foundations that took years to rebuild. Four years prior, a rare summer rain and mercurial wind-shift spared the nudist resort from a 15,000-acre arson-sparked blaze that destroyed the community water system.
But neither seismic spasms nor wildfire prepared Lupin proprietor Glyn Stout for the devastating force of Ed Dennis.
Ed moved into the clothing-optional Los Gatos enclave in 2002, a year after Glyn and his new wife, Lori Kay, had given birth to twin girls. First-time fatherhood and a second-time marriage got Glyn thinking about how to secure his family’s future by investing in the 110-acre property—California’s oldest nudist colony.
Glyn confided these hopes to Ed, a retired entrepreneur with a purported $17 million net worth and a passion for naturism. Ed—corpulent, blustery and later tabbed Terrible Ed—“portrayed himself as an unselfish paladin,” the Stouts told a judge some years later.
Somehow, the Stouts recounted in a lawsuit they filed against him in 2007, Ed persuaded them of his accolades as: “an intellectual genius, a think tank consultant on retainer with multiple Fortune 500 companies, an entrepreneur with a natural talent for creating wealth, as well as an expert in … publishing, printing, engraving, photography, computers, web design, marketing, accounting, information systems, French cuisine and fine wine, management communications, preschool education, luxury apartment development, renaissance fairs, business law, mortgage finance, mental health, psychology, team building and organizational behavior.”
This ostensibly charitable newcomer promised to help Glyn and his wife achieve financial stability, double the club’s membership and spark a naturist revival. To Glyn, saddled with debt and litigation, the man sounded like a godsend. He signed over the company—but not the property—to Ed and his wife Kassandra. On a handshake, they agreed to a 99-year lease. Trusting Ed, Glyn said, became the worst mistake of his life.
Lupin proprietors Glyn Stout (pictured) and his wife, Lori Kay, have been locked in a battle over water rights with the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. (Photo via Facebook)
Under Ed’s brief reign, membership fell to a 25-year low. Staffers also left in droves. The already-foundering club nearly collapsed under the weight of lawsuits, liens, collections cases, sexual harassment claims and overdue taxes. The Lupin Loop newsletter, once a bulletin for community announcements, became a platform to berate members who voiced their concern.
After learning that Ed was nothing more than “a well-experienced con-man, sociopath and misanthropist,” as the Stouts characterized him in the inevitable breach-of-contract lawsuit, it took three more years of bitter court fights before the final showdown. Ed and Kassandra would hole themselves up in their cabin or the main office for days at a time. Finally, after months of sabotage, sieges and physical bouts, sheriff’s deputies enforced the eviction and ended a bitter saga that pushed Lupin to the brink of insolvency.
Glyn seemed to never quite recover from the episode. A spinal fusion to relieve a pinched nerve, compounded by cancer and other ailments, left the longtime owner frail and spent. His wife Lori Kay, an acclaimed sculptor, assumed control in 2006. Almost a decade later, as Lupin approaches its 80th anniversary in August, the resort remains shrouded in allegations of wage theft, substandard living conditions, questionable hiring practices and retaliatory evictions.
Last month, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office accused Lori Kay, 53, Glyn, 77, and two resident-staffers of surreptitiously sucking water from a nearby creek. Now with a felony case on the books, longtime members wonder whether Lupin can weather its latest legal storm.
Very informative story using just the “bare facts.”
Good Reporting Jenn W.
David S. Wall
Lupin Lodge is a nice resort for nudist! once been there and enjoy it!
I would suggest that you either get a base tan, or apply sunscreen liberally. Nobody will care what you look like, and you might find there are others that are a bit more out-of-shape than you! Check LocalNudistSingle com to give yourself a better chance by meeting nudist singles who enjoys the same nudist lifestyle that you do!
ya,maybe they should give you free tanning lotion on the days there are police raids..
Police raids? What century are you living in? Lupin has been there for 80 years or so….the police don’t care…in fact, more than likely, there are, or have been, a few law enforcement personnel who were members or casual visitors over the years.
yes warren..police raids..one every 8 days for the last 2 years on average…you can find the century im living in elsewhere.
John, you’ve misquoted Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. James Jensen:
“…in the past two years deputies WERE CALLED OUT TO Lupin once every eight days on average.”
These were not raids by police, these were responses to calls for assistance from members, residents & employees of Lupin.
“Lupin traps you up on that hill,” Chrisley said. In May of last year, he was evicted for not paying rent.
I lived a few years one road up from you on Laurel when I was in High School. As a teen without a car, ya I felt pretty trapped up there (only laurel is one helluva last push compared to just going to Lupin)
I also visited Lupin.. Alot. Between 1989 and 1991. Summer would come, and I’d sneak a dip in the pool. Never got caught going by myself, but one time I brought some friends there and… Sheriff. Ah well, lesson learned.
Finally someone tells the truth about Lupin. Good job Jenn.
why not enjoy nudist lifestyle
yes the nudist/naturist lifestyle can be truly enjoyed at aanr endorsed clubs..lupin is not one of them..
An interesting case study in “tribalism”.
Probably mirrors the way humanity lived 10,000 years ago before the invention of herding, agriculture, private property, and individual “rights”.
The “shaman” ran the show: leader, warlord. medicine man, pope, judge, and jury all in one.
My way or the highway.
Here’s a prayer that the besieged couple who own he park get their problems worked out, get more membership and visitors, and restore the park, one part at a time to its original glory. Unfortunate things happen, but with a positive attitude things can be worked out. This article seemed to be a bit of an overkill to me. Bad health, and an earthquake was certainly not their fault. The barter system is a good workable idea as long as the barterer continues to keep his part of the bargain. When he does not, of course bad feelings result when that person is kicked out. Let’s all wish them well as they go forward to the future.
pathetic and insensitive of you to offer up a prayer to the stouts and bypass michael schaupp and his family.
You all will enjoy the article my photojournalist father, Sam Vestal, wrote about Lupin for the Watsonville Register Pajaronian SIXTY years ago: https://www.facebook.com/samvestalphotography/photos/pcb.473944266101957/473944069435310/?type=1&theater
Why is it being characterized as a problem, that some people at the Lupin community, apparently like to do meth? I have it on good authority that some people in the city of San Jose, like to do meth too, LOL. Meth’s actually everywhere, Aunt Martha.
MAYBE @scvwd @valleywater.org should invest, they are crooks at everything else, maybe buy stock?
http://kron4.com/2015/07/13/owners-of-los-gatos-nudist-lodge-arraigned-for-allegedly-diverting-water-from-creek/
I was a frequent visitor to Lupin when I lived and worked in the San Jose/Santa Cruz area. I am acquainted with Lori Kay and Glyn and briefly considered taking a position of general manager when their then manager was retiring. Although it was a very fluid discussion about what the position, pay, responsibilities etc were in actuality. I found them difficult to nail down on almost anything. I’ve found it’s best to make sure that everyone understand the terms of any deal before entering into it, otherwise there will undoubtedly be unmet expectations on somebody’s part. Many of the the claims reported above became clear to me during this time. The drug abuse while somewhat hidden from visitors and while officially not tolerated by the management was definitely part of the subculture enjoyed by what seemed to be an indentured staff. There was a palpable sense of desperation among the staff. The barter system works great if the credit one is given in return for the labor is enough to cover their needs and if everything you need is available for purchase with your credit. People have needs beyond room and board and food. I gave numerous staffers rides into Los Gatos to the CVS there. I got to know a few and it was apparent that they were at Lupin’s mercy. They had no where else to go, and no way to get there even if they did. To be fair Glyn and Lori Kay were working with an aging membership that was declining in numbers. Ed had run large numbers off and in his absence they weren’t returning. Gentrification was taking it’s toll on membership. To Glyn and Lori Kay’s credit they understood that they had to change the status quo at the lodge to attract new younger visitors and members. The raves and the fetish parties are attempts at doing just that but more so at bringing in much needed funds for the ongoing operational costs of the lodge. I sat one morning watching a crew of Lupin’s finest work (I use the term loosely) on several small projects. One guy was working on a remodel of a small cabin. This project had been going on for weeks and it was nearing completion. Now in all honesty this cabin should have been torn down and replaced from the ground up. It was small enough that with a coordinated effort and proper scheduling of the trades involved that the thing could have easily been replaced in a couple weeks. So this fellow gets dropped off by the foreman of their construction crew and he sets up his work area tools, saw horses etc. He goes inside to measure something and comes back out. Now all this going on with a liberal amount of swearing, and kicking things around. He finally gets his saw set up and looks around for the board he wants to cut. He finally finds it and goes back in to measure again. He comes out puts a mark on the board and cuts it. Hooray. He goes into the cabin and you start hearing all the swearing and he comes out looking around the ground, kicking a few things and stomps off towards the back 40. 20 or 30 minutes later he comes stomping back with another board in his hand. he goes in to measure again, comes out and cuts the board. He takes it inside and soon you hear the swearing again, but this time you also hear the hammering. He comes out looks around on the ground for something for a little while until he again stomps off to the back 40. Another thirty minutes and he returns with another guy. They go into the cabin talking back and forth and they both come out and stomp off toward the back 40. This went on all day. He installed almost nothing all day. I was curious so I went into the cabin which was a one room approximately 12’x8′ area. It was made up by a small living sleeping area and a smaller still breakfast nook area. There were no appliances (it looked like an under counter refrigerator may have gone in later) and a sink. No restroom. It looked new inside, with fresh paint and newly repaired countertop. The flooring was new but the floor sloped easily 2″ from one corner to the other. The outside was dilapidated with pieces of siding replaced here and there and none of it matched. Plain flat plywood, plywood with vertical grooves (T1-11) and ship lapped pressboard siding. It was obvious that they used whatever was available. If it was any better off than when the work started it must have been in horrible condition. I spoke to Lori Kay who seemed pleased with how it was coming along. I explained that the crew was basically incompetent, lacked any sense of direction, there was no planning involved, materials weren’t readily available, inefficiency was the rule rather than the exception, and that although she was paying very little for the work she was getting even less for it. Lori Kay didn’t appreciate my take on things. She spoke of the “Lupin Way” of doing what it takes, coming together as a community, overcoming adversity through communal…. blah, blah, blah. Okay that’s all fine if your are living on a commune, tending bees, and selling honey to get by. But Lupin is a business. It is a naturist lodge, on edge of the silicon valley, trying desperately to attract new visitors. Clearly on the edge of no longer existing. I explained in my opinion “doing what it takes” wasn’t getting it done. The Lupin way no longer supported modern expectations for the accommodations and amenities of such a business. I asked them both to take a trip to Costanoa near Ano Nuevo, Sycamore Mineral Springs in Avila Beach, and El Capitan Canyon North of Santa Barbara to see models of what could be. Sure these were not naturist resorts. They were modeled in more of an eco-tourism model but they share many similarities and if marketed correctly the naturist component would be the icing on the cake. I explained that they needed to act on what they knew needed to be done. Gain a vision for a new Lupin, and develop a master plan for shepherding it there. I understood in the wake of Ed their wariness of partners but without the influx of some serious capital they were going to find it difficult to make the change. This Lupin way is at the root of all their troubles. When you can only offer room and board in exchange for the labor of others you are not going to be able bring quality staff on board. Your going to get folks that are in a desperate situation and everything that is listed in the above article is what comes with that. You have to feel sorry for the Stouts to an extent, they are trying their best to hold on and keep it all going but its a war of attrition. Unfortunately I think they are too bogged down in the muck and the mire of it to see a way out.