Big Bear Blog

The event of the winter season is finally here! Next Friday, Feb 3 and Saturday and February 4, Big Bear Lake’s Village area turns into the home of the only outdoor winter party for all ages! XOS presents Battle of the Sexes Winterfest showcasing females vs. males in three categories including a snowboard rail jam, fashion shows, and DJ battles. The purpose of the event is to educate and uplift women through fun, non-competitive events vs. men, and to raise awareness of breast cancer and the value of living an active lifestyle.

The nighttime events will be held in a dynamically designed structured tent featuring a Dj concert and winter fashion show. Dj headliners include REVOLVR, TATIANA FONTES, KRISTINA SKY, and much more in the Big Bear Village from 5 p.m. to 12 midnight for ages 18 and over. Admission is $25 each night. (A portion of ticket sales goes to Boarding for Breast Cancer, a non-profit, youth-focused education, awareness and fundraising foundation for breast cancer.)

Saturday’s daytime festivities are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission for all daytime activities, which includes the XOS Rail Jam are FREE and open to all ages. Winterfest to include food, music, vendors, and snow play area with activities for kids along with the XOS Battle of the Sexes Rail Jam Contest Saturday afternoon. The location of the event is at The Big Bear Visitor Center, 630 Bartlett Road in Big Bear Lake. For more event information visit www.xosproductions.com

Don’t miss this once a year event and with great deals on Big Bear’s lift and lodging packages it is affordable for you and your entire group! Ticket sales are limited so it is recommended to pre-purchase your Winterfest tickets. Next weekend to do list: hit the slopes, hit Winterfest and hit the pillow. Sounds like a good weekend…

Yesterday’s storm passed through and left us 1-3 inches of new snow, which was enough to freshen up our surface and make conditions super fun. We’re back to that So-Cal weather we all love- nothin’ but sun for the rest of the week.

This is the last full week to take advantage of January’s Learn a Snow Sport month. Accessible and affordable, Big Bear Mountain Resorts is Southern California’s Learn to Ski and Ride Headquarters. In partnership with the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are offering FREE rentals (up to a $20 savings) to first time beginners ages 8 and older who purchase a beginner lesson package throughout the month of January. Lesson packages begin at $49 and must be booked online at Snow Summit.

When Santa Ana winds blow through Southern California some might consider it a dreadful thing. Big Bear however, thrives on the boisterous winds! It’s a key ingredient for making snow. Simply put, Santa Ana winds are like the sugar in the cookie dough.

The last two nights, both Snow Summit and Bear Mountain have been blowing snow like there’s no tomorrow. The weather conditions are absolutely ideal for snow making with the Santa Ana winds, combined with low-relative humidity, and of course freezing temperatures!

What does this all mean? Well, Big Bear is making a fresh layer of real snow atop its current three foot base of natural snow, which naturally enhances the overall experience for skiers and snowboarders. 

I can attest to this statement. I hit the slopes on Saturday, and had a great time indeed. However, when I went back for more on Sunday, after eight-plus hours of continuous snow making, I noticed a boost in quality! The new layer of snow kicked up the speed a notch and it was a much smoother ride than the day before. 

Snow Summit was making snow the entire time I was there on Sunday. When I left at night there were even more snow guns firing up! This only means the next few days should be great conditions with all runs open at both resorts.

So remember, when Santa Ana winds blow through Southern California there is a good chance Big Bear reaps the benefits of making more snow for a quality experience for skiing and riding the slopes!

Bring on the winds,
Daniel Pea

Big Bear Mountain Resorts is reporting to have the deepest snow base in Southern California with 2-3 feet of snow, all 26 lifts open and blue skies. Bear has ALL lifts available, and nearly every run open including Geronimo! 60 jibs, 55 snow features and plenty of runs for everyone. Snow Summit has ALL runs are open except Last Chance.

Holiday night sessions are scheduled at Snow Summit every night through January 7th, weather permitting. Westridge gets a full evening groom during Night session, giving you the freshest terrain since first chair. Use your Bear Mountain only season pass at Snow Summit beginning at 3 p.m.

Ski and Snowboard Vacation Packages are available now, offering an affordable ski vacation with midweek deals around starting at only $69 per person with double occupancy per night and includes lift ticket and lodging. Call 800-424-4232 for more information or visit BigBear.com

Celebrate New Years Eve with many party options and the best snow conditions for skiing and snowboarding. Snow Summit’s annual torchlight parade is Big Bear’s signature New Year’s Eve event, a holiday attraction not seen anywhere else in Southern California! Visit BigBear.com for more things to do!

Snow Summit’s annual torchlight parade is Big Bear’s signature New Year’s Eve event, a holiday attraction not seen anywhere else in Southern California! The mountain resort is only a two hour drive from most Southern California communities and is a great escape from the norm. Saturday, December 31 at 7 p.m. 250 skiers and snowboarders, some dressed in eccentric holiday costumes, will descend down snow capped mountains with lit torches to create a spectacular display of illumination.

Big Bear Lake is Southern California’s place to enjoy a true white christmas. Dream no more! Big Bear Lake is making dreams come true with heaps of fresh natural snow. Two recent snowstorms have accumulated enough snow to create the perfect white Christmas in the mountains. So far this season, Big Bear has received more than 2 feet of snow with more in the forecast this week alone!

Lodging accommodations are still available for the holiday season. Make this year an authentic white Christmas. Spend time with family and friends in a cozy lodge with all the necessities like wood-burning fireplace, Jacuzzi hot tub and of course warm comfortable beds. Guests are encouraged to bring holiday decorations to deck the halls.

Also, plenty of fun in the snow awaits at Big Bear Snowplay and Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, where guests can slide down the slopes on an inner tube! Other winter related activities include snowshoeing, off-road excursions, horseback riding and holiday shopping. In fact, Big Bear Village is merry and bright with festivities, lots of great gifts for the entire family and Santa Claus will be spreading good cheer.

Just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday, both Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are open and epic. Despite warm temps and limited snowfall, the skiing and riding are super fun. I had a chance to take a few laps on Monday and Tuesday. It felt like April - sunny, a chill vibe, and no crowds. Summit has four runs open and Bear Mountain has three.

Of course, that’s today. The weathermen are forecasting a winter storm heading our way. Accumulations are sketchy, anywhere from an inch to several. No one’s making any promises but there is some good news for next week. Temps are dipping and it’s going to get colder, a lot colder. That means snowmaking. And for now, we’ll take snow from any source. It’s still early and we’re a little spoiled with an early opening this season.

In the meantime, do whatever it is you do to generate snow: dance, sing, stand in your living room wearing all your gear. We’re not picky; we’re just ready for more snow.

Earning my turns,
Glade Girl

That’s right – it’s pow time. The weathermen are correct. We did get a significant amount of snow over the last three days – four to six inches Valley-wide. Enough of the white-stuff, in fact, to provide an excellent base for Snow Summit and Bear Mountain to build upon. And that familiar and delightful hum of snowmaking machinery – giving Mother Nature a helping hand – is rumbling through our Valley. This tells us the snowmakers are back at work and toiling hard to get both mountains open.

Temps are cold and snow-making is expected throughout the week. It looks good! So good, both mountains anticipate being open later this week. While they’re not saying when, we know it will be soon. This just buys us time to get our gear together. So, you’re on notice: tune your board, edge those skis, and make your plans. Skiing and snowboarding are back on the menu in Big Bear!

Soon to be earning my turns,

Glade Girl

Yesterday Amgen announced that Big Bear will be one of the host cities for the 2012 Tour of California, considered America’s most prestigious road cycling stage race. Despite a windy and cold morning, cyclists gathered while it was announced at a media event that took place at Snow Summit. It was really cool to be there, hear the news, and reflect on how the Tour – which had a Big Bear finish in 2010 - has impacted cycling in the Big Bear Valley.

There are 13 host cities for the 750 mile Tour this year. Professional cyclists are scheduled to roll through Big Bear Friday, May 18 for Stage 6 of the race. Just as cyclists did in the 2010 race, they will start in Palmdale and make their way to the Valley. Although, the route will be different and I am definitely excited to hear what the final climb will be.

Even more exciting is that the vibe will likely stick around Friday night. Stage 7 begins in Ontario and will repeat the epic Baldy climb of last year’s race. Definitely mark your calendars, start to think about making reservations, and plan to celebrate the Tour of California returning to Big Bear in May.

While all of us know the cycling in the Valley is epic, it’s nice to get a ‘nod’ that Amgen thinks so too!

Earning my turns,
Glade Girl

I had a chance to take a good, long mountain bike ride this weekend. Trails were in terrific shape from all the rain and snow we received last week, including the classics: 1E01 (Pine Knot); Trick or Treat; Plantation; and Wet Dream. We even encountered snow in a few permanently shaded spots. But most spectacular: from Grand View Point San Gorgonio’s prominent ridgeline was covered in snow. It almost looked skiable. In fact, it got me thinking about the coming ski and snowboard season. I admit - just looking at the slightest bit of white on a high peak got me a little pumped; the sort of excitement that comes from sitting through Warren Miller’s latest pre-season flick.

It also got me thinking: How do you get pumped for the coming winter season? Do you head to your local ski and snowboard shop to look at the latest equipment? Do you read gear reviews from your favorite manufacturers? Do you quote classic lines from ‘Hot Dog’? (My choice: “You may ski on zat side or on zat side, but stay out of the meedle!”)

Earning my turns,
Glade Girl