Big Bear Blog

Since 1970 we’ve celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd. That was the day Americans decided to stop the un-checked pollution of our planet! Before 1970 there were no laws to stop factory’s from spewing black smoke into the air or dumping toxic chemicals into our oceans and waterways. Earth Day was established by Senator Gaylord Nelson as away to “force this issue onto the national agenda” 20 million Americans responded in protest and their voices were heard!

In December of the same year Richard Nixon and Congress created the United States Environmental Protection Agency to begin the task of repairing the damage already done and establish guidelines to protect human health and the environment. I’m challenging you to use Earth Day as a reminder that this is “OUR yard” and we should be keeping all of Big Bear Lake clean and beautiful 365 days a year.

Big Bear Disposal is doing their part by adding six clean, quiet, eco-friendly trucks to their fleet as they work towards becoming a zero waste community. Soon they will be breaking ground for a new recycling facility on the north shore of the lake, reinforcing their commitment to help us keep Big Bear “green.” Please come up and enjoy our playground, all we ask is that you treat Big Bear like it’s your  backyard, because for us, every day is Earth Day.

spreading the love, rev

Beer, wine, coffee, tea – no matter your poison or your pleasure, there are plenty of options in our mountain town! The kind of options that make any post-adventure celebration that much sweeter!

Good beer. Liquid gold. Brewed in Big Bear? Yup, brewed right here at the Big Bear Mountain Brewery & Restaurant. Housed in the pale yellow building at the top of Red Ant Hill on the Boulevard, they serve great beer – Old Miners Gold, Mt. Pub Ale, Lil Beaver IPA and Grizzly Bear Doppel Bock, among others – plus good pub fare and sometimes live entertainment. Their slogan: Arrowhead’s got the water, Big Bear’s got the beer. Lucky for us! www.mountainbrewery.com

Another option for tasty buds – The Himalayan Restaurant in the Village. With beers named Yeti, The Nun and Go for Monk, celebrating just sounds like more fun! Plus they have good food and the best Tandoori Chicken in the Valley. Okay, the ONLY Tandoori Chicken in the Valley. www.himalayanbigbear.com

Coffee – whether you need it or not – is a good thing. And Grizzly Mountain Gourmet in the Village is a perfect place to enjoy a cup of joe. Part market, part hangout, it’s not a bad place to wind down! It’s also on the return route to Snow Summit after some amazing lift-served mountain-biking. And they have more than just fancy coffee drinks. They have lots of other fancy things too: cheeses, meats, breads, salads and more. They even sell hard to find bottled beers and exceptional wines. We give them extra points for that! www.grizzlymountaingourmet.com

Wine. Where? Plenty of places but it really comes down to where to enjoy that glass of sparkly. How about Nottinghams? Lake views? Check. Wine list? Check. Happy hour? Check. Fun atmosphere? Check. Plus a full bar for your non-grape-loving friends looking for libations. www.nottinghams.info

Just a few of my favorites but would love to hear about yours: Where do you commemorate your adventures?

Earning my turns,
Glade Girl

We had some serious storms this winter that covered our mountain with more snow than we’re used to, but once they got a handle on the roads we got back to the business of playing. Even before people had their own walkways dug out of the snow they were out snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding and sledding with the kids. There’s still plenty of snow on the ground but warm spring temps are here and we are surely in for a beautiful season. Daylight saving time just went into effect and already the bike rides are in full swing and we’ve even had a few really good frisbee sessions. When winter hits hard, it makes our mountain more colorful in the spring and it stays pretty and green all the way through summer. We are having a super spring up here but don’t take my word for it, come on up and see for yourself. spreading the love, rev

I caught word on Wednesday via a text message from Big Bear Mountain Resorts that Vampire Weekend performs live at Bear Mountain on Friday, March 20th. The free concert promoted by KROQ stirred quite a buzz around town. Also, flocks of fans from all over Southern California made the trek up the mountain to see the boys from New York play their catchy riffs live.

I dropped by the resort in the afternoon to check out the free concert. I ordered fish and chips at the eatery and grabbed a Newcastle at the bar. I was late for the show, but nonetheless I found a decent seat.

I have to admit I thought Vampire Weekend was another one of those fly-by-night gothic bands that writes dreary music and has cult-like followers that are ale as powder with jet black hair and caked in makeup. However, I was in for quite a surprise. The band actually plays rock that has captivating hooks with an eighties-like twist, and their fan base was a group of regular ole folks.  

The band played an abbreviated set, but nonetheless they brought the house down. I look forward to more free concerts at the mountain resorts. Next time I will be sure to post it to the blog before the band palys.

Rock on,

Daniel Pea

You never forget your first time and this weekend we get to share a first time experience with thousands of others. The inaugural Big Bear Marathon is finally here this Saturday September 6th and we are excited to have athletes from all over the country coming up for our event. We should have perfect weather conditions for our participants as they make their way around Big Bear Lake on the 26.2 mile course.

Our Bike Tour is not timed so riders can pedal easy and enjoy a beautiful morning cruise as they watch the sun rise over the lake. Runners will be challenged and entertained by our mountain top marathon route because of its diversity and complexity.

Racers and riders will start at 6,750’ in the Village. From there they will instantly climb up Red Ant Hill before heading off to the serpentine stretch of highway that leads you to Big Bear Dam.

After crossing the dam participants will be on the quiet north shore side of the lake where they will be treated to spectacular views of the Big Bear Lake, the Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski resorts and Mt. San Gorgonio. When participants reach the east end of the lake they will be lead into the Moonridge area of Big Bear Lake. This requires more climbing. Runners will pass by the Bear Mountain Golf Course and Moonridge Zoo before descending back down into town and the exciting finish in the Village.

It’s going to be some party and we hope that you won’t miss it. Come say hi; share a first with all of us on the mountain. You never forget your first time.

spreading the love, rev

Wow! The community of Big Bear gave an epic send off ceremony last night at Big Bear Middle School for Ryan Hall, Big Bear’s hometown hero. Ryan is an Olympic marathon runner born and raised right here in Big Bear Lake.

He is a favorite to win a medal in the 26.2 mile race that has become the pinnacle event for all who love to run. It was amazing to see the huge crowd of locals turn out to wish him well, including hundreds of school kids who showed up with their bright red “Run Ryan Run” hats on, which symbolizes our community spirit and support for Ryan Hall.

I applaud the Light house Project for putting together such a well organized send-off event. The Lighthouse Project is a organization that has one goal, to create child honoring communities. The Lighthouse Project began the “Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall” program to show Ryan support by having people log miles from walking, running, biking, paddling or anything human powered.

It’s been an amazing thing to see all the red hats all over town, and watch the miles grow on the website. It was even more thrilling to watch them unveil a huge banner for Ryan showing how many miles have already been logged. The goal was not only accomplished, but exceeded before the due date with 1,203,000 miles. Ryan was absolutely moved by all the support and love shown by his hometown crowd and was completely blown away when he saw that they’ve already exceeded the original “million” mark, and the miles keep on climbing. Be sure to watch for Ryan’s race on August 23 U.S.A. time, and if you’re a runner come on up and see where Ryan Hall trains and don’t forget to cheer for our very special hometown Olympic hero!

spreading the love, rev

It’s here!…The Big Bear Hostel is finally open. For all those that have learned the fine art of traveling on the cheap, you’ll be stoked to know that Big Bear now has a great place to stay right in the heart of the village. Big Bear Hostel is half the price of a hotel room and much less than a cabin or condo.

Grayson Mcneil owner of the Hostel and a good friend of mine will set you up with a nice inexpensive place to sleep and answer any questions regarding playing in and around our mountain top paradise.

Catch him on his downtime, and he’ll likely go kayaking, biking or hiking with you. He has tons of great trail info on his website and there are walking/riding trails just a quarter mile or so up the street (and I mean UP). If you go the other way toward the lake, you’re less than a hundred yards from the water’s edge. Both ski resorts are minutes away via bus, which passes by every few minutes at the corner of Knickerbocker and Big Bear Blvd., merely steps from your door.

For those of you that want to take home a souvenir or gift, retail shops line the streets of the Village. There are plenty of spots nearby that serve up tasty treats and snacks to please your appetite, or you can have a full scale sit down grub fest at one of the many restaurants. Of course there are several popular night spots that you can usually find by walking the streets of the village and listen for the sound of live music or the wail of the karaoke singing tourists!.

Whatever you want to do while you’re here, it’s probably not far away from the hostel. My favorite part of staying in hostels is the people. If you’re into meeting fellow travelers and friends of the road, then you know the best stories and most interesting people stay in hostels. Its fun to meet folks with names you can’t pronounce and people that have been to places you want to go and maybe some places you’ve been. Share drinks and food and tales of the road.

Grayson and his dog “Chief” welcome you to visit our mountain. Play hard and when the day is done, spend the night at one of the most fun and friendliest places you’ll ever experience! Big Bear Hostel is open and ready for your traveling spirit. See you soon.

Spreading the love, rev