Big Bear Blog

Let’s face it when the snow falls down on Big Bear Lake, it can only mean one thing—PLAYTIME! Skiing and snowboarding, of course tend to be popular winter diversions, but those seeking another avenue of fun on the slopes should try sledding, or better yet inner tubing down Big Bear’s snow covered mountains. 

Playing in the snow is definitely fun, but I recognized something this week I wish to address, which is safety. Before the fun begins, we need to take a real good look at safety precautions before making any decisions of where to slide and what to slide on.

Many families drive up to the mountains to get their snow fix. It’s a great opportunity for parents to show their children snow for the first time, or it has become an annual tradition to experience the thrill of sliding down the snow with their kids year after year. It’s also an opportunity for adults to relive their youth. It’s a downright hoot!

There are two routes one can take to play in the snow. One can go out and purchase a plastic sled or toboggan for $10 - $45, or one can spend his or her money wisely by going to a developed snow play area and rent an inner tube for the day. I tend to favor the latter.  It is much safer to enjoy snow at a developed inner tube park than take a chance on the side of the road. 

It’s time to wake up people! The main arteries leading into Big Bear Lake, Highway 18 and Highway 38 are for traveling purposes. Turnouts are for emergencies or for slower vehicles to pull over to let the flow of traffic pass. It’s not a place to set up camp for the day and turn the highway into a side show circus. Not only is it unsafe to crowd the turnouts and other portions of the highways, but it’s not worth taking a chance that a toboggan might take an accidental spin into the middle of the highway. Ouch! In addition to highway dangers are the snow quality and obstacles like rocks and trees that are sometimes unavoidable.

This week I witnessed families sliding down a thin layer of ice that must have been no more than an inch or so. Why take the chance on such lousy conditions, when you can go to a developed inner tube park and enjoy snow-packed slopes that is well groomed.     

Big Bear is fortunate to have not one, but two inner tube parks that have ample parking, maintained facilities, a friendly staff to keep the fun safeguarded, and best of all thick layers of snow that are groomed daily. In addition, both Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain and Big Bear Snow Play are the only inner tube parks in Southern California that have Magic Carpet uphill lifts that transport riders to the top of the mountain. Each Magic Carpet ride is comprised of a large moving conveyor belt, similar to an airport terminal people-mover. The purpose of Magic Carpet rides is to eliminate the stress of climbing the hill, which in turn provides more opportunity for having fun. With a Magic Carpet lift, folks can get more tubing in an hour than they would in a whole day if they were walking.

Be safe this winter and play in the snow the right way at developed snow play areas like Alpine Slide and Magic Mountain and Big Bear Snow Play. I’ve tried both facilities already this year and quite a hoot indeed!

Come up and Play,
Daniel Pea

As the chill of winter gets a firmer grip on the weather the warm comforts of your home get more and more important after the ride. Since I’m not married I don’t have the luxury of having a loving spouse at home preparing a nice hot meal to help feed my tired shivering body and bring me back to normal.
But I do have a crock pot, and I love her. From the moment I walk in the door I can smell her warm deliciousness brewing and I know that as soon as I peel off the layers of clothes, gloves and head gear that my fingers will be wrapped around a steaming bowl of something…chili…stew…chicken soup…it doesn’t matter… what matters is the love in every piping hot spoon full. The comfort of a hot crock pot meal is hard to match.
It’s the simplest form of “comfort” food.
Chop some veggies up….throw in a hunk a meat or two…broth of some sorts…maybe a beer for richness…
close the lid…turn it on…go for a nice long ride and when you get back she’s ready and waiting…and if you’re late…she tastes even better! Girlfriends have walked out on me…friends have let me down…hell I’ve even had a dog run away but I can always count on my bike and my crock pot.
A bit of winter biking advice…Buy good technical layers, don’t go far from home…call me when you’re ready to ride and buy a BIG crock pot!

I love my crock pot!

Rev

With a couple recent storms already under our belt, including a nice little dusting last night, this Christmas in Big Bear promises to be white. But regardless of Mother Nature’s recent good tidings, the local resorts have it covered, literally, with world-class snowmaking. Especially cold temperatures have allowed the expanded snowmaking systems at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain to crank out tons of snow already. And based on forecasted weather, the resorts are gearing up for another big snowmaking run during Christmas week.

Oh, but I know what you are thinking. You want the real stuff. You and me both, brother. The thing is, we already got it. Listen, you’re smart. And you know that whether it is from the sky or from the snow gun, it is all real snow, right? Get out your chemistry book and check if you don’t believe me. And you know that after a couple of days, fallen or blown snow is indistinguishable from one another. 
Right? Now I’m not saying that fresh powder isn’t the Holy Grail, but the simple fact is that freshies don’t happen every day anywhere. And here in the close, convenient Alps of Southern California, snowmaking allows good, consistent conditions all season long with just a little help from Mother Nature. But if you’re still all hung up on the fake snow thing, read this encyclopedic snowmaking treatise from experts whose whole life is guaranteeing the best snow conditions possible.

So even though Winter officially starts on December 22th, we’re already off to a good start thanks to both the heavens and the hoses. 
A majority of runs are already open at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain with a foot or two of coverage. Bear alone has close to a hundred park features already in place. That should keep you busy for a while.

Now go ride!

Randall
 

Forget that nonsense about bluebird days and sunny skies making for great ski and snowboard days. Truth be told, sunlight is snow’s natural enemy. Sun is to snow what mountain lions are to deer. And the more sun that’s around, the quicker snow conditions deteriorate.
 
That’s why now’s the best time of the year to be out skiing and snowboarding in Big Bear. Usually Big Bear’s snow comes in February and March, sometimes January, but this year it came in early December, over a foot falling at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain.
 
What makes this foot different from a foot that comes two months from now is that the sun is approaching its lowest point in the horizon. The days are getting shorter till December 22, and while that may be when winter officially begins, the sun also begins its slow and gradual climb higher and higher into the sky. Each day gets a little longer, bit by bit but it adds up as sunlight becomes ever more intense and drives daggers into snow packs everywhere.
 
Right now, the enemy is at its weakest just as the snow is at its strongest. Which explains why the snow in Big Bear is staying so good even days after the storm. On Thursday and Friday, December 13-14, I was out at Snow Summit enjoying mostly packed powder coverage, and it’s truly amazing how good the snow is staying.
 
Log Chute, now open top to bottom, was especially tasty, with inches-high piles of light fluff on top of machine groomed packed powder the whole way. Steilhang on Miracle Mile was the best I’ve seen it all season on Friday. That the resort has opened much more terrain in recent days has helped disperse traffic on the standard runs. As of today (December 15), Chair 10 at Snow Summit and Silver Mountain at Bear are open, so both have almost all chairs operating and many of their runs.
 
Cold temperatures and around-the-clock snowmaking for several days now has let Snow Summit and Bear Mountain keep adding icing to the expanding cake, and new runs and lifts are opening almost daily in Big Bear. Hey, I even had a couple pseudo-powder days last weekend, and there’s enough snow in the trees now that the next storm–talk of one is in the forecast for next week–will bring coverage for off-piste fun, even for my discriminating tastes. Those who care less about their equipment than I do have already been in the woods getting their tastes of freshies.
 
Sure, it’s a busy time of the year, what with holiday parties and Christmas shopping, but the sun is still working for us for another few days, the snow is here now, and the holiday crowds aren’t. Midweek, the slopes are downright empty, even after a big storm! In a couple weeks the slopes will be busy during the holidays, the days will be getting longer, and who knows if there will have been any new snow.
 
I think I’ll just hit the malls after Christmas when everyone else is up here in Big Bear! The time to ski is now, while the sun is still my friend. If my gifts are late, at least the skiers and snowboarders on my list will understand. And for those who can’t join me, catch my posts and pictures on this blog and also at http://www.bigbeartodaymag.com.

Marcus

Big Bear Discovery Center started its snowshoe tours one week early, due to a significant amount of snow from a recent snowstorm, but more importantly because the consistent chilly nights have provided a natural refrigeration system that keeps the snow intact to the ground.

So I felt it was my obligation to strap on the snowshoes Sunday, December 16 and get off on the right foot for the snowshoe season. I’m glad I did, it was quite a thrill. 

I was fortunate to find out about the tour through the Big Bear grapevine and sure enough I was on my way to an exhilarating experience. I showed up right at 9 a.m., latched my water pouch around my shoulder, grabbed my gloves and coat and was on my way.

The tour began with a brief overview of snowshoeing including, the shoes and what we would expect to do and see. Our tour guide Stacy Gorin, naturalist extraordinaire, explained it would be an abbreviated tour this time, but the rest of the schedule from December 22, 2007 to March, weather dependent, will be three hours of exploring the winter wilderness. We were set to explore for an hour and a half to two hours. I didn’t complain about a condensed tour. Heck, I figured this would only give me more time for Sunday football!

We headed out. The driver of the tour suggested that we take a detour and drive by Eagle Point to see if the wintering bald eagles might be hunting for some coots. We went by Eagle Point and sure enough we sighted not one, but two bald eagles. What a treat! This was my fourth and fifth sighting for the season, and it’s still only in December.

The trail Stacy picked out was Towne Trail, which is just west of Snow Summit. The trail is relatively level, with a few mellow inclines. It leads right to the Village at Knickerbocker Road.

We approached the trail only to find a couple of families giddily playing in the snow with saucers and sleds. Stacy led us away from the snow sliders to avoid any possible collision. From there she taught our group of four about proper use of shoe straps and walking techniques like the duck waddle, which came in handy later. After everyone was secure in their shoes and felt comfortable we made our way to the trail to discover nature at its finest.

The great thing about this tour, as opposed to trekking the woods on your own, is the guidance of a well-educated naturalist who points out and explains a variety of nature and ecological points of interests along the way.

One of the most interesting things I learned on the tour is the White Fir tree’s leaves produce Vitamin C. Stacy plucked a leaf for each of us to sample. Sure enough it had a citrus tang to it. She explained one could suck on White Fir leaves to get a daily dose of Vitamin C. With flu season fast approaching that might not be a bad idea.

We also learned about the Manzanita, and how Native Americans used the shrub for various purposes such as lotion to relieve symptoms of poison oak. We learned about the “gentle” Jeffery Pine, Incense Cedar and the Willow. In fact, it was interesting to learn that the Willow produces the same ingredients found in aspirin.

We ventured off the trail to search for animal tracks. We went uphill, which is where the duck waddle was necessary. Stacy had her handy animal tracking book for reference and pointed out certain tracks like squirrel and rabbit. We found an interesting set of prints that Stacy was almost certain was a bobcat, but I debated that it was coyote tracks. It was tough to say who was right because the snow was distorted around the tracks making it difficult to identify certain features of the animal’s pads.

One thing for certain is snowshoeing is a great workout. I got plenty of exercise in an hour and a half. One thing I discovered is snowshoeing uses a lot of different leg muscles. I highly recommend stretching before or after the trek, especially the hammies. I failed to stretch and paid for it later.

Snow is in the forecast for later today and Wednesday. There may even be more snow this weekend. This only means more snowshoeing opportunities.

Praise the snow,

Daniel Pea

Nothing in nature quite matches the sight of a bald eagle perched on a tree observing its surroundings like a king on a throne. What’s even more compelling is to watch a bald eagle spread its wings across the open skyline in suspended animation. Folks who want to experience this awesome sight can do so at Big Bear Lake. Each year more than a dozen bald eagles venture out from the great northern states like Idaho, Montana and Washington to the alpine resort for their winter vacations. 

I am fortunate to report that I’ve already seen three different bald eagles this year in Big Bear Lake. In fact, one of my all time dreams came true this year, which is to see an eagle dive into the water and catch its prey.

Before the recent snowstorm hit, about two weeks ago, I was on my way to meet my friend Rick at a pizza joint to have lunch with him and his two kids. I was late for lunch, but on my way over I recognized an eagle perched on a barren tree in the Stanfield Marsh Wildlife Preserve area (the absolute east end of Big Bear Lake). I called Rick to let him know that I was running late. He let me know that he and the kids already chowed down, which turned out to be an opportune time to introduce his kids to an experience they will remember for a long time.

Let’s face it kids love nature, and when they get to see something their friends in school have never seen before that’s when it becomes bragging rights. I met Rick and his kids at the pizza joint and they followed me over to the perch, which is near the corner of Division and Big Bear Blvd, right behind Riffenburg Lumber. As we arrived I watched the kids eyes light up. I pulled my handy binoculars from my truck and passed it around so everyone could get a close-up of the majestic creature. They were mesmerized, especially papa Rick. This was a new experience for all three flatlanders and it had quite a grip on them.

We watched for about a half hour, when all of a sudden it happened. The eagle lifted from the perch, opened its wings like a parachute, then spread the massive wind cutters and fluttered west above the lake. What a sight!

What was even more impressive is I finally got to witness my dream come true. We witnessed the bald eagle swoop down to nab its victim. What a sight indeed! It grabbed its prey in one swipe with its mighty talons, set sail again into the open sky and back to its perch to eat its lunch. We were all awestruck. I think it was a fish, but the kids think it was a bird. Either way it was an awesome experience that each one of us will remember forever.

Big Bear Lake is one of the few places in Southern California where one can see these majestic birds in the wilderness. In fact, Big Bear Discovery Center conducts tours each Saturday from December 22, 2007 to March 1, 2008 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. Additional holiday tours are December 27, 28 and 30.

This should be on any Big Bear visitor’s itinerary this winter season. This is an opportunity to learn about America’s national bird and best of all see the bird in its natural habitat. To book the bald eagles tour log onto http://www.bigbear.com or call 800-424-4232.

Fly Like and Eagle,
Daniel Pea

When the first real chill hits the mountain and it gets cold enough for the resorts to blow snow I get excited about the opportunity to ride my bike and go snowboarding on the same day. In fact, those are the only days I really appreciate that now it’s possible to take pictures on our phones and send them immediately to our friends. It’s so fun to take photos of us biking in the morning and then boarding in the afternoon and then send the pictures to all of my friends down in the city with the text message, “so…what did you do today?”

It’s going to be a great season for playing in Big Bear this winter and I can’t wait to get some long days of our mountain style of play and every once in awhile throw in a session of night snow shoeing and you get the total mountain experience. Grab your bike, snowboard and snow shoes if you’ve got it in ya and I’ll be here ready to play too! Then you can send some pictures to make your friends envy YOU!

Spread the love, rev