Big Bear - Bear Mountain & Snow Summit
Skiing & Snowboarding Resort Guide
Big Bear Resorts operates two of southern California’s best ski and snowboard resorts, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. These resorts offer skiers and snowboarders great terrain for every ability level, and some of the best terrain parks in the world, all just two hours from Los Angeles, on the shores of Big Bear Lake. There’s a total of 1,000 skiable acres between the two resorts, with good beginners and intermediate options in addition to the great terrain parks. The nearby town of Big Bear is an all year destination with great lodging and dining, making Bear Mountain and Snow Summit a nice retreat for southern California skiers and snowboarders.
Bear Mountain:
Bear Mountain is spread across three peaks; skier’s left to right these are Goldmine Mountain, Silver Mountain, and Bear Peak. Chairlifts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 9 are all on Goldmine Mountain, which serves Bear Mountain’s world renown terrain parks. Bear’s terrain parks are known for constantly having some of the best rail setups and jumps in the United States and perhaps the world. The difficulty of these features varies across the different parks, but the bottom line is that these setups a tons of fun for park riders. This part of the mountain is dominated by mainly snowboarders and some park riding skiers.
Chairs 4, 6, and 8 access the mountain’s best intermediate and advanced terrain for skiers and snowboarders that don’t want to ride in the terrain park. These are the steepest runs at bear Mountain. On powder days head over to Bow Canyon and Deer Canyon between the peaks to explore in the trees.
Snow Summit:
Linked to Bear Mountain by a free shuttle service, Snow Summit makes up the other half of Big Bear Resorts. The ski and snowboard area has two main sides, the west side, served by Chairs 2, 3, and 9 is the most popular part of the mountain serving beginner and intermediate terrain as well as the night skiing at Snow Summit. The east side of the mountain is served by a handful of chairlifts including Chairs 1, 6, 7, and 10. This side of the mountain is less crowded and has only intermediate and advanced skiing and snowboarding. Snow Summit’s steepest and most challenging runs are on the east side of the mountain off of Chairs 5 and 6.
Mountain Stats & Big Bear Trail Map
| Total Skiable Acres | 748 | Beginner Terrain | 15% |
| Base Elevation | 7,140' | Intermediate Terrain | 55% |
| Summit Elevation | 8,805' | Advanced Terrain | 30% |
| Vertical Drop | 1,665' | Average Annual Snowfall | 100" |
| Total Lifts | 12 |
| Total Skiable Acres | 240 | Beginner Terrain | 10% |
| Base Elevation | 7,000' | Intermediate Terrain | 65% |
| Summit Elevation | 8,200' | Advanced Terrain | 25% |
| Vertical Drop | 1,200' | Average Annual Snowfall | 100" |
| Total Lifts | 14 |
Big Bear Mountain Resorts are located a two hour drive west of Los Angeles. The to ski and snowboard areas, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are just south of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest. Using Highway 38 to get to Big Bear can be a nice way to shortcut traffic on busy weekends, even though it is longer.
Travel Resources:
Travel Directions to Big Bear
Big Bear Mountain Resorts are located a two hour drive west of Los Angeles. The to ski and snowboard areas, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are just south of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest. Using Highway 38 to get to Big Bear can be a nice way to shortcut traffic on busy weekends, even though it is longer.
Travel Directions to Big Bear
Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are a perfect escape for skiers and snowboarders from Los Angeles and southern California. There are tons of lodging options in Big Bear Lake. These range from cabins to hotels, all at various price points. There is bound to be something within every visitor’s budget. One of the cheapest option is the ITH Hostel, which offers shared and private rooms.
Big Bear Lodging Overview
ITH Hostel
ITH Hostel
Local Food Picks
The Big Bear Resorts have a very nice array of on mountain dining options, including several mountain top restaurants like the Skyline Taphouse. Laybacks Bar is a great spot to grab a drink on the 13,000 sq. ft. sundeck while catching views of Bear Mountain’s terrain parks. Off the mountain there are restaurants to suit any taste or mood. On Mountain Dining
Big Bear Dining
Where to Find Lift Tickets to Bear Mountain and Snow Summit?
Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are on a shared lift ticket, which offers skiers and snowboarders cheap lift tickets with a great value. Children, youth and seniors are eligible for discount Big Bear lift tickets. Season pass holders have “Bring-A-Friend” tickets that offer deep discounts, too. Overall, purchasing lift tickets online, at least three days in advance, is the best way to guarantee the lowest price.Big Bear Weather Information
Bear Mountain and Snow Summit may only receive 100” of natural snowfall in an average year, however, Big Bear Resorts have a stout snowmaking system that covers nearly 100% of the mountain. This allows for consistent operations throughout the winter. What Bear lacks in snowfall it makes up for in sunshine, with plenty of beautiful southern California days.Big Bear Ski Report
For fun skiing and snowboarding just two hours from Los Angeles and Orange County, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are a no brainer; they’re less than half of the distance to the mountain than Mammoth. Beginner and intermediate skiers will love theses mountains, while terrain park riders will be in heaven.
