Bear Mountain (ski area) explained

Bear Mountain
Location:Bear Mountain
San Bernardino National Forest
Nearest City:Big Bear Lake, California
Pushpin Map:California#United States
Pushpin Relief:1
Coordinates:34.2267°N -116.8602°W
Status:Operating
Owner:Alterra Mountain Company
Vertical:1665feet
Top Elevation:8805feet
Base Elevation:7140feet
Skiable Area:198acres[1]
Number Trails:26 total
15% beginner
15% low intermediate
40% intermediate
30% advanced
Longest Run:Geronimo 1.5miles
Liftsystem:7
Lift Capacity:16,590 skiers/hr
Terrainparks:13
Snowfall:100inches
Snowmaking:Yes, 100%
Nightskiing:No
External Link:http://www.bigbearmountainresort.com/

Bear Mountain, formerly known as the Moonridge Ski Area (1943–1969), Goldmine Mountain (1970–1987), and Big Bear Mountain (1988–2001) is a ski area originally established in 1941 in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California, United States. It is located in the city of Big Bear Lake, approximately 2.4 miles east of Snow Summit and 14.8 miles east from Snow Valley. Together, the three ski areas are known as Big Bear Mountain Resort, which is part of Alterra Mountain Company.

Resort

Bear Mountain (base: 7,140 feet, peak: 8,805 feet) has three main peaks – Bear Peak, Silver Mountain, and Goldmine Mountain – that receive an average of 100inches of natural snowfall during the winter. Like many North American ski resorts, the mountain relies on artificial snowmaking during the early part of the ski and snowboard season until the natural snowfall arrives. Known for its youthful atmosphere and progressive terrain, Bear Mountain established the first freestyle terrain park in North America (Outlaw, 1992) and is home to the largest learning areas, highest lift-served peak (Geronimo, 8,805 feet), and only halfpipes in Southern California.

In 1988, the ski area was acquired by S-K-I Limited and renamed Big Bear Mountain. The mountain was sold again in 1995 to Fibreboard Corp. and 1996 to Booth Creek, Inc. In 2002, Snow Summit acquired Big Bear Mountain and changed its name to Bear Mountain. In 2014, both ski areas were bought by Mammoth Resorts (owned by Starwood Capital Group) for $38 million[2] to pair with Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain. The following year, management and operations of Bear Mountain and Snow Summit were consolidated under the Big Bear Mountain Resort brand with each mountain retaining its own identity. In 2017, Starwood announced the sale of Mammoth Resorts to a partnership lead by Aspen Skiing Company and KSL Capital Partners that became Alterra Mountain Company.[3]

Bear Mountain trails

width=25% style="background:green; color:white;"Beginnerwidth=25% style="background:blue; color:white;"Intermediatewidth=25% style="background:black; color:white;"Difficultwidth=25% style="background:black; color:white;"Expert
Learning CurveAcceleratorExhibitionGeronimo
Easy StreetRipcordRip's RunThe Wedge (moguls)
Amusement ParkUpper Park RunOutlaw
The GulchSilver ConnectionShowtime
Lower Park RunBoneyardGambler
Hidden ValleyExpresswayGrizzly
BackdoorsCentral Park
InspriationPipeline
Outlaw's Alley
Street Scene
Park Run Face
Pipeline

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mountain Facts . Big Bear Mountain Resorts . https://web.archive.org/web/20120303185553/http://www.bearmountain.com/snowboard/mountain-info/mountain-facts/ . 3 March 2012 . 1 January 2024.
  2. News: Lomax . Becky . 3 October 2014 . Mammoth Buys Bear Mountain . https://web.archive.org/web/20150225113154/http://www.onthesnow.com:80/news/a/591300/mammoth-buys-bear-mountain--snow-summit---skiers-reap-benies . 25 February 2015 . 1 January 2024 . On the Snow.
    - News: Martin . Hugo . 2014-09-24 . Mammoth Mountain owner buys Bear Mountain and Snow Summit . 31 January 2017 . Los Angeles Times.
  3. News: Martin . Hugo . Mammoth Resorts is being sold to a Colorado ski partnership . . 12 April 2017 . 2017-12-06 .
    - News: Jim . Steinberg . 2017-04-13 . Bear Mountain, Snow Summit ski resorts purchased by joint venture in a 4-resort deal . 2022-11-27 . San Bernardino Sun.