Category Archives: California, Southern

Double the fun for half the price on the slopes at Bear Mountain, Snow Summit

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Bear Mountain and Snow Summit have a midweek two-for-one lift ticket deal for Valentine’s Day. (Big Bear Mountain Resorts photo)

Bear Mountain and Snow Summit have a special lift-ticket deal for February, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Buy one ticket and the second one is free when they are purchased online.

“Last year, we had a couple get married on the top of Snow Summit,” says Chris Riddle, vice president of marketing for Big Bear Mountain Resorts. “We were thrilled to add a uniqueness factor to their big day. The Sweetheart Deal gives people the incentive to grab a partner for an out-of-the-ordinary date, with midweek skiing on our great snow conditions at half the price.”

The Sweetheart Deal lift ticket deal is available online only. Lift tickets are valid for use Feb. 12-14. The special is available for Adult and Young Adult tickets, and valued up to $118. Same day purchase is not available.

If the tickets are not used Feb. 12-14, they may be used on another day after paying the difference between the original purchase price and the prevailing rate on the new date that they are being used.

Skiers, snowboarders get a lift for less this month at Mountain High

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Mountain High is taking up to 50 percent off the price of its lift tickets during February.

Express Pass Holders may use the coupon code FEBEXPRESS to receive an adult 8-hour lift ticket for $39. The discount is available through Feb. 28, but not valid President’s Day weekend, Feb. 16-18.

For those who don’t have an Express Pass, if they purchase an adult 8-hour lift ticket by Feb. 15 they will receive a free Express Pass plus a bounce back voucher for $39 that will be good for use on their next visit. The same restrictions apply for the bounce-back voucher (valid through Feb. 28, except Feb. 16-18).

Mountain High’s Express Pass is the most sophisticated and environmentally-friendly lift ticket in snowsports, says resort spokeswoman Kim Hermon. The reusable, hard-plastic card can be encoded time and again with almost any Mountain High lift ticket and benefits include:

  • $10 off 8-hour, 4-hour and night ticket options, non-holiday.
  • Free 8-hour ticket (non-holiday) after every four visits.
  • Track days ridden, total runs, vertical feet and more.
  • Guarantee reservations in case of a sellout.

Forecasters are calling for a snowy month ahead, with off and on storms.

“February is likely to be a stormy month especially in comparison to the quiet January we’ve just seen,” says Chris Manly from Snowforecast.com.

Information: www.mthigh.com 

Kids ski/ride free all season long at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain

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Big Bear Lake resorts are offering kids a chance to ski or ride for free.

At Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, the Kids Ski/Ride for Free promotion is good weekdays all season long, including spring break. This special offer requires an overnight stay, Sunday through Thursday, at the time of booking.

“Spring break just got more exciting in Big Bear because we now offer free lift tickets for kids,” said Rebecca Hrabia, Big Bear Lake Resort Association director of operations. “Parents will save money, and the kids will have an absolute blast. It’s the perfect solution where everyone in the family wins.”

The Kids Ski/Ride for Free package must include lodging at one of Big Bear’s participating lodges. One free kid’s lift ticket voucher will be given for each paying adult lift ticket.

Free tickets are valid for kids 12 years and younger. Lift tickets are good for either or both Snow Summit and Bear Mountain.

Packages are good for lodging arrivals Sunday through Thursday and skiing or snowboarding Monday through Friday. Midweek skiing generally has no wait time at the chair lifts, and the runs are wide open. Lift ticket vouchers are not valid on weekends and during the holiday period Feb. 16–22.

Families also qualify to participate in Big Bear’s new Kids. Get Outdoors. Win. program that gives kids an opportunity to collect stamps in an adventure stamp passport. Kids who collect three stamps or more will qualify to win a grand prize trip for four to Big Bear.

Other prizes include a new bike, new snowboard, zipline tickets or a season pass to Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. Families are encouraged to go to guest services at either Snow Summit or Bear Mountain to receive a stamp for the passport.

For more details about the Kids Ski/Ride for Free package and Kids. Get Outdoors. Win. program, including a list of Outdoor Fun Spots locations, prize listings and official rules visit www.bigbear.com or call 800-424-4232.

Mountain High North opening Saturday

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Mountain High North will open this Saturday at 9 am.  The North Resort offers 70 acres of beginner to intermediate terrain, one quad chair lift, and a 6,000 sq ft base lodge with restaurant facilities and giant, log-burning fireplace.

With no snowmaking, it relies on Mother Nature but a foot of new snow has fallen in recent weeks making this opening possible.

Mountain High North is great for families and introductory skiers and snowboarders.  If you were looking for the last stashes of powder, you’ll will find them as well.

The rolling terrain offers hours of excitement, with all trails ending at the bottom of the Sunrise Quad.  Formerly Ski Sunrise, the North Resort originated in the 1940’s along with other local resorts such as Mount Waterman, Krakta Ridge, and Blue Ridge, now known as Mountain High West.  During the 1960s and 1970s the North Resort was considered a local’s favorite.

The North Resort will operate weekends and holidays from 9 am to 4:30 pm through mid March.  With the exception of lessons, all amenities are available including rentals, retail, and food & beverage.  Mountain High now consists of three separate resorts (East, West, and North) but a single lift ticket is good at all three areas.

Artificial snow saves the day at SoCal mountain resorts

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Early December conditions were disappointing at best at all of the mountain resorts in Southern California. Thanks to some natural snow and lots of manmade powder, 2013 is off to a great start at several of them. This photo at Bear Mountain was taken on Jan. 7. (Bear Mountain photo)

By Art Bentley

Back in December, a red Christmas seemed like a distinct threat to the balance sheets of Southern California ski resorts. Only Bear Mountain remained in business, and it was limping at best.

Uncooperative weather forced Snow Summit and Mountain High to halt their lifts after all three resorts had opened before mid-November, amid optimism prompted by the prospect of a profitable Thanksgiving holiday weekend clearly in sight.

Meanwhile, Snow Valley, Mount Baldy and Mount Waterman — the other Southern California ski areas — had yet to sell a lift ticket. (Waterman is the only local area that depends entirely on nature for snow. Consequently, it’s also the only area that remains closed.)

“We’d had three days of snow-making, we were open to the top at Snow Summit, and we had the beginner area open at the bottom,” said Chris Riddle, vice president for marketing for Big Bear Mountain Resorts, which operates Summit and Bear. “Then we had three weeks without one night of snow-making. It was a very strange warm spell.”

Visions of a strong start disappeared along with the Thanksgiving turkey, and the leftovers were disappointing enough to give an accountant heartburn.

Toward the middle of December, cold weather returned, bringing several small snowstorms. Far more important, however, it brought the kind of consistently frigid temperatures that play particularly to the strengths of Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, where huge snow-making systems draw unlimited quantities of water from Big Bear Lake.

Both resorts were in almost full operation by Christmas. At one stretch, Snow Summit, which returned to the lineup Dec. 15, was pumping 7,300 gallons of lake water per minute into its artillery.

“What really sets us apart is our access to that big storage unit down there,” Riddle said recently with a nod in the direction of the lake. “Wells (on which other Southern California resorts must rely for their water) don’t have the same level of recovery that we do. To go from closed to 95 percent open in two weeks without a big storm is unprecedented.”

Mountain High extends night skiing in Wrightwood

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Mountain High will continue its night skiing operations seven nights a week through Jan. 27. After that, the Wrightwood resort will decide whether to return to its normal Wednesday through Friday schedule or remain open every night from 5 to 10 p.m.

“I love skiing at night. It’s so peaceful and serene. And with a schedule like mine, evenings are the only time I can get away. Thanks Mountain High,” says Chris McConnel of Fullerton.

Eighty five percent of the West Resort is lit including the terrain park and the beginner area. Ski under the stars after school or work. When finished, head up to the Bullwheel Bar & Grill and take a seat by the fire place where you can warm up with a hot cocktail.

Three to five inches of new snow fell overnight, and both the East and West Resorts are open with good mid-winter conditions.

Mountain High is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. A single Mountain High lift ticket is good at any one of its three areas, and free shuttles are available to take guests back and forth.

Shopping for deals on the slopes

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At Mountain High, the Express Pass opens the way to money savings on the slopes and several special features. (Mountain High photo)

By Jerry Rice

OK, everyone knows that skiing and snowboarding can be expensive – traveling to the resort, lodging, equipment rentals, lift tickets…

But there are many ways to save on costs without cutting cut corners on the fun. Some examples:

> Free rentals for first-timers, ages 8 to adult, when a beginner lesson package is purchased at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit during the month of January. It’s part of a Learn to Ski and Snowboard Month promotion in partnership with the National Ski Areas Association. Information: 909-866-5841, www.snowsummit.com

> Mammoth Mountain’s January midweek pass is $249 – $50 less than last season. With regular adult lift tickets at the resort running $99 per day, the cost of the special midweek pass essentially means it more than pays for itself after three days on the slopes. Other price levels are $179 for youth, $69 for children and $199 for seniors. The pass is valid Monday-Friday through Feb. 1, but must be purchased by Monday. Information: 800-626-6684, www.mammothmountain.com

> At Mountain High, spend $10 on a rechargeable Express Pass, load it with almost any lift ticket and start saving – $10 on all flex ticket options – and enjoying other benefits. Those other benefits include guaranteed reservations in case of a sellout, a free eight-hour non-holiday ticket after every five visits, and the ability to track the number of runs you’ve completed, the total vertical feet and other individual stats. Information: 888-754-7878, www.mthigh.com 

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Mountain High’s East Resort opens more than a mile of Alpine terrain

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After receiving more than 15 inches of snow this season, including 3 inches in the last several days, Mountain High’s East Resort is open for skiing and snowboarding. (Mountain High photo)

Mountain High’s East Resort opened Wednesday, offering 1.6 miles of what many skiers and snowboarders consider to be the best Alpine terrain in Southern California. Goldrush trail is available with great coverage, and all beginner runs at both the top and bottom also are open.

“The East Resort is my favorite resort. You won’t believe how long the runs are,” says John McColly, Mountain High’s chief marketing officer.

East Resort boasts the longest trails served by a single high-speed quad. It is known for its deep powder, gladed tree skiing areas and views of the Mojave Desert. Rising as high as 8,200 feet, the East Resort offers Southern California skiers and snowboarders an Alpine experience without having to travel far from home.

With 1,600 vertical feet of uninterrupted corduroy, it’s one of the best carving mountains in the area, and it also serves up exciting steeps like the Olympic Bowl, Southern California’s longest, steepest bump run.

For new skiers and snowboarders, there are uncrowded beginner trails at the top and bottom, and lessons are available every weekend peak season.

Guests also can relax at the Grand View Bistro, Mountain High’s gourmet mountain-top restaurant, which will start regular service soon.

Mountain High’s East Resort is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and offers a full selection of rentals, repair and retail services, plus warm après ski cocktails at the Snowshoe Saloon. A single Mountain High lift ticket is good at both areas, and free shuttles are available to take guests back and forth.

Santa sightings on the slopes

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By Jerry Rice

Santa Claus has a big job to do come Dec. 24, so if the Big Guy wants to have some fun before the Big Day it’s probably best to cut him some slack — otherwise you may find coal in your stocking on Christmas morning. The Jolly Old Elf has been visiting several ski resorts during the last several days …

Santa offers a helping hand to the snow-making crew at Mountain High. (Mountain High photo)

One cameraman caught him making snow at Mountain High (www.mthigh.com). The Wrightwood getaway was in big need of the white stuff, as there was none of it on the slopes as recently as Dec. 12. That was just before a storm moved through and dumped 6-12 inches of snow, and also brought with it the below-freezing temps that were desperately needed for the resort to turn on its extensive snow-making system.

Santa carves up some fresh powder at Snow Summit. (Snow Summit photo)

Elsewhere in Southern California, Santa parked his sleigh for a fun outing at Snow Summit (www.snowsummit.com), where he pulled off a maneuver that yours truly has never attempted — at least not on purpose.

At that Big Bear Lake resort, St. Nick found favorable conditions — 12-18 inches of snow, with a surface that ranged from machine groomed packed powder to hard pack — to perform all sorts of acrobatics.

We’re not sure how Santa landed a second or two after this shot on the right was taken, but we would like to see how it scored with the judges.

We recall last winter when the ski/snowboard season got off to a disappointing start at resorts throughout California. Mammoth Mountain (www.mammothmountain.com), for example, didn’t receive its first significant snowfall until late January. By then, much of the lucrative ski/snowboard season was lost.

Santa jumps for joy at Homewood Mountain Resort. (Homewood Mountain Resort photo)

This winter, thankfully, has been different. Mammoth has a base of 7.5 feet, and since early November it has received nearly 13 feet of snow — with more on the way tonight and Saturday.

Snow also is in the weekend forecast at Lake Tahoe, where Homewood Mountain Resort (www.skihomewood.com) reports as much as 45 inches of it has fallen this winter on the slopes at the higher elevations. That news apparently has Mr. Claus, at left, really excited.

We figure there will be Santas galore at Whistler Blackcomb (www.whistlerblackcomb.com) on Saturday morning. That’s when the resort will be giving a free lift ticket to the first 75 people who arrive at the Garibaldi Lift Company in full Santa or Mrs. Claus attire. They will be invited to ride up the hill at 8 a.m., then board or ski to the bottom of the Emerald Express for a group photo.

At Whistler Blackcomb, lots of Santas will be checking their lists while riding the lifts. (Whistler Blackcomb photo)

It’s an annual tradition at the Canadian resort. A cameraman for the local Pique Newsmagazine captured last year’s festivities, and some of the highlights were edited into a cute 48-second YouTube video. It shows a sea of red suits and bushy white beards moving down the mountain, some more gracefully than others.

With that, we offer Santa this important reminder: There are only three more skiing/snowboarding days left until Christmas.

Out for a morning thrill in the chill on the hill at Mountain High

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Snowboarders take the Blue Ridge Express chairlift to the top of Borderline at Mountain High’s West Resort on Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012. (Photos by LaFonzo Carter)

By Jerry Rice

Our intrepid photographer, LaFonzo Carter, was out and about this morning riding the slopes at Mountain High, and he reports that it was “crowded, windy and cold.”

Snowboarders jam the Blue Ridge Express liftline.

That last part will continue to be true through the end of the week at the Wrightwood resort, where daytime highs are expected to be in the mid- to low-40s, according to The Weather Channel. Nighttime temps — 24 degrees tonight, 27 on Thursday and 30 on Friday — will be prime for making new snow.

Carter, a team rider for the apparel maker Virus, was getting in a few runs before an afternoon shift at The Sun in San Bernardino.

When it comes to handling a frigid morning on the hill, his advice is similar to what Mom might offer: “When you’re out there, you really have to bundle up — wear a face mask and everything,” he said.