From the Big Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce (MAP):

We have two zipline companies which can take you zipping through the trees, enjoying beautiful views along the way, Call ahead. One takes you to the Johnson Valley, and the other is up at the Cedar Lake Camp area.

We have a company that can take you off-roading in their own vehicle, which will save the wear and tear on yours? Just throw your sandwiches and drinks in the cooler , and they can take you where you want to go. There are set tours, but they can be tailored to suit you, and they are very reasonable. This company takes the studios out to search out movie locations for future films.

If you want to do your own off-roading (MAP for Moonridge to Sugarloaf), pick up a trail map and have fun! And don’t forget to pick up an Adventure Pass, which permits you to stop on Forest roads.

If you brought your own guns, you can try out the Shooting Range at the weekend.

Scenic Flights of the Valley and mountains are available for you to get a bird’s eye view.

Take the family bowling any time! Glow bowling at night, pool table, arcade games and great French fries. There is a full bar and a 105” tv. Don’t worry if you can’t bowl well, just push a button and the bumpers come up on the lanes.

We have a rescue animal park. The zoo (MAP) has been responsible for returning over 8,000 animals back into the wild! They have all kinds of animals you would expect to see in the mountains and desert areas, such as grizzly bear, black bear, wolves, mountain lions, owls & eagles! On the way there, stop at some great shops along Moonridge Rd., and check out the golf course next door. Did you know that your ball goes further because the air is thinner?

There is a petting zoo and horse riding stables at the east end of the valley. Go for a gentle walk, for the time span you choose. Open year round.

Go up to Snow Summit for a ski lift (YouTube Video)  chair ride to the top and hop off and hike around, hop back on to come down. or if you hooked your mountain bike on, on the way up, you can bike down. They have their barbecue going at the top, so it is easy to stick around to enjoy the views.

Stop at the bike rental stores for loads of info. And if you prefer street biking, they can help guide you there also. You can even rent the baby trailers to hook on the back of your bike.

If you like light walking along the shore to vigorous hiking amongst the rocks and trees, we have a trail for you.
The Forest Service runs the Discovery Center over on the North Shore. They run all sorts of activities: canoeing, kayaking, animal tracking, and have a display with animal fur you can touch, a gift shop filled with educational toys and books, and a café that has some outdoor seating with terrific views. People love to go and have their picture taken outside by the huge bronze bear. They run a summer concert series in their outdoor amphitheater and hold stargazing evenings, story-telling, and more……

Water activities include some great charter fishing companies with lake tours, several tour boats (Pine Knot Landing MAP), parasailing, jet skis, jet boat tours, all kinds of boat rentals, from peddle boats, electric fun boats, to kayaks & canoes, fishing boats and pontoon boats. There are six areas around the lake for various watercraft rentals.

Go for a swim at Swim Beach, cleared of weed, lifeguard on duty, inflatable slide and trampoline in the water, or go to the water slide at Alpine Slide and try the toboggan slide, the go carts, mini golf and arcade games. Meadow park also has a large jungle gym to help the kids burn off some energy.

Be sure to check out our Museum. They have real old cabins, a schoolhouse and even a teepee! All are staged so you can see how it really was.

Our restaurants are all pretty top notch. From special occasion dining to steaks, seafood, bbq, ethnic food and fast food, there is sure to be something for every palette. Only one restaurant on the lake, but several with a view of it. Let’s face it, how could there not be a view of something wonderful in Big Bear?

Shop all around our beautiful valley, from west to east, and don’t forget to enjoy Friday Nights in the Village (MAP). Family fun with activities, extra vendors, and free entertainment, and Wyatt’s Saloon at the Convention Center for family fun, really good food, and line dancing.

Pick up our information to see what is going on while you are here, and for when you come back!

More Resources;

• Winter Fishing Big Bear Lake – Contact Us | Terms of Use | Trademarks | Privacy Statement
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• Your Typical Lake Trout Fishing Gear – You need not get a fishing rod made for open sea fishing as that really is unnecessary and a waste of money.Plastic lures are able to swim gracefully alongside the movement of the waves and the trout love them. Don’t worry about finding …
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• Your Typical Lake Trout Fishing Gear « Dont Talk Right Now – Another typical lake trout fishing gear is the fishing reel.Experimenting is a way to discover new methods that are more effective than the last.There are many brands and makers of fishing gears out there and thus an angler has to …

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Chili enthusiasts, get ready for the Big Bear Chili Cook-off, “Southwest Showdown” regional chili cook-off on Saturday, July 17^th.  Chili cooks from California, Nevada and Arizona will compete to win the regional championship and move on to the State Competition.  Big Bear businesses and organizations will also be competing in the Cook-off including the Big Bear Trails Foundation, Big Bear Grizzly, B’s Backyard BBQ, Grizzly Mountain Gourmet Marketplace, Resort Association,  and Lynn Segrest of Stillwell’s, who placed 1^st in the Chamber of Commerce Chili Cook-off last October.

This year the Big Bear Chili Cook-off is FREE to attend!  Come taste red and green chili, fresh salsa, and people’s choice chili.  Chili cookers cooking red chili also will be preparing people’s choice chili for the public to vote on; red chili, green chili, and salsa are all voted on by judges.  The event runs from 10am to 6pm, and chili tasting will take place between 11:00- 3:00pm, or until the chili runs out.

Over 60 vendors will be at the event with products ranging from Cool Toes water shoes, Old Tyme Treasures, and Uncle Tim’s Best West BBQ Sauce.  A beer garden/ food court will feature margaritas, funnel cakes, tri tip sandwiches, and hot dogs by Ike’s Rockin Dogs.  This year there will be an entire kid’s zone including dunk tank, rock wall, bounce houses, prize wheel, gold panning, and face painting and temporary air brush tattoos.

Entertainment will be provided by local favorites Izon Eden, and Damn Good Question as well multiple performances by the Joyful Noise Cloggers.  Partake in the festivities by joining in the shoot and holler competition, and by voting for Little Miss Chili Pepper, and Little Mr. Hot Sauce.

Those interested in becoming a chili cook should contact the Chamber at (909) 866-4607 or go online at www.bigbearchilicookoff.com to download an application today!  Chili cookers must be, or become members of the International Chili Society.  To obtain membership go to www.chilicookoff.com.

The Big Bear Chili Cook-off is a sanctioned event by the International Chili Society.

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Big Bear Lake; Come and welcome back our world record holders to celebrate their amazing accomplishment. Welcome Jordan and Live Your Dreams Fair will be on Weds, June 9th at the Big Bear Middle School Football Fieldfrom 4:30-6:30pm and is FREE to attend. Over 25 booths, kids’ activities, and presentations to Jordan.

Dinner will be served starting at 5:30 and at 7pm a Meet, Greet & Slide Show with Jordan and Family will take place at the Middle School Gym. Dinner and Slide Show are $5 for kids and $8 for adults. All proceeds to benefit Jordan’s charities. Information call the Big Bear Chamber of Commerce 909-866-4607.

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Do you have a bike in your garage that is covered with dust and cobwebs? If so, dust it off and come join the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation, Big Bear Chamber, Open Air Big Bear, and the Big Bear Cycling Club, for a series of community rides in May. The rides take place the first three Saturday’s in May, (1, 8 & 15) and will be a great opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate cycling.

“It’s time to stop making excuses,” said Trails Foundation Chair, Phil Hamilton, “these rides are for everyone, so get your bike out of the garage and join us for a nice, easy ride in Big Bear!” If your excuse is that you don’t have a bike, then rent one at reduced prices from the following bike shops: Bear Valley Bikes, Blauers, Chains Required, and Get Boards.

Have a flat tire? Bring your bike and get it fixed the day of the rides. Bike mechanics will be on hand to provide basic bike maintenance from 9:00am- 10:00am at the Brownie parking lot behind Goldsmith’s. The rides will start out of the Brownie lot at 10:00am, and will last till roughly 11:00am.

Don’t have a babysitter? Bring the kids, bring your friends, and bring yourself. Get a group of co-workers, and ride together. This is a great chance to get outside and enjoy the beautiful surroundings Big Bear has to offer!

Local community leaders will be joining the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation on the Community Rides including: Mayor Liz Harris, BVUSD Superintendant Dr. Nancy Wright, Jim Miller, David Lawrence, and Cherie Haggerty from the City of Big Bear Lake, DWP Chairman Steve Foulkes, Events Resource Office Director Rick Bates, Planning Commissioner David Caretto, and Big Bear Chamber of Commerce CEO Sara Russ.

Stop making excuses and join the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation for a Community Ride in May! If you have any questions about the Community Rides, please contact the Chamber at (909) 866-4607.

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Atlas Snowshoes from Goldsmith's Board House

Did you know Snowshoe the Bear is this Saturday, February, 6. The event welcomes both experts and complete novices. It starts in the Big Bear Lake Village at 8:00 AM and goes out into the San Bernardino National Forest. There is a fully marked five and ten kilometer course. Enjoy fun, family atmosphere and live music.

I’ve never been snowshoeing, and I wondered what our conditions were like (besides the obvious four foot base of snow). I wanted to know; did the snow support the snowshoes, how well do the shoes grip the snow, and how fast could I walk.

I went over to Goldsmith’s Board House (909 866-2728) in Big Bear Lake and rented a pair. I found out there are basically three types of snowshoes;

1. Running –smaller size for aerobic exercise, not practical for serious long term snow travel.
2. Recreational –better in the back country, slightly larger than the running ones.
3. Mountaineering – made for serious outdoor travel and for long distance. These snowshoes can be up to 30 inches long by 10 inches wide.

Snowshoes for running have fixed rotation bindings which bring the back of shoe up with each step, allowing faster movement.  When you find the pair you want make sure you can easily manipulate the straps and securely lock your boot into the snowshoes.

I strapped myself into the snowshoes and was surprised how easy it was to walk in them. I didn’t use the polls. I noticed the crampon cleats were on the balls of my feet. I switched my balance from the heels to the front and was able to move at a good speed.

When I walked on a path that had already been broken, I didn’t leave much of an impression. When I went out into untracked snow, my snowshoes left a three inch deep track (see video). I fell through once. I walked too close to a bush…we have so much snow, you can’t see the bushes!

Goldsmith’s carry Atlas snowshoes, including poles and pack, for under $200. While you’re there, you may want to pick up a good pair of sunglasses or goggles. Ask for Ashley, she helped us and is very knowledgeable. She can hook you up with clothing, boots, anything you need for high altitude recreation.

FACT: The first snowshoes in North America are attributed to the Huron and the Algonquin Indians.

10k Course Description: Begin on Village Drive in front of Paoli’s Restaurant.  Turn right/south on Knickerbocker.  Turn left/east on Forest Road 2N08. Continue on Forest Road 2N08 to trail 1E01.  Turn left/south on 1E01 to Deer Group Camp.  Turn right on the Deer Group Camp access road (from the middle of the camp) to Forest Road 2N08.  Turn right/east on Forest Road 2N08 and continue to the village via the same path.

5k Course Description: Begin on Village Drive in front of Paoli’s Restaurant.  Turn right/south on Knickerbocker.  Turn left/east on Forest Road 2N08.  Turn left/east on Towne Trail (marked with Boulders).  Turn around at beginning of Summit Condos.  Return via the same path.

Additional Resources;

Snowshoeing in the San Jacinto Mountains; Several people took the tram and then asended to the top of the mountain. They shot several great videos. The snow conditions are very much like our mountains.

Snow Report Big Bear- Updated snow conditions for Big Bear Mountain Resorts, Snow Valley, Mount Baldy, Mountain High and Mammoth Mountain.

Snowboard & Ski Rentals- Goldsmith’s Boardhouse and Ski Rentals is what we recommend. They have been fitting skiis, adjusting boards forever! Their staff is knowledgable and can shred with the best. Work with people who love the sport!

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