Bear Mountain Ski Area

When one thinks of outdoor recreation in Southern California, surfing or sailing often come to mind. But, thanks to Bear Mountain, there’s also plenty of skiing and snowboarding to be done. Located just over two hours from Los Angeles, Bear Mountain features Southern California’s highest lift-served peak and something for every skier. With 1,600 feet of vert, 62 runs, and 12 lifts, Bear Mountain has everything you’d expect from an established resort, and then some. While Bear has plenty of traditional ski terrain, its crown jewel is its terrain parks. Instead of just having designated park areas, Bear designates 85% of its terrain as “freestyle.” That means that there are jumps, rails, boxes, and half pipes littered around the mountain. And it’s all set up in a way that makes it easy to progress from safe, easy features to more intimidating and challenging options.

So, if you’re an up-and-coming park skier, or you just enjoy the occasional jump on your way down the hill, Bear has something for you. James Niehues painted this Bear Mountain ski map in 1988, and it does a great job of encapsulating Southern California’s best skiing. Bear is truly a standout resort in an unlikely area, and that makes it all the more special.

Location: Bear Mountain, San Bernardino National Forest

Nearest major city: Big Bear Lake, California

Coordinates: 34.2267°N 116.8602°W

Vertical: 1,665 ft (507 m)

Top elevation: 8,805 ft (2,684 m)

Base elevation: 7,140 ft (2,180 m)

Skiable area: 748 acres (303 ha)

Runs: 62 total , 15% beginner , 15% low intermediate , 40% intermediate , 30% advanced

Longest run: Geronimo 1.5 mi (2.4 km)

Lift system: 12 lifts: 3 quad chairlifts, 2 triple chairs, 4 double chairs, 3 surface lifts

Lift capacity: 16,590 skiers/hr

Snowfall: 100 in (250 cm)

Snowmaking: 100%

Night skiing: None