Resorts primed for long snow seasonHopes remain high after early storms, Winter
Mike Cruz, San Bernardino Sun Staff Writer
Revised and updated from original newspaper article of 12-21-09
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Arriving for check-in at the Golden Bear Cottages resort office ...... snowing in Big Bear Lake at Golden Bear Cottages
BIG BEAR LAKE - In the crisp noon air, a group of snowboarders carved S-shaped trails in the snow Saturday as they glided down runs at Bear Mountain Resort. While some boarders sailed off jumps, others simply enjoyed the cool smooth ride to the bottom on their brightly colored snowboards. Now a choice: Do it again or rest at the bottom and wait for friends.
Funky beats played through the resort's sound system at its nearby massive outdoor deck. The smell of tasty fare cooking on the grill wafted through the air. From scores of tables, people swapped stories about their day and watched others glide down the slope. "This is the place to be," said Eldon McCarthy of Carlsbad, who watched the scene from the deck. Bear Mountain's atmosphere has "a super mellow vibe" where locals embrace everybody.
"It's the kind of place where you can just clear your head, even if you don't snowboard," said the 21-year-old McCarthy. Local ski resorts and lodging properties hope other outdoor enthusiasts also see them as the place to be, as the holiday season kicked off last Saturday. The resorts hope for a swell in attendance as people go on vacation, kids get out of school and colleges go on winter break.
"Today was one of the best," said snowboarder Brian Kim, 25, of Orange County. "This is definitely a good place to come this winter. Lots of snow here!" Kim says the best thing about Bear Mountain is the terrain, which offers a lot for intermediate and advanced boarders. Of course, the resort also offers lessons and help for beginners.
Bear Mountain's sister resort, nearby Snow Summit, boasts similar conditions but caters more to families and less to the young adult demographic. Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, Big Bear Ice Garden outdoor ice rink and Big Bear Snow play are all open and ready for the snow season. With early openings in October for all and forecasts for an El Nino winter, the resorts are setting up for a welcomed long season. "The season got off to an unbelievably early start," said Chris Riddle, marketing director for Bear Mountain, which opened Oct. 30 with the help of an unseasonable cold snap that rolled through Southern California. "It's actually our second earliest opening on record," Riddle said. Conditions are good: an 24 to 36-inch base with all lifts available for the holidays, and more storms to come. A down economy could have an even more diminished impact on local resorts if forecasts for a longer, wetter El Nino winter holds true and helps draw crowds. Meterologists say an El Nino weather pattern will bring more moisture to California and snow to Big Bear. "This has the feel of a great season," the general manager said in a news release. "With our early opening, El Nino looming, and the economy recovering, we feel very positive about the upcoming winter."
LATEST El Nino UPDATE: March 5, 2010...The National Weather Service and NOAA are predicting the moderate El Nino weather event extending at least through Spring 2010. El Niño is expected to exert a significant influence on the global weather and climate in the coming three months. El Niño impacts are expected to last into Southern California until spring. Expected impacts during March-April 2010: include above-average precipitation for the southern tier of the country, that means lots of snow for Big Bear. Make your cabin rental reservations for late winter and spring snow today!
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