Tips on visiting BIG BEAR, Calif.

Hello All,

I'd greatly appreciate if someone can:

1) Provide guidance/comments on the average January skiing conditions
on the Big Bear Mountain, CA

2) Provide tips on where to look for a rental house (we have ~10 people
who would like to rent a house on 12/30/05 - 1/2/06

Best,

Vasa

Medium sized mountain, one upper run exclusively for skiers, lots of
vacation condos right on the lake within 15 minutes drive, Riverside
is the nearest city (40 minutes away), good chance no snow till mid
Jan, save $10 ticket pricing if you buy between Valley and Summit.
If there's snow, small chance, ski patrol can excort you OOB's off
the Eastern most lift, and take you thru some steep chutes for a
roundabout back to lower lift. You gotta ask, they ask you if you can
snowboard, and you're set to go......

I'd greatly appreciate if someone can:

As for driving directions. I recommend taking I-15 North to 395. Stay on
395 for about 4 hours, turn left. Can't miss it.

Sorry.. little humor for those that know what I'm thinking. :-)

I with Scott!! Big Bear sucks! Head up the road to Mammoth.

Big Bear is fairly flat and the runs are short. If you're strictly a
park rat and don't mind standing in line for 30 minutes before getting
on a lift, then Big Bear is the place for you. ;-)

http://www.mammothmountain.com/

~J.

I suspect BigBear is steeper and bigger than Valley, and more natural
terrain than Summit.
One hour drive from LA is better than 5 to me.....
Baldy, S bowl.
OOB BigBear as good as any mountain anywhere.

One hour drive from LA is better than 5 to me.....

I understand, but I know people living in San Bernardino that wouldn't ride
Snow Summit or Big Bear even if it were free. It's all what's important to
you. My wife and I went to Snow Summit for an entire year. Then we
discovered Mammoth Mountain. We'll never go back.

Guess I'm just not as picky....
I'm in SF area, have gotten over 500 days at the Tahoe resorts, 3 at
Mammoth.
3 year's season pass at Squaw, couple at Northstar/Sierra, shop emp
$10 tickets for 12 years, and I still have to visit DonnerSkiRanch or
SodaSprings at least a couple times a year.
I'll admit I won't go to TahoeDonner (1.5 chairs), but every other
resort has it's moments.
Mam, I like the first 3 chairs, the 6person into the barn, and the
last back chairs the best.
Would like the gondola, but it was packed when I was there.
They DO have a great park run with over 12 big jumps and a parallel
midsized pipe when I was there.
I've even boarded at GreenMountainPark.

Guys, this is great. Thanks for the info!

Any tips on where i can lookup Big Bear condos online?

There's sure to be a link for BigBear realty, Chamber of Commerce,
and that direction.
BigBearLake is a vacation town...boating in the summer, skiing in the
winter, so you should find something with lots of listings.
Just hit the ski resort .com......BBear, SSummit, SValley.....

Oh...
Don't forget... this appears to be a possible drought year.
If so, the SanBernadino resorts won't open, so Mammoth up 395 for 5
hours is the best call. Stay at UliLodge for $49 weekdays, one bed per
room.
All around the valley at the entrance to Mam, about 3 miles, is
motels for the night lodgers, so lotsa possibilities.
Mammoth is a world class and sized resort, so you can spend 3 day and
not hit all the runs. It's on par with Vail, Squaw,
Whistler/Blackcomb, so really hard to keep 7 people together
there......
Be flexible this winter, the drought possibilities are real this year.