Big Bear
Ski Southern California's highest lift-served peak at 8,805ft. Three mountains — Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and Snow Valley — just 2 hours from LA.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
28 Nov 2026
Closes
11 Apr 2027
Days open
134
Annual snow
130in
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Bear Mountain sits at the eastern end of Big Bear Valley in the San Bernardino National Forest, reaching a summit of 8,805 feet at Geronimo Peak — the highest lift-served point in Southern California — with a base at 7,140 feet and a vertical drop of 1,665 feet. The 198 acres of skiable terrain across three peaks — Bear Peak, Silver Mountain and Goldmine Mountain — break down as 20% beginner, 33% intermediate, 33% advanced and 14% expert, making Bear Mountain the most technically demanding of the three mountains that make up Big Bear Mountain Resort.
Snow Summit and Snow Valley, both within 15 miles, complete the resort group under Alterra Mountain Company ownership, and a single Ikon Pass or daily lift ticket provides access across all three mountains on the same day. Snow Summit (peak 8,200 feet, 240 acres) focuses on intermediate and family terrain with direct views of Big Bear Lake, while Snow Valley (peak 7,841 feet) serves as the primary beginner and family mountain to the west.
Bear Mountain's most significant historical distinction is in freestyle: the Outlaw terrain park, built in 1992, was the first freestyle terrain park in North America, establishing a legacy that the mountain has built on ever since. Bear Mountain still operates the only halfpipes in Southern California and hosts the Hot Dawgz and Hand Rails freestyle competition, running since 2003 as one of the longest-running freestyle events in the US.
The broader resort's snowmaking infrastructure — more than 560 hydrants, 330 snow guns and 40 fans capable of converting 6,000 gallons of water to snow per minute — underpins reliable conditions across all three mountains from opening day, and Snow Summit was selected to host the inaugural Winter X Games in 1997, cementing the Big Bear area's standing in competitive winter sports history.
1,667ft
Vertical
29
Runs
198 acres
Skiable
130in
Annual snow
Ikon
Pass
The Terrain
29 runs across 198 acres skiable
Big Bear's Bear Mountain is a compact Southern California ski area of 198 acres (80 hectares), rising from a 7,140 ft (2,176 m) base to the 8,810 ft (2,684 m) summit for 1,670 ft (508 m) of vertical. Its 29 runs split 20% beginner, 33% intermediate, 33% advanced and 14% expert, which is a steeper mix than most people expect this close to Los Angeles. Geronimo Peak, the highest lift-served point in Southern California, tops the mountain. Scale is the honest limitation, so expect a good day rather than a week of new terrain.
Freestyle defines Bear Mountain. The Outlaw terrain park, opened in 1992, is recognised as the first freestyle terrain park in North America, and the mountain continues to run terrain parks alongside its trails. Away from the park, there are black diamond pitches for strong skiers, while the lower mountain is full of blue square cruisers and green circle slopes for progression. Lift tickets and season passes are valid at both Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, so a day can be split between the two. Bear Mountain suits park riders, Southern California day-trippers and intermediates who like to push into steeper terrain, and it is a good test of how much a small hill can offer.
Terrain split
29
runs
29 runs across 4 grades
Beginner6 runs · 20%
Intermediate10 runs · 33%
Advanced10 runs · 33%
Expert4 runs · 14%
Time it right
When to visit Big Bear
Big Bear Mountain Resort operates from late November through to mid-April, with the 2025/26 season running 22 November to 12 April across the three mountains. The San Bernardino Mountains' position above the Los Angeles basin creates a distinct seasonal pattern: cold air pooling at elevation through winter combined with snowmaking water drawn from Big Bear Lake sustains the season across all three mountains regardless of natural accumulation patterns, which vary considerably year to year at this latitude.
The current 2025/26 season has recorded a base of around 36 inches as of early March with a season total of approximately 16 inches of natural snowfall, reflecting the supplementary snowmaking load the system regularly carries in lower-precipitation years. In strong snow years, the Big Bear mountains deliver considerably more natural cover, and the combination of elevation, aspect and snowmaking gives the resort the most operating days per season of any Southern California ski area.
The proximity to the Los Angeles metropolitan area shapes the seasonal rhythm more than at any comparable US ski resort: with 15 million people within a two-hour drive, Big Bear weekends during January and February fill quickly, and the resort's management of lift capacity, parking and snowmaking is oriented substantially around the Southern California day-trip market.
Midweek conditions are consistently less crowded, and the midweek season pass option reflects how significant that segment is to the resort's visitor profile. Night sessions at Snow Summit on select dates extend the usefulness of the trip for those arriving late from the city, and the combination of Snow Valley, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain across a single ski day gives visitors more terrain variety than any other Southern California destination.
Season 2026 - 2027
28 Nov 2026
Opens
11 Apr 2027
Closes
134
Days open
130 in
Annual snow
The record
Historical snowfall at Big Bear
Daily snow reports at Big Bear go back to 2025, 2 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
5.9 in
Snowiest day
21 Nov 2025
0 in
This winter · 2026-27
so far
16 in
Typical winter
average of complete seasons
Winter totals
in
Past wintersThis winter
Getting there
Getting to Big Bear, and where to stay
Bear Mountain sits in the San Bernardino National Forest in the Big Bear Valley, approximately 100 miles east of downtown Los Angeles and 25 miles northeast of San Bernardino. The primary access routes are California State Route 18 via Highway 330 from Redlands off Interstate 10, or the more scenic State Route 38 along the Big Bear Scenic Byway — both climbs of around 5,000 feet from the valley floor to the resort.
The drive from central Los Angeles takes approximately two hours under normal freeway conditions, making Big Bear the closest major ski destination to one of the world's largest urban populations and explaining why Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and Snow Valley collectively represent one of the highest-visitor-volume ski operations in the US by sheer throughput. Chain controls are enforced regularly on the access roads during winter storm conditions, and the resort recommends checking Caltrans chain control status before departure.
Big Bear Lake township at 6,752 feet sits immediately adjacent to the ski area and provides the full range of accommodation, dining and après-ski options within a few minutes of all three mountains. The lake itself — around nine miles long and the largest freshwater lake in Southern California — is the source of the resort's snowmaking water supply and gives the valley its distinctive high-desert alpine character, surrounded by Jeffrey pine and white fir forest on the upper slopes.
San Bernardino International Airport is the closest commercial gateway, approximately 40 miles west via Highway 330, with Ontario International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport offering broader connections for visitors flying in. The Big Bear Valley's position in the San Bernardino Mountains above the Mojave Desert and Coachella Valley creates weather patterns where clear, cold nights and sunny daytime conditions dominate much of the ski season, with the snowmaking system bridging the gaps when Pacific storm systems track north of the region.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Big Bear, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Sierra Nevada Halloween Storm: Dodge Ridge Forecast to Lead With 19 Inches
Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.
31 Oct 2026
Lake Louise Opens Early on 1 November With Juniper Express and Easy Street
The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.
31 Oct 2026
Kitzbüheler Horn Summit Cable Car to Be Replaced After 70 Years
A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.
30 Oct 2026
What’s New in Japan Skiing This Winter: Niseko Gondola, a Private Resort and a Bigger Ikon Pass
Niseko Village is replacing a lift from the early 1980s with an eight-person gondola, Tsugaike gets a six-person chairlift, Madarao joins the Ikon Pass and Togari opens Asia’s first private ski resort. Here’s what is actually new in Japan skiing for 2026/27, plus what is still a year or two away.
30 Oct 2026
Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace
Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.
30 Oct 2026
Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing
Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.
29 Oct 2026
Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup
Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.
29 Oct 2026
Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season
Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.
28 Oct 2026
Big Bear Webcams
4 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Big Bear's live webcams
Check live conditions across Big Bear with 4 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Bear Peak Summit7,700ft
- Big bear live cam at the highest point in Southern California skiing — Bear Peak summit at 2347 meters, where the Geronimo chair delivers riders to terrain that 15 million people within a two-hour drive have made the most-visited ski mountain cluster in the United States. This Big Bear webcam delivers real-time summit visibility and snow condition updates across the resort's most demanding runs, where 14% expert and 33% advanced terrain drops from the summit toward the Outlaw terrain park below — home of North America's first freestyle park, built here in 1992. The essential upper-mountain reference before targeting Bear Mountain's steepest inbounds skiing or the halfpipes that remain the only ones operating in Southern California.
- Midway Chair 57,201ft
- Big bear webcam at the Chair 5 midway terminal at 2195 meters, positioned at the convergence of intermediate terrain where the majority of Bear Mountain's 29 runs intersect the resort's main uphill artery. This Big Bear live cam monitors slope activity, lift loading and mid-mountain snow quality in real-time — the most operationally useful perspective for intermediate skiers planning their route through a three-peak ski area where Snow Valley, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are all skiable on a single daily ticket. A reliable conditions reference for the LA-basin weekend crowd checking crowd levels before committing to the two-hour drive up from the San Bernardino valley.
- Beginner Area6,798ft
- Cameras in big bear at their most family-focused — this live cam at the dedicated beginner zone at 2072 meters monitors the learning terrain where Southern California's next generation of skiers is taking first turns on snow manufactured by the most powerful snowmaking infrastructure in the state. This Big Bear ca camera gives parents and instructors a real-time view of conditions and lesson activity in the resort's separated beginner zone, where snow quality is maintained regardless of natural accumulation through a 560-hydrant system drawing from Big Bear Lake below. A practical pre-visit reference for families making the two-hour drive from Los Angeles with first-timers in tow.
- Base Area6,699ft
- Big bear cam at the primary resort hub at 2042 meters — the operational nerve centre where arrivals flow from the parking areas, lift tickets are processed and the morning crowd begins its ascent of a mountain that draws more visitors from a single metro area than almost any other ski destination in the US. This Big Bear live cam monitors base conditions, queue build-up and weather at the foot of the terrain that made Bear Mountain the site of the inaugural Winter X Games at nearby Snow Summit in 1997. The first stop for checking resort status and timing your arrival before the weekend crowds from Los Angeles reach the San Bernardino Mountains.
Big Bear snow cams FAQ
How often do Big Bear snow cams update?
All Big Bear snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Big Bear.
Which Big Bear webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Bear Peak Summit webcam at 2,347m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Big Bear webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Big Bear lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Big Bear snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Big Bear snow cams?
Check Big Bear webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Big Bear lift tickets?
Use our Big Bear webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Big Bear webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Big Bear snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Big Bear intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.