California, Usa · Ikon
Snow Summit
240 acres, 27 runs, 366m vertical in San Bernardino Mountains. Night skiing, Ikon Pass access, 2 hours from Los Angeles.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
5 Dec 2025
Closes
25 Mar 2026
Days open
110
Annual snow
12ft
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Snow Summit operates across 240 acres with 27 marked runs and 366 metres of vertical drop, stretching from a base elevation of 2,133 metres to a summit at 2,499 metres in the San Bernardino Mountains. The resort averages 254 centimetres of annual snowfall, supplemented by an extensive snowmaking system featuring more than 560 hydrants and 330 snow guns covering all developed terrain. Established in 1952, Snow Summit holds the distinction of hosting the inaugural Winter X Games in 1997 and installing the West Coast's first permanent in-ground halfpipe in 1983. The resort includes access on the Ikon Pass with unlimited days and operates as one of three mountains within Big Bear Mountain Resort alongside sister properties Bear Mountain and Snow Valley.
The terrain breaks down to 19 per cent beginner, 48 per cent intermediate, 26 per cent advanced and 7 per cent expert across the 27 trails. Intermediate cruisers dominate the west side via Chairs 2 and 9, including the popular Miracle Mile and Summit Run top-to-bottom routes. Advanced skiers target The Bowl on the east side, where Chair 5 and Chair 6 access black diamond runs including Olympic, The Wall and Side Chute. Westridge serves as a 2.4-kilometre terrain park with progressive features spanning beginner to expert levels, whilst Chair 3 provides access to additional park runs including Ego Trip.
Snow Summit caters primarily to Los Angeles day-trippers and weekend visitors seeking accessible alpine terrain within a two-hour drive. The base area at 2,133 metres includes the Adventure Academy ski school, Ironwood Coffee, Oakfire Grill and a tubing park. Night sessions operate on select dates from 3pm to 8:30pm, illuminating 50 hectares of terrain including Upper Miracle Mile. Free shuttle service connects Snow Summit to Bear Mountain two miles away, allowing ticket holders to ski both mountains on a single pass.
The resort suits families, progression skiers and intermediates looking for reliable conditions and proximity to Southern California's urban centres. Big Bear Mountain Resort season passes start at $719 for unlimited access to all three mountains, whilst Ikon Pass holders receive unlimited days with no blackout dates. The 2025-26 season runs from 5 December to 25 March, with weekend crowds peaking during January and February holidays. Ontario International Airport sits 97 kilometres away with a 90-minute drive via Highway 330 and Highway 18.
1,201ft
Vertical
27
Runs
240 acres
Skiable
12ft
Annual snow
Ikon
Pass
The Terrain
27 runs across 240 acres skiable
Snow Summit spreads 27 runs across 240 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 48%, with 5 beginner runs to find your feet and 9 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
27
runs
27 runs across 4 grades
Beginner5 runs · 19%
Intermediate13 runs · 48%
Advanced7 runs · 26%
Expert2 runs · 7%
Time it right
When to visit Snow Summit
The 2025-26 season opens 5 December 2025 and closes 25 March 2026, delivering approximately 16 weeks of operation. Snow Summit typically operates from early December through late March depending on conditions, with Bear Mountain extending the season into early April when snowpack allows. The resort maintains one of Southern California's longest seasons thanks to comprehensive snowmaking that can manufacture snow across all developed terrain. Daily operations run 8:30am to 4pm Monday through Friday, with weekend hours starting at 8am and night sessions extending access until 8:30pm on select dates.
Snow Summit receives an average of 254 centimetres of annual snowfall, concentrated primarily between December and March. February historically delivers the heaviest snowfall with 76 centimetres average, followed by January with 66 centimetres. The base elevation of 2,133 metres and summit at 2,499 metres provide consistent cold temperatures for snowmaking throughout the winter. The resort's multimillion-dollar system features more than 560 hydrants, 330 snow guns and 40 fans converting 22,710 litres of water to snow per minute, ensuring reliable coverage even during low-natural-snow years.
January and February offer peak powder conditions and the fullest terrain opening, though weekend crowds can be substantial with lift lines forming at main chairs. March delivers spring conditions with softer snow and longer daylight, plus reduced midweek crowds. December provides early-season access primarily on machine-made snow. Night sessions operate select Friday through Sunday dates from mid-December through mid-March, illuminating 50 hectares including terrain parks and intermediate cruisers. Advance online purchases save $20 to $30 compared with window rates.
The annual New Year's Eve Torchlight Parade on 31 December features over 200 skiers descending the mountain with lit torches, marking the resort's 61st edition of the tradition in 2025. Snow Summit hosts School Night Session programmes and birthday promotions offering free lift access on guests' actual birthdays. The resort closes for the season in late March, transitioning to summer mountain biking operations by late April or early May. Spring skiing remains viable through the final operating days, with groomed runs maintaining coverage whilst south-facing terrain softens in afternoon sun.
Season 2025 - 2026
5 Dec 2025
Opens
25 Mar 2026
Closes
110
Days open
12 ft
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Snow Summit, and where to stay
Snow Summit sits in the San Bernardino Mountains at 34.22°N latitude, directly adjacent to Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County, Southern California. The base village at 2,133 metres elevation lies within the San Bernardino National Forest, surrounded by pine and cedar forest with views across the 11-kilometre-long reservoir. The resort occupies the southern slopes above the town of Big Bear Lake, positioned 156 kilometres northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Bear Mountain operates two miles west, whilst Snow Valley sits 16 kilometres away in Running Springs.
Big Bear Lake town centre sits three kilometres north of the resort, offering lodging, dining and retail services for approximately 5,200 permanent residents. The mountain community serves as Southern California's primary alpine destination, drawing day-trippers and weekend visitors from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego. Running Springs sits 13 kilometres west via Highway 18, whilst the city of San Bernardino lies 56 kilometres southwest in the valley below. The surrounding San Bernardino National Forest provides hiking trails and cross-country skiing accessed from the summit.
Highway 18 serves as the primary access route, climbing from San Bernardino via Highway 330 through steep switchbacks gaining 1,200 metres elevation. The drive from Los Angeles covers 156 kilometres and takes approximately two hours via Interstate 10 east to Highway 330 north, then Highway 18 east to Big Bear Lake. An alternate route follows Highway 38 through Redlands, adding 20 minutes but offering less congestion and fewer switchbacks. Weekend traffic can extend drive times by 30 to 60 minutes during peak winter periods. Tyre chains may be required during active snowfall.
Ontario International Airport sits 97 kilometres southwest with a 90-minute drive via Interstate 10 and Highway 330. Los Angeles International Airport lies 183 kilometres away with a two-hour drive under normal traffic conditions. Palm Springs International Airport sits 140 kilometres southeast, whilst John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana offers access 150 kilometres southwest. Mountain Transit operates bus service from San Bernardino to Big Bear Lake for $10, connecting to Metrolink commuter rail. No direct public transport serves the resort base, requiring taxi or rideshare for the final three kilometres from town. Free shuttle service operates between Snow Summit and Bear Mountain for passholders.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Snow Summit, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026
Lift system
Snow Summit operates 16 lifts comprising two quad chairs, four triple chairs, five double chairs and five surface lifts. The system provides uphill capacity to serve the 240-acre ski area, with lifts accessing terrain across both the east and west sides of the mountain. Chair 1 serves as the primary summit access, whilst Chairs 2 and 9 handle the bulk of intermediate traffic on the west side. The east side remains less crowded, with Chairs 5, 6, 7 and 10 spreading skiers across advanced and intermediate terrain.
Chair 1 delivers top-to-bottom access to Summit Run and Miracle Mile, the resort's signature cruising trails. Chair 2 serves Westridge and the main terrain parks, operating as one of the busiest lifts during peak periods. Chair 6 accesses The Bowl, home to the steepest runs including Olympic and The Wall with pitches reaching expert grades. Chair 5 provides lapping access to Side Chute, whilst Chair 9 serves 213 metres of vertical on the east side with predominantly intermediate terrain including Sundown.
The base area features multiple loading points with beginner-specific surface lifts clustered near the Adventure Academy. Mid-mountain, Chair 7 and Chair 10 provide secondary access to tree-lined intermediate runs including Timber Ridge and Seven-Down. The lift network allows continuous skiing without mandatory green runs, though Summit Run serves as the primary return route to the base. Chair 3 connects to additional terrain park features and intermediate trails on the far east side.
Big Bear Mountain Resort invested in snowmaking infrastructure capable of covering all 240 acres without natural snowfall, conditions permitting. The system draws water from Big Bear Lake and operates when ambient temperature and humidity allow. Whilst Snow Summit has not added new chairlifts recently, sister resort Bear Mountain installed a high-speed six-seat Midway Chair in December 2024, and a connection plan between the two mountains remains under U.S. Forest Service review. Chair 9 operates as an older fixed-grip lift with faster loading speeds that can challenge less experienced skiers at unload.
16lifts across 4 types
2
Quad Chairs
4
Triple Chairs
5
Double Chairs
5
Surface Lifts
Snow Summit lift system
Snow Summit is served by 16 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Snow Summit intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.