When we think of California, we think of Hollywood movie stars, surfers, and beaches – but the state is so much more than that. This is especially true if you love winter sports and snowy mountains, with the appeal of California then lying far from the coastline. California’s ski resorts are all about luxuriant powder-covered slopes and magnificent alpine scenery. In fact, many of them are at par with European skiing resorts, especially Big Bear. Heading to the ski resorts in Big Bear makes for the ultimate Californian winter adventure.
While the gorgeous alpine lake is home to two distinct ski resorts with interchangeable lift tickets and connectivity, it has at least four more in the vicinity. Divided between the San Gabriel and the San Bernardino Mountains in SoCal, these skiing regions have hundreds of acres of skiable area among them, making for the ultimate Californian ski trip. Read this detailed and comprehensive guide to skiing in and near Big Bear Lake, California, which is one of California’s best camping grounds.
Table of contents
Mount Baldy Ski Lifts
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Mount Baldy Ski Lifts, which lies just over half an hour from the town of San Bernandino, is the closest ski resort to the Los Angeles metropolitan area. This 800-acre-huge skiing region is a favorite with expert skiers and predominantly features advanced black diamond and double-black diamond runs. In fact, there are only a handful of intermediate and beginner trails here, but there is a Learning Center providing ski lessons to kids and adults.
“Mount Baldy is one of the best places to learn and enjoy skiing for kids and adults!”
WOW Travel
Besides traditional skiing, the mountain even has a seven-lane tubing park, which makes it a hit with families. In fact, we had a great time dining at the Top of the Notch Restaurant atop the mountain, which offers the most scenic views of Southern California. Apart from this, the resort even has a dedicated Flow Zone area, which is a terrain-based learning setup featuring banked turns and rollers to focus on progression.
The Terrain. Mount Baldy has 12 mi (20 km) of skiing routes across 26 runs and is divided into 15% beginner runs, 30% intermediate ones, and 55% expert runs. What’s more, it features a mix of tree runs, chutes, open bowls, and traditional runs and is also the steepest and largest resort in Southern California.
The Town. Located 10 minutes downhill is the base town of Mt. Baldy, which doesn’t have much by way of après-ski. While it does have some vacation rentals, it doesn’t have many places to drink and dine. Some even choose to stay in San Bernardino and travel up the mountain to ski.
At a glance
- Known for: Small ski resort great for expert and advanced skiers.
- Opening: Mid-December
- Closing: Mid-April
- Elevation: 6,500 ft (1,980 m)
- Summit: 8,600 ft (2,620 m)
- Lifts: 4 chairlifts
- Airport: Ontario International Airport, 10 mi (16 km)
Pros
- The ski resort has a rustic, one-of-a-kind feel.
- It boasts amazing views from just about everywhere.
- Expert skiers will love the extreme terrain.
Cons
- There’s no onsite or even nearby lodging.
Where to Stay: Since there were very few staying options near Mt. Baldy, we stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont down the mountain, half an hour away. This Claremont hotel boasts an outdoor pool, perfect for relaxing after a long day of skiing. The rooms and suites are no less comfy, featuring plush beds, modern bathrooms, fridges, coffeemakers, TVs – you name it. The restaurant and bar served all drinks and cuisines under the sun, and the free parking was a blessing.
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Mountain High Ski Resort
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Large skiable terrain. This award-winning Mountain High Ski Resort is tucked in the Big Pines region of the San Gabriel Mountains and is one of SoCal’s most popular ski areas. In fact, Mountain High is made up of three ski resort areas, all of which were available to us skiers on the same entry ticket. What’s great about every area is that they have excellent amenities, including mid-mountain restaurants, making it fun for families with children too.
At the East Resort, we had a grand time digging into delicious mountain fare at the Grand View Bistro, which offered spectacular mountain vistas. Expert skiers will particularly love East Resort, which has slopes with challenging moguls and the longest runs, all with jaw-dropping viewpoints of the Mojave Desert. The West Resort offered us a wide variety of runs, including technical trails where contests take place. It’s also the most popular of the three resorts, with most of its terrain dedicated to the Terrain Park for snowboarding. Plus, it even has excellent glade skiing in “The Reef,” which is open only when there’s substantial snow. Finally, North Resort, with 70 acres of beginner-level runs, was ideal for us noobs learning how to ski.
The Terrain. The 290 acres of skiable feature 19 mi (31 km) of skiing routes and 60 trails across all 3 mountains. Together, the three resorts feature 25% beginner runs, 40% intermediate ones, and 35% expert runs.
The Town. The town of Wrightwood, barely five minutes away, serves as the base for Mountain High. It’s a lovely little mountain community with nice options for staying, drinking, and dining. It’s not a rollicking mountain town, but it’s perfect as a skiing base.
At a glance
- Known for: Versatile skiing terrain with something for everyone.
- Opening: Mid-November
- Closing: End of April
- Elevation: East – 6,600 feet (2,000 m), West – 7,000 feet (2,100 m), North – 7,200 ft (2,200 m)
- Summit: East – 8,200 feet (2,500 m), West – 8,000 feet (2,400 m), North – 7,800 ft (2,400 m)
- Lifts: North – 3 (1 chairlift, 2 magic carpets), East – 5 (4 chairlifts, 1 magic carpet), West – 7 (5 chairlifts, 2 magic carpets)
- Airport: SBD International Airport, 40 mi (64 km)
Pros
- The ski resort is reasonably priced.
- It’s easily accessible from the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
- The beginner family-friendly skiing program is excellent.
Cons
- It could get crowded at times.
Where to Stay: There’s no better place in Wrightwood than the Grand Pine Cabins, which live up to its name. Rustic luxury is the name of the game here, and we had the choice of everything from simple cabins to deluxe ones with fireplaces! Nevertheless, they all feature comfy beds, private bathrooms, and lovely little patios that overlook the gorgeous scenery. After a long day of skiing, we had our own private après sessions at the onsite bar.
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Rim Nordic Ski Area
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Best XC skiing. Where can you find SoCal’s only cross-country skiing in the wintertime? At the Rim Nordic Ski Area, of course! This skiing region is an XC Ski Area Association of North America and has a special permit to operate by the United States Forest Service. It’s the only skiing region in Southern California with machined groomed trails. What’s more, they even offered trails exclusively for snowshoeing and encouraged us snowshoers to snowshoe “off trail” for an extra-special experience in the great outdoors. Moreover, the retail shop easily provided skiing lessons, equipment rentals, and snacks, which was impressive for such a small skiing area.
The Terrain. With a skiable area of 10 mi (16 km) across 7 XC runs and 2 snowshoeing ones, Rim Nordic is certainly small – but in no way any less enjoyable. The trails are groomed, and there’s something for everyone. While beginners have two trails of their own, intermediate ones have two as well. Expert skiers, however, have three thrilling back diamond runs they can explore.
The Town. The town nearest to the skiing area is Arrowbear Lake, 10 minutes away, which has many options for staying, drinking, dining, and entertainment. It’s a cozy mountain town with not a very lively après scene, but it does have it.
At a glance
- Known for: Being SoCal’s only cross-country winter skiing and snowshoeing.
- Opening: When winter arrives
- Closing: Mid-April
- Elevation: 6,775 feet (2,065 m)
- Summit: N/A
- Lifts: None
- Airport: SBD International Airport, 26 mi (42 km)
Pros
- For a small skiing region, it’s excellent.
- It offers superb XC skiing, the only one in SoCal.
- It even offers skiing lessons.
Cons
- The infrastructure could be better.
Where to Stay: We stayed at the Giant Oaks Lodge in Running Springs, just a little ahead of Arrowbear Lake. The place has a typical mountain resort feel, ensconced in hillside verdure. Rooms range from regular double rooms to spa suites, so there’s something for everyone’s budget. In fact, our digs even came with a kitchen for preparing meals. Aside from the gardens and the sun terrace, there’s even an indoor swimming pool and a hot tub where we could relax after skiing.
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Snow Valley Mountain Resort
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Now part of the Big Bear Mountain Resort, Snow Valley Mountain Resort is SoCal’s longest continually operating skiing resort, having been around since 1924. What’s more, it boasts some of the best beginner terrain in the region, and we can certainly attest to that! Besides the wide variety of skiable and rideable trails, the skiing region also boasts Edge Terrain Park, which offers more than a mile of extremely thrilling downhill fun. Not only that, but it’s also peppered with tabletops, spines, and numerous hits! That, coupled with the fact that the place even has award-winning learning centers, ensures that even beginners get to learn to ski here. We also found lift-served snow-tubing and sledding here and the only high-speed 6-seat lift in all of SoCal, the Snow Valley Express.
The Terrain. With 230 skiable acres across 29 runs and 21 mi (34 km) skiing routes, there’s certainly no dearth of skiing opportunities at Snow Valley. What’s more, the runs are divided into 12% beginner and 29% expert runs. The lion’s share, that is 59%, goes to intermediate skiers! With a vertical drop of 1,041 ft (317 m), the terrain here is no less thrilling, even if the skiable area isn’t as much as the other resorts.
The Town. Since it sits right opposite the Rim Nordic Ski Area, Arrowbear Lake is the nearest town. This sleepy mountain town might not be the liveliest, but it has many delightful options for accommodation, drinking, dining, and entertainment.
At a glance
- Known for: Great terrain for beginners and families.
- Opening: November end to beginning of December
- Closing: Mid-April
- Elevation: 6,800 ft (2,100 m)
- Summit: 7,841 ft (2,390 m)
- Lifts: 13 (1 conveyor, 5 triple, 6 double, 1 6-person high-speed detachable)
- Airport: SBD International Airport, 26 mi (42 km)
Pros
- The skiing region isn’t crowded mid-week, with shorter lift lines.
- The slopes are well-groomed and in good shape.
- The base lodge has many options and places to sit and eat, both indoors and outdoors.
Cons
- Some lifts might not operate mid-week.
Where to Stay: This time, we went in the other direction towards Boulder Bay on the shores of Big Bear Lake, just 20 minutes from Snow Valley Mountain Resort, and stayed at the Bay Meadows Resort. We loved the simple yet comfortable and neat accommodations, all of which featured plush beds, mod-cons, private bathrooms, and free Wi-Fi. In fact, our unit even had a patio with a view of the outdoor pool! The pool is where we would relax and unwind after a long day of skiing. Free parking wraps up the basic amenities here.
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Snow Summit Ski Resort
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Sitting overlooking a gorgeous lake, Snow Summit Ski Resort is the place for a traditional alpine skiing experience. This extremely popular, family-friendly resort boasts 240 skiable acres of some of SoCal’s most consistent snow conditions and has the most number of operating days in SoCal! Since we went with the kids, we went mad in the Family Park, which has easy rollers, bumps, and jumps for all of us to practice our skills!
What also helped is that Snow Summit has some of Southern California’s best skiing and snowboarding instructors, which is very helpful if you’re a newbie. Have you ever wanted to ride under the stars? Snow Summit even has night skiing on beginner and intermediate runs. In addition to snowboarding and skiing opportunities, we also found plenty of other winter activities to do, such as scaling a 30-ft (9 m) climbing wall and tubing at the Grizzly Ridge Tube Park. As night fell, we also enjoyed après activities by the fire pits.
Pro tip: During peak season, arrive early and head to the east side of the mountain for peaceful, isolated runs, as the popular face can get quite busy.
The Terrain. Snow Summit boasts more than 18 mi (29 km) of skiing routes across 31 trails that span all ability and skill levels. What’s more, there’s a fair mix of difficulty levels here, with 24% expert runs, 42% intermediate runs, and 34% beginner ones.
The Town. Since Snow Summit sits right on the Big Bear Lake community’s fringes, it’s the skiing area’s base town. Besides the obvious increase in the choices of accommodations, we also found an increased number of après-ski drinking, dining, and entertainment choices, especially by the lake.
At a glance
- Known for: Excellent snowmaking, varied terrain, and night skiing activities.
- Opening: Mid-November
- Closing: Mid-April
- Elevation: 6,965 ft (2,123 m)
- Summit: 8,174 ft (2,491 m)
- Lifts: 14 (11 chairlifts, 3 magic carpets)
- Airport: SBD International Airport, 40 mi (64 km)
Pros
- The snow quality is excellent, thanks to the intensive snowmaking capabilities.
- It’s extremely family-friendly.
- The service is excellent overall.
Cons
- Parking could get slightly tough.
Where to Stay: If you want to stay in a chain hotel, then the Best Western Big Bear Chateau lies hardly three minutes away from the skiing resort. The European-style hotel boasts a seasonal outdoor pool and hot tub, but we really loved the huge breakfast buffet every day. Plus, the onsite cocktail lounge served excellent nightcaps. All rooms and suites have superb views of the surroundings, along with free Wi-Fi, cable TVs, and coffee/tea-making facilities. There is even a games room and a fitness center on the property.
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Bear Mountain Ski Resort
1
Best overall. Whether you’re starring skis on for the first time or are a seasoned skier, you’ll love Bear Mountain in the San Bernandino Mountains. This 1943-established resort has the largest learning area in all of SoCal, along with the most scenic views of Big Bear Lake. Bear Mountain is popular for offering a variety of snowboarding and skiing lessons for both children and adults. We practiced to the hilt at the Skill Builder Parks and the terrain-based learning area. Once we’d warmed up, we had quite a range of adventures to choose from on the 200 acres of developed terrain and more than 500 acres of natural terrain!
The skiing region has a thrilling vertical drop of 1,665 ft (507 m)! There’s also the highest lift-served peak and only halfpipes in SoCal. Phew! With 100% snowmaking, there’s always fresh powder somewhere in the region. Big Bear is where we could proudly do the epic SoCal combo of surfing and skiing on the same day!
The Terrain. With 748 acres of skiable terrain across 62 runs and 17 mi (27.2 km) of skiing routes, Big Bear is, well, big! We found an even mix of difficulty here, with 29% of the terrain for beginners, 42% for the intermediates, and 29% for the experts. It’s also popular with snowboarders, thanks to the terrain parks.
The Town. Like Snow Summit, Big Bear and Big Bear Lake are the base towns for Bear Mountain. So, we had tons of après-ski options, especially since Bear Mountain lies equidistant to both towns. But what makes Big Bear unique is the sheer number of accommodation options, not just in the towns, but all along the way, starting right from the base of the resort!
At a glance
- Known for: Large skiable terrain, both groomed and natural.
- Opening: Mid-November
- Closing: Mid-April
- Elevation: 7,140 ft (2,180 m)
- Summit: 8,805 ft (2,684 m)
- Lifts: 12 (3 surface lifts, 4 double chairs, 2 triple chairs, 3 quad chairlifts)
- Airport: SBD International Airport, 40 mi (64 km)
Pros
- We loved the jumps and rails at the terrain park.
- It’s great for beginners and families.
- It’s not very crowded, even on weekends.
Cons
- Some people said that parking could be an issue.
Where to Stay: Down the hill on the way to the town lies the utterly enchanting Apples Bed and Breakfast Inn, which is one of the prettiest stays we’ve ever seen! After a day of skiing, it was always a pleasure to come back to this vivid pink-hued B&B, sitting pretty among the verdure of Bear Mountain. Our days began with exceptional breakfasts, after which we’d head off to ski. After a long day on the slopes, the wellness packages at the B&B were a welcome break, after which the comfort of the modern rooms was even more reinvigorating. We’d make the most of the garden, even on snowy days, with mesmerizing views of the mountain.
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Our Verdict!
While we love every last one of these ski resorts in Big Bear, CA, here’s a specialized list to help you choose – or prioritize where to go first!
- Large skiable terrain: Mountain High Ski Resort
- Best XC skiing: Rim Nordic Ski Area
- Best overall: Bear Mountain Ski Resort
Is skiing better in California or Colorado?
If you’re looking for more easily accessible, challenging, and steep terrain via lifts, then California definitely comes out on top. Also, where in the world could you ski in the morning and then surf in the evening?
You might also want to check out the best Lake Tahoe ski resorts and the best Loveland, Colorado, ski resorts.
Is Big Bear good to ski?
Yes, Big Bear Mountain is one of the best resorts in California, famed for its family-friendly feel, snowmaking infrastructure, and a great mix of terrain.
Which is better, Big Bear or Snow Summit?
While Big Bear is the go-to destination for snowboarders, Snow Summit is popular for a more traditional skiing experience.
