Big Bear Blog

A friend of mine came up for a mountain bike ride this week and brought his little brother along. He hadn’t seen him in awhile since little brother was going to school in Montana. It was hard to believe that he was living in Montana and still had never been mountain biking, but since his main focus was football he just never had the time.

As always it’s super fun watching a new rider discover just what a bike can do if you let it roll. It was also fun watching a big brother introduce a new thing to little brother, even if he is a grown man. When you’re riding a mountain bike deep in the forest we all feel like we’re young again, that’s why we go. Young guys very rarely like the climbing part of it, and Joe was no different. However, just like everyone else, the minute we hit the downhill he started railing that sweet single track. In fact, his grin was so huge he got bugs in his teeth. 

If you’ve been riding for awhile you know that all of us on two wheels are part of the same family, we’re all brothers and sisters on bike. Come on up, bring someone new, introduce them to mountain biking in Big Bear and I’ll introduce them to the rest of the family.

Spreading the Love, Rev

One thing I tend to take for granted living in Big Bear is the night skies. I sometimes forget Big Bear is secluded from urban skylines and bright lights. At 7,000 feet it is high above the gloomy glow of metropolitan zones. Big Bear has no electrical distortions and no artificial blindfolds, which makes it an ideal location to gaze at the stars.

I just got back from a night walk, and I was astonished to discover how silky smooth the sky looked tonight. It had a black polished texture peppered with millions of bright speckles. Tonight was a new moon and it looked as if the “twinklers” were dancing the jitterbug. I was mesmerized that all of the stars combined gave off such radiant illumination without any support from the moon.

That’s right Big Bear’s night skies have certain magical powers and energy that ignites the human spirit. Up here it is clear, and the night skies deliver celestial bodies in high definition.

Shoot for the Stars,

Daniel Pea

My friends Josh and Julie came up from Running Springs to get out of the house and hit the trails in Big Bear. Josh is a tri-athlete and wanted to go for a mountain training run, while Julie wanted to try out the 1E01 single track on her mountain bike. 

I just love showing off the local trails, so we met at the trail head and up and away we went. It was fun watching the dynamics of runner/rider sharing the trail and at least on the way up sharing a similar pace. As we snaked our way along the rocky path I noticed the rhythmic pounding of Josh’s feet and the constant crunching sound of our knobby tires mixing in with huffing and puffing from us all.

It’s a good grunt of a climb that crests at the intersection of the 2N08 and when you pop out on to the dirt road you find yourself surrounded by a lush green forest garden.

As long as I’ve been hiking and riding here I still love taking my friends to trails that make them stop and smile, and that’s exactly what Josh and Julie did when they reached the intersection. After snapping a few pictures, we headed back down for some post-adventure lunch and small talk. They both agreed that it doesn’t matter if you run or ride, just as long as there is phenomenal terrain and scenic views. Let’s face it, its fun to share the trails.

spreading the love, rev

You never forget your first time and this weekend we get to share a first time experience with thousands of others. The inaugural Big Bear Marathon is finally here this Saturday September 6th and we are excited to have athletes from all over the country coming up for our event. We should have perfect weather conditions for our participants as they make their way around Big Bear Lake on the 26.2 mile course.

Our Bike Tour is not timed so riders can pedal easy and enjoy a beautiful morning cruise as they watch the sun rise over the lake. Runners will be challenged and entertained by our mountain top marathon route because of its diversity and complexity.

Racers and riders will start at 6,750’ in the Village. From there they will instantly climb up Red Ant Hill before heading off to the serpentine stretch of highway that leads you to Big Bear Dam.

After crossing the dam participants will be on the quiet north shore side of the lake where they will be treated to spectacular views of the Big Bear Lake, the Snow Summit and Bear Mountain ski resorts and Mt. San Gorgonio. When participants reach the east end of the lake they will be lead into the Moonridge area of Big Bear Lake. This requires more climbing. Runners will pass by the Bear Mountain Golf Course and Moonridge Zoo before descending back down into town and the exciting finish in the Village.

It’s going to be some party and we hope that you won’t miss it. Come say hi; share a first with all of us on the mountain. You never forget your first time.

spreading the love, rev

One of the best treats for hikers and trail runners is the granddaddy trail of the West Coast. I am referring to the Pacific Crest Tail (PCT). The famous trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada traverses right through the forestlands of Big Bear. 

One does not need to hike the whole 2,650 miles journey to enjoy the quality of the PCT. This could take months to complete. Instead hikers are invited to come up to Big Bear to get in a genuine hiking experience in just one day, or make a weekend out of it. Another great way to experience the classic trail is to put on some running shoes and get in some top-notch high altitude training.

There are a variety of different access points for the PCT in Big Bear. One could catch the trail from the Onyx Summit area or various trail openings along Baldwin Lake and the Holcomb Valley.

Just the other day I drove up Van Dussen Canyon Road to the PCT. It was early in the morning and I ran on the well-maintained trail. It was a pleasure to run such a level single track with only a few slight inclines. This section of the PCT is also one of Olympian Ryan Hall’s favorite places to run in Big Bear Valley.

I suggest picking up a San Bernardino National Forest map at Big Bear Discovery Center to determine the best spots to enter onto the PCT. In fact, one of the easiest and best access points is from the Cougar Crest trail.  

Take a load off and get on the PCT,

Daniel Pea

I’ll admit it. The morning I was scheduled to parasail for the first time, my first thought was, “What am I thinking? I’m afraid of heights!” But once I was on the boat watching a fellow flyer grinning, I knew there was no turning back. The sigh of that colorful parachute against our big blue sky was exactly what made me sign up in the first place. And it turned out to be the best thing I’ve done all summer!

To get to the Big Bear Parasail building, you drive to the end of Pine Knot Marina, where you’ll find the owner, Wally Weber, getting lifejackets ready for whoever’s made their reservations. I got on board with a couple from L.A. and their two teenage nieces from San Diego and we were all helped into harnesses. By the time I watched the woman take a ride, I was totally comfortable with the process and rarin’ to go!

I stepped onto the platform at the bow, hooked up to the chute, sat down, then……zipppppp! They smoothly hauled me up to 75-100 feet. It’s actually a 600-foot rope, but I decided to just hang out there my first time. It was high enough to see every watercraft on the lake and San Gorgonio over the ski resorts - and low enough to see what a pro Wally is at the helm.

I had to do about four “corrections” - that’s when you lean a little to one side to keep the parachute straight - but other than that, I just dangled my feet and enjoyed the breeze and the views. It was a glorious 15 minutes.

(You know you want to go: Get your questions answered at bigbearparasail.net. You gotta try it!)

 Vanessa

Big Bear Lake and the surrounding mountains provide so many recreational options. You can choose water sports with gas powered toys like jet skis or motor boats, or you can explore our incredible network of trails via dirt bikes or 4×4 vehicles. As fun as all that sounds my friends I prefer to enjoy Big Bear’s beautiful playground under HUMAN POWER.

When my family and friends come up to visit it’s not to relax, we all want to be outside as much as possible and we’re always on the go. Whether it’s hiking or trail running, road or mountain biking, kayaking or canoeing we choose to be the engines that drive the machines. Gas prices are not a concern. We only worry about the price of pasta and energy bars! And why not try the same philosophy all week? Just a couple days ago I went for an early morning road ride around the lake, when I got home my girlfriend wanted to go for a hike and then after our hike we rode our cruisers around town to run errands. With all the new bike routes around town and the “share the road” signs placed around the lake, it’s much better to get where you need to go up here and much safer too. If you haven’t already noticed our little community is very human power friendly and it’s way more fun to get around by bike that it is by car. Come on up for a visit and when you get here try to spend one entire day having human powered fun.

Spreading the love and spreading the fun, rev  

Summer can be the toughest time to fish Big Bear Lake. That is if you don’t make a few adjustments to your fishing techniques!

The first thing you need to do is fish early and late; during the middle of the day, the best thing to do is something to pass the time like golfing or horseback riding. Fish from sun up in the morning until about 9:30 am. Then in the afternoon, fishing is best from about 4:00 PM until dark. Note: when it’s cloudy and overcast, fishing can be good all day, and if it should happen to rain a little, fishing can be exellent any time!

If your going to be trolling, troll very slow, and the average depth you should fish will probably be from 2 1/2 to 4 colors. For the last two weeks, 2 1/2 & 3 colors have been the best for me.

It’s also a good time to fish smaller lures like #1 Needlefish and the #0 & #1 Dick Nite Spoons. Best colors have been Nickel, Brass, and Copper Bikini, Red Dot Frog and Lady Bug Needlefish. Best Dick Nite Spoons have Been Purple, Pearl, and Copper Hot Heads.

If your bait fishing, go to one of the marinas or sporting goods stores and ask them to show you how to rig a slip bobber. A slip bobber baited with either a night crawler or floating baits like Eagle Claw Nitro or Berkley Power Bait & Gulp can be very effective.

Drift fishing down the South or North Shore lines from the dam down to Metcalf Bay, with a slip bobber rig can get you a limit of tasty rainbow trout.

Good luck!
FishBigBear.com

There are some hidden gems in them thar mountains. I am talking about rocks, but not the kind you put on your fiancée’s left hand. The rocks in Holcomb Valley known as the Holcomb Pinnacles are crags just waiting for climbers to conquer.

I wanted to see for myself if Big Bear really is a destination for climbing. My first step was to connect with the right people in the rock climbing circuit to make it happen. Being a newbie to the sport my first objective was to find the right lead climber. My first call was to Billy Beach, a valley dude from Westlake. Beach made the suggestion a few months back that he has been itching to try out the crags of Big Bear. Scott Road from Lake Forest, another avid climber had the same agenda, which is to discover the hidden treasures of Big Bear. On Sunday, my two friends and I set out to find these goliath rocks, and see if Big Bear has what it takes for rock climbing.

This past May I invested in my first harness, and did some climbs in Joshua Tree. Of course in the summer it’s way too hot for climbs in the desert, but Big Bear provides a cool alpine setting with clean air, plenty of pines for shade, and soothing mountain breeze to for ideal comfort. More importantly, Big Bear does indeed have some real challenges and outright fun climbs. The combination of its cool climate and solid pitches makes Big Bear one of Southern California’s top rock climbing destinations for the summer. There are plenty of 5-10 and 5-11 climbs, but on this day we set out for 5-6 and 5-7 climbs. 

Last week I spent my hard earned cash on a new set of rubber. I picked out a set of 5-10 Spires, a great beginner shoe with just the right amount of snug and plenty of that C-4 Stealth grip. The next thing was to find the ever elusive, hard to find copy of the San Bernardino Mountains rock climbing guide book titled “Hidden Treasures” by Brad Singer. Beach was able to track down a copy, which his buddy sent overnight to him. The good news is “Hidden Treasures” is getting reprinted and should be out in the next month or two. This will make a great stocking stuffer for the climber in the family. When the book is released it will be available at Equada Outfitters, located in Big Bear Village.

The rock formations we set out to discover were Skyy Slab and Gold Wall. The routes we conquered included Firewater (5-5), Naughty Pine (5-6), Mid Summer’s Night Seam (5-7) and Hidden Gold (5-7). The routes were a bit short, but nonetheless perfect for beginners like me. Hidden Gold was my favorite, and probably the most challenging for the day.

This time out I also learned some key climbing techniques, including belaying and self-repelling. Beach is one helluva a great teacher and I felt no intimidation learning these must-know routines. Thanks Beach.

I am off belay, but ready to conquer some more crags in Big Bear Valley soon. If you are itching for a great climb and want to get out of the heat Big Bear is the place for some quality climbing.

Chalk Up,
Daniel Pea

Getting There:
To get to the north Holcomb Pinnacles Take Highway 38 (North Shore) to Big Bear City. Turn onto Van Dusen Canyon Road (3N09) north to 3N16. Turn right on 3N16 to 3N32. Turn left on 3N32. This is a rough road and requires a 4×4 vehicle, preferably with high clearance. Take 3N32 to a side road that is marked with a rock cairn. Turn left at the rock cairn, and take that to the parking area. The approach to the Pinnacles is just a short jaunt away from the parking area.

Wow! The community of Big Bear gave an epic send off ceremony last night at Big Bear Middle School for Ryan Hall, Big Bear’s hometown hero. Ryan is an Olympic marathon runner born and raised right here in Big Bear Lake.

He is a favorite to win a medal in the 26.2 mile race that has become the pinnacle event for all who love to run. It was amazing to see the huge crowd of locals turn out to wish him well, including hundreds of school kids who showed up with their bright red “Run Ryan Run” hats on, which symbolizes our community spirit and support for Ryan Hall.

I applaud the Light house Project for putting together such a well organized send-off event. The Lighthouse Project is a organization that has one goal, to create child honoring communities. The Lighthouse Project began the “Move a Million Miles for Ryan Hall” program to show Ryan support by having people log miles from walking, running, biking, paddling or anything human powered.

It’s been an amazing thing to see all the red hats all over town, and watch the miles grow on the website. It was even more thrilling to watch them unveil a huge banner for Ryan showing how many miles have already been logged. The goal was not only accomplished, but exceeded before the due date with 1,203,000 miles. Ryan was absolutely moved by all the support and love shown by his hometown crowd and was completely blown away when he saw that they’ve already exceeded the original “million” mark, and the miles keep on climbing. Be sure to watch for Ryan’s race on August 23 U.S.A. time, and if you’re a runner come on up and see where Ryan Hall trains and don’t forget to cheer for our very special hometown Olympic hero!

spreading the love, rev