The Moonridge neighborhoods, comprising High Timber Ranch, Upper Moonridge and Lower Moonridge, is also home to the Moonridge Animal Park. This popular attraction is located across from Bear Mountain Ski Resort. The Park began in response to a forest fire back in 1959. Orphaned and imprinted animals that couldn’t be released back into the wild needed an alpine facility. One of the Parks first residents was a stranded, thirty pound, black bear cub. Early inhabitants also included a bobcat and mule deer. In 1960 the … [Read more...]
Big Bear Lake – A Ski Season Preview
October 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment
There’s a chill in the air and in Big Bear that means only one thing, winter is right around the corner. If you love winter sports it’s time to get excited. Here’s a little pre-season info to get you thinking about all the winter fun you’re going to be having in Big Bear this season. Skiing and Snowboarding We’d be spoiled of we had just one local ski area in Big Bear, but we’re blessed with two world class resorts, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. There’s something for every skill level and taste, long cruisey ski … [Read more...]
The Big Bear Gourmet
October 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Restaurants in the mountains have long been known for their piles of pancakes and American cuisine. But recently, new Big Bear Lake restaurants serve a variety of ethnic flavors and gourmet ingredients to this community. When we first moved to Big Bear from Los Angeles sixteen years ago, we used to joke about the lack of restaurant ambience. At that time, few restaurants even used linen service. The Iron Squirrel, Fred & Marys, Madlons and Stillwells at Northwoods were among the best choices. While Madlons (Big … [Read more...]
Homes and Dreams in Big Bear
September 24, 2011 by 5 Comments
Big Bear is a mecca for the retirement set, and for good reason. Our mountain community offers affordable housing, an active senior center, adequate health care, and plenty of other baby boomers to hang out with. And to top it off Big Bear is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the country. My mother and stepdad have lived in Big Bear for almost twenty years and they’ve never regretted their decision to move here. Before settling on Big Bear they looked all over California for a suitable retirement … [Read more...]
Hot Dawgs and Hand Rails (HDHR)
September 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Snow time in the mountains of Big Bear Lake…almost! Saturday, September 24th, Bear Mountain will open for a unique pre-season party. Forty top jib riders will compete for $15,000 in cash prizes . This eighth annual event will see Nick Visconti return as defending champ. The contest begins at 2:00 PM and goes until dark. Arrive early and watch the staff lay down 110 tons of ice. The unique 2011 features are sponsored by Red Bull. They include a huge wall with a ledge, stairs, down rails, close out rails, and bank … [Read more...]
Big Bear Is For Dog Lovers
September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Big Bear is one of Southern California’s most dog friendly communities, and it’s no wonder why; fresh air, open spaces, and plenty of other dogs to bark at and sniff. If dogs could choose their places to live, Big Bear would be at the top of the list. The dog owners that live up here already know that one of life’s simple pleasures is watching a dog play in the snow or splash around the lake. You can’t help but smile. Walk through the Big Bear village and you’ll see water dishes outside many businesses and … [Read more...]
How Big Bear Lake Spent The Summer Vacation
September 17, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Labor Day weekend has come and gone and the first hint of fall is in the air. So its a great time to reflect on the summer of 2011 and remind ourselves why we love our mountain paradise. Here's a look back at some of our more popular summer events. Big Bears' summer of 2011 began with the first fishing tournament of the season, the May Trout Classic, with over 400 participants competing for cash and prizes. This years winning fish weighed in at 9.10 pounds and was caught by Jack Storti of Westlake Village. In … [Read more...]
Labor Day Weekend
September 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment
We are expecting a beautiful weekend in Big Bear, CA. The temperatures will be moderate and sunny, with a possibility of scattered afternoon thundershowers. How will you enjoy yourself? There are several events in the Valley this weekend, beginning with Friday nights in the Village. Enjoy street vendors and live music on the street corners. There’s plenty of shopping and dining throughout the area, along with two movie theaters and a bowling alley. On Saturday night the Big Bear Lake Discovery Center will play host … [Read more...]
The Big Bear Cowboy
August 23, 2011 by 2 Comments
The history of the cowboys in the Big Bear area is intertwined with cattle ranching in the valley. There were several large cattle ranches including the I.S. Ranch in west Big Bear Lake, the Shay Ranch at Shay Meadows, and the Hitchcock Ranch in Holcomb Valley. The grazing began in the San Bernardino Mountains around 1857 with both cattle and sheep. Gus Knight from Knight’s Camp, Jim Erwin from Erwin Lake and Will Talmadge, who owned lakefront property, were among the valley’s first ranchers. Cattle were … [Read more...]
Oktoberfest at the Big Bear Convention Center
August 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Oktoberfest Like a Local Big Bear Lake’s Oktoberfest is a local tradition spanning more than forty years. Hans Bandow and his family originally brought the tradition to Big Bear. What started in a tent, quickly grew into its own building, the Big Bear Lake Convention Center. Hans had the architect design a building based on the early Oktoberfest tents from Germany. The event organizers provide an entertainment mix of German bands and progressive Los Angeles rock bands. The dancing is punctuated with old … [Read more...]
