Snow Summit

The Snow Summit ski resort sits reasonably close to the Los Angeles metroplex, within the San Bernardino National Forest. It tends to be the destination for skiers and snowboarders looking for more traditional ski runs, while those looking for the terrain park experience hop over to Bear Mountain.

The Interstate Highways that converge in L.A. will get long-distance drivers in the general area, with California Highways 18 and 38 getting folks around Big Bear Lake. Those flying can use one of the many International and Regional airports in the area before driving the remainder of the way.

SoCal Winter Destination

The San Bernardino Mountains provide rippers and shredders a perfect backdrop for the Snow Summit ski area, a venue that stands out as a family-friendly destination for southern Californians.

Park rats will experience 100 inches of snowfall or less each season. Add to that the traffic the ski area receives at times, and guests might find parts of the park tracked out well before the season's end. When storms form in the area, there is plenty of chances to cut fresh tracks after the dump, though.

To supplement nature's bounty, a state-of-the-art snowmaking system is in place to keep the snow deep and skiing fun across the resort's 240 acres. Snowmaking equipment covers the entire mountain, and Big Bear Lake acts as the system's reservoir.

There are 11 lifts available for plankers as well as five moving carpets. That gives Snow Summit an uphill capacity above 18,500 guests each hour. Lifties stay busy here, but they keep things moving to prevent long waits.

Since 2002, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain have been under the same ownership. That means that a ticket from one is honored at the other, and the resorts offer shuttle services between mountains.

Making the Best of It

Snow Summit has a peak elevation of 8,200 feet, and its base sits at 7,000 feet even. The 1,200-foot verticle drop offers plenty of potential for family-oriented vacationers and intermediate ski bums alike.

There are 27 trails or runs within the ski area, with approximately 18 rideable miles of terrain. The longest run, Westridge, is about 1.25 miles in length.

About 10-percent of Snow Summit is rated green for first-time and beginning skiers. The mountain lists 25-percent of the terrain as low-intermediate blue and 40-percent as intermediate. Advanced terrain marked black diamond makes up the remaining 25-percent of the acreage.

The Wall, Olympic, and Side Chute are three trails in the advanced range that one could consider expert level.

Since its founding in 1952, the Snow Summit ski resort has improved upon its success, becoming a SoCal destination that offers reliable skiing. The Snow Summit base area provides the modern amenities guests would expect from a winter resort area. Drink, food, shopping, rental/repair, child care, and emergency patrols are just a few of the services visitors will find.

Over 500 hydrants, 300 snow guns, and 40 fans help this ski area have more open days than any other in southern California.