I found out today that Bear Mountain started in 1943 (before I thought it was 1947)
Bear Mountain started as Moonridge meadows 1&2 in 1943 and began with a couple of rope tows and has undergone a series of name changes over the years in 1970 the name was changed to Goldmine then in 1988 it became Bear Mountain as we now know it.
Some of Bears first. Moonridge was the frist to try snowmaking but it failed to work for them as it was to costly at the time. Moonridge was one of the frist in southern Cailf to offer ski instruction useing the GLM Graduated Length Method. Goldmines frist chair lift was installed in 1971. Bear Mountain was the frist in the valley to install a high speed express Bear has the largest snow making pipe in the USA from a Lake Bear mountain has the 2nd largest snowmaking plant in the world.
So Happy 65th Birthday to Bear Mountain !boarder
Todd C A Smile Goes A Long Way To Making Somebodys Day Great
Wow, I didn't realize Bear had the 2nd largest snowmaking plant in the world. I know we have the largest west of the Mississippi, but that was the only fact I had ever heard. WINTER IS OVER AND SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE!
Our line is a 22" pipe, may be the largest, but is it the longest? If Snow Valley dinishes their pipe from Lake Silverwood it will likely be the the longest, would love to see the pump system along the way, that many miles, many many many miles. As far as the biggest snowmaking plant, maybe Bear used to be one of the biggest in the world, but after the 7 million $ in upgrades last summer at summit, I think we're both in the top running. FOLLOW @BENSWEATHER NOW ON TWITTER!
Registered Member #659 Joined: Sat Sep 15 2007, 01:32PM : Posts: 8634
The way I heard it rebel Ridge in Bear city was the first to make snow, prior to 1960. I took classes at moonridge in the 50'swith the school district and I think all they had were a few rope tows. and no snow making that I remember. First I saw besides rebel ridge was at summit. Lynn lift and and snow summit were much bigger operations. The road to Summit was just a narrow 2 lane street with no buildings on it. There was a stable just east of Carl's jr. and you rode the horses in the empty woods between there and summit. Lynn lift had the first chair on the hill. I think the swiss ski bowl, and the place up near bluff lake were among the first rope tows in the valley. the first picture below was at the ticket booth for lynn lift at the top where the poma lifts were in the late 30's. Cliff lynn, my mom Kay, and jim Knight are in the picture. The bottom one is the top of the lynn lift chair in the 50's my brother, Mike, dennis Bailey, and Dick Leroy are among those in the picture
Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.
Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
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WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!
Registered Member #191 Joined: Tue Dec 05 2006, 06:43AM : Posts: 1817
Does anybody have any scares from the Alpine Slide when it was at Goldmine Ski area? That thing was vicious. The cars and your body would fly off the track and out on the ski run if you got going to fast. When they took it down and moved it over to Magic Mountain they mellowed it out a lot. There also used to be a little trout pond about half way up the existing 9th. fairway. "Americans were so tired of being thought of as dumbasses by the rest of the world, that some went to the election polls the last presidential election and removed all doubt."
"Never let a serious crisis go to waste.
Obama is currently in his fifth year of campaigning and speechmaking, which is considerably easier than being president. All it takes is a good writer, a teleprompter, a few lies and the ability to cry “wolf” every month or so.
Registered Member #191 Joined: Tue Dec 05 2006, 06:43AM : Posts: 1817
I think the first chair was sooner than 1971, Could it be 1961 "Americans were so tired of being thought of as dumbasses by the rest of the world, that some went to the election polls the last presidential election and removed all doubt."
"Never let a serious crisis go to waste.
Obama is currently in his fifth year of campaigning and speechmaking, which is considerably easier than being president. All it takes is a good writer, a teleprompter, a few lies and the ability to cry “wolf” every month or so.
Registered Member #659 Joined: Sat Sep 15 2007, 01:32PM : Posts: 8634
I forgot about the alpine slide. That did look like it would be hairy. The trout pond was where the original club house was and there was a dirt road that you could cut acroos the golf course at that spot. There was also a trout pond at magic mountain. two near the city hall, and one or two at pine knot landing. I never saw the one in Boulder bay, or the one behind sugarloaf. before my time. Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.
Someone who thinks logically provides a nice contrast to the real world.
"I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same"
WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!
It was in 1955 that uper moonridge meadows rope tow, experimented with snowmaking on a 300 foot run. Proving economically impractical after two winters, the project was abandoned. However, about 1958, Chuck Smith started Rebel Ridge Ski Area (next to motel 6) in Big Bear City on a little north facing hill, and installed snow making on his 800 foot long rope tow. More drought years proved the system to be practial , and this development did not go unnoticed by our other nearby ski resorts. and the rest is history. Todd C A Smile Goes A Long Way To Making Somebodys Day Great
TYPE: TRAFFIC INCIDENT AREA: BIG BEAR LAKE UNITS: MT281 ME291 MA291A BIG BEAR BLVD N DIVISION DR - BBLC X 2 VEH,BBLC, BBL1 _1301059 BIGBEARLAKE., BBC1 _1301084 ADDE
Hiya Bookie, just wanted to thank you for posting all you do. Often times, I will repost to FB. You never know who's gonna see these posts and I believe in getting the info out there so people may be helped. Rock on!
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a bit late to the party.. you don't need the waiver to ride the sky chair if you are walking. Only bike riders need the waiver. The walk down is a different path this year and steeper.
65 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain
!boarder 
Good one!
Glad the baby's safe.
