75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Thu Jan 17 2008, 07:44PM

I am really excited to revive this thread as this winter will be the 75th anniversary at bear mountain I found out many many years ago that Bear Mountain started in 1943

Bear Mountain started as Moonridge meadows 1&2 in 1943 and began with a couple of rope tows and has unfdergone 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
When its plant was installed Bear mountain had the 2nd largest snowmaking plant in the world.

So Happy 75th Birthday to Bear Mountain !skier !boarder


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Craig ⭐, Fri Jan 18 2008, 06:34PM

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.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Benny ⭐, Fri Jan 18 2008, 08:12PM

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.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Jan 20 2008, 12:46AM

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






Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Sun Jan 20 2008, 01:32PM

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.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Sun Jan 20 2008, 01:35PM

I think the first chair was sooner than 1971, Could it be 1961

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Jan 20 2008, 02:26PM

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.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Mon Jan 21 2008, 05:41PM

I guess I didn't know that Bear Mountain is only 5 years younger than Snow Valley!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Benny ⭐, Mon Jan 21 2008, 05:59PM

Good one!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Mon Jan 21 2008, 06:48PM

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.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Tue Jan 22 2008, 08:32AM

When they tore out the ice rink and changed it to the roller rink they took a lot the equipment up to Snow Forest on the bunny hill and used the refrigeration to cool the water to make snow. I have not been to the upper parking lot in decades at Snow Forest, wonder if the stuff is still there? I was all trial and error and this is just something that was done in the 70s.

The ice rink, Bean Blossom basket pick up- the owner used to have a business picking up shopping carts down the hill and return them to stores. He would have brand new pickup trucks and the beds where destroyed on them. How is that for useless fact or trivia.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Sat Jan 26 2008, 08:40AM


It was in Dec. of 1959 I had my first ski lesson. It was at Rebel Ridge. I eventually had 4 lessons from the instructor--Chuck Smith-who we eventually learned was the owner of RR. Was I impressed. Later my parents could not understand why they had to drive me "all the way to Moonridge or Snow Summit when RR was only about 1/2 mile away. They never knew the meaning of vertical or the concept of a run lasting more then about 20 seconds. Rebel Ridge was a great place to learn.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Sat Jan 26 2008, 09:18AM

1959??? Geez, I wasn't even born yet...

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Bmatheny, Sat Jan 26 2008, 11:32AM

I remember visiting Big Bear in the late 60s and 70s - even thru the 80s. Alot has changed and the ski resorts are mostly the cause.

I remember skiing Goldmine in March, 1977 or 78. I was about 14 and we rented a big cabin just west of Benny's office - on that hill. We got here, went to bed, got up and started SKIING. It snowed all day - HARD. By the time we got done, there was about 15" on the ground. We stayed that next night and in the morning, there was about 35+" of fresh snow.

Dad decided that morning - "we're stuck - gotta stay an extra night". So, we went skiing a second day on great snow and cruised home very slow the next day.

Honestly, I love it up here in Green Acres.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Bmatheny, Sat Jan 26 2008, 11:34AM

Todd, I wanted to thank you on behalf of all members for sharing this info. You should consider writing a book and interviewing some of the people you know.

Keep up the good work!




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Sat Jan 26 2008, 06:42PM

Chuck Smith is my uncle.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Sat Jan 26 2008, 06:42PM

...but not the same guy from Rebel Ridge.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Jan 27 2008, 06:20PM

ATL
you might want to change your dates a bit. The top picture is an ad from the 1931 copy of the Evergreen. the high school annual
I'm not sure what they had for facilities but cross country was quite popular. Skyline drive was marked with orange triangles to show the trail. They were about 16 inches on each side and nailed about 18 feet up in trees.
I would imagine the swimming, and skating were in the pond at the clubhouse. my grand father also built a skating pond on the mansion property below the house in the flats. I don't have any pictures of it ever being used.
the second is ihe ski club in 33 the last is other winter sports in 32 my dad is in the back to the left of the center. It appears there were 2 QB's unless something else was going on.
I imagine they won the came as this would have been about the whole male student body.. picture is looking East into town. The school was in the Elks club and in beard's (McNeal's) department store
(just a hint to those trying to unravel history. Don't put to much faith in Tom Core, or John Robinson. Read LaFuze first and then check around. BB "history" is riddeled with errors)









Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Sun Jan 27 2008, 07:54PM

Wow nice add my last info came from Ingrid P. Wicken who is a associate professor of physical education at Riverside Community College, Moreno Valley and is the founder of the California Ski Library.
So I am just guessing but I think the Dates of 1943 was the first time someone instaled a Rope Tow.
but I would love a copy of the add you have.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Jan 27 2008, 09:04PM

I am not sure but rope tows were very easy to build. The one up on skyline still has tire rims in the trees that they ran the rope over on the return. rou can see where the building that housed the motor was and there are hunks of metal around.
They may have used just the golf course and then brought people back up with a bus
copy or save the picture as it is here. the resolution isn't much better in the annual. The pictures are regular pictures pasted into the annual
by 33 they were printed as they are today.
31 was the first annual the school put out. it was part of the victor valley school district at that time. They had a lot of great activities and would swim at pan hot. this is the only other refrence to skiing but gives no hint of where they went. they used the hill behind the elks club for much of it.
I tried to learn on the "suicide" buindings that he mention's in the story But ny that time they had a leather thong that if the ski came off would keep you from having to chase it. Fiberglass ski's were just begining to come out but heads cost about 100 a pair




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
cricket, Sun Jan 27 2008, 09:36PM

hummmm....intereting stuff....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bearjibber [Banned], Thu Jan 31 2008, 02:21PM




I thought Heavenly's system was bigger but Bear's is more efficient.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sat Feb 02 2008, 10:51PM

This is an article that was printed about the Clifford Lynn Ski Area:

Clifford Lynn Ski Area

Scenic chair lift rides may be enjoyed at Clifford Lynn ski Area on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
The chair lift is at a 7,000-foot elevation, is 3,000 feet long, and has a 700-foot rise. The maximum height from the ground is 28 feet. Lift capacity is 250 people per hour.
In the Ski season the chair lift serves three main runs and a snow bowl at the top. The snow bowl has a 700-foot rope tow with a 250-foot rise. The three main runs range from three-fourths mile to a mile long with a 700 foot rise, and four runs branch off with a 900 foot rope tow, with 300 foot rise in this area.
Also available for the skiers is a sling lift at a 7,300-foot elevations, 1,700 feet long, with a 400-foot rise. The capacity 150 per hour, and one rope tow in this area is 800 feet ling, with a 250-foot rise. This area is a large bowl shaped side hill, all cleared and is good easy skiing – not too steep, it is a place where the entire family can have plenty of fun, off by itself about a ten minute hike from the lower terminal of the chair lift.
WINTER SCHEDULE: All equipment operates daily, subject to snow and skiing conditions. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
SUMMER SCHEDULE: Chair lift operates Saturdays, Sundays and all holidays. Hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Located just north of the village area. Watch for signs.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sun Feb 03 2008, 04:21PM

Village skiing anyone?





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Feb 03 2008, 06:42PM

the house I grew up in untill about 17 or a
18 was to the right of the guy furthest up Pennsylvania. and my first job for about 5 years was at halls the building over his shoulder. do you have an original of this one


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Sun Feb 03 2008, 07:24PM

I remember Hall's....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sun Feb 03 2008, 07:26PM

Here's an old black & white of Hall's Cafe.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Conifer Lover, Mon Feb 04 2008, 02:55PM

pretty cool picture

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 04 2008, 03:22PM

that is a great picture Radha do you have a better quality picture?
had to be in the 50's before safeway and flood control.
cars never knew they were supposed to turn at the corner and would be up trying to turn around in our yard. or asking directions. we always sent to at least Knight bfore turning them toward the higway. up a steep hill and down a steep hill.
I think my brother and I were charging 25 cents to turn around in our yard.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Mon Feb 04 2008, 04:06PM

Not too long ago there was a kid on the corner there charging for directions? Dennis, a relative?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 04 2008, 04:20PM

might have been.there are quite a few running around up there, was he/she making good money?


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Mon Feb 04 2008, 04:46PM

Sure had a lot of people stopping....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 04 2008, 04:47PM

are you sure they were just selling directions??/

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Mon Feb 04 2008, 06:14PM

Directions and information (he had a sign)...

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Geezer, Tue Feb 05 2008, 08:38AM

An interesting string of information. One of the first rope tows in the Big Bear Valley was located just to the west of the current Elks Club.

There was a rope tow and ski school in Running Springs, just to the west of the town. When driving down the hill on 18 you can see the rather small area that was the hill. Norm Batchelor (later to teach at Moonridge) was the head ski instructor.

At Snow Summit one can see the wheel rim of the first rope tow, visable as you walk up to chair 1. It is about 20 feet up a tree.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Tue Feb 05 2008, 11:05AM

Not only was it west of the Elks, it was west of where my lodge is today. Actually, it was where the Alpine Slide is now. There is still a sign in front of the Alpine Slide that says "Ski Area."

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Tue Feb 05 2008, 11:33AM

bbb
the one he was talking about was directly across and behind the road to the west of the elks club.
I'm not sure if it was the swiss ski bowl, or the one on skyline was, but it had swiss in the name. there was a ski jump on the property that was there when I was a kid.
I'm sure you can remember when there were tubbers on the hill. that was the area he is talking about and was loosly connected to lynn lift. in that you could ski between the two.
I don't really remember what was where magic mountain is. it was always just chuck thomas's back yard as I remember, but probably did function as you mention.
i imagine that my dad did his school skinging on the one mentioned.
I posted some jumping pictures that I think were on this property.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Tue Feb 05 2008, 01:55PM

I was thinking they were the same. In back of me and Alpine Slide is that property that will be luxury condos on Paine Rd. The Elks is aolmost across the street from that. Alpine Slide still has the rope tow there.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Tue Feb 05 2008, 02:16PM

Is this Clifford Lynn or somewhere else?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Tue Feb 05 2008, 02:27PM

oops -here's the image.



Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Tue Feb 05 2008, 02:39PM

bbb
I'm a bit confused by what we are talking about.
this picture represents what I am saying and might clairfy some
in this picture the white line generaly circles the area where "my" rope tow was. the red is where it was. the lellow line represents a ridge that seperates it from most of magic montain.
from lynn lift you could ski to either area
the green is what I call a jump. but may have actualy been a slide to carry DG into a truck to be used elseware. there was little left of the slide that i remember. i would have thought a jump would have been about where the word ridge is written
I also marked a trout pond that was on the magic moiuntain property that was before the nay's were there.







Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Tue Feb 05 2008, 02:53PM

radtha
great pic hard for me to id. is it snow summit?
it looks like about what I remember. hated the rope tows. wool gloves got hooked in the roap, to many peope and it would stop and slip backwards into everyone else. many to close. usualy someone to keep from overloading. sometimes someone would not let go and be carried up untill they hit a bar that shut off the motor and again down backwards, feet trapped in ruts in the snow.
took awhile to get the hang of the rope tow. easiest to do without gloves. had to let the rope slide a bit untill you got moving, if you grabbed to fast it pulled you over on your nose.
in a close up it looks like the poma straps above them, they may be queing up for that
any wonder why a klutz like me quit skiing?

moonridge was similar but the rope tow we used was way to the right I dont remember one being that close to the chair
never skied snow valley dosen't look like that to me
never had to try a poma lift. don't know if i could have handeled that one

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Geezer, Tue Feb 05 2008, 06:28PM

There was a small ski jump on the hill next to the present Elks site, which reminds me that Snow Summit had a pretty good sized jump built in 1954 that no longer exists. It was located at the bottom of what is now the east side of Westridge. Johnny Elvrim ( of 10th Mtn Division and Snow Valley fame) was the usual winner of the jumping contests. The jump was discontinued as the changes in liability laws occured. One can today still see the hill, although there is brush covering the jump. I saw it today.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Tue Feb 05 2008, 10:22PM

Dennis, my lodge sits right above the words ski/tube area. That rope tow is right in back of my other lot it appears. That is the property they are building those luxury condos on. We called it ambulance hill because so many people got hurt sledding (for free) down that hill. The Lynn place looks like it was in upper Ironwood Estates near the water tower or just east of it.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Tue Feb 05 2008, 10:44PM

i thought your property ended about where the be in tube were and was mostly below it. you are on the hwy, right?
on the west side of red ant creek?
not on the little road that goes up to hansen's old lodge. that was a hostel for awhile?
i haven't been up in that area in a long time. lynn lift's area is south and east of the water tanks and is accessed from cherry lane, but i'm sure the gate is closed. it can be seen from where the road ends up by the water tanks.it is south of ironwood. didn't know they were putting in condo's that will be a real mess how many units?


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Wed Feb 06 2008, 06:20AM

Does anybody remember how hard the rope was on a pair of gloves? When you would squeeze the rope to get going the friction of it would destroy the gloves in the palm. That was the worst thing of trying to teach someone to ski was the rope tow. First rule never on a busy day. Ok step up to the rope in your group then as you squeeze the rope turn your up hill ski up hill and bring your other foot around as you squeeze the rope hard. The safety at the top of the rope tow was a power cord that looked like an extension cord with two plugs on it draped across the top of the rope so if they did not let go they would run in to it and unplug it. That would stop the rope tow motor and it would all stop dead. Ski lesson turned in to a couple of runs on the rope then to the chair. I think Nay had a rope also at Magic Mountain alone the north end but was not used much more for the tube people who would want to ski there. Anybody remember the lawsuit over the name Magic Mountain and the snowcone settlement. As industrious the lodge owners where back then I would suppose that there are lots of rims in the trees around this valley and probably a few with tires on them from the locals racing across Skiline Dr.. Snow Forest was the hot spot to ski after a big snowfall. Nobody went there and you would have the place to your self. Never any lines as everybody went to Summit and Goldmine like having a private hill of your own, wonder why they went broke. The photo of the tractor that Bills Grandson posted with people and skis loaded on the trailer must have been fun. Ski down to the bottom and wait for the sled to load and then get the dozer started again and pull us back up the hill. Has anybody ever seen photos of the place that was Happy Hill before it became the Unhappy hell AKA the city hall of BBL?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Wed Feb 06 2008, 06:32AM

As I recall the lady that owned the Magic Mountain property sued Six Flaggs and got some big chunk of change. I am not sure she is still alive and still owns the property. Bruce Voigt, operator of the slide, as far as I know, just leases the property. I believe he does own the property where the other slide is next to Motel 6. That old lady used to live in that creepy looking house with all of those steps up on the property.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Wed Feb 06 2008, 06:53AM

Dennis, my place actually starts where you see trees (I mustly butt up against the Alpine Slide on that side). I go below the ski/tube words. If you look above the K and I in ski you can see part of Modoc Rd (where Singing Pines is on). Everything down to the Boulevard from there is my place. Modoc dead ends into the Alpine Slide. It's a very narrow dirt road once you pass Singing Pines. If you look above the B in tube you can see some of Red Ant Creek, which splits my two parcels. The creek is only visible from my place as well as Cozy Hollow Lodge and Big Bear Lodge/Coffee. It's underground/road the rest of the way. THe trout actually spawn in parts of Red Ant Creek. No, you can't fish in there. It's protected by F&G. Gawd, that aerial shot really does show how many trees Cozy Hollow and I have.....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Wed Feb 06 2008, 06:54AM

I remember the rope tow and it ruined all my gloves until I got smart.
I remember going on the rope tow at Goldmine.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Feb 06 2008, 11:08AM

I have been debating with myself on the magic mountain lawsuit as I heard it and accepted it long ago and may be blowing smoke but this is the way that I heard it.
Magic mountain was a sleepy little dump of a mom & pop parking lot. I think they had the stables, and the trout pond and not much else.
Magic mountian down the hill became a large deal down the hill on par with dizzyland, and knotts berry farm (my favorite, if just for the chicken dinner) talk about growing a bussines, from a vegetable stand in the middle of nowwhere. selling a "stolen" mutant berry.
anyway I think big magic sued little magic over the name. and it was a for gone conclusion that little would be flattened but as it turned out they not only kept the name they got concession rights for food stands at big magic. made big bucks.
I think mrs. nay's name was Gene. She came into my place quite often nice elderly lady and we talked a few times. I guess she had a thing for younger (40) guys. I seem to remember tiger stripe seat covers in a cadilac? don't know what happened to her.
to bad that place could not have joined with lynn lift. it could have been a pretty good ski area.
I liked lynn lift better then moonridge.
There is/was a road that led from where cherry lane turns east that led straight up with a few switchbacks to the top of the chair very narrow and steep. we used to drive it to get to skyline for hunting. I think I was the only 4WD'r for several years. had a blast loading the PU with kids and driving places you couldn't walk. would start there to skyline then across and down moonridge ski run. (at that time the furthest East run, very steep) and with luck a stop at the moonridge malt shop.
BBB and everyone.
if you don't have google earth get it.
it is free and the greatest thing online. 3D mode is great
and picassa 2 is also google and great data base for your photo's
oh yeah and buy google stock.
the "trees" are mostly shadow and really mess up trying to find some houses. you can id cars in the pics.
in the spring you can go far up into almost any stream and reach under the bank and touch/ grab large trout. very much against the law. to bad most streams don't run long enough to have the eggs have a chance.
if that creek undergrounds you should have it looked at. at the top of Pine Knott that big canyon was a meadow untill it went in one night to what you see. it would dump so much dirt into the creek it would flood, and maybe wash your place out.






Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Feb 06 2008, 11:31AM

jerry
the tractor actually took people from near the standard station (which sid had at the time) to the base of the upper (west) part of lynn lift. then they walked a short distance to the rope tow poma lifts. I'm not sure the chair was there at that time
I think this is the warming hut at lynn lift, but could be rebel ridge i forget who had the goofy skiing logo untill disney probably found out about it. seated guy looks like norm batchler to me.
happy hill was neat you could girl watch through the glass in the side of the pool





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Wed Feb 06 2008, 03:53PM

Here's a good photo from the top of the Clifford Lynn area.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Bookworm, Wed Feb 06 2008, 04:55PM

Where do you guys get all of this stuff?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Wed Feb 06 2008, 05:01PM

I go to "collectables" shows like in Pasadena and Costa Mesa.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Feb 06 2008, 07:07PM

bookworm
it's easy

time machine.
go to the old photo's thread and I'll be right back with some more pics

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Fri Feb 08 2008, 02:07PM

This picture is kind of light hearted.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Mon Feb 11 2008, 07:56PM

This is my idea of winter sports!





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Mon Feb 11 2008, 10:14PM

I have always wanted to go see the Ididorad (sp?). But, I hear it's even colder in Alaska in winter....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Tue Feb 12 2008, 11:43AM

According to Bill's Grandson, until the 60's they would race the dog sleds out on Baldwin Lake. When there was no snow, they put wheels on the sleds and continued to race.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Tue Feb 12 2008, 10:58PM

It must have been one bltch of a race.... :p

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Wed Feb 13 2008, 11:47AM

Yes, I heard things got pretty crowded.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Wed Feb 13 2008, 02:07PM

That too.... :p

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sat Feb 16 2008, 03:37PM

I'm not sure of the age of this image. It appears to be a woman cross-country skiing.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sat Feb 16 2008, 04:37PM

I think that I have read about this picture and she was an actress on the hill.
that is the setup the use to use before they came up with the two snow poles they use today, but the pole was almost twice that long i. I think this may be a posed picture picture dosn't seemed to have loaded completly but the skis should be very long. do you have the story that was with it?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sat Feb 16 2008, 05:17PM

No I don't have any information on it. I bought it as a single image.

This is a picture of Lunde's -looks like a marina. Do you know where it was?





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sat Feb 16 2008, 05:18PM

Whoops! I meant to load this image to old photos, I guess it's time to go and eat something

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sat Feb 16 2008, 06:16PM

It is located about where Paine would run into the lake if it didn't turn East.
It is probably what became Uncle toms landing
Or Joe Haegoods lake shore landing. One was located on either side of this location.
the building on the right does not look familiar. but the one on the left may be the building that Lake shore boat landing used it was shingled all around and had a round window at one place, probably would be the other side

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Sat Feb 16 2008, 09:43PM

I believe that is Big Bear Marina and Paine Rd end. My house is right across the street and that pretty much looks like the view I have. I think the Marina still has those buildings as well. I will check tomorrow in the light. COOL!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Sat Feb 16 2008, 09:46PM

I think I see Gibraltor Point on the far left as well. I know Big Bear Marina was developed in the lates 60's or early 70's as my house once belonged to the guy (forgot his name) that built the Marina and it was built in 1974. Oscar De La Hoya owned it in the late 80's or early 90's.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sat Feb 16 2008, 10:45PM

thats the area I mentioned. in the 60's there were 4 public boat landings in the area, they moved up and down as the lake did. at one time lake shore moved out to Gilner point when the lake got very low
between the arrows there were several clusters of cabins Uncle toms cabins were on the corner to the East (paine) one of the others was Lundes at one time..I think the people that owned uncle toms (untill they changed the name for some reason) were named baird
there was also a couple of other small docks. one that was used by the cabins. I think BBB's place shared dock privilges and I think some also shared pool priviliges. when the first pool went in.
BB was a lot les cut throat back then.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Feb 17 2008, 12:14AM

here is another view that shows the dock. it is on the right edge. Looks like before uncle toms, Stillwells dock is not in place either. May have been early in the year. Many docks were moved to sheltered areas during the winter




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Sun Feb 17 2008, 10:11AM

Uncle Tom's?
I think I know why they changed that....

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sun Feb 17 2008, 10:42AM

Is this picture the Goldmine Ski Area?





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sun Feb 17 2008, 10:45AM

This is the other image that was in that group.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Sun Feb 17 2008, 09:22PM

both of the pic's above are of a place last known as snow forest

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Feb 17 2008, 09:44PM

are you sure? they arn't the bottom chair, there isn't that much hill on that side of the lift at the bottom where that many people would be the area dosen't look right to be the one up the road either trees are to big and so is the hill. Plus pictures appear to be to old they both look like the old chair at summit to me is it possible the bottom one is flipped?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Mon Feb 18 2008, 07:36AM

Nothing is flipped, the words came with the postcard

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Mon Feb 18 2008, 02:36PM

The photo with the lake view can't be Goldmine, as the lake isn't very visible from there.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Mon Feb 18 2008, 02:37PM



Do you know about what year this photo is from? It appears that's Snow Summit up on the ridge, but not as many trees were cut down as there are now...


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 18 2008, 03:37PM

if you are talking about near the scratch it appears to be a natural opening.
Here is another view that I think show the oprning is natural as the main run at summit was pretty much finished opening day. but the road wasen't widened for several years and this appears to be to the west a bit
this picture shows the faire department, and the swim beach are near the landing. The firls on the beach are wearing 2 piece suits and the old post office is under construction
the second picture shows a similar picture and is usualy credited as being Lynn lift/snow forest. the last while at snow valley is the type of chair that lynn lift had (see elsewhere in this thread, would also show lake)
I believe the other one rhada posted is summit













Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Tue Feb 19 2008, 08:09AM




I hope this helps you in other photo's



Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
, Tue Feb 19 2008, 09:48AM

Wow nothing has changed. Those mountains are still there and some of the trees.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Tue Feb 19 2008, 11:41AM

Thanks, Jerry -I appreciate the information. I'm looking for a picture of the Goldmine area for a project the Zoo is doing...back to the drawing board.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Tue Feb 19 2008, 07:52PM

I have some cool old picks of Goldmine from a book I have that I can show you if you like.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Wed Feb 20 2008, 10:02AM

Yes, I'd love to see them, THANKS

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Sat Jun 14 2008, 05:39PM

I left this one large so you can enjoy all of the details.I love the title; Toboggan slide and Ski Jump.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Sun Jun 15 2008, 09:18AM

I wonder if any of that run is still there? The power lines may be part of the lines coming in to the Pineknot substation on Cameron from over the mountain.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Sun Jun 15 2008, 07:50PM

From what I have been told one of the ski jumps was behind the school that was the old Jr high off of PineKnot.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Thu Jun 19 2008, 11:45PM

Around The Lake
not sure where you are talking about. the one in the picture is at the south end of pine knot. and the harnish power line is in that spot there is another that is hard to see in this picture. the ones that were near the school was when the school was in the Elks club.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
BSF, Thu Jun 19 2008, 11:55PM

The hole that held the platform at the top of the toboggan slide, can still be seen above the sub station, at the top of Pineknot. BSF

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Mon Jun 23 2008, 09:49PM

Yes That is where I was thinking BSF

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Radha, Wed Dec 31 2008, 02:57PM

The back of the postcard says:

"Compressorsand Cooling tower, part of REBEL RIDGE'S highly successful snow-making system which spreads a 2 to 6 inch blanket of custom powder snow over either custom or natural base each night providing dependably excellent skiing from early November.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Dec 31 2008, 04:48PM

thats a pretty easy one. the compressor is sitting in motel 6. would have been part of one of the earliest sno making attempts anywhere. pre 1961. though picture could have been taken later. looks funny from this angle with nothing in the background most of the slope is still there and is used for snowplay. good pic

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Sat Jan 10 2009, 12:54PM

I can recall how excited I was when Rebel Ridge installed a poma lift! It was slower then the rope tows but much easier on the arms.

For some reason, I really enjoyed skiing at Snow Forest when it had good snow. As my old mind recalls the runs were a bit narrower then Summit or Goldmine (Bear) and provided an extra challenge. The single chair was fairly slow and didn't allow you to talk with your buds on the way up the hill

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sat Jan 10 2009, 02:13PM

socalman
I only skied with the park district ,school and don't remember skiing at rebel ridge.
I was such a poor skier that I liked summit the best and stayed on the rope tows, which were bad enough to handle. Ony way I could do it was bare handed.
I went up on the chai at lynn lift and I think that is where I learned I had a fear of hights. that thing was always breaking down, and I sat in the middle of the highest part, just over the first hill for about 20 minutes on time.. I still don't know how I got down the steep slope near the bottom. This was all around sixth grade
moonridge was nice too
wool pants(usually wet, from ouside not in), mittens, leather boots, 9 foot wood skies with suicide bindings did not leave many happy memories of sking or an intrest to try it when I got older.
I did try to convert a skateboard to snow use while in high school. To bad I didn't stick to that idea

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Tue Jan 27 2009, 08:54AM

My first skis were a little over 6'8", with the old suicide bindings. At the time the idea was for the tip of the ski to reach to your wrist when you had your arm extended above your head. Mine were about 10 inches too long but my parents figured I'd "grow into them." A few years later I bought my first new wood skis with a pivoting toe release. Those were 6'6". Got my first decent skis a couple of years later, some new Head 360's. I now ski on 195's, but wonder what would happen with some of the newer shorter design.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Tue Jan 27 2009, 10:28AM

sounds like my expierence. I can remember when Fred first got the head skis in. So high tech. But who had 100.00 to spend on ski's. Then came the hearts, or where they harts. They owned the ski industry for years All blach with white letters Still a biy long but better then those heavy wood ones that you used big sticks of parrafine on to make them move at all.. They came out with a grey wax that looked like it had graphite in it, which it probably did but I never had that. my brother got pretty good and even offered to give me his old pair of heads when he upgraded but by then I had given up. Besides they would have needed bindings. I think 65 dollars and the old poles would need to be replaced. Were they bamboo??? with the large metal ring and leather straps that made the basket. That was about the time the kool skier's were wearing levi's I think it was a greaser thing and went the DA haircut.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Hooky Bobber, Wed Jan 28 2009, 07:28AM

Snow forests was the balm no one ever there and after a good snow it was like a private ski area at the most they would have 20 or 30 skiers. The place would make your legs burn.

Hold your hand up to the sky and the skis hit the palm of your hand.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Tue Feb 10 2009, 03:55PM

My son and I were talking about Snow Forest the other day. Who controls the area now, particularly where the chair was. Wouldn't it be cool if BBMR could get hold of those runs too? You could find some sort of way to connect to Summit; maybe a shuttle?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Wed Feb 11 2009, 10:38AM

I believe it was returned to the Forest Service, but I'm not completely sure.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Feb 11 2009, 10:44AM

©ammy
pretty sure your right. I don't think they owned any of the property on the West side of cherry lane. The stuff on top I believe was private property but not sure.
There is quite a distance between Lynn lift and Snow summit and it would be difficult to get between them. The charm of lynn lift was it's size more then the slopes. Actually there is only one run that is long enough to intrest anyone today.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
TheUnforgiven, Mon Jul 09 2012, 08:27AM

From Bertha peak. 2/12

[Click Here]
[Click Here]



Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Jul 09 2012, 08:40AM

nice pictures.
Welcome to the site. Hope you enjoy it. Lots of good photo's here look forward to seeing more of yours.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
TheUnforgiven, Mon Jul 09 2012, 08:50AM

What year was G'mo made in ??

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Skier, Sun Jan 26 2014, 08:29PM

Some old ski area brochures...





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sun Feb 02 2014, 03:54PM

just picked up a couple of postcards from the old days thought you might enjoy.







Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Mon Feb 03 2014, 04:12PM

Is that the Lynn Lift?
Lake looks really dry in the second photo.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 03 2014, 04:56PM

they are both summit.
The chair was a popular ride in the summer no ski's, or winter clothes.

Lynn lift chais were similar, very flimsy and scarey, chirss stopped often leaving you haning for ten minutes or so.
Rope tows were worse usually ending in riders sliding back and hitting others, falling down.
I never rode a poma lift, or a t-bar. or even saw a tibar. it was similar to a chair lift without the chai just a bar that two people would ride up together. here are pictures of the three. I don't know where they were taken or if any exist anymore.







Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Mon Feb 03 2014, 05:25PM

here is the top of lynn lift showing a couple of chairs. they were single chairs





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Tue Feb 04 2014, 07:42PM

Ahh, thanks for the details.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Doug G, Wed Feb 05 2014, 02:49PM

Thanks for the pics. Depending on where and when I coulda been one of the kids on the rope tow. When I was in 6th grade I'd ske snow summit's rope tow after school almost daily. I even had a rope tow gripper, my folks got tired of getting me new gloves so often.

I've skiied off Poma's, J-Bars and T-Bars. When instructing at an area in Colorado with a T-bar, one of my students got hit near his eye when he dismounted and slipped off the bar. They had pretty strong springs and popped up to the cable "with gusto"


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Feb 05 2014, 08:16PM

this should be all the kids on the hike. This is where it started. I am the baby in the picture and don't know how much of it I walked. I was probably sleeping in the truck by the time we got to lynn lift. They also walked down the run.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Feb 06 2014, 12:58PM

My first Bear Mountain lift ticket:




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Craig ⭐, Thu Feb 06 2014, 06:32PM

I notice it is a childs ticket...




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Feb 06 2014, 07:11PM

I notice it was Freeeee!!!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Fri Feb 07 2014, 06:15PM

Should say an SKI co. Smile

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Sat Feb 08 2014, 07:32PM

Cammy it made me sad to see that ticket. It reminded me of when Ken Wood would give my youngest son a similar ticket for Snow Summit about the same time.
Those of you who knew him we lost Ken recently. A great guy who played a big part in Summits sucess

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Wed Nov 19 2014, 05:55PM

I just found this magnet today that I got probably in the late 1990's.




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Craig ⭐, Wed Nov 19 2014, 08:44PM

I remember that one.... That was the campaign at Bear soon after we went from 20 different phone numbers to a single 1-800 number. Oh the advancements..... Late 1990's would be correct. BTW, I didn't know that magnets stuck to pants




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Wed Nov 19 2014, 09:24PM

They stick to the top of your thigh really well when you're sitting down! Especially if they were stuck to a curved iron surface for many years and are now stuck in that semi-circle shape.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Thu Nov 20 2014, 04:50PM

Just updated the years as bear will soon have operated for 72 years .

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Nov 20 2014, 06:11PM

Oh wow! I didn't realize you started this thread that long ago!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Fri Nov 21 2014, 04:58PM

As a side note to this forum, I will always be thankful to Chuck Thomas who was my first ski instructor at Rebel Ridge. I had 4 lessons from this patient man and as a 9 year old, I was in awe. RIP Chuck. For newbies, Rebel Ridge is now the snow play area by the Motel 6.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Sun Nov 23 2014, 12:25PM

Thank you for the kind word about Chuck Thomas I will let his family know about your kindness when I see them at the fence line.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Wed Dec 24 2014, 04:02PM


Skier - If you have a chance, could you scan the inside of the Goldmine brochure? I'd be interested to see it.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Wed Dec 24 2014, 04:31PM

I was just doing a Google search for Goldmine Ski Area and ran across this article from 1988:



LOOKING FOR A GOLD MINE : Top U.S. Ski Operator to Run Southland Resort
January 22, 1988|CARLA LAZZARESCHI | Times Staff Writer


In 1955, where others saw only a steep, wooded hillside like so many others in central Vermont, Preston Leete Smith envisioned a ski resort. Not just any ski resort. Smith wanted to build the biggest. And he did.

Killington, which Smith opened in 1958, is now the East Coast's largest ski area, and has spawned a surrounding town as well as a year-round tourist industry.

Now Smith, 57, is bringing his vision to Southern California.

Within the next two days, Ski Ltd., Smith's publicly traded company, is expected to sign the final papers to acquire the Goldmine ski area, a somewhat tattered, outdated and under-used resort near Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Ski Ltd. is paying about $10 million for the 28-year-old, 27-trail resort and is prepared to spend at least another $10 million over the next five years to update and expand its facilities. The resort, located less than a two-hour drive from most of the Los Angeles basin, generally ranks as the third-most popular ski resort in the immediate Los Angeles region, behind Snow Summit and Mountain High.

At first blush, Ski Ltd.'s move might seem questionable since ski conditions in sunny and often snow-poor Southern California are a far cry from those in blustery and frigid Vermont, where Smith has spent the past 30-plus years. But Smith is optimistic.

Where others see a faded resort, perhaps a few years past its prime, Smith sees potential. An estimated 12.6 million people live in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, many of them affluent. The mountain roads are adequate, if not terrific. And skiers are known for spending money; industry experts estimate that the average skier spends $32 per day on lift tickets, lessons, rentals and meals.

"People in Southern California are very enthusiastic about skiing," Smith maintains. "There are many more skiers than we have resorts."

In fact, some observers are already betting that Smith's proven formula in Vermont will change Southern California's ski scene. "If he's able to run Goldmine the way he runs Killington, it will be the No. 1 resort in Southern California, hands down," says Cathy Robbins, of the National Ski Area Assn. in Springfield, Mass. "I think if I were the operator of Snow Summit or Mountain High, I'd be worried."

According to Smith, the key to panning Goldmine, which served 147,000 visitors last season, is immediately installing much-needed snow-making equipment and larger, faster ski lifts.

Snow-making equipment is Smith's first priority. Just as it was in Vermont.

Smith says that due to inadequate snow-making operations and uneven natural snowfall, Goldmine's previous owners, a 120-member investment group known as Goldmine Associates, were unable to open all lifts all season long.

Smith faced the same problems at Killington and Mount Snow, the second Vermont resort Ski Ltd. owns and operates in Vermont. Even with Vermont's abundant, 250-inch annual snowfall, Smith says Killington and Mount Snow have relied on artificial snow making almost exclusively for the past 25 years to keep the trails open, fresh and packed throughout the season.

Furthermore, the artificial snow has allowed Killington and Mount Snow to promote themselves as the resorts with the longest ski seasons on the East Coast. Most years, the resorts are open for skiing more than six months of the year, from November to early June.

"They're the first to open and the last to close," Robbins says. "They've gotten a lot of public relations out of that."

Smith says the new snow-making equipment will be installed at Goldmine by next season.

For the future, Smith is also committed to installing new four-person lift chairs, considered to be the state-of-the-art equipment on the slopes these days. The new chairs, which would replace the three-person chairs now used at Goldmine, would increase traffic flow up the mountain by 33% and reduce long waits at the base, one of the primary complaints of skiers.

Furthermore, Smith says he will also begin installing computerized record-keeping--there are 370 terminals in the Vermont resorts--to help track the day-to-day details of running a ski area.

Smith's attention to skiing basics and behind-the-scenes details, admirers say, is what has enabled him to build what is generally considered to be the one of the nation's best ski resort operations and operate the nation's only publicly traded company devoted exclusively to ski resorts. In national market system trading on the over-the-counter market Thursday, Ski Ltd. shares closed at $10.75, down 25 cents.

"Ski Ltd. does for ski resorts what Disney does for theme parks," says Andrew Silton, an analyst with First Albany Corp. in Albany, N.Y. "Underneath all the fun, they run a tight business. But they don't let the customer know because they don't want to ruin the fun."

Silton is not surprised by Smith's move into Southern California and particularly not with his choice of Goldmine. Smith, Silton says, is known to prefer "turnaround" properties that can benefit from some judiciously spent renovation funds.

"It's a terrific resort," Smith says of Goldmine. "It just needs updating."


Source: [Click Here]

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Thu Dec 25 2014, 01:45PM

SKI was a great company. I was so sad when the resort was sold just before the trail expansion plans where started.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Dec 25 2014, 06:52PM

Speaking of expansion, Here's a page from SKi Magazine from 1982, with a drawing of some runs and lifts that never came to be. (I don't think the magazine is related to the company SKI, but I don't know for sure.)

Of particular interest (to me) -- Note the last face of Geronimo doesn't exist, instead, the run drops down in the canyon to the west. The lift to the top of Bear Peak that nearly parallels the current Chair 8 extends much further down the mountain, perhaps to the top of the current Chair 7. There's an additional lift and a few runs east of the top of the current Access Express lift (Chair 6). There are 3 lifts & several runs in Deer Canyon. The configuration of the runs off Silver Mountain is much different than it is today, including one down in Goldmine Canyon. The lift that's in nearly the same spot as the current Chair 4 extends lower down the mountain than the current Chair 4 (compared to Chair 2, which appears to be in about the exact same spot as it currently is).

(click on image to enlarge)




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Dec 25 2014, 09:44PM

When was the golf course built?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Craig ⭐, Thu Dec 25 2014, 09:47PM

Neat find Roger! I have seen the master development plan for Bear Mountain and it includes dozens of new trails. Unfortunately the plans haven't unfolded yet due to getting the Forest Service to bless it. At one point I think Bear was close to having approval, however, the requirements from the Forest Service were too costly to be considered at that time. You can ski a lot of these undeveloped areas at Bear when we have significant natural snow on the ground. Maybe one day it will happen??




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Fri Dec 26 2014, 01:06AM

I imagine the owl is a big problem for expansion.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Fri Dec 26 2014, 10:10AM


Hopefully we get significant snow again some day.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Fri Dec 26 2014, 10:13AM

Looks like they got close to expansion in 1992:

(click on image to enlarge - The part about Bear is in the center of the text)




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Fri Dec 26 2014, 11:02AM

I am waiting the arrival of this postcard I bought. Although it is summit about the time I last skied there.
These were the typical chairs at the time. How many of you have ridden on these antique seats? They broke down often leaving you hanging up to a hundred feet from the ground. Not much fun for a guy scared of heights.





Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Fri Dec 26 2014, 03:07PM

Cammy, though I do not know when the golf course was built I know it was in operation in the summer of 1963. Several years ago I found a bill in my fathers club bag that I had written in July of '63. I charged 10 cents per hole to caddy and earned a whopping $1.80! It was shortly after that he was killed in an auto accident.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Fri Dec 26 2014, 03:33PM

I'm pretty sure that the golf course was built as part of the lower Moonridge development. The club house came later. There were a few ponds and you could drive through the golf course where the condo's are now. I can't remember if there was anything where the clubhouse, and zoo are now.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Fri Dec 26 2014, 07:58PM


Not at Snow Summit, but I have ridden on similar center-pole chairs. June Mountain, Mt. Baldy, and Arizona Snowbowl are the only places I can remember riding these types of chairs, but there have probably been more.

SoCalSnowMan - Thanks for that info on the date.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Sat Dec 27 2014, 09:31AM

Today marks the 55th anniversary of my first time on skis. My 10th birthday. Went to Rebel Ridge (now the Snow Play area across from the Convention Center) and had the first of several lessons with Chuck Thomas. !skier

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Craig ⭐, Sat Dec 27 2014, 05:08PM

Big Bear is just one giant snow play area this time of year




Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
WaveSlider, Mon Jun 22 2015, 07:12AM

Ski jump via 1933. Championship Hill.



Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
RichardG, Wed Jul 08 2015, 03:10PM

Wow there is an awful amount of history here. Sorry to join the party so late in the "posting", but I just came across this "History of Snow Summit" that was published in the oCT 24, 1991 edition of the Big Bear Grizzly.
.



Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
bills grandson, Wed Jul 08 2015, 07:34PM

snow summit has come a long way since it's beginning. I was always a rotten skier. But I tried, I can remember having to walk home one evening and can remember the long hike to the highway down a narrow road lined with trees. There were no houses at the time. Where Carl's junior now sits was a stable and the entire area to the South was riding trails thru a heavy forest.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Sat Aug 20 2016, 07:29AM

Just spent my first cup of coffee re-reading this entire thread. Hard to believe it has been over a year since it had the last post.

One question came to my mind was the various names of Bear Mtn. The first I knew was Moonridge. I know Goldmine and of course Bear, but wasn't there one other name for a short time?

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Wed Dec 28 2016, 02:29PM

yes Socalman it was named Big Bear Mountain for a short time.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Doug G, Wed Dec 28 2016, 07:30PM

Often. When we lived in BB in the 50's, the lift operator would punch a hole in your lift ticket, and I used to try make enough runs to get the whole ticket shredded.

I also used to ski somewhere that had a single-chair chairlift, and have used poma lifts, j-bars, t-bars, gondolas and rope tows


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Socalman, Thu Dec 29 2016, 09:00AM

Snow Forest had a single Chair and had a poma lift. Rebel Ridge also had a poma lift. I do not recall any T-bars in the Big Bear area, though there may have been some.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Thu Dec 29 2016, 09:50PM

Kratka Ridge had a single chair. Last I knew, it was still there, but it's not operational.

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Doug G, Fri Dec 30 2016, 07:36PM

I thought I rememberd a T-Bar at Snow Summit once, but my memory is quite foggy as I started on skis at Alta when 4yrs old, my dad was a Natl Ski Patrolman from the 1930's and we skied at many areas in the west. Then in the late 50's moved to Pennsylvania and 7 Springs was about the only area in driving range, althoug we did a couple trips to ski up in NY.

After that the 60's-80's were in Colorado, and I taught for some years at Loveland Basin and skied many, even most, ski areas in Colorado, & many in Utah.


Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
Around The Lake, Mon Sep 11 2017, 10:23PM

This winter will the 75th year for Bear Mountain when they installed their first two rope tows at upper and lower Moonridge meadows now known as Bear Mountain. Happy 75th anniversary Bear mountain .

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
©ammy, Fri Sep 15 2017, 08:37PM

And this upcoming January will be the 10th anniversary of the beginning of this thread.
My how things have changed in 10 years!

Re: 75 years of Skiing and snowboarding for Bear Mountain this winter is 75
BootsNBridles, Mon Jun 25 2018, 03:11PM

ATL - Doug G posted a link that you might like. Quite a few pictures of skiers there. :-) [Click Here]