Bear Mountain says sayonara to snowy ski season

BIG BEAR LAKE >> Skiers and snowboarders came to Bear Mountain Sunday – closing day for the resort’s 2015-16 ski season – with heavy coats and heavy hearts.

Though the die-hards who showed up Sunday to ride up the one open ski lift were sad to kiss the slopes goodbye, overall they felt satisfied with what they called an exceptionally snowy and long season.

Dan Krizek, 25, said he’s been snowboarding Califoia slopes for as long as he can remember, and this season was one of his favorites.

“It’s been better this season than in the past five years,” he said. “I feel like we’ve had much more snow and fresh powder.”

Krizek said he drove up to Bear Mountain from the Los Angeles area at least 15 times this season. In November, he and his friends purchased Cali4nia passes, which cost $849 and allow unlimited lifts at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit near Big Bear Lake in the San Beardino Mountains, along with Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain in the Easte Sierras.

“It was so worth it,” Krizek said. “We definitely got our money’s worth.”

In addition to the ski bums like Krizek who went to the mountain Sunday to catch their last ride of the season, many showed up to use pre-purchased, day-long lift tickets before they lost their value.

Huntington Beach resident Kiel Huntoon, 30, and his wife Monika were among those people. The couple took their 2-year-old daughter Emma for a day of play in the snow and to gauge her interest in snowboarding.

Monika said the family enjoyed its last ride of the season despite the lack of open runs.

“It’s better than nothing, and still good for So-Cal,” Monika Huntoon said. “It’s just a two hour drive for us and we’re in the snow. It’s awesome.”

Los Angeles Resident Van Chim also wanted to use up his pre-purchased pass even though conditions Sunday weren’t optimal.

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” Chim said.

As he strapped on his snowboarding boots in the Bear Mountain parking lot Sunday moing, he added that the lack of open runs kept the crowds at bay.

“It’s kind of empty,” Chim said, gazing at the rows of vacant parking spaces. “That beats waiting in long lines at the lift.”

The two San Beardino Mountain resorts are operated by Bear Mountain Resorts, which is owned by Mammoth Mountain. Snow Summit closed for the season Friday.

Bear Mountain Resorts officials - like Krizek and his friends - were very satisfied with this season. Bear Mountain officials attributed their resorts’ success to a strong El Niño weather patte.

Advertisement

“In just about every sense it’s been a huge year for Bear Mountain and Snow Summit,” company spokesman Tim LeRoy said in an email. “El Niño was very good to us.”

LeRoy said the resorts may open up again for a day or two this spring if “Ma Nature decides to dump some late-season snow.”

But if that doesn’t happen, the resorts will remain closed until June 3, when Snow Summit will begin ruing some of its lifts for mountain bikers.

As for the Huntoon family, Monika and Kiel were pleased to see how much their daughter loved playing in the snow. They - like others who bid Bear Mountain adieu Sunday - plan to retu as soon as next winter’s snow does.

“(Emma) loved it,” Kiel Huntoon said. “We’ll definitely be coming back.”