The Big Bear City Airport is 6,750 feet above sea level. That's one good reason to fly in. There's guaranteed to be snow at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain snow sports areas in the winter. That's another reason. There are plenty of accommodations, and the list of activities runs off the bottom of the page. There are two good restaurants on the field, and that's still another reason to dial L35 into your GPS. And don't forget the refreshing mountain setting. The air is so clear that the breezes seem tonic-filled. Pine trees stand tall and straight throughout the valley. The airport is at the east end of the blue waters of Big Bear Lake, a 3,000-acre reservoir.
Big Bear City Airport
A mile-long runway at 6,750 feet above sea level, located in a valley that is surrounded by mountains, should cause a pilot to dig into the performance section of his pilot operating handbook for a refresher on density altitude.
Any combination of high, hot, and humid conditions will degrade an airplane's performance. Not only will the engine produce less power than the pilot is used to, but the wing will have less lift. A typical density altitude accident seems to follow these lines: The airplane takes longer to lift off the runway than the pilot is used to. That's concern number one. Then the pilot senses that the airplane isn't climbing like it should. Instead of the zesty climb rate experienced at lower altitudes, the airplane stays low, near the water, runway, and trees. Since everything looks and feels different than is "normal," a pilot who isn't prepared mentally for the anemic climb will pull back on the yoke as if to force the airplane up. Unless the pilot quickly realizes the seriousness of the resulting high angle of attack/slow airspeed situation and corrects it, the result will be a stall/spin accident from low altitude.
Pilots flying into Big Bear should telephone 909/585-4033 for a preview of the airport winds and temperatures from the automated weather observation system (AWOS). The VHF frequency for the AWOS report is 135.925 MHz.
Remember also that the engine mixture control will have to be adjusted before takeoff from this high-altitude airport. Very detailed suggestions on flying into Big Bear City Airport are available on the airport Web site ( www.bigbearcityairport.com). A visit to Big Bear City requires a prepared pilot. In spite of the extra precautions, the destination is worth the effort once you get on the ground.
The bus ride
Since Big Bear Valley is such an appealing place, and because there is easy driving access from the Los Angeles Basin, the number of visitors swells during weekends and holidays. But on weekdays, every corner of the valley is less crowded and good deals are available.
If you were inspired by the winter Olympics, there are a number of equipment and snow-clothing rental firms, and it's very easy to find overnight accommodations that are near the slopes and include an all-day lift ticket. In fact, there is lodging for every taste and budget. I counted more than 85 hostelries on the list supplied by the Big Bear Lake Resort Association — quite a few for a town of 22,000 people. The Big Bear Chamber of Commerce has a special phone number (909/866-7000) to assist visitors with their housing needs.
I bought a seat on one of the buses of Mountain Area Regional Transit for my tour of Big Bear Valley. In exchange for my single dollar, I got a tour of the valley, suggestions about points of interest, and some time to visit with the locals. The bus stop is a two-minute walk from the airport, and buses run every hour. There are also cars to rent at the terminal (Big Bear Rent-A-Car 909/584-2000). Enterprise (909/866-1156) also has an office in town. The local taxi service (909/585-5514) will be waiting on the ramp when you taxi in if you make a request during your initial radio call on the CTAF.
The airport may be as far as some fliers need to go, especially if they appreciate good airport restaurants. The Barnstorm restaurant serves breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, and dinner from Wednesday through Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. The Barnstorm is for sale. If you've ever considered operating an airport restaurant, call 909/585-9339 for more information. Mandarin Garden Chinese restaurant is also in the terminal and is open every day from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
What's to do?
There is no shortage of things to do in the Big Bear Valley. Besides snow sports, there's hiking, chartered fishing, horseback riding, camping, golf, biking, parasailing, a skateboard park, swimming and tennis, and just ambling around. The Big Bear Valley was discovered and named in the 1840s but didn't become widely known until the Holcomb Valley gold rush of 1860. A map to the remnants of the original log cabins, excavation tailings, and mine sites can be picked up at the Big Bear Ranger Station. The valley was first dammed in 1884 to furnish irrigation water for the Redlands citrus groves. A visit to the Big Bear Museum, which is open weekends during the summer months, will tell visitors more about the valley's history.
Researching the possibilities for a day, a weekend, or longer in the valley is easy because there are quite a few Web sites to assist visitors. Any of the following will get you started: www.bigbearinfo.com; www.bigbearchamber.com; and www.bigbear.com. There are probably more Web sites per square mile in the Big Bear Valley than any other location in Southern California. Use any search engine to explore the area's attractions.
The Pacific Crest Trail is located to the north of the valley and hikers can get up to it by hiking the Cougar Crest trail. The trailhead is located on the north side of the lake.
Marinas around the lake cater to every type of water sports enthusiast. The lake is stocked with fish, and there is a good possibility of catching some. Just be sure to bring some sunblock and a big hat for any outdoor activities because there's less natural protection to block the sun's harmful effects at higher altitudes.
Big Bear City also caters to businesses and other groups that may need convention or meeting facilities.
I've flown east on the standard VFR route toward Phoenix and looked down on the Big Bear City Airport many times. When I finally took the time to visit, I found the airport well run and the valley climate very refreshing. If I set a goal to stay one night in every lodging establishment once in my life, I'd be coming back for years. There's that much variety.
More likely I'll come back for a couple of days during the week so I can hike up to the Pacific Crest Trail and inspect the gold workings in the Holcomb Valley. And while I'm there, I bet I'll find more things that draw me back to this mountain valley.
E-mail the author at [email protected].
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