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Volume 29, No. 7 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
www.bigbeartodaymag.com<br />
Wynonna<br />
Judd<br />
at The Cave!<br />
Jefferson<br />
Starship, Too!<br />
• Bald Eagles, Animal Tracking at Discovery Center<br />
• Celebrate Season During Winter Trails Day<br />
• Guns Mean Winter is On at Resorts, Snow Play<br />
• Fill in Patterns for Bucks at Elks Lodge Bingo
Page 2—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
From the Publisher<br />
With 129 million<br />
dead trees State has<br />
a lot of work to do<br />
ne number jumps out immediately:<br />
27 million. Not dollars, but California<br />
trees, mostly conifers, that Odied just in the last year or so.<br />
Followed by another even more staggering<br />
figure: 129 million. That’s how<br />
many trees have succumbed to drought and<br />
bark beetles, a historic number on 8.9 million<br />
acres mostly centered in central and<br />
southern Sierra Nevada region.<br />
By the time 860,000 comes up in the<br />
press release sent out last month by USDA<br />
Forest Service, representing how many of<br />
those dead trees have collectively been<br />
taken down or removed in the state, it<br />
seems like a pretty scrawny number. A nice<br />
effort and all, but at the rate of less than a<br />
million a year it’s going to take something<br />
more than 129 years just to catch up.<br />
Even as I’m reading this the Thomas<br />
Fire is becoming the largest in California<br />
history, just one of several that raged in<br />
December. Instead of snow-covered forest<br />
much of the state remains brown. “The<br />
dead trees continue to pose a hazard to<br />
people and critical infrastructure,<br />
mostly...in the central and southern Nevada,”<br />
the release reads. No news flash<br />
there. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed<br />
in the Thomas Fire with thousands<br />
evacuated.<br />
“The number of dead and dying trees<br />
has continued to rise, along with risks to<br />
communities and firefighters,” said Randy<br />
Moore, Regional Forester of the USDA<br />
Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region.<br />
“It is apparent from our survey flights this<br />
year that California’s trees have not yet recovered<br />
from the drought, and remain vulnerable<br />
to beetle attacks and increased<br />
wildfire threat. Forest Service will continue<br />
to focus on mitigating hazard trees and<br />
thinning overly dense forests so they are<br />
healthier and better able to survive stressors<br />
like this in the future.”<br />
Again, no big surprise. One recordsetting<br />
winter up north doesn’t wipe out a<br />
drought and last season was only above<br />
average for Big Bear anyway. But when<br />
Moore is quoted “To increase the pace and<br />
scale of this important work, we need to<br />
fix how fire suppression is funded,” I do a<br />
doubletake.<br />
Proactive fire management was in<br />
vogue after the 2003 Old Fire and other<br />
conflagrations in the state. Clearing dead<br />
trees, creating defensible space like fire<br />
breaks around communities, that sort of<br />
thing. Countless trees have been removed<br />
along Hwy. 38 for instance, and Big Bear<br />
Valley is surrounded by fire break.<br />
Alas, enthusiasm for spending money<br />
on firefighting when there aren’t actually<br />
fires burning waned in Congress and budgets<br />
were cut. Fortunately only after Big<br />
Bear was taken care of, and now other parts<br />
of the state like around Mammoth need it.<br />
“Last year fire management alone consumed<br />
56 percent of the Forest Service's<br />
national budget,” Moore said. “As fire suppression<br />
costs continue to grow as a percentage<br />
of the USDA Forest Service’s budget,<br />
funding is shrinking for non-fire programs<br />
that protect watersheds and restore<br />
forests, making them more resilient to<br />
wildfire and drought.”<br />
Obviously dead tree removal has to<br />
pick up the pace if it’s going to do any<br />
good. The Tree Mortality Task Force is<br />
comprised of more than 80 local, state and<br />
federal agencies along with private utility<br />
companies and continues to take out hazardous<br />
trees. A triage approach is used: first<br />
to go are dead and dying trees in high hazard<br />
areas posing a threat to public safety.<br />
Trees and downed logs that aren’t removed<br />
can be burned. Forest Service and<br />
CAL FIRE have increased the pace and<br />
scale of prescribed fires. Forest Service has<br />
treated over 55,000 acres and CAL FIRE<br />
has burned over 33,000 acres in fuel treatment<br />
projects. By combining tree removal<br />
with prescribed fire, crews will be able to<br />
decrease overly dense stands of trees, improving<br />
forest health.<br />
Some of that happened in these mountains<br />
last year, particularly around Angeles<br />
Oaks, and the <strong>2018</strong> schedule calls for<br />
slash and pile burning along 2N13 and<br />
2N68 to maintain fire roads and evacuation<br />
corridors. South Big Bear and Baldwin<br />
Lake shaded fuel project areas will also see<br />
some burning. South Coast Air Quality<br />
Management is consulted before and during<br />
prescribed burns to manage smoke production<br />
as is the National Weather Service.<br />
No one wants a prescribed burn to become<br />
an out-of-control disaster.<br />
Public outreach is part of TMTF’s approach,<br />
holding workshops about reforestation<br />
in urban and rural areas. Most important,<br />
over $21 million in grants has been<br />
awarded, aimed at protecting watersheds,<br />
removing trees and restoring forest land.<br />
Plenty of questions remain and during<br />
the holidays attempts at getting answers<br />
were futile. How proactive in fighting fire<br />
will the Forest Service get? How about<br />
amping up the tree removal rate? How<br />
much money will it take? Check back...<br />
Have a good one.<br />
Marcus<br />
ON THE COVER: Country music star Wynonna Judd and The Big Noise in concert at The<br />
Cave this month, along with Jefferson Starship and other top acts. See page 4.<br />
Volume 29, Number 7 <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
8<br />
16<br />
Publisher<br />
Marcus G. Dietz<br />
Associate Publisher<br />
Sandra L. Dietz<br />
Publishing Consultant<br />
Bret Colson<br />
Technical Consultant<br />
Charles Dietz<br />
Photography<br />
Steve Dietz<br />
John Daskam<br />
Mark Gauger<br />
In This Issue...<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Wynonna Judd, Jefferson Starship at Cave<br />
Country legend Wynonna Judd has a slew of hit records to<br />
her credit and she returns to The Cave with her awesome<br />
band. A week later rock legends Jefferson Starship show the<br />
road is still very much continuing for the iconic band.<br />
Shwayze, Tomorrows Bad Seeds, comedian Pauly Shore and<br />
more all at Big Bear’s entertainment venue in <strong>January</strong>.<br />
Tallies, Talks, Maybe Treks at Center<br />
Make tracks at Big Bear Discovery Center, be it the return of<br />
popular Animal Tracking programs this month, nature walks<br />
around the grounds, and maybe snowshoe explorations if the<br />
white stuff ever comes. There’s bald eagle counts and<br />
celebrations, fun zone for kids and more too!<br />
Snowmaking Saves Season Sans Storms<br />
Snow Summit and Bear Mountain turned a lot of the lake into<br />
snow in December and the plan is for more of the same as<br />
<strong>2018</strong> arrives. Even with the poor start to winter each have<br />
lots of terrain open and more on the way. Make the most of<br />
winter by reading about Bear’s Air & Style qualifier, Resort<br />
Shorts on page 7, Uniform Day discounts and more.<br />
Wyatt’s Open Weekends with Wednesdays Too<br />
The burgers are stacked several inches high, the pulled pork<br />
savory and fork-tender, there’s Wednesday country dancing<br />
and weekend live bands. Wyatt’s is open Fridays and<br />
Saturdays and visitors are starting to learn about this local’s<br />
favorite restaurant in a Western theme setting.<br />
Bingo Means Big Bucks at Elks Lodge<br />
The action is fun and the pots large during weekly Friday<br />
night bingo at the Elks Lodge. The long-running tradition<br />
features 15 games with jackpots that can soar into the<br />
hundreds. And the best part is that you don’t have to drive<br />
down the hill and proceeds benefit worthy Elks programs.<br />
Manipulating Mother Nature...we need<br />
more of it! See page 6<br />
DEPARTMENTS<br />
2<br />
3<br />
13<br />
14<br />
From the Publisher<br />
Potpourri<br />
New! Area Map/<br />
Calendar of Events<br />
The Almanac<br />
Big Bear's most complete<br />
listings for recreation,<br />
dining, and more.<br />
Big Bear Today is a monthly magazine covering recreation,<br />
dining, nightlife, and events in Big Bear. Reproduction of any<br />
material, without the express written consent of the Publisher,<br />
is prohibited. Advertising/editorial, call Big Bear Today at (909)<br />
585-5533. Mailing address: PO Box 3180, Big Bear City, CA,<br />
92314. Fax: (909) 585-9359. E-Mail: bigbeartoday@verizon.net.<br />
Member, Big Bear Visitor Bureau and Big Bear Chamber of<br />
Commerce. Internet Address: www.bigbeartodaymag.com<br />
Production: Offset printing by G.W. Reed Printing, Inc.<br />
Color prepress by 2-Bit Studio.<br />
Manuscripts and Art: Contributions are welcome. Big<br />
Bear Today is not responsible nor liable for unsolicited<br />
manuscripts or art. Materials received will not be returned.<br />
© Copyright <strong>2018</strong> Big Bear Today
Big Bear Today <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 3
Page 4—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Wynonna, Big Noise back at Cave<br />
One of country music’s biggest stars<br />
returns to The Cave Big Bear one<br />
night only when Wynonna Judd<br />
and her band The Big Noise take the stage<br />
Friday, <strong>January</strong> 19.<br />
Wynonna's had more than 20 songs<br />
chart in her illustrious solo career that<br />
started in 1991 including #1 hits "She is<br />
His Only Need," "I Saw the Light," "No<br />
One Else on Earth," "Only Love" and "To<br />
Be Loved By You." More than 20 of her<br />
songs have shot to the top of the charts and<br />
in her remarkable 34-year career she’s sold<br />
over 30 million albums worldwide.<br />
She’s a multiple Grammy Award<br />
nominee and winner and has pursued a variety<br />
of interests including television and<br />
film, even appearing on shows like “Dancing<br />
With The Stars” and “Who Wants to<br />
be a Millionaire? along with “Touched By<br />
an Angel” and children’s programs including<br />
“The Magic School Bus” and “Blue’s<br />
Clues.” Also look for Wynoona to do a special<br />
tribute in concert to the late Tom Petty.<br />
No wonder Rolling Stone Magazine<br />
once called her “the greatest female country<br />
singer since Patsy Cline.” As a published<br />
novelist Wynonna is also a New<br />
York Times bestselling author.<br />
Her most recent album “Wynonna and<br />
the Big Noise,” was released in February<br />
2016 to critical acclaim. She called the album<br />
an anthem and celebration of her hus-<br />
band and longtime drummer Cactus<br />
Moser’s recovery from a motorcycle crash.<br />
The album reached the Top 10 on Americana<br />
Airplay chart, #2 on the Roots Music<br />
Report (country) chart.<br />
It’s a return to her roots or “the well”<br />
as she puts it, encompassing country,<br />
Americana, blues, soul and rock. The album<br />
features special guests Derek Trucks,<br />
Jason Isbell, Susan Tedeschi and the<br />
Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit, who just<br />
played at The Cave in December.<br />
No doubt she'll do material from The<br />
Judds too when she teamed with mother<br />
Naomi and the pair charted 26 singles including<br />
an astounding 14 number ones.<br />
The Judds have had an on-again, off-again<br />
run for over two decades that included<br />
reality TV show and many tours and concerts.<br />
Most recently mother and daughter<br />
teamed for last fall’s star-studded Kenny<br />
Rogers farewell concert.<br />
Wynonna’s <strong>2018</strong> tour takes her and the<br />
band around the country including Las Vegas<br />
the following night. The tour continues<br />
on at venues in many other stages including<br />
Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee,<br />
Florida and Texas, but nowhere will she<br />
be so close as at The Cave where guests<br />
are feet away. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. with<br />
tickets priced from $60-$75.<br />
The Cave; 40789 Village Dr. (909)<br />
878-0204 or thecavebigbear.com.<br />
TBS, Shwayze, Metalachi also at Cave<br />
As if Wynonna Judd and Jefferson<br />
Starship (stories this page) weren’t enough,<br />
The Cave Big Bear rocks in <strong>January</strong> with<br />
Shwayze, comedian Paul Shore and more.<br />
There’s Tomorrows Bad Seeds and<br />
terrific tribute to Billy Joel. For something<br />
really different, catch Metalachi, the<br />
world’s first and only heavy metal mariachi<br />
band. All shows start at 7:30 p.m.<br />
Combined it makes for a full month<br />
at Big Bear’s Big Bear’s intimate concert<br />
venue where the dance floor is feet from<br />
the stage. State-of-the-art lighting and<br />
sound system enhance the concert experience<br />
as do special effects like lasers, fog<br />
machines, even “snow” periodically falling.<br />
Plus The Cave has full cocktail service<br />
including craft beers from Big Bear<br />
Lake Brewing Co.<br />
THE STRANGER—A TRIB!UTE<br />
TO BILLY JOEL opens <strong>2018</strong> at The Cave<br />
on Jan. 5. With 150 million records sold<br />
Joel is one of the world’s most beloved<br />
musicians of all time, and tasked with<br />
bringing his hits to life is Mike Santoro.<br />
Ironically born in raised in Joel’s hometown,<br />
Santoro look like Joel, plays piano<br />
like him and most importantly sounds like<br />
the star.<br />
He’s joined by a talented band in presenting<br />
songs like “Piano Man,” “It’s Still<br />
Rock and Roll,” “You May Be Right” and<br />
so many more. Tickets start at $18.<br />
SHWAYZE on Jan. 6 has been synonymous<br />
with summer since 2008; now the<br />
former MTV reality show star and rap artist<br />
is out and about for winter. Fans will be<br />
Continued on page 10<br />
“You know it’s been a long, long<br />
road...”<br />
—Lyrics from “Find Your Way Back”<br />
by Jefferson Starship<br />
Seemed like it was finally the end of<br />
the journey for Jefferson Starship, whose<br />
1981 hit “Find Your Way Back” was ironically<br />
all about life on the road.<br />
When founding member and Rock<br />
and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Paul<br />
Kantner passed away in early 2016, it<br />
looked more like the end of the road for<br />
Jefferson Starship. The band that started<br />
out in San Francisco as Jefferson Airplane,<br />
morphed into Jefferson Starship, spun off<br />
another group with a similar name, and endured<br />
seemingly endless personnel<br />
changes rotating some of the biggest names<br />
in music and bevy of lawsuits along the<br />
road, appeared finished.<br />
Flash forward a couple years.<br />
Jefferson Starship is still very much alive<br />
and well, as audiences at The Cave Big<br />
Bear will see on Saturday, <strong>January</strong> 27 at<br />
7:30 p.m. Not without more litigation over<br />
use of the band’s name, no surprise there<br />
in true Jefferson Starship tradition, but ultimately<br />
original singer Grace Slick gave<br />
the band her blessing to keep playing and<br />
that’s really all that matters.<br />
And really, the band playing The Cave<br />
is Jefferson Starship, at least the band circa<br />
the last decade or so. Certainly it’s essentially<br />
the same lineup that came to The<br />
Cave in 2014, sans Kantner. Cathy<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Wynonna Judd and The Big Noise<br />
Jefferson Starship legacy continues<br />
Richardson fills Slick’s spot as she has for<br />
a decade now, and the Grammy-nominated<br />
star of “Love, Janis” rendition of “White<br />
Rabbit” last Cave visit was absolutely<br />
spine-tingling. In perhaps the ultimate<br />
compliment, it was Richardson who was<br />
invited to sing “Somebody to Love” in her<br />
place by Slick herself when Jefferson Airplane<br />
received its Lifetime Achievement<br />
Award at the Grammys.<br />
David Freiberg is virtually a Jefferson<br />
Starship founding member, joining the<br />
band in 1974 and playing on most of its<br />
most notable albums. He took a 20 year<br />
hiatus, returning to rejoin the band in 2005.<br />
Freiberg is best known for writing the hit<br />
song “Jane,” theme song for the hit Netflix<br />
series “Wet, Hot American Summer.”<br />
Drummer Donny Baldwin also has a<br />
long association with Jefferson Starship.<br />
He replaced the great Aynsley Dunbar in<br />
1982 and was with the band for three years<br />
before rejoining in 2008. Chris Smith on<br />
bass and keyboards has been around for<br />
two decades. Guitarist Judge Gold lights<br />
it up on stage and even the newcomer has<br />
been with Jefferson Starship for six years.<br />
Five decades of music, starting with<br />
Jefferson Airplane and continuing into incarnations<br />
of Jefferson Starship, have resulted<br />
in many hits, just a few being<br />
“Miracles,” “Ride the Tiger,” “Caroline,”<br />
“With Your Love,” “Count on Me” and<br />
more. The Cave; 40789 Village Dr. (909)<br />
878-0204 or www.thecavebigbear.com.<br />
Mariachi meets metal with Metalachi, at The Cave Jan. 20<br />
Rock legends Jefferson Starship return to The Cave Jan. 27
Big Bear Today <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 5<br />
Tallies, talks, maybe treks on tap<br />
Make tracks—and memories—at Big<br />
Bear Discovery Center in <strong>January</strong>, where<br />
bald eagles come to life and the great outdoors<br />
unfolds.<br />
Discovery Center’s popular Animal<br />
Tracking returns on Jan. 13 and 27. Learn<br />
about and see tracks of local animals from<br />
large predators like coyotes, back bears<br />
and cougars to smaller mammals such as<br />
raccoons, chipmunks and bobcats. Participants<br />
also make their own casts of popular<br />
animal tracks.<br />
Cost is $5 for the 30 minute programs,<br />
which run continuously from 11 a.m.-1<br />
p.m. Subsequent programs are on February<br />
10 and 17 plus March 10 and 24.<br />
Guests will also make tracks during<br />
Guided Snowshoe Eco-Tours if the white<br />
stuff ever arrives. Venture out into the forest<br />
each weekend with naturalists who lead<br />
tours into Big Bear backcountry in search<br />
of signs of wildlife while enjoying winter<br />
recreation at the same time. It’s amazing<br />
how quiet the woods are when they’re<br />
blanketed by snow, which acts like a sound<br />
Snowshoe Eco-Tours, when the snow<br />
does arrive<br />
absorber...hear each step break through a<br />
thin layer of crust amidst the peace and<br />
tranquility of the woods.<br />
Learn how to snowshoe properly; if<br />
you can walk, you can snowshoe! Snowshoe<br />
tours are from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4<br />
p.m. each Saturday and Sunday from 9<br />
a.m.-noon weekends till March 4, snow<br />
conditions permitting. Cost is $30, $25<br />
ages 8-16, which includes snowshoe rental,<br />
poles, light snack and water. Advance reservations<br />
required; reserve your spot at<br />
www.snowshoebigbear.eventbrite.com.<br />
And if the snow doesn’t come, kids<br />
can make tracks in the Nature Discovery<br />
Zone, where there’s hands-on activities<br />
and unstructured play areas just for youngsters.<br />
Nine interactive stations encourage<br />
outdoor exploration Plus there’s an adjacent<br />
half-mile interpretive loop, strollerfriendly<br />
for a forest walk the whole family<br />
can enjoy.<br />
Bald Eagles winter in Big Bear each<br />
year and Discovery Center is a great place<br />
to learn about America’s national symbol.<br />
Discover how the Forest Service monitors<br />
the local population during monthly bald<br />
eagle counts, including the Jan. 13 outing,<br />
when participants are directed to favored<br />
eagle hangouts. Participants spotted two<br />
adult eagles and two juveniles during the<br />
season’s first count in December. The highest<br />
numbers are usually recorded in <strong>January</strong><br />
and February.<br />
Standing two to three feet tall, juvenile<br />
birds are distinguished by brownspeckled<br />
heads and tail. They don’t develop<br />
their signature snowy white crowns<br />
and tail till they become adults, about age<br />
four or five. While Big Bear’s winters seem<br />
harsh to some, for eagles they are relatively<br />
mild compared to that in their summer<br />
habitats of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho,<br />
even Canada and Alaska. As northern waters<br />
freeze over ice entombs fish and ducks<br />
fly south, so the two favorite foods for bald<br />
eagles become unavailable.<br />
"Fly, Drive or Walk to the Barnstorm Restaurant"<br />
The Best Homemade Food in Big Bear<br />
Open Daily from 7 am to 3 pm<br />
Dinner: Fri., Sat. & Sun. from 5 to 9 pm<br />
with live Entertainment<br />
and Weekly Specials!<br />
• Fine Selections<br />
of Beer and Wine<br />
• Authentic<br />
German<br />
Specialties<br />
Wintering<br />
here ebrations and viewing tips<br />
Bald eagle counts, cel-<br />
makes perfect<br />
sense:<br />
at Discovery Center<br />
Big Bear is<br />
right along<br />
the Pacific<br />
Migratory<br />
Flyaway, a<br />
virtual bird<br />
freeway,<br />
w h i c h<br />
brings lots<br />
of ducks and<br />
coots. Plus<br />
the lake<br />
r a r e l y<br />
freezes over<br />
so fish are<br />
available. As<br />
an incentive,<br />
intelligencechallenged<br />
coots freeze right into the water<br />
overnight, making for easy eagle<br />
pickin’s locals term “cootsicles.”<br />
No reservations or experience is necessary.<br />
Meet at Discovery Center at 8 a.m.<br />
for the counts and dress warmly and bring<br />
binoculars if you have them. Call (909)<br />
382-2832 for details and a message is left<br />
by 6:30 a.m. morning of the count if it has<br />
to be cancelled for weather. Other counts<br />
are February 10 and the March 10 finale.<br />
Discovery Center often has a spotting<br />
scope focused on birds across the lake.<br />
Or just let an eagle come to you. Bald<br />
Eagle Celebrations follow each count at<br />
11 a.m. at the Discovery Center and feature<br />
a bird from Big Bear Alpine Zoo. Seeing<br />
an eagle from just feet away helps visitors<br />
really appreciate the piercing eyes and<br />
razor-sharp talons! Forest Service biologist<br />
Robin Eliason presents fascinating<br />
facts and slideshow on Big Bear’s favorite<br />
winter visitor and admission is free.<br />
Every Saturday at 1 and 2 p.m. and<br />
Sundays at 11 a.m. and noon, there’s free<br />
Nature Walks led by naturalists around<br />
Discovery Center’s forested grounds. Each<br />
30-minute adventure presents local flora<br />
and fauna and is fun for the whole family.<br />
Call Big Bear Discovery Center at<br />
(909) 382-2790.<br />
At the Barnstorm<br />
Live Music<br />
Saturday<br />
Night<br />
Art Harriman<br />
every Saturday Night<br />
for Dinner<br />
“Sharing music, humor and<br />
experiences in movies with<br />
Elvis Presley, Hank Williams Jr.,<br />
the Bill Cosby Show and<br />
six years on Children's Miracle Network Telethon.”<br />
Breakfast • Lunch<br />
Dinner<br />
18<br />
Airport Terminal<br />
X<br />
Valley Blvd.<br />
W. Big Bear Blvd.<br />
International Menu<br />
10% OFF*<br />
for BB Locals<br />
(beer & wine<br />
not Included)<br />
Big Tree Dr.<br />
(909) 585-9339<br />
Music with your meal<br />
Hot Lunch Specials from $8.99<br />
Monday thru Friday, except Thursday<br />
*non-Holiday prices<br />
The Barnstorm Restaurant — Inside the Airport Terminal<br />
501 W. Valley Blvd. • Big Bear City • CA 92314
Page 6—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Thanks to guns, winter on at resorts<br />
Winter may be a no-show so far but<br />
there is still plenty of skiing and riding at<br />
Snow Summit and Bear Mountain.<br />
Indeed it’s amazing that the resorts are<br />
even open after the slow start to the season,<br />
with 50 degrees temperatures the norm<br />
in December. Really there’s only been a<br />
few good runs to even make snow during<br />
winter’s early weeks and both Big Bear resorts<br />
were able to take full advantage of<br />
their opportunities, with about half of the<br />
terrain open during the holiday period.<br />
Surely better snowmaking weather<br />
will arrive with <strong>2018</strong> even if natural snow<br />
doesn’t. It won’t be beach weather all season,<br />
will it? Even a few good cold snaps<br />
are all it takes for Snow Summit and Bear<br />
Mountain to blanket their slopes with white<br />
stuff, since both cover all their runs with<br />
snowmaking and have an unlimited<br />
amount of water from Big Bear Lake to<br />
draw from.<br />
`Movies in Meadow’<br />
Apres ski or snowboard in Snow<br />
Summit’s Meadow courtyard with free outdoor<br />
movies under the stars.<br />
The popular outdoor movie series continues<br />
on <strong>January</strong> 13 with “Despicable Me<br />
3” and on February 17 “Out Cold” will be<br />
shown on the huge inflatable 30 foot movie<br />
screen.<br />
There’s built-in fire pit plus two portable<br />
ones, heat lamps and tables with limited<br />
chairs or bring your own folding ones.<br />
The Bighorn Smokehouse will be open for<br />
concessions. Call (909) 866-5766.<br />
With not a single inch of natural snow<br />
recorded as the New Year arrives, Bear<br />
Mountain has still been able to open Silver<br />
Mountain, its second highest peak, with<br />
entirely manmade coverage on Exhibition.<br />
That’s 935 vertical feet of terrain!<br />
Snow Summit has three-and-a-half of<br />
its four top to bottom runs open, with only<br />
lower Westridge still needing work at press<br />
time. When it comes to features, the Big<br />
Bear resorts have really cranked it up: Bear<br />
incredibly had over a hundred features at<br />
press time, made of both snow and metal,<br />
while Snow Summit had 21.<br />
All thanks to snowmaking systems<br />
that have received over $12 million in upgrades<br />
in recent years, ranging from the<br />
purchase of dozens of fan guns at both<br />
places to power plant upgrades at Snow<br />
Summit. Really though, it’s not the guns<br />
that set the Big Bear resorts apart from the<br />
competition, but the ammo. Both Snow<br />
Summit and Bear Mountain have a virtually<br />
endless water supply in Big Bear Lake,<br />
drawing hundreds of millions of gallons<br />
for snowmaking, while others rely on limited<br />
supplies of reservoir and well water.<br />
When temperatures are in the 20s or<br />
so production runs about 2,000-3,000 gallons<br />
of water per minute turned into beautiful<br />
snow. During optimum conditions,<br />
when temperatures and humidity are both<br />
low, production can skyrocket to 5,000 or<br />
even 6,000, enough to fill a swimming pool<br />
in just five minutes.<br />
Best snowmaking is when Santa Ana<br />
winds are blowing, which deliver cool, dry<br />
Full Hot & Cold Deli<br />
Groceries • Firewood & Propane • Spirits • Lotto<br />
Try Our Famous<br />
Rotisserie Chicken<br />
& Kabobs!<br />
We cut the highest<br />
Quality Meats<br />
Daily<br />
Award<br />
Winners:<br />
1st<br />
Liquor<br />
2nd<br />
Groceries<br />
2017<br />
Chamber of<br />
Commerce<br />
Excellence<br />
in Business!<br />
Fully-Cooked Delicious Heat & Serve Meals Like Tri-Tip,<br />
Smoked Pork Loin, Enchiladas & More! • Fresh Produce Too!<br />
(909) 585-2641 • Open 7 Days<br />
Community Market<br />
100 E. Big Bear Blvd. (at Greenway) • Big Bear City<br />
1 mile east of The Convention Center<br />
Enjoy a full day of winter play—<br />
including lunch!— for twenty five bucks<br />
when Alpine Slide hosts its annual winter<br />
KOLA-FM "Slide Day" on Thursday,<br />
<strong>January</strong> 25 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.<br />
For $24.99, guests receive an all-day<br />
pass for inner tubing on the area's snowplay<br />
hill, which includes tube rental, use of the<br />
Magic Carpet uphill ride, and sliding on<br />
four downhill runs and the famous, twisting<br />
“Snake.” Guests also get two rides on<br />
the one-of-a-kind Alpine Slide, an Olympic<br />
bobsled-like experience full of banked<br />
turns and long straightaways, plus a turn<br />
on the Putt `N Around Go-Karts and 18-<br />
hole miniature golf course (weather permitting).<br />
When hunger strikes after all<br />
that fun, Slide Day guests also get a hot<br />
dog, chips and Coca-Cola for lunch.<br />
Combined the full day of fun in the<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Lots of snow on Westridge on Christmas Day, all of it snowmaking<br />
air to the mountains before they heat up<br />
enroute to the cities thanks to compression.<br />
So if the palm trees are swaying, it’s likely<br />
the fan guns are spraying! Both resorts<br />
cover prime runs with three to five feet of<br />
snow in a typical winter.<br />
Both have been busy turning the lake<br />
into snow as opportunities arise. Christmas<br />
Day saw skiers and snowboarders at Snow<br />
Summit enjoying several open chairlifts<br />
with multiple runs open on each. Summit<br />
Run, Miracle Mile and Log Chute were all<br />
available for duty top-to-bottom and Chair<br />
7 favorites like 7-Down and lower Timber<br />
Ridge were open. As were Chair 3 stalwarts<br />
Ego Trip and Zzyzx, the latter filled with<br />
jumps and features. Even the Family Park<br />
was operating on Chair 9 with Mainstream<br />
and Cruiser.<br />
Bear has been blowing too. The 1-1/3<br />
mile long Park Run was open from the top<br />
with jumps and jibs top-to-bottom. Favorites<br />
like Central Park and Amusement Park<br />
were filled with freestyle fun and the<br />
region’s largest beginner area was doing<br />
business with the Access Express highspeed<br />
quad servicing Easy Street and<br />
Learning Curve. The Scene was open with<br />
its collection of hike-to hits and even the<br />
Sunnyside quarterpipe was happening—<br />
look for the Southland’s only pipe action<br />
soon with the standard pipe getting filled<br />
first, followed by the competition-quality<br />
Superpipe with 17 foot sidewalls.<br />
Access both full service resorts which<br />
combine to sport 20-plus lifts including<br />
four high speed quads, 50-plus runs and<br />
many variations, a couple hundred features<br />
and more with a single lift ticket. Plus a<br />
free shuttle runs between Snow Summit<br />
and Bear every half-hour.<br />
Air & Style qualifier<br />
There’s DJ Daniel Rojas and performance<br />
by Travis Barker. Plus someone is<br />
going to secure a spot at the Air & Style<br />
LA snowboard competition in March!<br />
Hit Bear Mountain for a day of fun in<br />
the sun on <strong>January</strong> 6. Great music on the<br />
deck and the chance to compete in Exposition<br />
Park at the Los Angeles Coliseum<br />
on March 3-4 are big draws. So too is the<br />
fact that competition and concert are free.<br />
First 50 to sign up day of the event<br />
(under 18 parent signature required) are in<br />
so get there early to compete. One male or<br />
female will be selected by overall performance<br />
graded on assorted technical rails<br />
in The Scene including downrails, kink<br />
rails, closeouts and combo features. Win<br />
and advance to the huge 4th annual Air +<br />
Style Los Angeles music festival and Big<br />
Air snowboard competition.<br />
Olympian Shaun White, who hopes to<br />
again medal in the upcoming <strong>2018</strong> Games<br />
in Pyeonechang, South Korea, presents the<br />
awards at 2 p.m. Barker, best known as<br />
drummer for the band Blink 182, takes the<br />
stage for an hour-long show at 2:30.<br />
Call (909) 866-5766.<br />
Play all day for $25 on Jan. 25 Slide Day<br />
Big Bear sun costs well over $40, so<br />
parents and youngsters save serious<br />
money—all day snow play lift ticket is<br />
normally $35 itself. Thanks to the area’s<br />
aggressive snowmaking with Lenko fan<br />
guns conditions are excellent. Getting to<br />
the top of all the snow is easy, thanks to<br />
the Alpine Slide’s Magic Carpet, covered<br />
for guest comfort.<br />
KOLA-FM radio will be on hand for<br />
an on-air remote broadcast on Alpine<br />
Slide's expanded sundeck. Enjoy the recently<br />
remodeled heated lodge, with spacious<br />
windows to soak in the views plus<br />
video games and family-priced snack bar.<br />
Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain is on<br />
Big Bear Blvd. 1/4 mile west of the Village.<br />
Call (909) 866-4626.
Big Bear Today<br />
A<br />
RESORT SHORTS<br />
A<br />
What's Happening at Snow Summit & Bear Mountain<br />
Ski racing, USASA events How to save a buck or 2<br />
on tap at Summit, Bear at Snow Summit, Bear<br />
See exciting ski racing close up—including<br />
Snow Summit’s powerhouse youth<br />
race team—plus snowboard action during<br />
<strong>January</strong> events at Snow Summit and Bear<br />
Mountain.<br />
Snow Summit has long fielded a powerhouse<br />
ski race team, one that annually<br />
competes with success against teams from<br />
much larger resorts. Now the resort has<br />
freeestyle and snowboard teams too, reflecting<br />
its place as the Southland’s leading<br />
ski area.<br />
Snow Summit hosts South Series races<br />
against other Southern California regional<br />
teams for ages 12 and under with giant slalom<br />
on Jan. 20-21. The action is fast-paced<br />
with dual gate competition that’s fun and<br />
free to watch.<br />
For more fast times on the slopes,<br />
don’t miss the five-event Goldsmith’s<br />
Boardhouse race series events (formerly<br />
the Alpine series) down Snow Summit’s<br />
Widowmaker race course. The second<br />
event of the series is under the lights on<br />
<strong>January</strong> 13, with races #3 and #4 on February<br />
18, and finishing March 11. Races<br />
feature high-speed head-to-head dual slalom<br />
action.<br />
United States Amateur Snowboard<br />
Association (USASA) events also continue<br />
in <strong>January</strong> including slopestyle doubleheader<br />
on Jan. 14 at Bear with events #2<br />
and #3 held the same day. Other events include<br />
boardercross next month on February<br />
25 and halfpipe on March 4.<br />
Events are open to all boarders and<br />
skiers—there’s different age and skill classifications<br />
to choose from—and there are<br />
several reasons for every rider to get involved.<br />
First, the $100 membership fee<br />
entitles riders to enter all events at serious<br />
discounts that include lift ticket, race fees,<br />
T-shirt and more. Then there’s the apresevent<br />
parties, which are legendary, with so<br />
much swag and giveaways it’s hard not to<br />
win something.Visit www.usasa.org.<br />
Early Ups, Breakfast on<br />
Jan. 13 Fresh Tracks<br />
Hit the slopes before everyone else—<br />
think powder day!—when Snow Summit<br />
hosts the season’s second Fresh Tracks<br />
session on <strong>January</strong> 13.<br />
Hit Snow Summit’s Chair 2 highspeed<br />
quad for 60 minutes before the rest<br />
of the crowd arrives from 7:30-8:30 a.m.<br />
Enjoy wide-open runs with fresh grooming<br />
or virgin powder as the case may be.<br />
One of the Fresh Tracks dates last season<br />
happened to be an epic powder day, just<br />
sayin’. Plus you’ll get a $15 food voucher<br />
for special breakfast entree at SoCal Marketplace.<br />
Fresh Tracks is also on February<br />
17 and additional dates may be added as<br />
conditions or demand warrants.<br />
Fresh Tracks is an add-on to a lift<br />
ticket or season pass and costs $25. Buy<br />
yours at any open ticket window day of<br />
the event or in advance by calling (844)<br />
GO2-BEAR.<br />
Everyone loves to save money and the<br />
Big Bear resorts have a few discounts out<br />
there for the 2017-18 winter season.<br />
Of course best way to save is to buy a<br />
season pass which offers unlimited access<br />
to the slopes, from midweek passes valid<br />
at both Snow Summit and Bear Mountain<br />
to anytime passes. Park lovers can opt for<br />
Bear Mountain-only passes too while the<br />
Cali4nia Pass is valid in Big Bear and also<br />
at Mammoth and June Mountains. But<br />
hurry...prices go up December 15.<br />
In the meantime there’s other ways to<br />
keep money in your pocket...<br />
* Plan ahead! Purchase your tickets<br />
at least 72 hours in advance either online<br />
or at (844) GO2-BEAR and save 20% off<br />
the window price.<br />
* Stay and play and save with lodging<br />
packages available through BigBear.com.<br />
Go direct to the lifts, skipping the ticket<br />
window altogether and save big bucks with<br />
the nicest accommodations.<br />
*Celebrate your birthday on the slopes<br />
and the Big Bear resorts will give you a<br />
free lift ticket for a gift! Must be your actual<br />
birthday; present valid ID on your special<br />
day and ski or ride both resorts for free.<br />
*Police, fire, EMT and active military<br />
need only flash their badges or proper ID<br />
at either Snow Summit or Bear Mountain<br />
windows to purchase all-day lift ticket for<br />
$42 plus 2% TBID charge during Uniform<br />
Days on <strong>January</strong> 10-11, February 7-8 and<br />
March 7-8, <strong>2018</strong>.<br />
*Snow Summit and Bear Mountain<br />
also honor active duty military members<br />
and their families with discounts all season<br />
long. Present a current active duty military<br />
ID at the window and get 25% off lift<br />
tickets, rentals and lessons.<br />
*Big Game equals big deal! Spend the<br />
day on the slopes Sunday, February 4 before<br />
Super Bowl 52 determines the pro<br />
football champion and pay just $52 for a<br />
lift ticket! Plus there’s game parties too.<br />
Rasta George reggae<br />
parties at Geronimo’s<br />
Come to Da Party, Man! Saturdays<br />
and Sundays at Geronimo’s Outpost, the<br />
on-mountain retreat at the base of Bear<br />
Mountain’s highest peak, the site for Snow<br />
Splash reggae parties starring DJ Rasta<br />
George beginning at noon. Assuming, of<br />
course, there’s snow.<br />
Enjoy full bar and revitalized food<br />
menu along with nonstop reggae music<br />
from Bob Marley to Sean Paul with<br />
George, now in his 13th year at the Outpost.<br />
Find your beach in the snow while<br />
taking in views of top skiers and<br />
snowboarders as they descend down Bear<br />
Peak high above the beach party<br />
Geronimo’s.<br />
Geronimo’s Outpost is at the top of<br />
the Access Express chair which services<br />
Southern California’s largest beginner area,<br />
so it’s accessible to everyone. Stop by,<br />
weather permitting, for fun in the sun!<br />
Standard<br />
Motel Rooms<br />
$65<br />
with Fireplace<br />
& Queen Bed<br />
Non-Holiday / Midweek<br />
Weekends Slightly Higher<br />
Subject to change without notice.<br />
<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 7<br />
CLOSE TO VILLAGE,<br />
LAKE, DINNING<br />
CLOSE to SLOPES!<br />
Deluxe<br />
Spa Rooms<br />
$85<br />
with Cozy<br />
Fireplace<br />
(800) 255-4378<br />
local (909) 866-2166<br />
41121 Big Bear Blvd. • Big Bear Lake, CA<br />
www.BlackForestLodge.com<br />
NEW<br />
WEBSITE<br />
Live weather!<br />
Photo Gallery!<br />
PDF Reader!<br />
If you can’t pick us up ... then click us up!<br />
Monthly!<br />
Your Best Source for activities and happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area<br />
Summer!<br />
Fall!<br />
Winter!<br />
Lake Activities<br />
Boating • Fishing • Hiking<br />
Biking & Special Events<br />
Follow Us<br />
On Facebook!<br />
All Things Oktoberfest!<br />
Join the Two Month long Celebration<br />
with all the insider information.<br />
Essential Information about the<br />
#1 Ski Resorts in Southern California<br />
for All Skiers, Snowboarders<br />
& Snowplayers<br />
Big Bear's Best Calendar of Events<br />
• Lodging • Attractions • Much More!<br />
All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com
Page 8—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Half-pound burgers, bands at Wyatt’s<br />
H<br />
alf-pound burgers that tower several<br />
inches high. Wide-selection of<br />
beers on tap. Country dancing on<br />
Wednesdays, live bands on weekends.<br />
Big Bear residents have long known<br />
about Wyatt’s Grill and Saloon at the Convention<br />
Center, for years open only on<br />
Wednesdays before Fridays were finally<br />
Mountain of a meal: the Smoking Gun burger!<br />
Year-Round<br />
Christmas Room!<br />
added and now Saturdays. It’s a local favorite<br />
for all the above reasons and more:<br />
huge portions at minuscule prices, familyfriendly<br />
with stuff for kids to do, full bar<br />
service, great patio in summer under the<br />
pine trees with awesome outdoor stage.<br />
Visitors who only know the Convention<br />
Center for hosting the annual Big Bear<br />
Oktoberfest are getting to know<br />
its restaurant side. Wyatt’s expanded<br />
its schedule to include Friday<br />
and Saturdays nights too, usually<br />
featuring live bands, so weekenders<br />
are finding out what locals<br />
have known for years.<br />
The decor is pure Wild West,<br />
a virtual frontier town with intricately-designed<br />
facades depicting<br />
church, Marshal’s office, hotel,<br />
and more. Wyatt’s saloon fits right<br />
in as a place to whet the whistle<br />
and fill the belly, with a menu<br />
that’s always evolving with what<br />
owner Monica Marini calls “Comfort<br />
food with attitude.”<br />
Pulled pork has been a staple<br />
for years, slow smoked for three<br />
to four hours in the morning to<br />
make sure it’s fork tender at night.<br />
Now it is slated to take a hiatus<br />
through the winter from the menu,<br />
set to return in summer. In turn<br />
Wyatt’s is introducing “killer”<br />
clam chowder, joining a menu<br />
packed with oversized burgers,<br />
chicken sandwiches, more.<br />
Our rooms are<br />
filled with gifts<br />
and treasures<br />
from nearly<br />
20 artists!<br />
Come Up the Historic Staircase of the 1920's Navajo Hotel<br />
• Bear-ly Used<br />
Books<br />
• Jerky<br />
• Pottery<br />
• Aprons<br />
• Sports<br />
Memorabilia<br />
• Everything<br />
Bears & More<br />
Open 7 Days<br />
a week<br />
Big Bear's from 9:30 a.m.<br />
Shopping Experience<br />
There is not “Anything” we do not have!<br />
Village Faire<br />
40794 Village Dr.<br />
(909) 866-8220<br />
Above the Leather Depot in Big Bear Village<br />
Signature burgers at Wyatt’s are something<br />
to behold. Like the 50-50, a specially<br />
created burger that’s half Angus beef, half<br />
applewood smoked bacon, topped with<br />
cheese for $10.25. Then there’s Manny’s<br />
Southwest charro burger, with guacamole,<br />
pepper jack, jalapenos if you want them,<br />
served with handful of chips and homemade<br />
pico de gallo for $9.45.<br />
Smoking Gun meanwhile sees Angus<br />
beef patty topped with pulled pork, coleslaw,<br />
onion rings and two slices of<br />
pepperjack. It takes a skewer to hold the<br />
sandwich together as it stacks up several<br />
inches high. Not just the usual one or two<br />
onion rings either but several.<br />
And that’s not even the biggest burger<br />
at Wyatt’s! That honor belongs to Doc’s<br />
Double Barrel, featuring not one but two<br />
of those Angus patties, still with bacon, onion<br />
rings, etc. Check out the chipotle<br />
jalapeno burger for $8.99 topped with<br />
zippy homemade aioli. For tamer appetites<br />
there’s regular burgers with bacon, Swiss,<br />
mushrooms and such, still oversized and<br />
served with fries or salad.<br />
Massive Cowboy cheese steak and<br />
half-pound marinated chicken sandwiches<br />
are other highlights along with street tacos<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Street Music Band with (L-R) Terry Copley, Steve Johnson, Tom Burton at Wyatt’s<br />
NEW<br />
WEBSITE<br />
Live weather!<br />
Photo Gallery!<br />
PDF Reader!<br />
Summer!<br />
Follow Us<br />
On Facebook!<br />
Lake Activities<br />
Boating • Fishing • Hiking<br />
Biking & Special Events<br />
with fish, beef, chicken or pork Chicken<br />
by the platter or kabob is drenched in<br />
Wyatt’s own Good Courage Ranch sauces<br />
like sweet or orange jalapeno.<br />
There’s always entertainment and<br />
never a cover at Wyatt’s, Big Bear’s country<br />
dancing hot spot Wednesdays with DJ<br />
Evan and some weekend dates. Fridays and<br />
Saturdays typically feature live music at<br />
Wyatt’s with terrific talent. Street Music<br />
Band is a regular, including Jan. 26, with<br />
longtime Big Bear musicians Steve<br />
Johnson, Terry Copley and Tom Burton.<br />
Southern Spirit is another, a favorite on the<br />
outdoor Wyatt’s Stage during Oktoberfest<br />
and indoors on Jan. 12-13.<br />
The rest of the month’s lineup includes<br />
Born Country on Jan. 5, The Working Poets<br />
on Jan. 19, and Revelator with Terry<br />
McRaven on Jan. 27. Others occasionally<br />
performing at Wyatt’s include guitarist<br />
Duke Michaels and his wife Peggy<br />
Baldwin, the latter a worldclass cello<br />
player who has played with Electric Light<br />
Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne, Yanni and others<br />
and has a host of television credits including<br />
a recent performance on The Voice.<br />
Wyatt’s is at the Convention Center on<br />
the boulevard at Division. (909) 585-3000.<br />
If you can’t pick us up ... then click us up!<br />
Fall!<br />
Big Bear<br />
Oktoberfest<br />
All Things Oktoberfest!<br />
Join the Two Month long Celebration<br />
with all the insider information.<br />
Monthly!<br />
Your Best Source for activities and<br />
happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area<br />
Winter!<br />
Essential Information about the<br />
#1 Ski Resorts in Southern California<br />
for All Skiers, Snowboarders<br />
& Snowplayers<br />
Big Bear's Best Calendar of Events<br />
• Lodging • Attractions • Much More!<br />
All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com
Big Bear Today <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 9<br />
Silver Moon always playing its 6K songs<br />
In an era where live local music seems<br />
to be becoming a thing of the past, Silver<br />
Moon has become one of the busiest musical<br />
acts on the mountain, performing over<br />
a hundred gigs each year at Big Bear’s most<br />
popular venues. That in itself tells you that<br />
Brad Riesau, sometimes joined by bassist<br />
Hank Kalvin, is doing something right.<br />
With over 6,000 different songs in its<br />
playbook, Silver Moon dishes up a vast<br />
repetoire that cover multiple genres. Which<br />
helps the band stay timely; after the passings<br />
of Paul Kantner, Glenn Frey and<br />
David Bowie, for instance, Silver Moon<br />
played tribute nights featuring the music<br />
of Jefferson Airplane, The Eagles and<br />
Bowie classics. Same when Fats Domino<br />
died and the late Jim Nabors.<br />
“We’re ambulance chasers,” Brad<br />
said. “I like to play almost anything that’s<br />
out there.”<br />
When it’s time for a theme night, be it<br />
for the holidays, Valentine’s Day or any<br />
other occasion, Silver Moon’s song list<br />
knows no bounds. For Valentine’s Day, Silver<br />
Moon plays gigs with sappy and slappy<br />
love songs, or goes the other direction with<br />
songs for singles who hate the occasion.<br />
Jazz to rock, blues to country, oldies,<br />
newbies, you name it and Silver Moon<br />
plays it, often with a story to go along with<br />
the music. Brad typically joined by Hank<br />
is at Best Western Chateau in the beautiful<br />
Tiffany Lounge every Saturday from 7-10<br />
p.m. plus lots of other shows too.<br />
Like Black Diamond Tavern on Friday,<br />
<strong>January</strong> 19 from 7-10. The Other<br />
Room at No Name Pizza from 5-7 p.m.<br />
every Sunday. The new Oakside Restaurant<br />
and Bar 7-10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 5,<br />
12 and 26. Plus Tuesday gigs at<br />
Amangela’s Sandwich and Bagel House in<br />
the Village from 12:30-4 p.m.<br />
With so many shows—Silver Moon<br />
has been at it for six-plus years, an eternity<br />
in local music—Hank stepped back<br />
Bowl under black lights at the Barn<br />
After dark the lights come on at the<br />
Bowling Barn—the black lights, that is.<br />
Plus laser lights and music videos, too.<br />
Glow Bowling is a highlight at the<br />
Barn.with an experience that’s downright<br />
surreal as neon balls glow brightly illuminated<br />
by the black lights, and players step<br />
out of the shadows to roll down 16 lanes<br />
of excitement.<br />
Most of the house bowling balls glow<br />
under the lights, in dazzling orange, blue,<br />
green and red. By day these balls look completely<br />
normal, but once the black lights<br />
kick on they glow to life. Filling the racks<br />
in all the incandescent colors of<br />
the rainbow, they add a<br />
psychedlic touch to bowling to be<br />
sure. The Bowling Barn has highpowered<br />
speakers and amps to<br />
kick up the sound system a few<br />
decibels and really get the party<br />
going. There’s also aser lights,<br />
dancing and spinning on the lanes<br />
and above the pins, while a center<br />
screen plays music videos.<br />
The house lights are down<br />
and black lights up for just open<br />
play so the emphasis is on fun,<br />
not competition, but state-of-theart<br />
scoreboards keep track not only of pin<br />
tallies but also running player handicaps<br />
and even the speed of their rolls. Free bowling<br />
with the coupon on page 14—three<br />
games for the price of two!<br />
After bowling walk to the nearby Fun<br />
Plex for Lazer Tag, video games and indoor<br />
“ice skating” on a rink that’s never<br />
frozen but delivers an experience remarkably<br />
similar to the real thing complete with<br />
skates, stops and slides. Fun Plex is at<br />
40679 Big Bear Blvd.<br />
Bowling Barn is at 40625 Big Bear<br />
Blvd. (enter on Bonanza). Call 878-BOWL.<br />
HORSEBACK RIDING<br />
Baldwin Lake Stables<br />
Open Year Round•Rates by the Hour<br />
1, 2, 3 & 4 Hour Rides•Reservations Suggested<br />
Silver Moon with Hank Kalvin (left) and/<br />
or Brad Riesau (top and bottom right)<br />
from the busy schedule, scaling back to<br />
about a third of the duo’s shows. Brad has<br />
kept up the pace, playing last summer at<br />
572 Social, Wyatt’s and others.<br />
And listeners never hear the same<br />
show twice. “We remember the songs you<br />
forgot you remembered,” Brad, who<br />
handles guitar and vocals, said. “If I had<br />
my druthers, I’d never play the same song<br />
twice. Generally unless it’s a theme night<br />
I choose the material when I get to the show<br />
and see what the audience is into.”<br />
In fact Brad even charges twenty<br />
bucks for listeners who request a song from<br />
what he calls his Top 40—what he considers<br />
the most overplayed tunes around. It’s<br />
all in good fun; he donates the money to<br />
various groups including BARC dog rescue<br />
and other worthy causes. “Brown Eyed<br />
Girl” is naturally one of the songs on the<br />
.com<br />
New! Night Glow Tubing!<br />
Fridays, Saturdays, Holidays 5-9 pm<br />
list, though Silver Moon waived the fee<br />
for its New Year’s Eve tribute to Van<br />
Morrison.<br />
COVERED<br />
MAGIC CARPET<br />
RIDE UPHILL!<br />
Heated Base Lodge • Snack Bar • Family Fun!<br />
Pony Rides & Petting Zoo<br />
909-585-6482 • Big Bear City<br />
Big Bear Blvd. east through stop sign at Hwy. 38,<br />
veer left on Shay Rd. and follow the signs<br />
46475 Pioneertown Rd.<br />
www.baldwinlakestables.com<br />
Specialty Rides<br />
•Majestic Sunset Ride<br />
•1/2 Day Ride along the<br />
famous Pacific Crest Trail<br />
Please Make Reservations<br />
for Specialty Rides<br />
Under Permit USDA Forest Service
Page 10—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Outdoor fun on Winter Trails Day<br />
Discover the beauty of the outdoors<br />
for free when Southern California Mountains<br />
Foundation and REI Rancho<br />
Cucamonga host the 7th Annual Winter<br />
Trails Day on Saturday, <strong>January</strong> 13 at Big<br />
Bear Discovery Center.<br />
Burn holiday calories and explore<br />
beautiful Big Bear backcountry on snowshoes<br />
and cross-country skis from 10 a.m.-<br />
2 p.m. Equipment and instruction is included<br />
followed by 45 minute tours take<br />
beginners into the woods to discover great<br />
aerobic exercise amidst winter solitude.<br />
Guides from Bear Valley Trails Association<br />
and Sierra Club Big Bear Group<br />
lead longer hikes for experienced<br />
snowshoers who have their own gear. Discovery<br />
Center youth volunteers host a<br />
snowman building contest with prizes and<br />
Uniform Days at resorts<br />
Snow Summit and Bear Mountain<br />
continue to show gratitude to all military,<br />
emergency and medical personnel by offering<br />
discount lift tickets during popular<br />
“Uniform Day” promotions.<br />
Police, fire, EMT and active military<br />
need only flash their badges or proper ID<br />
at either Snow Summit or Bear Mountain<br />
windows to purchase an all-day lift ticket<br />
for just $42 plus 2% TBID charge during<br />
Uniform Days on <strong>January</strong> 10-11, February<br />
7-8 and March 7-8, <strong>2018</strong>. Remember<br />
these are two-mountain passes for the discounted<br />
price of one and there’s a free<br />
shuttle running between the resorts every<br />
half hour!<br />
there’s opporunity drawings, hot cocoa and<br />
snacks. It’s all free so sign up for an outing<br />
every half hour from 10 a.m. till 1:30<br />
p.m. Snow dependent, of course.<br />
“Strap on a pair of lightweight<br />
aluminum snowshoes and you’ll quickly<br />
see why snowshoeing has become one of<br />
the fastest-growing winter sports,” said<br />
Stacy Gorin of Mountains Foundation. “If<br />
you can walk, you can snowshoe. People<br />
are using snowshoes for a variety of<br />
activities — everything from hiking into<br />
pristine wilderness and aerobic<br />
conditioning to pure recreation with family<br />
and friends. We’re using snowshoes for<br />
discovery and adventure.”<br />
Two feet of fresh snow greeted the<br />
1,500 participants last year, from as far<br />
away as New England and Texas. It’s not<br />
all about the snow though; there’s also<br />
indoor relaxation with hot beverages and<br />
children’s activities like Story Time and<br />
recycled nature crafts.<br />
Winter Trails Day is celebrated<br />
nationwide at over 100 locations.<br />
Call (909) 866-3437.<br />
If You Can’t<br />
Pick Us Up<br />
Then<br />
Click Us Up!<br />
bigbeartodaymag.com<br />
Continued from page 4<br />
“Buzzin” (reference to his Top 20 Billboard<br />
hit) at Shwayze’s breezy melodies<br />
and smooth rhymes which earned him acclaim<br />
on hits like “Corona and Lime,”<br />
which reached #23 on Billboard’s Hot 100.<br />
He’s dominated iTunes hop hot charts<br />
with songs like “Love is Overrated,” which<br />
has over two million streams and continues<br />
to grow. The edgy, experimental<br />
electro-rock “Let it Beat” debuted #1 on<br />
iTunes and the more contemporary “Island<br />
in the Sun” came in #2. His 2013 tour sold<br />
out 17 cities including the Troubadour.<br />
Tickets from $15-$35.<br />
TOMORROWS BAD SEEDS bring<br />
reggae rock to The Cave on Jan. 12. TBS<br />
has enjoyed a meteoric start to its career<br />
since its debut album “Early Prayers” in<br />
June 2007 hit the airwaves. The band was<br />
part of the Warped Tour 2010 and performed<br />
“Only for You” on national television<br />
with Craig Ferguson in 2011. The<br />
single “Nice & Slow” charted #1 on<br />
CDbaby Reggae charts.<br />
The single from the third TBS album<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Hopefully there’s snow for Winter Trails Day; if not there will at least be hot cocoa<br />
Pauly Shore, Metalachi at Cave...<br />
“One Way” made the Billboard Indicator<br />
Charts and the band is touring in support<br />
of a new single “Throwback.” Tickets are<br />
just $15-$25.<br />
COMEDIAN PAULY SHORE is at<br />
The Cave. Jan. 13. He’s starred in many<br />
comedic movies in the 1990’s—Encino<br />
Man, Bio-Dome, Son in Law to name just<br />
a few—but Shore’s career has mostly focused<br />
on stand-up comedy as he travels far<br />
and wide telling jokes.<br />
Not quite the superstardom he experienced<br />
in the 90’s as host of the hit MTV<br />
show “Totally Pauly,” but Shore loves to<br />
hit the road and do what comes natural: be<br />
funny. Tickets are $20-$30.<br />
METALACHI melds heavy metal<br />
and mariachi at The Cave Jan. 20. The<br />
world’s first and only heavy metal mariachi<br />
band puts on a rockin’ show and is in the<br />
midst of a nationwide tour across the country<br />
and back, hitting the Hard Rock Cafe<br />
in Pittsburgh and everything in between.<br />
Tickets are $15-$25.<br />
The Cave; 40789 Village Dr. (909)<br />
878-0204 or www.thecavebigbear.com.<br />
18
Big Bear Today <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 11<br />
Night tubing in a whole new light<br />
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○<br />
R○ ed, blue, yellow, green, even blacklight.<br />
Inner tubing after dark is cast<br />
under a whole new light at Big Bear<br />
Snow Play.<br />
The longtime family favorite debuted<br />
night inner tubing sessions a couple years<br />
ago illuminated by all the colors under the<br />
rainbow. Call it Glow Tubing as eleven<br />
RGB color strobes light up the snow like a<br />
Christmas tree, changing from color to<br />
color throughout each sequence. Even the<br />
Magic Carpet uphill lift, enclosed for guest<br />
comfort, is lit up with over 1,500 different<br />
LED multi-color fluorescent lights.<br />
And for several years guests have been<br />
sliding on color inner tubes at Big Bear<br />
Snow Play, which abandoned the traditional<br />
tire look by offering covered rides<br />
that go faster and help keep snow off derrieres.<br />
Now the area has expanded its fleet<br />
by adding red, white and blue snow camo<br />
tubes that really reflect light after dark, especially<br />
the black light pattern.<br />
To be sure these are no ordinary inner<br />
tubes, with heavy-duty bottoms to withstand<br />
the friction that comes from highspeed<br />
sliding. The tubes look like summer<br />
lake toys and even have handles to hold<br />
on tight to during the downhill ride, helpful<br />
since Big Bear Snow Play, the former<br />
All smiles after a day at Big Bear Snow Play<br />
NEW<br />
WEBSITE<br />
Live weather!<br />
Photo Gallery!<br />
PDF Reader!<br />
Summer!<br />
Follow Us<br />
On Facebook!<br />
Lake Activities<br />
Boating • Fishing • Hiking<br />
Biking & Special Events<br />
ski area known as Rebel Ridge, sports the<br />
longest tubing runs in Southern California.<br />
“We’re bringing a new twist to night snow<br />
play with colored lights,” said the area’s<br />
Scott Voigt. “The new lights are similar to<br />
stage lights at concerts and can really light<br />
up the snow.”<br />
To make sure evening guests enjoy the<br />
same smooth corduroy surface that greets<br />
day tubers every morning, the runs are<br />
groomed again before each night session<br />
to ensure optimal sliding conditions. Big<br />
Bear Snow Play offers night sessions from<br />
5-9 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and holiday<br />
periods including every night through<br />
<strong>January</strong> 6. Night tubing costs $30 and includes<br />
tube rental and use of the Magic<br />
Carpet. Day sessions are held daily from<br />
10 a.m.-4 p.m. and cost $35.<br />
Already there’s a lot of white stuff at<br />
Big Bear Snow Play despite no natural<br />
snow at press time. Some 6-8 powerful<br />
Lenko fan guns made the most of the few<br />
good snowmaking windows in December,<br />
piling up to 15 feet of snow in places.<br />
That’s probably more fan guns per square<br />
foot of terrain than any ski or tubing area<br />
around! Then again, snowmaking is nothing<br />
new at the property; during its ski area<br />
days Rebel Ridge was one of the first<br />
places in the<br />
country to make<br />
its own snow,<br />
even beating<br />
Tommi Tyndall<br />
and Snow Summit<br />
to the punch.<br />
As snowmaking<br />
continues<br />
snow depths will<br />
grow to 30 feet or<br />
more—that’s<br />
right, three stories<br />
high!—above the<br />
surrounding terrain,<br />
enough snow<br />
to ensure tubing<br />
through Easter<br />
If you can’t pick us up ... then click us up!<br />
Fall!<br />
Big Bear<br />
Oktoberfest<br />
All Things Oktoberfest!<br />
Join the Two Month long Celebration<br />
with all the insider information.<br />
Monthly!<br />
Your Best Source for activities and<br />
happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area<br />
Winter!<br />
Essential Information about the<br />
#1 Ski Resorts in Southern California<br />
for All Skiers, Snowboarders<br />
& Snowplayers<br />
Big Bear's Best Calendar of Events<br />
• Lodging • Attractions • Much More!<br />
All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com<br />
and beyond. All that white stuff means Big<br />
Bear Snow Play can offer not just traditional<br />
downhill runs but also snow features<br />
like whoop-di-doos, bumps and berms that<br />
add to the traditional sliding experience.<br />
Big Bear Snow Play’s worldclass inner<br />
tubing experiences continues with its<br />
Magic Carpet uphill lifts that families<br />
merely step on and off of. No uphill climb<br />
to tire parents and kids out means they save<br />
all their energy for downhill fun and can<br />
get all the runs they want. At Big Bear<br />
Snow Play there’s a second carpet running<br />
on busy days to ensure guests spend their<br />
time sliding, not standing in line.<br />
Which Simi Valley resident Ryan Bradley<br />
appreciated during a visit. He and wife<br />
Michelle had children Brooke, 5 and<br />
909.878.4FUN<br />
at North Shore Landing<br />
& Holloway’s Marina<br />
Big Bear Snow Play Glow Tubing night sessions<br />
Pirate Ship Lake Tours Aboard ‘Time Bandit’<br />
Narrated lake tours aboard<br />
1/3 replica of a Spanish galleon<br />
seen in the movie ‘Time Bandits’<br />
• Pirate Booty for the Kids<br />
• Cocktails for Adults • Sunset Tours<br />
Kenna, 4 in tow, a task made easier by the<br />
lift. “It’s very convenient, especially when<br />
you have little kids,” he said of the Magic<br />
Carpet. “Walking up gets frustrating. Kids<br />
don’t make it very well.”<br />
When it’s time for a winter warmup,<br />
head inside the toasty warm base lodge<br />
thanks to radiant heating. There’s family<br />
priced snack bar, restrooms and video<br />
games plus glow necklaces for night tubing.<br />
Active fire, police, military and emergency<br />
personnel get two-for-one tickets at<br />
Big Bear Snow Play Wednesdays through<br />
winter (blackout/holiday dates excluded).<br />
Big Bear Snow Play is on Big Bear<br />
Blvd. at Division next to Motel 6. Call<br />
(909) 585-0075.<br />
• Waverunners • Jet Skis<br />
• Sea Doos! • Kayaks, SUP<br />
• Wakeboard/Water Ski Rides<br />
• Poontoon Boats<br />
and Fishing Boats!<br />
www.HollowaysMarina.com or www.BigBearBoating.com<br />
COZY CHALETS WITH FIREPLACES & GREAT VIEWS...<br />
LOCATED AT SNOW SUMMIT'S BASE AREA...<br />
JUST STEPS TO THE SKI LIFTS!<br />
Also Available<br />
Lakeside RV Park<br />
with<br />
Full Hookups!<br />
Remodeled Bathrooms and Store<br />
www.800BigBear.com
Page 12—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
If Santa didn’t deliver, visit Village Faire<br />
Carved bears or stuffed ones, cloth<br />
purses, cozy animal print throws, yearround<br />
Christmas room, incense and tasty<br />
jerky. All in a historic Big Bear setting that<br />
may or may not have its own ghost.<br />
If Santa didn’t bring what you want,<br />
chances are there’s something you’ll die<br />
for at Village Faire. There’s literally thousands<br />
of gifts ranging from sports logo<br />
items and Harley Davidson to hundreds of<br />
crosses and walls of winter attire. The walls<br />
at the top of the stairs may tell tales—the<br />
building used to house Big Bear’s first hotel,<br />
the historic Navajo built in 1920, kept<br />
busy by gold miners and ladies of the<br />
night—but today the real story is on the<br />
shelves, filled with goods from artisans<br />
around town, the country, even the world.<br />
Sixteen theme rooms present a wide<br />
range of gift ideas, from bears and princess<br />
dolls, signs and home goods to gourmet<br />
foods and Oriental treasures and much<br />
more, many items handmade. Why there’s<br />
an entire Princess Room at Village Faire,<br />
with dolls and dresses and tea party sets<br />
and wallets. Duck inside the Tiki Room for<br />
Asia-theme gifts like adorable stuffed<br />
panda bears, fans and dragon figurines. The<br />
Pottery Room not only features handmade<br />
clay plates and pots but also soap pumps<br />
and dreamcatchers.<br />
For sports fans there’s not one but two<br />
rooms filled with memorabilia like playing<br />
cards, team coffee cups and shot<br />
glasses, signs and more. There’s a<br />
stadium’s worth of football team selections<br />
to choose from whether you root for the<br />
Rams or Chargers and all the other teams<br />
too. Unique are team totem poles not found<br />
anywhere else, topped with bronco, steelworker<br />
or ram’s head as the case may be.<br />
Plus team helmet banks for 20 bucks.<br />
Baseball season is well represented<br />
with plenty of Angels and Dodgers, Giants<br />
and Yankees stuff to choose from, like team<br />
coosies for only $7.95. From steins and<br />
stemware to signs and clocks, blankets and<br />
more, the shelves are filled with sports.<br />
USC and UCLA gear too!<br />
The walls can bear-ly hold all the bruins<br />
at Village Faire, just about every room<br />
sporting something Yogi. Bear hats pictured<br />
above, modeled by Sandy Dietz, are<br />
popular with long arms and cozy pocket<br />
paws for your hands. There’s stuffed black<br />
bears from Wishpets and Giftable Worlds<br />
that are super cute and huggable.<br />
The year-round Christmas Room is<br />
obviously busy at this time of year, filled<br />
with Santas and trees, ornaments and decorations<br />
galore. Stockings in a variety of designs<br />
are less than ten bucks and there’s<br />
gingerbread man ornaments for $3.50.<br />
Particularly unique is the “Cross<br />
Room.” Cross-bearing carved bears are<br />
one-of-a-kind but there’s many other selections<br />
to choose from. There’s also oldfashioned<br />
toys like paint by number kits,<br />
models and more. Then there’s the Chime<br />
Room, where an endless selection of pieces<br />
bearing butterfly and flower designs<br />
among others are just waiting to sound off<br />
in gentle breezes on your porch.<br />
The large rustic wood American flags<br />
Bear hats come with paws for<br />
hands at Village Faire<br />
on the walls lining the stairway are popular<br />
designs for $39.98 with smaller ones<br />
still a couple feet long for $19.98. Chalkboard<br />
art is the latest rage with folksy sayings<br />
and hand drawn and unique Big Bear<br />
T-shirts cost just $11.95. Pet lovers delight<br />
in the Dog Room where there’s bowls,<br />
treats and gifts for their best friend. Discover<br />
infant wear like Big Bear onesies and<br />
tanks tops for just $9.95 in the Baby Room.<br />
Village Faire has a little something of<br />
everything: Ladies Room with blouses,<br />
packs and purses, classic metal signs with<br />
everything from cars and cowboys to superheroes<br />
and Route 66. Take home agate<br />
arrowheads for less than a buck and sample<br />
Bear Poop (nut surrounded by caramel and<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
chocolate). “Snow” feels like the real stuff<br />
except it’s not cold and doesn’t melt, the<br />
perfect souvenir for $5.50.<br />
There’s walls of winter stuff, from tons<br />
of gloves to hats, mittens and scarves in<br />
all colors, priced from three bucks to $12.<br />
Village Faire is also the place to find awardwinning<br />
Jeff’s Famous Jerky, seen on<br />
Forbes.com and Men’s Health magazine.<br />
Made from real steak it’s tender and moist,<br />
not the dry leather sometimes passed as<br />
jerky, in intense flavors like jalapeno and<br />
cranberry jalapeno. Bacon and chicken<br />
jerky in assorted flavors too!<br />
Village Faire is at 40794 Village Dr.<br />
above Leather Depot. Call (909) 866-8220.<br />
Providing the most accurate & detailed snow forecasts available on the net<br />
for Big Bear and the local southern California mountains since 1998<br />
www.snowforecast.com/BearMountainResort<br />
www.snowforecast.com/SnowSummitMountainResort<br />
Become a Fan on FaceBook and<br />
WIN STUFF for the 2010 / 11 season @<br />
www.facebook.com/snowforecast.comom
Big Bear Today<br />
HOMESTYLE<br />
QUALITY...<br />
Steaks<br />
East<br />
Seafood<br />
Valley's<br />
Pasta<br />
Only<br />
Chicken<br />
Bakery!<br />
Voted Big Bear's<br />
Best Breakfast!<br />
DAILY Breakfast Special!<br />
Every Saturday Night<br />
All-You-Can-Eat<br />
Beef Ribs $19.95!<br />
NIGHTLY DINNER SPECIALS<br />
MON—MEAT LOAF $9.95<br />
TUES—CLOSED FOR DINNER OPEN 6-3<br />
WED—PRIME RIB $15.95<br />
THURS—NEW YORK STEAK $12.95<br />
FRIDAY—HOMEMADE POT PIES $13.25<br />
OR SURF & TURF $15.95<br />
SAT—ALL-U-CAN-EAT BEEF RIBS<br />
$19.95...POT PIES $13.25 IF AVAILABLE<br />
SUN-HOLIDAYS—PRIME RIB $15.95<br />
FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY FRI/SAT<br />
After lunch or dinner...<br />
treat yourself from our<br />
Bakery!<br />
Caramel-topped apple<br />
dumplings...cheesecakes...<br />
apple streudel...fresh-baked pies<br />
of the season!<br />
Also Available to Go!<br />
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○<br />
Dine Next to Our 2 Cozy<br />
Fireplaces or Under Trees on<br />
Our Outdoor Patio!<br />
337 W. Big Bear Blvd.<br />
(2 miles east of the Convention<br />
Center in Big Bear City)<br />
(909) 585-7005<br />
...FAMILY<br />
PRICES!<br />
To To Los Angeles<br />
and Orange County<br />
Captain John’s<br />
S<br />
CAPT. Marina<br />
JOHN’S GROUT BAY<br />
MARINA<br />
West Boat Ramp<br />
WINDY POINT<br />
W E<br />
North Shore<br />
Landing<br />
Castle Rock<br />
Trail<br />
Holcomb<br />
Valley<br />
BOULDER<br />
BAY<br />
1989 25 YEARS 2014<br />
The Mountain’s Monthly Lifestyle Magazine<br />
GILNER POINT<br />
All Phone Numbers are area code<br />
(909) unless otherwise noted<br />
<strong>January</strong><br />
5<br />
The Stranger—A Tribute to Billy<br />
Joel at The Cave 7:30 p.m.<br />
$18-$35. 878-0204.<br />
6<br />
Air & Style Qualifier at Bear<br />
Mountain in The Scene with DJ<br />
Daniel Rojas, performance by<br />
Travis Barker. Free. 866-5766.<br />
6<br />
Shwayze in concert at The Cave<br />
7:30 p.m. $15-$35. 878-0204.<br />
10-11<br />
Uniform Days at Snow Summit<br />
and Bear Mountain feature $42<br />
(plus TBID) lift tickets for badgecarrying<br />
personnel. 866-5766.<br />
12<br />
Tomorrow’s Bad Seeds reggae<br />
at The Cave 7:30 p.m. Tickets<br />
$15-$25. 878-0204.<br />
13<br />
Snow Summit Fresh Tracks<br />
early-ups plus breakfast 7:30-<br />
8:30 a.m., $25 add-on to lift<br />
ticket or season pass. 866-<br />
5766.<br />
13<br />
Bald Eagle Count, the second of<br />
the season held by the Forest<br />
Service, 8-10 a.m. Meet at Discovery<br />
Center. 866-3437.<br />
13<br />
Bald Eagle Celebration 11 a.m.<br />
at Discovery Center with biologist<br />
Robin Eliason, free. Animal<br />
Tracking 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $5;<br />
Snowshoe Tours Sat. 9 a.m.-<br />
noon and 1-4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m.-<br />
noon. $30, $20 ages 8-16. 866-<br />
3437.<br />
13<br />
Winter Trails Day at Discovery<br />
Center 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; free<br />
snowshoe tours, activities. 866-<br />
3437.<br />
METCALF<br />
Holloway<br />
BAY Marina<br />
Big Bear and Vicinity<br />
Pleasure<br />
Point<br />
Performing Arts<br />
Center (PAC)<br />
Polique Canyon<br />
Trail<br />
Solar Observatory<br />
BIG BEAR LAKE<br />
Mill Creek<br />
Mill Creek<br />
Alpine Slide<br />
at Magic Mtn.<br />
Pine Knot<br />
Trail<br />
Cougar Crest<br />
Trail<br />
Woodland<br />
Trail<br />
Discovery Center<br />
Serranno<br />
Campground<br />
East Boat<br />
Ramp<br />
EAGLE POINT<br />
Swim<br />
Beach<br />
Big Bear<br />
Pine Knot<br />
Marina<br />
Marina<br />
Meadow Park<br />
Town Trail<br />
13<br />
Movies in the Meadow at Snow<br />
Summit base area courtyard 5<br />
p.m., “Despicable Me 3.” Free.<br />
866-5766.<br />
13<br />
Comedian Pauly Shore at The<br />
Cave 7:30 p.m. Tickets $20-<br />
$30. 878-0204.<br />
13<br />
Goldsmiths Boardhouse Series<br />
Race #2 under the lights at<br />
Snow Summit. 866-5766.<br />
14<br />
USASA Slopestyle #2 and #3 is<br />
at Bear Mountain. 866-5766.<br />
17<br />
Winemakers Dinner at the Black<br />
Kat (560 Pine Knot) featuring<br />
Michael David Winery at 6:30<br />
p.m. $135/person. 878-0401.<br />
19<br />
Wynonna Judd and The Big<br />
Noise in concert at The Cave<br />
7:30 p.m. $60-$75. 878-0204.<br />
20<br />
Metalachi at The Cave 7:30<br />
p.m. $15-$25. 878-0204.<br />
20-21<br />
U10-14 South Series slalom race<br />
at Snow Summit, free spectating.<br />
866-5766.<br />
25<br />
KOLA-FM Slide Day at Alpine<br />
Slide; all-day snowplay pass,<br />
two Alpine Slide rides, lunch<br />
and more for $24.99. 866-<br />
4626.<br />
27<br />
Animal Tracking at Discovery<br />
Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $5. 866-<br />
3437.<br />
27<br />
Jefferson Starship is in concert<br />
at The Cave 7:30 p.m. $35-<br />
$45. 878-0204.<br />
Walk<br />
Board<br />
<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 13<br />
Big Bear City<br />
Moonridge<br />
For updated calendar of events visit us on the Internet!<br />
www.bigbeartodaymag.com<br />
CC<br />
Club View Drive<br />
Big Bear Mountain<br />
February<br />
2<br />
Kissed Alive tribute to the iconic<br />
rock band at The Cave 7:30<br />
p.m. $10-$25. 878-0204.<br />
3-4<br />
U10-14 South Series giant slalom<br />
race at Snow Summit, free<br />
spectating. 866-5766.<br />
4<br />
Bear Bowl <strong>2018</strong> at Bear Mountain<br />
with $52 lift tickets, industry<br />
teams competition, then big<br />
game party in Methods with<br />
specials. 866-5766.<br />
10<br />
Bald Eagle Count, the third of<br />
the season held by the Forest<br />
Service, 8-10 a.m. Meet at Discovery<br />
Center. 866-3437.<br />
10<br />
Bald Eagle Celebration 11 a.m.<br />
at Discovery Center with biologist<br />
Robin Eliason, free. Animal<br />
Tracking 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $5;<br />
Snowshoe Tours Sat. 9 a.m.-<br />
noon and 1-4 p.m.,, Sun. 9<br />
a.m.-noon. $30, $20 ages 8-<br />
16. 866-3437.<br />
10<br />
Fishbone in concert at The Cave<br />
7:30 p.m. $20-$40. 878-0204.<br />
17<br />
Animal Tracking at Discovery<br />
Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m., $5. 866-<br />
3437.<br />
24<br />
KROQ Storms the Mountain at<br />
Bear with top bands live on the<br />
deck 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 866-5766.<br />
25<br />
“Rizzo, Rizzo and King” concert<br />
at the PAC 3 p.m. with cello,<br />
vocals and piano by Sharon and<br />
Sophia Rizzo and Barbara King.<br />
Free. 866-4970.<br />
To Victorville, Barstow<br />
& Las Vegas<br />
Museum<br />
Big Bear<br />
Alpine Zoo<br />
To Angelus Oaks<br />
and Redlands<br />
E<br />
V<br />
E<br />
N<br />
T<br />
C<br />
A<br />
L<br />
E<br />
N<br />
D<br />
A<br />
R
Page 14—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Recreation<br />
Guide<br />
Action Tours<br />
Zip through the trees on nine ziplines.<br />
Segway along Village streets, discovering<br />
Big Bear history at the same time on a most<br />
unique tour and ride. Learn tree rope climbing<br />
skills like rappelling from certified<br />
instructors or seasonally snowshoe through<br />
the forest. Action Tours has year-round<br />
guided mountain adventure for all ability<br />
levels! (909) 866-0390 or (909) 866-0830.<br />
Alpine Slide<br />
Shoot down a tobogan-style ride at Magic<br />
Mountain, as a hand lever allows you to<br />
control the speed. After an exhilerating<br />
run, ride the chairlift back to the top for<br />
more fun. $6/ride, 5-ride books $25. There’s<br />
also a snowplay area with Magic Carpet<br />
uphill ride, plus miniature golf, Go-Karts,<br />
family-priced snack bar, video games. Open<br />
daily. Big Bear Blvd., 1/4 mile west of the<br />
Village. 866-4626.<br />
Bike Rentals<br />
Bear Valley Bikes across from Alpine<br />
Slide has a variety of bike rentals. Front<br />
suspension $10/hour, $30/4 hours, $40/all<br />
day. Full suspension $20/hour, $50/4 hours,<br />
$70/all day. Full suspension demo $25/<br />
hour, $60/4 hours, $85/all day. 40298 Big<br />
Bear Blvd. Call (909) 866-8000.<br />
Goldsmiths Pedego Electric Bike Shop<br />
has a variety of electric bike rentals, 42071<br />
NEW<br />
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Your Best Source for activities and happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area<br />
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Recreation • Dining • Nightlife • And More<br />
Road Conditions: (800) 427-ROAD www.ie511.org<br />
Get a taste of bobsledding at Alpine Slide; call (909) 866-4626<br />
Big Bear Blvd. (909) 866-2728.<br />
Bingo<br />
The Elks Lodge hosts stirring Bingo games<br />
each Friday night at 7 p.m. All are welcome<br />
ages 18 and over. 40611 Big Bear Blvd.<br />
west of the Village, across from Lakeview.<br />
(909) 866-3557.<br />
Bowling<br />
The Bowling Barn offers new lanes with<br />
automated scoring for bowling enjoyment.<br />
Also arcade games and full-service cocktail<br />
lounge with pool. Glow Bowling after<br />
dark with black lights, sounds. Bowl 3<br />
games for the price of 2 with coupon in this<br />
issue. Open daily. 40625 Big Bear Blvd.<br />
(enter on Bonanza).(909) 878-BOWL.<br />
Cross Country Skiing<br />
All the great hiking trails in Big Bear make<br />
great destinations for winter cross country<br />
skiing, provided there’s enough snow.<br />
Holcomb Valley is especially popular with<br />
skinny plankers.<br />
Goldsmith’s Boardhouse has waxless,<br />
steel edge all-mountain wide touring skis,<br />
boots and poles for small child to large<br />
adult, $15/day. Also telemark skis, $22/<br />
ski-boot-pole. 42071 Big Bear Blvd. (909)<br />
866-2728.<br />
Discovery Center<br />
The Discovery Center on the north shore,<br />
two miles west of Stanfield Cutoff, is a<br />
breathtaking facility overlooking the lake<br />
and offering informational galleries, self<br />
and naturalist guided tours, Adventure<br />
passes and wilderness permits, and recreation<br />
programs. Open daily (closed Tuesdays<br />
and Wednesdays). (909) 866-3437.<br />
Fishing<br />
Catch some fun with Big Bear Charter<br />
Fishing on a 22' fully loaded, super comfortable<br />
boat with afriendly, expert guide<br />
Aaron Armstrong. Open or private charters<br />
for individuals or groups of all ages.<br />
All gear provided—rods, reels, bait, lures,<br />
drinks and snacks. Bass fishing too aboard<br />
a Ranger Comanche. At Holloway’s Marina;<br />
(909) 866-2240.<br />
Helicopter Tours<br />
See Big Bear from above during new aerial<br />
tours by Helicopter Big Bear. See the lake,<br />
ski resorts, desert and surrounding mountains<br />
aboard a climate-controlled Robinson<br />
R44 helicopter with longtime pilot Roy<br />
Harding at the controls, departing daily out<br />
of Big Bear Airport. The helicopter seats<br />
up to four, pilot plus three passengers, and<br />
tours start at $35 per person based on two<br />
passengers. Group rates and discounts available.<br />
(909) 585-1200.<br />
Hiking<br />
There’s dozens of trails and natural areas to<br />
FREE<br />
Bowling &<br />
Laser Tag!<br />
enjoy the rugged beauty of the San<br />
Bernardino National Forest. From easy<br />
strolls along the lake to stenuous climbs<br />
into the mountains, there are trails for all<br />
abilities, including families, within a short<br />
drive of Big Bear. For information on all<br />
trails in the Valley and the required<br />
Adventure Pass, visit the Discovery Center<br />
on North Shore Dr., about two miles west<br />
of Stanfield Cutoff. 866-3437.<br />
Alpine Pedal Path is a very easy 3.5 mile<br />
(each way) paved trek following the lake<br />
on the north shore. Popular with hikers,<br />
bikers, skaters, strollers and wheelchairs<br />
as it passes Carol Morrison East Boat<br />
Launch, Discovery Center, Serrano<br />
campground, Solar Observatory and more.<br />
Castle Rock Trail is a short but strenuous<br />
hike, that ends with a panoramic view of<br />
Big Bear Lake. Legend has it that a beautiful<br />
Indian maiden, jilted by her lover, took her<br />
life by leaping from this towering 100 ft.<br />
monolith. It’s reached after a mostly uphill,<br />
.8 mile walk past a stream and featuring<br />
beautiful views. Located on Hwy. 18<br />
between Boulder Bay and the dam; park on<br />
the lake side of the road.<br />
Continued on page 15<br />
Lake Activities<br />
Boating • Fishing • Hiking<br />
Biking & Special Events<br />
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Join the Two Month long Celebration<br />
with all the insider information.<br />
Essential Information about the<br />
#1 Ski Resorts in Southern California<br />
for All Skiers, Snowboarders<br />
& Snowplayers<br />
Big Bear's Best Calendar of Events<br />
• Lodging • Attractions • Much More!<br />
All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com<br />
With this ad buy 2 games per person at<br />
regular price and your 3rd game is FREE!<br />
(Not valid when on wait list)<br />
Visit Our New SPORTS BAR & ARCADE!<br />
GLOW BOWLING NIGHTLY!<br />
The BOWLING BARN<br />
40625 BIG BEAR BLVD. (ENTER ON BONANZA) •878-BOWL (2695)<br />
THERE’S ALWAYS A PARTY AT THE BOWLING BARN! BBT—35
Big Bear Today <strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong>—Page 15<br />
Cougar Crest Trail is moderate two-mile Discovery Center on the North Shore—<br />
(each way) hike. As it winds above the call 866-3437. Allow three hours for the<br />
lake’s north shore, it offers up great views drive.<br />
of water and the surrounding mountains. Horseback Riding<br />
Trailhead is on North Shore Dr. about two<br />
Baldwin Lake Stable is open year-round<br />
miles west of Stanfield Cutoff, .6 mile<br />
for horseback riding. Rates are by the hour,<br />
from the Discovery Center where you can<br />
offering one, two, three and four-hour rides<br />
park without an Adventure Pass.<br />
with longer rides heading along the famous<br />
Woodland Interpretive Trail is a short, Pacific Crest Trail plus sunset rides. A<br />
scenic family stroll with minimal elevation variety of spectacular mountain trails with<br />
gain, located on the north shore near Cougar horses for all riding abilities. For little<br />
Crest. Free trail maps (available at the buckeroos there’s hand-led pony rides and<br />
trailhead or Discovery Center) identify petting zoo. Reservations suggested for all<br />
markers along the route noting local rides. Big Bear Blvd. east to stop sign at<br />
vegetation, wildlife areas, etc.<br />
Hwy. 38, go through intersection, veer left<br />
Pacific Crest Trail comes through Big on Shay Rd. to 46475 Pioneertown Rd.,<br />
Bear from Onyx Summit through the East Big Bear City. (909) 585-6482.<br />
Valley to Hwy. 18 and then past Holcomb<br />
Valley Rd. and Cougar Crest through Laser Tag<br />
See how animals adapt to winter at Big Bear Alpine Zoo; (909) 584-1299<br />
Holcomb Valley before continuing its 2,638 Head to Big Bear Funplex for indoor laser<br />
mile journey from Mexico to Canada. Call tag, arcade, rides and much more. Pizza<br />
and turn left to the zoo. $12 adults, $9 ages<br />
the Discovery Center to find out where to and snack bar, pool tables. 40679 Big Bear<br />
over 60 and children 3-10, under two free.<br />
catch this famous international trail. Blvd. 866-3866.<br />
(909) 584-1299.<br />
Pine Knot Trail from Aspen Glen picnic<br />
Miniature Golf/Go Karts<br />
area climbs the southern ridge above Alpine<br />
Slide three miles (each way) to Skyline Dr.<br />
Putt ‘N Around, located at the Alpine Slide<br />
Dining<br />
2N10, through lush meadow and stands of<br />
at Magic Mountain, features a landscaped<br />
white fir and Jeffrey Pine. Continue another<br />
18-hole miniature golf course complete<br />
Guide<br />
1/4 mile to Grand View Point for spectacular<br />
with water hazards and breaking greens.<br />
180-degree vistas.<br />
Then there’s an oval-shaped go-kart track<br />
Big Bear City<br />
with high-banked turns, which nine Can<br />
Holcomb Valley Am racers—including four two-seaters—<br />
BARNSTORM RESTAURANT—<br />
At one time, Big Bear Valley was thriving with Honda 5.5 horsepowers engines and<br />
gold country. The last remaining signs of an array of safety features zip around.<br />
this historic chapter in Big Bear history are Open till 9 p.m. daily. 866-4626.<br />
featured in a driving tour through what is<br />
Ski Rentals<br />
known as Holcomb Valley. Totaling 11.6<br />
miles over a dirt road, the tour offers stops Goldsmith’s Boardhouse beginner ski<br />
at Two Gun Bill’s Saloon, Hangman’s packages $17.50, performance skis $25,<br />
Tree, Pigmy Cabin, Metzger Mine, and demos $45, kids under 12 $15. Snowboards<br />
more. Free maps available at the Big Bear $24, demo boards $35. Child’s package<br />
After Dark...<br />
Big Bear’s Nightlife & Entertainment Guide<br />
ALLEY OOPS SPORTS BAR—Family Karaoke each Saturday night at 8 p.m. Glow<br />
Bowling at 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sat. and Sun.<br />
Watch the big game on big screen TVs, open to all ages. Happy Hour Monday-<br />
Friday 5:30-7 p.m. with 50¢ off all bar drinks (except draft), $1 hot dogs. Bowl<br />
3 games for the price of 2 with coupon in this issue. Inside the Bowling Barn at<br />
40625 Big Bear Blvd. Call 878-BOWL.<br />
AV NIGHTCLUB—DJ every night at 9 p.m. Happy hour daily till 6 p.m. with $1<br />
beers. 664 Pine Knot. (909) 866-7377.<br />
BARNSTORM RESTAURANT—Live music Saturdays during dinner with popular<br />
entertainer Art Harriman. 501 W. Valley Blvd. at the airport. (909) 585-9339.<br />
BEST WESTERN CHATEAU—Enjoy Silver Moon in the Tiffany Lounge Saturdays<br />
from 7-10 p.m. 42200 Moonridge Rd. (909) 866-6666.<br />
BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN BREWERY— Live music daily. Craft microbrew beers, food<br />
in a cozy atmosphere. Wear your gear, 75¢ off your beer. 40260 Big Bear Blvd.<br />
866-BEER.<br />
NOTTINGHAMS—Magic J presents tableside magic Friday and Saturday. 40797<br />
Big Bear Blvd. near Bartlett. 866-4644.<br />
THE CAVE BIG BEAR—Your favorite artists up close and personal! See national<br />
performers, top tribute bands and more in Big Bear’s hot new intimate concert<br />
venue. Good food and full cocktail service including craft beers from Big Bear Lake<br />
Brewing Co. (909) 878-0204.<br />
THE LODGE AT BIG BEAR LAKE—Singer Nikki Sparks entertains Fridays and<br />
Saturdays 5-8 p.m. in the lounge and lobby. 40650 Village Dr. (909) 866-3121<br />
THE PINES LAKEFRONT—Pianist Mike Cross and Bass Mark Cade live Thursdays<br />
5:30-8:30 p.m., Sundays 4-7 p.m. 350 Alden Rd. (909) 866--5400.<br />
WYATT’S CAFE & SALOON—Open at 4 p.m. Wednesdays for country dancing<br />
with DJ Evan, Fridays and Saturdays with live music. Jan. 5 Born Country, Jan.<br />
6 DJ Evan; Jan. 12-13 Southern Spirit ; Jan. 19 The Working Poets, Jan. 20 DJ<br />
Evan; Jan. 26 Street Music Band, Jan. 27 Revelator with Terry McRaven. Great<br />
grub and drinks, family-friendly. Convention Center, Big Bear Blvd. at Division.<br />
(909) 585-3000.<br />
$18. Butt, elbow, knee pads, wrist guards,<br />
helmets, jackets, pants available for rent.<br />
42071 Big Bear Blvd. 866-2728.<br />
Ski Reports<br />
Current, updated ski, weather and road<br />
condition reports are available from Snow<br />
Summit and Bear Mountain Ski areas.<br />
Snow Summit: toll-free (888) SUMMIT-<br />
1 or 866-4621 locally; Bear Mountain:<br />
toll-free (800) BEAR-MTN or 585-2519.<br />
Snow Playing<br />
Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain, which<br />
has snowmaking to ensure snow, offers<br />
great inner tubing, and there’s a Magic<br />
Carpet to take riders to the top, too. $35<br />
buys an all-day (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) pass in the<br />
winter wonderland, which includes tube<br />
rental and Magic Carpet use. Night tubing<br />
(5-9 p.m.) each Friday and Saturday plus<br />
holiday periods for $30. The area also has<br />
the Southland’s only Alpine Slide and a<br />
great outdoor deck, plus the Putt ‘N Around<br />
go-karts and miniature golf course. 1/4<br />
mile west of the Village on Big Bear Blvd.<br />
866-4626.<br />
Big Bear Snow Play has Southen<br />
California’s longest tubing runs. Two<br />
Magic Carpet lifts mean guests never have<br />
to walk back to the top and snowmaking<br />
lets the area build features to enhance the<br />
experience. Heated base lodge and paved<br />
parking. Next.to Motel 6 on the bouleard 1<br />
mile east of the supermarkets.Sessions daily<br />
10 a.m.-4 p.m. $35 all day pass includes<br />
tube rental. Glow Tubing sessions Fridays,<br />
Saturdays, holiday periods 5-9 p.m., $30<br />
includes tube rental. (909) 585-0075.<br />
Forget Your Snowplay Pants/Jacket?<br />
Goldsmith’s Boardhouse has them for<br />
rent along with helmets, wrist guards, other<br />
gear. 42071 Big Bear Blvd. 866-2728.<br />
Snowshoeing<br />
No lift lines—nor lift tickets to buy—<br />
makes snowshoeing one of the fastestgrowing<br />
winter sports. A great way to<br />
escape the crowds and enjoy the serenity of<br />
Big Bear’s endless hiking trails covered by<br />
winter’s snow. Get maps, directions etc.<br />
from the shop below or Discovery Center.<br />
Goldsmith’s Boardhouse has Atlas<br />
snowshoes for $15/day. 42071 Big Bear<br />
Blvd. 866-2728.<br />
Zoo<br />
Grizzly and black bears, bobcats, coyotes,<br />
mountain lions, deer, eagles, and other<br />
animals are at Big Bear Alpine Zoo, many<br />
of which are native to the San Bernardino<br />
Mtns. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, 10-<br />
5 Saturday and Sunday with daily animal<br />
presentations at noon and weekend 3 p.m.<br />
“feeding frenzy” tours. Moonridge Rd. to<br />
Clubview, veer right to Bear Mountain,<br />
Comfortable dining at the airport. Open<br />
daily for breakfast and lunch, dinner<br />
Thursday through Sunday with nightly<br />
specials and Saturday night entertainment.<br />
German food a specialty plus steaks,<br />
seafood, chicken, burgers. Ground floor at<br />
the airport. (909) 585-9339.<br />
THELMA’S TWIN PINES-Homestyle<br />
cooking at awesome prices make this a<br />
family dining favorite. Daily breakfast,<br />
lunch and dinner specials. All-you-can-eat<br />
beef ribs $19.95 on Saturday nights, and<br />
homemade pot pies are big favorites. Open<br />
daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner. 337 W.<br />
Big Bear Blvd. Call 585-7005.<br />
Big Bear Lake<br />
BIG BEAR LAKE BREWING CO.—<br />
Craft micros brewed on premises and<br />
gourmet pub grub and appe-teasers at this<br />
new brewery in the Village. Full bars<br />
upstairs and down with lakeviews and all<br />
sports all the time on big screens. 40827<br />
Stone Rd. (909) 878-0283.<br />
BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN BREWERY—<br />
Fresh microbrewed beer served with hot<br />
and cold sandwiches, soups, salads and<br />
appetizers in a cozy atmosphere. Weekend<br />
live entertainment. 40260 Big Bear Blvd.<br />
just west of Alpine Slide. 866-BEER.<br />
CAPTAIN’S ANCHORAGE—Historic<br />
and rustic, this restaurant, built in 1947 as<br />
the Sportsman’s Tavern and once owned<br />
by Andy Devine, is a Big Bear favorite<br />
with specialties like prime rib, Alaskan<br />
King Crab legs, seafood, and steaks. Allyou-can-eat<br />
homemade soup and salad bar,<br />
romantic seating, and cocktails in the Andy<br />
Devine Room. Open for dinner daily from<br />
4:30 p.m. Moonridge Rd., just off Big<br />
Bear Blvd. (909) 866-3997.<br />
DYNASTY—Authentic Szechuan cuisine<br />
with an array of specialty dishes. Mongolian<br />
BBQ too and great cocktails. 40989 Big<br />
Bear Blvd. 866-7887.<br />
OLD COUNTRY INN-Family-style home<br />
cooking at this local’s favorite with<br />
breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Steaks,<br />
German and Italian specialties and much<br />
more. 41126 Big Bear Blvd., east of Pine<br />
Knot. Call 866-5600.
Page 16—<strong>January</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
THE BACK PAGE<br />
Fill in patterns for cash at Elks bingo<br />
There’s no slot machines in Big Bear,<br />
but those who enjoy games of<br />
chance get their fix every Friday<br />
night at the Elks Lodge, with jackpot-sized<br />
payouts too.<br />
For well over three decades the Elks<br />
have hosted spirited bingo games each Friday<br />
from 7-10 p.m. open to the public that<br />
rival those played at any casino. At the Elks<br />
Lodge, everyone’s a winner; the games are<br />
fun, there’s free coffee and super cheap<br />
snacks, and the pots are hefty, typically<br />
ranging from $60-$100 each game.<br />
And that’s just the regular payouts:<br />
pull tab pots reach up to $500 and power<br />
ball games, which pay when the player bingos<br />
on a preselected number (usually the<br />
date) max out at $1199, the IRS limit before<br />
the government gets in on the love.<br />
Recently a player took home a cool $400<br />
jackpot, not bad for a night of coloring<br />
numbers. Each week the power ball isn’t<br />
hit, the pot grows another $25 till the max<br />
is reached.<br />
“Even on slow nights we’ll give away<br />
$1,000 in pots and on busy nights more<br />
like $2,500,” said bingo chairman Don<br />
Muffoletto, who has been a fixture at these<br />
Friday sessions for over 20 years.<br />
To be sure this isn’t grade school or<br />
church bingo where all it takes is give numbers<br />
in a straight line to call out a winner.<br />
Some of the patterns are downright com-<br />
plex and regular players often keep track<br />
of several cards at one time, forming pyramids,<br />
starbursts, railroad tracks and other<br />
designs during 15 games plus specials. The<br />
average buy-in is $23 which assures players<br />
a full night of action.<br />
The games are all programed into the<br />
computer at the Elks Lodge and tickets are<br />
numbered, so all the caller has to do is read<br />
off the number and the computer electronically<br />
confirms victory. Two boards with<br />
adjacent television screens display the<br />
numbers, with bingos shown so all can see<br />
the winning pattern.<br />
As each number is drawn anticipation<br />
in the room builds. A hush takes over, as if<br />
players sense that even uttering a few<br />
words can jinx it and cause someone to yell<br />
“Bingo!” Sometimes it’s a false alarm and<br />
the rest of the players have renewed hope.<br />
“Players must bingo on the last number<br />
called or it’s not good,” Muffoletto said.<br />
Programs detailing the evening’s patterns<br />
are free and there’s four different types so<br />
the games never get stale.<br />
“We usually have a mix of locals,<br />
many of whom are regulars, along with<br />
visitors looking for something fun to do<br />
while they’re in Big Bear,” Muffoletto said.<br />
“In winter we usually have 40-60 players<br />
and in summer a hundred or more.”<br />
Proceeds benefit many Elks charities<br />
like high school scholarships, food baskets<br />
Trying to<br />
get a bingo<br />
at Friday<br />
night games<br />
at the Elks<br />
Lodge<br />
at Thanksgiving<br />
and<br />
Christmas<br />
for the<br />
needy, utility<br />
bill paying<br />
assistance and much more. The games<br />
go on fair weather or foul.<br />
“We’ll play with just 20 people in a<br />
snowstorm and on those nights we’ll pay<br />
all the money back to players and not make<br />
any for the lodge,” Muffoletto said.<br />
“People know that if they drive down here<br />
on slippery roads we will be playing.”<br />
Big Bear Today<br />
Fish fry preceding the games is also a<br />
staple of bingo night at the Elks Lodge.<br />
Get two pieces of fish plus fries and cole<br />
slaw for just seven bucks, or $8 buys three<br />
pieces. There’s chicken fried steak sandwiches,<br />
hamburgers, hot dogs and more.<br />
Elks Lodge is at 40611 Village Dr.<br />
across from Lakeview Dr. (909) 866-3557.<br />
• 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN!<br />
Snow Play Area!<br />
Magic Carpet<br />
Uphill Lift<br />
CARPET COVERED<br />
for your Comfort!<br />
FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 •<br />
Children FREE! (2-6 & under 48”, with an adult 18 and over)<br />
Your Alpine Slide experience begins with<br />
a scenic chairlift ride above the beautiful<br />
Big Bear Lake. Then, with you controlling<br />
the speed, your toboggan plummets back<br />
down the mountain creating a thrill you’ll<br />
want to relive again and again!<br />
Winter is Great<br />
at Alpine Slide!<br />
Parents!... Sun On Our Spacious Deck While The Kids Play!<br />
FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626<br />
FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! •