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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 />

WEBSITE<br />

Live weather!<br />

Photo Gallery!<br />

PDF Reader!<br />

THE ALMANAC<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 />

Big Bear Today<br />

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 />

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<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! •

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