July 2019 Big Bear Today

Volume 31, No. 1 July 2019 

www.bigbeartodaymag.com 

Get Wet on 

Waverunners! 

Big Bear Today 

Celebrates 

30 Years ! 

• July 4th Fireworks, Faires, Fests 

• Jefferson Starship, Ted Nugent at Cave 

• ‘Spirits’ Brewsfest, Crafts & Cranks, Ren Faire 

• Ecology, Hiking Combine on Woodland Trail

Page 2—July 2019 

From the Publisher 

For 30 Years now 

Big Bear Today has 

had you cover-ed 

Y 

ou’re holding the 361st edition of 

Big Bear Today Magazine, which 

means we’ve just completed our 

30th year of publishing in these mountains. 

Counting down-the-hill issues of Big 

Bear Summer and Ski & Ride Big Bear plus 

Big Bear Oktoberfest souvenir book, we’ve 

printed over 400 different issues in those 

three decades. And that’s not including the 

official Winter X Games book published 

for ESPN in 1997 and Old Miners Days 

Gazettes galore. Plus other pieces like real 

estate and shopping guides, even the program 

for the Scottish Games put on by Peter 

“Scotty” Crawford, on the way to becoming 

a major event till the 1992 earthquake 

that same day. 

The internet was just being invented 

when the first issue hit the streets in July 

1989. Now we use the worldwide web to 

take our magazines far beyond where we 

could physically deliver. Anywhere you’ve 

got an internet connection, just visit 

bigbeartodaymag.com and under the “Print 

Pubs” tab select PDF versions that read just 

like you’re holding the magazine, every 

single page. The links are even active! 

When it’s not an ally the internet has 

proven to be a voracious competitor 

though. Google ad words, Facebook, you 

name it first chipped away at ad budgets 

and then consumed them. 

Yet those predicting print’s demise 

were a bit premature. Sure, newspapers 

have had a hard time but some are coming 

back as advertisers realize that depth of engagement 

is just as important if not more 

so than reach. Website visits are measured 

in seconds whereas print ad engagement 

is clocked in minutes. That’s because studies 

show people on average read 20%-30% 

faster from print than they do online. 

Print is tangible, something readers 

hold onto instead of scroll right past in 

nanoseconds. Publications can be kept 

around for days, weeks, even months and 

years while surfers blow past websites in 

moments, often never to return. 

Why, print beats online right from the 

get-go! On the internet you “search” (only 

after something peaked your interest on a 

subject) but with print publications you 

find. Want to know what’s happening? It’s 

in these pages, with Big Bear’s best 

monthly calendar. Where to stay or play? 

That’s all we cover. 

Good luck finding it online, searching 

on a phone screen through a barrage 

of bad links and pop-ups. Essentially we 

do the Googling for you, and in another 

case of internet give-and-take, the web is 

the best thing to happen to reporters since 

word processing. 

And the power of a good front cover 

remains undisputed. More info is communicated 

on this month’s first page than any 

10 websites combined, with sharp color 

and design adding to visual appeal that 

computer and especially phone screens just 

can’t duplicate. People click on their 

phones, but stick with their paper. 

First-ever Big Bear Today front cover 

was shot by the late Richard Millener, of a 

gal whispering instructions into a burro’s 

ears for Old Miners Days. It wouldn’t be 

the last; his photo of the Time Bandit pirate 

ship firing canon was another. The 

other 358 have featured just about every 

way to play, from snow to lake, hike or 

bike, plus celebrities like Wynonna Judd, 

Eddie Rabbit, Shirley Jones, Olympian 

Tinker Juarez, so many more. 

Zoo critters, dozens of Community 

Arts Theater Society (CATS) shows, museum 

stamp mill, rodeos, water slide, you 

name it and it’s probably been on the front 

cover of Big Bear Today. Even dog sled 

races! Always in color as we were the first 

print publication in Big Bear to use it. Even 

my kids back when they were little, Mike 

on a waverunner and Kevin the old hang 

gliding simulator, were covers. 

Loren Hafen carving the lake on a 

single water ski and one hand was the second 

cover (see ad on page 19) and it turned 

out well, the bright colors of his wetsuit 

reflecting off the water, a big thing for 

newspaper printing at the time. Thirty years 

later, his daughter Lindsay graces this 

month’s front page, playing on one of her 

dad’s waverunners. You know you’re getting 

up there when kids of people you put 

on the cover are now on it! 

Digging through the archives for this 

anniversary issue has been a real trip down 

memory lane. Phil Mahre is another Olympian 

pictured on the front cover, back when 

the Pro Ski Tour visited Snow Summit. We 

were there when he put on the most awesome 

show on the snow, blowing past the 

competition to take the big check. 

Glen Plake made the cover twice, 

when his Hot Dog ski tour came to Bear 

Mountain in 1997 and the following year. 

First cover was of the mohawk master soaring 

downhill, the second featured him doing 

a pole stand. You read that right, he 

propped himself up on his poles. 

Next up on the cover list: the new zoo. 

Hope it doesn’t take 30 years to happen! 

Have a good one. 

Marcus 

ON THE COVER: Lindsay Hafen shows how to beat the July heat on a waverunner, while 

Big Bear Today celebrates 30 years of publishing in your favorite mountain town. 

Volume 31, Number 1 July 2019 

4 

5 

8 

10 

20 

Publisher 

Marcus G. Dietz 

Associate Publisher 

Sandra L. Dietz 

Publishing Consultant 

Bret Colson 

Technical Consultant 

Charles Dietz 

Photography 

Steve Dietz 

John Daskam 

Mark Gauger 

In This Issue... 


Waverunners the Way to Play in the Spray 

Become one with Big Bear Lake on a waverunner from Get 

Wet Water Sports Center. Rides sit up to three comfortable so 

parents can go together or bring alonng a kid or two. A few 

minutes jumping waves and darting back and forth is a great 

way to beat the heat. As are water ski and wakeboard rides, 

tube pulls and other ways to play...Pirate ship too! 

New Summer Trail at Snow Summit 

The first of two trails set to open this summer at Snow 

Summit debuted in June. The Bobsled Trail is a fun hike for 

the whole family—catch it at the resort’s base area for free or 

take Scenic Skychair to the top and hike down. And a second 

black diamond for mountain bikers is coming soon! 

Ren Faire, Brewsfest, Crafts & Cranks’ 

The suds will be flowing at some great July events. 

Renaissance Faire’s four-weekend run begins July 20-21, 

Wyatt’s hosts `Spirits of the West’ Brewsfest with family fun, 

and at Snow Summit Crafts & Cranks features mountain bike 

racing and riding, beer tasting and carnival rides. 

Jefferson Starship, Ted Nugent at Cave 

Two rock heavyweights take The Cave stage in July but 

they’re not the only top shows The Cave is hosting. Comedian 

Pauly Shore is set to crack audiences up and awesome 

tributes to Tom Petty and Santana are also on tap. Plus 

Metalachi, where metal meets mariachi. And Hinder... 

Ecology Lesson, Hiking on Woodland Trail 

Learn while you beat feet on the family-friendly Woodland 

Interpretive Trail on the North Shore. Pick up a free guide to 

the numbered posts along the trail at the Discovery Center and 

identify a 1,500-year-old tree, animal highways and native 

pine trees and oaks. We bring it to you, on The Back Page. 

Discovery Center kayak and canoe tours 

are back. See page 17. 

DEPARTMENTS 

2 

3 

15 

17 

From the Publisher 

Potpourri 

New! Area Map/ 

Calendar of Events 

The Almanac 

Big Bear's most complete 

listings for recreation, 

dining, and more. 

Big Bear Today is a monthly magazine covering recreation, 

dining, nightlife, and events in Big Bear. Reproduction of any 

material, without the express written consent of the Publisher, 

is prohibited. Advertising/editorial, call Big Bear Today at (909) 

585-5533. Mailing address: PO Box 3180, Big Bear City, CA, 

92314. Fax: (909) 585-9359. E-Mail: bigbeartoday@verizon.net. 

Member, Big Bear Visitor Bureau and Big Bear Chamber of 

Commerce. Internet Address: bigbeartodaymag.com 

Production: Offset printing by G.W. Reed Printing, Inc. 

Color prepress by 2-Bit Studio. 

Manuscripts and Art: Contributions are welcome. Big 

Bear Today is not responsible nor liable for unsolicited 

manuscripts or art. Materials received will not be returned. 

© Copyright 2019 Big Bear Today

Big Bear Today July 2019—Page 3 

POTPOURRI 

See Southland’s best free show on land or lake! 

Fireworks, BBQ, 

`Boom’ on July 4th 

From lakeside to high above the water 

at the Snow Summit ski slopes, on a 

beach or on a boat, there are several places 

to see Big Bear’s epic fireworks show over 

the lake as the Valley celebrates 243 years 

of American independence. 

Rotary Club’s annual Fireworks 

Show over the 

lake is on July 4. 

The show has been 

named Southern 

California’s best 

free show with 

some $70,000 in 

pyrotechnics set to 

be fired, including 

several 10-inch 

shells. Each burst 

lights up the sky 

and water below to 

create a visual 

spectacular that 

stadium shows 

can’t duplicate. 

Any location 

around the lake affords 

viewing. 

There’s 2,000 

bursts during the 

grand finale alone. Tune into KBHR 93.3 

FM to hear patriotic music synchronized 

to each shell for a treat for the ears as well 

as the eyes. 

Front row seating for the fireworks is 

at the annual Rotary Best View BBQ 

lakeside at Marina Resort. There’s DJ 

Evan, midway games, bounce houses and 

dunk tank for kids, and great barbecue and 

beer and wine garden. Then after dark the 

best seat for the fireworks show. Including 

exclusive viewing of pieces from a second 

barge only Best View BBQ guests see! 

Gates open at noon with food service 

from 4:30-7:30 p.m. $27 includes entry and 

choice of hamburger, hot dog or barbecue 

Rotary’s spectacular fireworks show 

chicken sandwich meal, or $34 buys baby 

back ribs, all prepared by Barnstorm Restaurant. 

Reserved seating is $50. Child’s 

hot dog meal $20. Beer and wine available 

at the Hydration Station. Bring your 

own lawn chairs and blankets. Call (800) 

4- BIG BEAR 

Miss Liberty has prime fireworks 

viewing sailing out of Pine Knot Marina 

at 8 p.m. Guests see each burst from right 

below aboard the lake’s largest tour boat. 

$85 includes dinner 

by Boneside Down 

BBQ and a drink 

ticket, beer and 

wine for purchase. 

(909) 866-8129. 

Big Bear 

Queen also has fireworks 

cruise at 8:30 

out of Big Bear Marina. 

Captain Chris 

Bellows knows the 

best spots and the 

boat’s capacity is 

cut in half to afford 

prime viewing. Cost 

is $50 and includes 

light snacks—bring 

your own favorite 

beverages, as always 

the case on 

Big Bear Queen. 

(909) 866-3219. 

Time Bandit Pirate Ship sails from 

Holloway’s Marina at 8 p.m. Full cocktails 

and pirate crew add to the festivities. Call 

(909) 866-5706. Or book your own pontoon 

rental with a few of Holloway’s 

luxury boats still available at press time. 

See the fireworks from atop Snow 

Summit at Above the Boom. The party 

starts with Skychair ride and 5:30 p.m. barbecue 

at Hog on the Rocks. There’s live 

music plus bounce house, face painting and 

free hot chocolate for the kids. $65 adults, 

$39 ages 5-12, four and under $15. (844) 

GO2-BEAR. 

Soaring Eagle, water slide, more plus lunch just $24.99! 

Play all day for $25 

on July 11 Slide Day 

Enjoy a full day of play for less than 

$20—including lunch!—when Big Bear’s 

Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain hosts its 

annual summer “Slide Day” with KOLA- 

FM on Thursday, July 11. 

For just $24.99 Slide Day guests receive 

an all-day water slide pass—a $15 

value in itself—plus two trips down the 

signature Alpine Slide bobsleds and one 

flight on the new Soaring Eagle. Along 

with a spin on the Putt `N Around Go- 

Karts, and 18 holes on the adjoining miniature 

golf course. The Slide Day deal even 

includes hot dog, soda and bag of chips for 

lunch. It’s a $60-plus value. 

Check out the new Soaring Eagle, first 

one in California, which takes riders on a 

thrilling 500 ft. descent during a zipline- 

type experience. Riders sit instead of lie 

down and travel up to the top tower backwards! 

Then they fly almost two football 

fields in distance during a 125 foot descent 

that reaches speeds up to 26 mph. 

Slide Day guests also beat the heat 

with unlimited trips down the double water 

slide. The signature Alpine Slide, oneof-a-kind 

ride that closely duplicates Olympic 

bobsledding, is a blast as riders on sleds 

they control tdescend two quarter-mile long 

cement tracks with banked turns and long 

straightaways. 

Slide Day guests also receive a round 

on the Putt `N Around miniature golf course, 

plus a turn on the oval go-kart track. KOLA- 

FM radio will be on hand for an on-air 

remote broadcast on Alpine Slide’s recently 

expanded sundeck. 

Alpine Slide is on Big Bear Blvd. 1/4 

mile west of the Village. (909) 866-4626. 

Pontoon Boat Rentals 

Pirate Ship 

Lake Tours 

Holloway’s 

MARINA & RV PARK 

800-448-5335 

2 4 4 2 3 2 7 

Fishing 

Boats 

LAKESIDE RV CAMPING 

• Waverunners & Jet Skis 

• SUPs-Stand Up Paddleboards 

• Wake Boarding / Waterskiing 

909.866.5706 

1/2 mile north of Big Bear Blvd. on Edgemoor 

2 miles west of the Village (turn at Log Cabin Restaurant) 

3 miles east of the dam 

www.HollowaysMarina.com


Play in the spray on waverunners 


There’s no better way to beat the heat 

in Big Bear than splishing and 

splashing through the spray on a 

waverunner. 

Just like riding a motorbike, only wetter. 

Dart back and forth, jump a wave, dive 

through the spray, there’s infinite ways to 

play on a waverunner. And unlike the old 

stand-up jet ski of yesteryear that was hard 

to get on and strictly a solo experience, 

waverunners today seat up to three and can 

be more of a family affair. 

Which makes the lake experience 

more personal than, say, renting a pontoon 

or fishing boat. On those you get to see the 

lake; aboard a waverunner you taste it! 

Boats bring you out on the lake; 

waverunners take you into it as you splash 

over waves and through the mist, surrounded 

by millions of droplets of water, 

evidenced by this month’s front cover featuring 

Lindsay Hafen.. And with machines 

that accommodate one, two, three, even up 

to four riders, the more that come along, 

the merrier. 

The whole family gets in on the fun 

aboard standard and deluxe four seater Sea 

Doos and Yamaha SUVs available for 

rental from Get Wet Water Sports Center, 

at Holloway’s Marina and North Shore 

Landing. Mom, dad and a couple kids can 

play in the spray and make some real family 

memories together. 

“Yamaha SUVs are the most reliable 

and fun machines we have,” said Loren 

Hafen of Get Wet Water Sports. “Three- 

seaters tend to be the most popular rentals 

for groups or even solo riders. Friends and 

family can go out with two, come back and 

change out riders, and do it over again. Dad 

and two kids is a perfect combination— 

you’ll have a ball.” 

Personal watercraft have come a long 

way since the days of the stand-up jet ski, 

which required skill to ride. Sit-down versions 

bring the sport to the masses; if you 

can ride a bike, you can ride a waverunner. 

Four-stroke (or cycle) waverunners are 

clearly the machines of choice for lake enthusiasts. 

Four-cycles have about 20% 

more power than twos, nice at Big Bear’s 

Lake’s 6,750 ft. elevation, and they’re so 

stable they exude a feeling of confidence 

riders pick up on. 

Best of all, four-cycles are friendlier 

to the environment, which is why they were 

introduced to the market in the first place; 

cleaner burning four-strokes are mandatory 

on other lakes including Tahoe, though not 

Big Bear. Almost every machine in Get 

Wet’s ample waverunner inventory is a 

four-stroke; only a couple twos remain. 

“It’s like driving a Mercedes,” Hafen 

said. “They’re well-balanced, powerful, 

smooth to drive. They’ve proven to last and 

be just as strong and as comfortable as 

when they were brand new.” 

Surf, wake, tube, water ski, even skate, 

there are many other ways to play one the 

lake too. Age and ability level don’t matter; 

if you want to beat the heat with a little 

lake play in the spray, there’s a ride for you 

Lindsay Hafen shows 

how to ride a waverunner 

(top); tube 

tows are a blast too 

at Get Wet out of 

Holloway’s Marina 

and North Shore 

Landing. 

Tubing has long 

been a favorite with 

families on the lake, 

but long gone are traditional 

black inner 

tubes. Rides have 

gone high tech with 

heavy duty designs like Get Wet’s Big Bertha, 

equipped with nonslip cushioned 

handles with padded knuckle guard, able 

to carry multiple riders but still great for 

fun-filled solo rides. Riders have handles 

to hold on to as they whip back and forth 

behind the boat, into and out of the wake 

and can stay on longer. 

Get Wet has taught wakeboarding and 

water skiing for decades, introducing 

countless thousands to the lake. When 

wakeboarding arrived on the scene it 

quickly became summer’s equivalent to 

snowboarding with jumps and spins, grabs, 

big air, even inverts. 

Get Wet has boats designed specifically 

for water sports with tower-mounted 

ropes and Perfect Pass speed systems that 

allow the driver to dial in the speed best 

suited for the boarder. And the best part is 

that Get Wet includes free lessons with every 

ride if desired. 

Holloway’s Marina also offers daily 

pirate ship tours aboard Time Bandit, a onethird 

size replica of a 17th century Span- 

Continued on page 16


Summit opens trail, another coming 

Snow Summit has opened a new hiking 

trail and another mountain bike path is 

coming soon. 

The Bobsled Trail opened at the resort 

last month and can be used by all visitors 

free of charge—provided they want 

to go uphill. The 1.45 mile trail, which runs 

from Snow Summit’s peak to the base area, 

has about 1,200 ft. elevation gain. Hikers 

can climb from the bottom for free or pay 

to ride the Scenic Skychair to the top where 

the trail is virtually all downhill. 

Bobsled trail was constructed with 

minimal impact and no trees were removed 

or streams crossed. It’s sloped to help prevent 

erosion and only about .13 acres of 

previously undisturbed land were affected 

by the trail’s construction. Bobsled is the 

first of two trails set to open this summer 

at Snow Summit, the next being 10-ply, a 

1.5-mile double black mountain biking trail 

expected to open late July. 

The summer trail map at Snow Sum- 

Mountain bike race, beer festival, live 

music, even carnival rides. 

The 5th annual Crafts & Cranks returns 

to Snow Summit July 20-21 with all 

of the above and more. The one-of-a-kind 

event features serious mountain bike competition 

with some of the world’s top pros 

vying for a huge cash purse that last year 

was $43,500, largest on the West Coast. 

Races include California Endoro Series 

and State cross-country championships, 

Endurance #6 series final and Snow Summit 

downhll series final. 

Sample 40-plus craft beers from over 

a dozen of Southern California’s favorite 

breweries from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Big-name 

live music—last year featured 

Guttermouth—carnival rides like ferris 

wheel and Tornado, vendor village and 

more round out Crafts & Cranks. And if 

that’s not enough, there’s Base Camp attractions 

along with Scenic Skychair. 

FREE 

Bowling! 

mit looks a lot like the winter one, showing 

just how far mountain biking at the resort 

has come after the downhill bike park 

was reintroduced. Snow Summit’s other 

three top-to-bottom trails already offer 

challenging terrain with professional design 

by Gravity Logic. The park sports 

freshly-cut berms, snakes and non-dirt features 

like bridges, paver-lined turns and 

drops, long straights and switchbacks. 

Yet Bike Park isn’t just all hardcore. 

Novices start out at the base area where 

Small Wonder, a modest gravity-fed trail 

about a half-mile in length, serves up all 

the features riders encounter in Bike Park. 

The ride presents an organic singletrack 

feel with little pedaling or braking down a 

gentle 6% grade serviced by Chair 4, the 

popular beginner lift in winter. The halfmile 

trail offers terrain features too, from 

progressive paver turns and dirt berm to 

baby rock garden and small wood feature. 

At the base area Basecamp is a great 

Racing, brews, rides at Crafts & Cranks 

Crafts & Cranks admission is free. 

Beer tasting tickets, which include souvenir 

event glass, and carnival passes available 

for purchase. 

July 20 is also International Ride 

Mountain Bike Day at Snow Summit with 

free lift tickets, clinics, music and more. 

There’s free bike park lift tickets for the 

first 100 guests onsite at the Fox Racing 

booth. There’s also a free two hour basic 

bike park clinic. Free showing of the 

Redbull movie “Reverence: a Journey into 

Fear” is at 8:30 p.m. 

The official holiday of mountain biking, 

celebrated every year on July 20, features 

decentralized, community based 

events around the globe. Mountain bike 

brands, media, professionals, retailers, 

parks and local riders show their support 

for the sport with group rides, fundraisers, 

races and demos. 

Call (844) GO-2-BEAR 

With this ad buy 2 games per person at 

regular price and your 3rd game is FREE! 

(Not valid when on wait list) 

Sports Bar, Arcade, Pizza, Burgers, More! 

GLOW BOWLING NIGHTLY! 

New Lazer Maze Attraction! 

The BOWLING BARN 

40625 BIG BEAR BLVD. • 878-BOWL (2695) 

THERE’S ALWAYS A PARTY AT THE BOWLING BARN! BBT—35 

Snow Summit’s new 1.45 mile Bobsled Trail, first of two to open this summer 

FREE WIFI 

CLOSE TO 

VILLAGE, 

LAKE & 

DINING 

Big Bear’s 

Largest Pool 

place to spend the day with unique attractions. 

Quick Jump serves up the sensation 

of freefalling before slowly setting adrenaline 

junkies on the ground. Soar through 

the trees on the zipline, scale heights on 

the 30-foot climbing wall and bounce on 

Eurobungy. Bighorn Smokehouse is open 

with delicious barbecue. 

Scenic Skychair isn’t just for twowheelers; 

two-footers have fun too, riding 

to the 8,200 ft. summit. Sightseers are 

treated to panoramic views of the lake, 

desert and surrounding mountains during 

their leisurely 20-minute chairlift trip 

through the forest to Summit’s summit. 

At the top enjoy the Mountain Top 

Loop, a gentle one-mile walk at the top that 

starts and ends at Skyline Tap House. Have 

lunch on the mountaintop outdoor sun deck 

with goodies from the grill and cold beverages. 

Play a game on the highest horseshoe 

pit in Southern California or just soak 

up views of snow-covered 11,502 ft. Mt. 

San Gorgonio across the way. 

Snow Summit hosts its after dark 

“Movies in the Meadow” series with free 

family-friendly films at 8 p.m. under the 

stars. Limited seating is available or bring 

your own chair and blankets and watch favorite 

flicks on the huge inflatable screen. 

The July 6 offering is “Trolls.” Bighorn 

Smokehouse stays open for concessions. 

Purchase Bike Park and Skychair 

tickets at least 72 hours in advance and save 

20%. Basecamp attractions can be purchased 

individually or day passes offer 

unlimited use. 

Call (844) GO-2-BEAR. 

bigbeartodaymag.com 

(Offer Good Sunday-Thursday / non-holiday) 

Motel Rooms $69 

with Fireplace & Queen Bed 

Spa Rooms $110 

with Cozy Fireplace 

Spa Cabins Too! 

with Fireplace, private deck 

and Outdoor Spa (800) 255-4378 

local (909) 866-2166 

41121 Big Bear Blvd. • Big Bear Lake, CA 92315 

www.BlackForestLodge.com


Sunsets, 2 p.m. Queen tours sure bets 

There’s plenty of ways to celebrate 

Independence Day before and after the fireworks 

light up the sky on July 4. 

4th of July Fun Run at Meadow Park 

has opening ceremonies befitting the 

nation’s birthday. During the 8:55 a.m. national 

anthem there’s a flyover with two 

Super Hornet jets! U.S. Marine Corp Color 

Guard presents the colors. 

Then it’s time for 5/10/15K runs along 

mostly level terrain at 9 a.m. for families 

with strollers on up to competitive runners. 

Awards ceremony is at 11 and there’s also 

costume contest. Custom medals for all finishers 

too. RunBigBear.com. veteran assisting 

nonprofit Run Far. 

25th Annual Independence Day 

Fair is a fun-filled day under the pines at 

the Convention Center with live music, 

high altitude beer garden, family activities 

NEW 

WEBSITE 

Live weather! 

Photo Gallery! 

PDF Reader! 

parts Big Bear Marina at 6:30 p.m., even 

as other boaters are calling it a day. Typically 

the breeze dies as the star drops, the 

water settles down a bit and it’s a great time 

to see the lake sights and sites. 

Romantic in scope and a favorite with 

couples who want to chat or cuddle, Saturday 

sunset cruises feature scaled down 

narration by Chris Bellows, the lake’s most 

experienced captain, that’s heard on daily 

lake tours. As with other Queen tours 

guests can bring their own beer, wine 

(there’s a corkscrew on board), champagne 

or cocktails. 

Fun Run, Craft Faire on July 4 

and shopping from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Arts and 

crafts booths feature unique one-of-a-kind 

items including wire-wrap jewelry, home 

and garden decor, candles, homemade 

jams, health products, toys, vintage clothing 

and much more. Watch as many crafters 

make their wares onsite. 

Enjoy cold beer, wine and cocktails 

while listening to entertainment bythe 

Cassandra Long Band on the outside 

Wyatt’s stage. For youngsters there’s 

bounce house, balloon artist, arts and crafts 

and a variety of tasty treats. 

Wyatt’s will be serving its famous 

western menu featuring half-pound Angus 

burgers, pound of wings, mound of nachos, 

shaved ice, hot dogs and more. Admission 

is free. 

The Convention Center is on Big Bear 

Blvd. at Division. Call (909) 585-3000. 

If you can’t pick us up ... then click us up! 

Monthly! 

Your Best Source for activities and happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area 

Summer! 

Fall! 

Winter! 

See sunsets and sights during Big Bear Queen lake tours 

The boat provides meat, cheese, 

cracker and vegetable trays at the stern on 

sunset tours. Saturday sunset cruises cost 

$25 and are from July 6- August 31. 

The other sure bet is Big Bear Queen’s 

2 p.m. tour, guaranteed to sail every day 

of the week even if you’re the only person 

on board. The recently-refurbished 60-passenger 

paddlewheeler sails daily with the 

longest running guaranteed tours on the 

lake and has served as the perfect introduction 

to Big Bear for countless guests. 

The Bellows spiel started with Chris’ 

late father Dave, who was a longtime Big 

Bear Queen captain; the Queen brand has 

Xeriscape Garden Tour 

See gardening with minimal water on 

the 17th annual Xeriscape Garden Tour set 

for Saturday, July 20. 

The tour will include the DWP’s 

Xeriscape Demonstration Garden, with 

native plant expert Orchid Black on hand 

to answer questions, plus a new DWP 

Demonstration Garden that will make its 

debut this year. Other popular features include 

the Firewise home, the Expo and 

plant/seed giveaway, and People’s Choice 

voting. 

Start the self-guided tour between 9 

a.m. and noon at Eminger’s Nursery 

(41223 Big Bear Blvd.) with a free tour 

booklet. Call (909) 547-2237. 


There aren’t many sure bets in this 

world, but a spectacular sunset during a 

Saturday evening tour aboard Big Bear 

Queen is one of them. The only question 

mark is to the degree of spectacular. 

Is it one of the stunning yellow-togold-to 

orange sky shows many evenings 

serve up? Or is it something more spectacular, 

perhaps augmented by cloud cover 

or smog in the distant horizon to add hues 

of purple and magenta to the color palette? 

In any case enjoying the lake when it 

is at its finest on Saturday sunset cruises is 

a summer highlight. Big Bear Queen debeen 

touring Big Bear Lake since 1965, 

and captains with the last name Bellows 

have guided most of them. The Bellows 

family has been around since 1924. 

Now Chris, who has skippered on the 

lake for over a quarter-century, not just the 

Queen but also Pine Knot Landing’s original 

Sierra, is at the helm. The Queen sails 

by the Zebra Room, Papoose Bay’s luxury 

estates on one side and Forest Lease homes 

on the other, Solar Observatory and more. 

Big Bear Queen isn’t the largest boat 

on the water, which allows her to go where 

others can’t. Guests are right above the 

water and can occasionally taste the spray 

and hear the waves splash against the bow. 

It’s an intimate, relaxed way to see sights. 

With its bright flags flapping in the 

breeze, Big Bear Queen has plyed the lake 

waters for well over three decades since 

arriving from Newport Beach. The boat 

was recently spruced up with new carpet, 

paint and trim and down below plus framed 

old time photos depicting the lake history 

Bellows so entertainingly presents. Plus 

there’s an onboard potty and open bow. 

Big Bear Queen sails daily at 2, plus 

noon and 4 p.m. (10 passenger minimum). 

Daily fares are $20, 65 and over $18, 12 

and under $14, under 4 free. 

Big Bear Marina (909) 866-3218. 


Lake Activities 

Boating • Fishing • Hiking 

Biking & Special Events 

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Join the Two Month long Celebration 

with all the insider information. 

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• Lodging • Attractions • Much More! 

All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com 

18


Sky-high challenge on ropes course 

Suspension bridges, ropes, spinning 

log, even zip line. From every platform 

there’s several different ways to proceed. 

All up to 35 feet off the ground! 

Big Bear Ropes Course, a state-of-theart 

family-friendly aerial adventure, is set 

to open this month. There’s two stories of 

challenges in the 6,400 sq. ft. structure, sure 

to satisfy the Ninja warrior in all of us as 

participants ranging from small children to 

adults climb, trek, stretch and balance their 

way through an array of obstacles. 

Unlike Ninjas, guests are wearing 

five-point, full-body safety harnesses that 

are tethered into the structure, so there’s 

zero chance of falling as they navigate obstacles 

like spinning log or a variety of rope 

challenges. Many of the 42 elements featured 

on the towering ropes course are exposed 

to nothing but air. 

There’s curved bars that adventurers 

must wind their way around and swinging 

steps. Along with a variety of suspension 

bridges, some with wide-open gaps and 

others dangling ropes to grasp onto. Even 

an 80-foot descent on the Sky Rail zipline 

with automatic braking. 

“There’s no set path or course to take,” 

said Scott Voigt of Big Bear Ropes Course. 

“When you step on each platform you can 

go in any direction so there’s literally unlimited 

ways to go through. Guests can try 

to do all the obstacles or just focus on the 

ones they like best.” 

The advanced safety 

system is unique. A slider 

“puck” attached to the 

safety harness that can 

only be inserted or removed 

by a certified operator 

is locked into a continuous 

belay track system 

that follows participants 

through every station. 

“Our ropes course is 

engineered for the highest 

standards of safety,” Voigt 

said. 

Up to 24 can experience self-guided 

ropes course at one time with each 20- 

minute session just $12. Operators are on 

the course at all times for participants who 

need assistance. All users must be at least 

42” tall and under 48” must be accompanied 

by an adult. Maximum weight 300 lbs. 

After climbing try your hand at racing 

high-tech Sodi Karts around a one-fifth 

mile Grand Prix-style track. Tires squeal 

in the turns and engines roar as drivers push 

the karts to the limit in a real Go-Pro experience 

while hitting speeds up to 30 mph. 

Tecpro barriers used in Formula 1 and circuits 

around the world line the track to 

make the experience even more authentic. 

These aren’t your parent’s go-karts 

from yesteryear; Sodi’s RT8 is a fully featured 

vehicle with self-adjusting hydraulic 

brakes and vacuum fuel pumps that 

come straight from the automotive industry. 

The karts handle like race cars and the 

Honda Whisper Motors generate amazing 

power, enough for cars to lay rubber 

through turns though virtually impossible 

to roll. 

The pit crew waves drivers onto the 

track in staggered starts, no more than 11 

cars per heat. First lap is not timed so racers 

can get a feel for the car and track. Timing 

starts with the second lap and drivers 

get about seven to nine laps or more depending 

on how fast they go. At the end of 

Play Ninja warrior at Big Bear Ropes Course, when dozens of challenges await 

the heat drivers are waved in to the pit area 

where they get a printout of their time and 

the six fastest times in the heat. 

Initial Big Bear Speedway membership 

is $20 (double kart $25) which includes 

license valid for one year, one race 

and mandatory head sock worn under the 

helmet. Subsequent visits cost $15 per race 

or buy credits stored on your license for a 

year and save up to 30%. 

Big Bear Ropes Course/Speedway is 

at 42825 Big Bear Blvd. (909) 585-0075.


Jousts, jests at 18th Renaissance Faire 


There’s new dates but it’s the same 

fun event when Big Bear Renaissance 

returns for four time-traveling weekends 

beginning July 20-21. 

Return to days of yore with period 

grub, grog and merriment on the beautiful 

north shore of Big Bear Lake in Fawnskin 

at historic Pedersen Sawmill. An exciting, 

vibrant Renaissance village springs up 

among towering pine trees four 

consecutive weekends from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

starting July 20-21 and continuing July 27- 

28, August 3-4 and 10-11. 

There’s knights jousting on horseback 

in live competition, archery tournament, 

live steel battle, Queen Elizabeth’s Royal 

Court and Midsummer Fairy Forest 

South Pacific in Concert 

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic 

South Pacific comes to the Big Bear stage 

in concert form for six shows at the Performing 

Arts Center July 5-7 and 12-14. 

Big Bear Theatre Project presents the 

tale of two parallel love stories on an island 

paradise during World War II with 

limited dialogue. Instead the focus is on 

the sweeping musical score that garnered 

ten Tony Awards, featuring songs like “I’m 

Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My 

Hair,” “Some Enchanted Evening,” “There 

is Nothing Like a Dame” and many more. 

Tickets are priced between $10-$20 

and are available at the PAC box office; 

call (909) 866-4970. 

Children’s area. The days of William 

Shakespeare and the Renaissance are 

presented with nonstop entertainment by 

strolling entertainers, stage performances 

with belly dancers, jugglers, musicians and 

singers, beautiful crafts and plenty of 

period food and drink. 

Thrill to live jousting courtesy of the 

Imperial Knights. This is no dinner show 

but rather live contact action with no 

predetermined winner. Wearing 130 lbs. 

of armor is just the beginning; each 

competitor peers through a quarter-inch 

slit in their helmet, staring down a foe atop 

a 2,000 lb. horse just as they are. 

When they charge head-on the ground 

shudders and their solid hemlock lances 

often break and yes, occasionally so do 

bones. It’s full contact action at its best. 

Nonstop entertainment on five stages 

includes Joust Kidding, a high energy 

singing group featuring a stage full of 

pirates. Along with Cutthroat Reef, a crew 

of about a dozen pirate, gypsy and rover 

musicians who put on a different show 

every time with traditional and original 

drinking songs and sea shanties. 

Others include gypsy-style folk-rock 

band Gallows Humor . Black Rose features 

Celtic music by talented performer Kris 

Colt. Musicians and magicians, singers, 

jugglers and belly dancers also perform. 

Of course there’s plenty of good grub 

and grog, with suds freely flowing and 

turkey legs to gnaw, pig on a stick, 

bratwurst and more traditional tastes like 

Live contact jousting at Renaissance Faire with the Imperial Knights 

sandwiches, gyros and tacos. Enjoy a 

chocolatada, a thick Spanish drink usually 

served hot made with melted chocolate, 

nutmeg, cinnamon and other spices, with 

Queen Isabel. This version is poured over 

ice to cool it for warm mountain days but 

otherwise it’s a beverage straight out of the 

history books. 

For a medieval shopping experience 

visit the marketplace with dozens of 

merchants presenting wares from ere and 

yon, ranging from Renaissance clothing 

to pewter steins, tarts, scents, oils, 

ceramics and much more. 

Themed weekends include Time 

Travelers on July 20-21 filled with period 

fun and Pirate Invasion July 27-28 when 

scallywags show how to become Jack 

Sparrow. Game of Thrones weekend 

follows Aug. 3-4 and Heroes and Villains 

closes out the Faire on Aug. 10-11 

Daily Faire admission is $18 for 

adults, or $30 buys a weekend pass good 

for both days. Season passes valid all four 

weekends are $120. Senior/student/ 

military admission is $15 daily, $24 

weekends and $90 season pass, 3 and 

under free. 

Call (800) 4-BIG BEAR or 

bigbearrenfaire.org. 

Click Us Up! 


"Still haunted by our Ghost George" 

Fine Dining in a Rustic Stone & Log Retreatt 

Fine Steaks • Seafood • Prime Rib • Lobster 

Happy Hour Specials! 

Sunday-Friday 4:30 — 6 pm 

Enjoy Great Food 

in a Historic Setting 

with a Cozy Fireplace 

www.CaptainsAnchorage.com 

Est. 1947 by Andy Devine 

as the Sportsmans Tavern 

Advance Reservations 

Recommended 

Enjoy Cocktails in 

"Andy Devine's Room" 

Rare Photos, Memorabilia, 

and More!


Western weekend with Brewsfest, bull 

Celebrate the hardworking American 

cowboy with a three-day action 

packed weekend of family western 

fun on July 26-28 highlighted by Spirits 

of the West Brewsfest, mechanical bull 

riding and Sunday Cowboy Brunch. 

Wyatt’s Grill and Saloon at the Convention 

Center celebrates National Day of 

the Cowboy with three big days of Wild 

West fun. Start Friday with “Bucks for 

Bucks” mechanical bull riding competition. 

Teams of four and individuals compete 

for style points—most unique ride 

wins. 

There’s also live music with South of 

Santa Fe, country dancing with free lessons 

and kids zone. Admission is free with 

proceeds benefitting Big Bear Museum. 

Then it’s the showcase event, 

Saturday’s 8th annual Spirits of the West 

Brewsfest. Gates open at 1 p.m. with a full 

slate of activities to commemorate Big 

Bear’s western heritage that dates back to 

the late 1800’s, which included cattle 

drives up to the mountains from the deserts 

of Palm Springs, Morongo and Yucca basins. 

Temecula Action Gunfighters perform 

four live western shootouts with heroes 

and villains throughout the day. 

Ages 21 and over can sample more 

than 50 beers and spirits from 1-6 p.m. 

Brewsfest has become one of the 

mountain’s largest sampling events and includes 

whiskey, tequila and bourbon. Participating 

breweries include Warsteiner and 

Paulaner of Oktoberfest fame, Golden 

Road, Chihuahua, Hangar, St. Archer, 

Firestone, Hop Valley, Garage Brewing Co. 

and Ace Ciders. 

Live music begins at 2 p.m. and continues 

well into the night. Headliner Sligo 

Rags, named one of the top acoustic bands 

in Los Angeles and 

two-time winner of 

the Orange County 

Music Award Best 

Folk Band, takes the 

Wyatt’s Stage. Songs 

like “The Whiskey 

Never Lies” and “The 

Night Before the 

Morning After” are favorites 

and fiddler 

Michael Kelly is renowned. 

Local favorite 

Terry McRaven 

performs on the Beer 

Mechanical bull riding and action shooting at Spirits of the West Brewsfest 

Garden stage in the sampling area. 

There’s contests like watermelon eating 

and boot toss plus bull riding. Little 

buckaroos will enjoy the kids zone with 

inflatables plus facepainting and horseshoe 

decorating. Western vendors will be 

on hand and the Sheriff’s Posse will deputize 

youngsters. 

Brewsfest admission is $5, free ages 

16 and under. Special sample kits with 

commemorative pint glass are $12 with individual 

sampling tickets a dollar each for 

beers and $3 for spirits. There’s a selection 

of non-alcoholic beverages for the under 

21 crowd as well. 

Complimentary take-home shuttle 

service begins at 7 p.m. with door-to-door 

service within Big Bear Valley. Sampling 

proceeds benefit American Legion Riders 

Post $584 Big Bear. 

Sunday wraps up the big weekend 

with Cowboy Brunch at Wyatt’s with special 

breakfast menu and no waiting in line. 

The Good Courage Ranch Bloody Mary 

bar and bottomless mimosas are highlights 

along with live music. 

The National Day of the Cowboy organization, 

founded in June 2005 with official 

resolution passed the U.S. Senate a 

month later, seeks to preserve America’s 

cowboy heritage for future generations. 

Wyatt’s is open Wednesdays with DJ 

Evan for country dancing and Fridays and 

Saturdays with live bands on the outdoor 

stage. Born Country and Terry McRaven 

Band play July 5-6, Southbound and South 

of Santa Fe July 12-13, and Jimi Nelson 

Band and Born Country July 19-20. 

Convention Center is on Big Bear 

Blvd. at Division. (909) 585-3000.


Starship, Nugent, Pauly Shore at Cave 

R 

ock legends Jefferson Starship and 

Ted Nugent. Comedian Pauly 

Shore. Even country and “metal 

mariachi” nights. 

Musical fireworks will be going off 

all month long at The Cave Big Bear, the 

intimate concert venue where audiences 

are up close and personal with the music. 

There’s a terrific tribute to the All-American 

music of the late Tom Petty, rock favorites 

Hinder and more, with every seat 

front and center, dance floor inches from 

the stage, plus great food and full bar including 

craft beers and wines. 

THE PETTY BREAKERS present 

an awesome tribute to the late artist on July 

5. The band has been playing Tom Petty’s 

endless hits for a decade, earning a reputation 

as the country’s top tribute to Petty 

and his band the Heartbreakers. That’s saying 

something, for Petty defined rock and 

roll for four decades, tallying ten #1 hits 

and 28 overall in the Top Ten. 

The PettyBreakers replicate all the hit 

songs, from “Refugee,” “Here Comes My 

Girl” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream” to 

“Free Fallin’ ” and “Don’t Come Around 

Here No More.” Even “Handle With Care” 

from Petty’s Traveling Wilburys days. The 

band has thrilled audiences at the 2018 Major 

League Baseball All-Star game and venues 

across the country. 

All the members have played and recorded 

with international artists and their 

performance on AXS-TV’s “The World’s 

Greatest Tribute Bands” rocked. Lead 

singer Ozzie Mancinelli even looks like 

Petty and sounds so much like him it is 

incredible. Tickets start at $18. 

METALACHI returns to The Cave 

on July 6, mixing heavy metal and mariachi 

to create the world’s first and only heavy 

metal mariachi band. Rock favorites like 

“Iron Man,” “The Immigrant Song,” “Enter 

Sandman,” “Crazy Train,” “Sweet 

Child O’ Mine” and many more are infused 

with a mariachi flare to create a sound that 

has entertained audiences for a decade. 

The sound has drawn praise that 

ranges from National Public Radio, Vegas 

Seven Magazine and Good Day L.A. to 

Slayer’s Dave Lombardo, who marveled 

at the way Metalachi blends two music 

genres into one intense sound. Others raving 

about Metalachi include Billy Idol and 

Howard Stern. 

Metalachi started out as a traditional 

mariachi band, till one night when it covered 

“Iron Man” and the rest is history. The 

costumes are as outrageous as the music! 

Tickets are $20. 

CARLOS SANTANA music is on the 

bill July 13, presented by tribute band SA- 

VOR. The band pays homage to Santana’s 

40-year career by presenting songs like 

“Oye Como Va,” “Black Magic Woman,” 

“Evil Ways” and more with the precision 

and power the music warrants. Tickets are 

$15-$25. Country night kicks off the 

weekend July 12 with all tickets $10. 

JEFFERSON STARSHIP returns to 

The Cave July 19 and continues to put on 

an amazing show, even after the passing 

of founding member and Rock and Roll 

Jefferson Starship returns 

to The Cave July 19 

Hall of Famer Paul Kantner in 2016. The 

band’s lineup is otherwise virtually unchanged 

in the last decade, including 

pseudo-founding member David Freiberg, 

who is best known for writing the hit song 

“Jane,” theme song for the Netflix series 

“Motor City Madman” Ted Nugent 

makes his third visit to The Cave Big Bear 

Saturday, July 27. 

The rock legend needs little introduction, 

with hits like “Stranglehold,” “Cat 

Scratch Fever,” “Dog Eat Dog” “Great 

White Buffalo,” “Spirit of the Wild,” 

“Wango Tango” and many more. Seeing 

the rock legend in such an intimate fashion 

from feet away is a treat! 

Nugent’s music is best served up live 

and each summer he hits the road to dish it 

up to longtime fans, including his 2019 

“The Music Made Me Do It Again” tour. 

His career began as lead guitarist for 

Amboy Dukes in the 1960’s, playing 

mostly psychedelic rock, and he was also 

a member of supergroup Damn Yankees 

featuring Tommy Shaw of Styx, Jack 

Blades of Night Ranger and Michael 

Cartellone of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Nugent 

plays a little bit of all of it in his nonstop 

rocking show. 


“Wet, Hot American Summer.” 

Cathy Richardson fills Grace Slick’s 

spot as she has for over a decade now, and 

the Grammy-nominated star of “Love, 

Janis” rendition of “White Rabbit” is spine- 

Continued on page 16 

Ted Nugent rocks Cave July 27 

Nugent has sold over 40 million albums 

in his career and he shows no signs 

of slowing down with his high-octane concerts 

continuing to set attendance records 

at venues around the world. Whether he’s 

performing for 55,000 Marines and their 

families at Camp Pendleton or a USO Tour 

in the Persian Gulf, Nugent’s shows never 

disappoint. Tickets $85. (909) 878-0204


Series opens with Bee Gees Gold, AbbaFab 

Bee Gees Gold kicks off Music in the Mountains 

Take a seat under the stars as the stars 

come out on stage during “Music in the 

Mountains” outdoor concert series, which 

kicks off with two big July shows. 

Five top tribute concerts—doubleheaders 

each!—highlight the 2019 series 

at Big Bear Discovery Center’s beautiful 

outdoor amphitheater, now in its 14th year. 

The season opens July 6 with Bee Gees 

Gold with tribute to the 70’s disco giants. 

Bee Gees Gold captures the look and sound 

of the band with the great John Acosta as 

Barry Gibb. From early songs like “Massachusetts” 

and “I Started a Joke” to later 

hits “Stayin’ Alive” and “You Should Be 

Dancing” Acosta backed by live band takes 

audiences back four decades, even nailing 

the unique falsettos. 

AbbaFab opens though the band is 

headliner-quality in its own right. Take a 

musical tour of the 1970’s and 80’s with a 

multimedia production that features songs 

like “Waterloo,” ”Fernando,” “Honey 

Honey,” “Dancing Queen” and more, presented 

by the talented Anne Davies, 

Chelsea Faulds, Scotty Pearson, Nick 

Davies and a lineup of stellar musicians. 

From early hits to “Mama Mia” the 

music of Abba always entertains and 

Abbafab routinely plays sold out shows 

around the country. The members have 

toured the world as solo artists and have 

teamed to present the most entertaining 

Abba tribute that there is. 

Music in the Mountains continues two 

weeks later on July 20 with Hollywood 

U2, the only tribute to the rock icons endorsed 

by Ryan Seacrest. Hollywood U2 

is one of AXS-TV’s “World’s Greatest 

Tribute Bands” and was nominated as Best 

Tribute Artist 2014 by Los Angeles Music 

Awards. The band has performed in 

front of audiences of 10,000 or more 

around the world, from the Dominican 

Republic, Costa Rica and Panama to 

Mexico, Honduras and Singapore. 

Joseph Hier is tasked with capturing 

Bono and a couple years ago was paid the 

ultimate tribute compliment when the star 

called him on stage during a U2 concert. 

Hier teamed with Bono on “The Sweetest 

Thing” as the crowd roared. 

He duplicates songs like “With or 

Without You,” “Still Haven’t Found What 

I’m Looking For,” “One,” “Sunday 

Bloody Sunday,” and many more note-fornote. 

The band has rocked the Cave on 

previous visits and is a crowd favorite. 

Live from Earth opens with tribute to 80’s 

rocker Pat Benatar. 

The series continues August 3 when 

Turn the Page presents its amazing tribute 

to the great Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet 

Band. Sam Morrison Band presents a 

show that is much more than just a tribute 

as audiences are often left wondering if the 

sound is lip synched or features backing 

tracks; actually every note is live performed 

by a group that has sold over 

750,000 downloads of its Seger tribute CD 

on Itunes and Spotify. 

Featured on CNBC as one of the 

nation’s top tribute bands—and lat recorded 

live for AXS-TV’s “America’s 

Greatest Tribute Bands” at the Whiskey A 

Go-Go—Turn the Page has toured the 

country playing ongs like “Old Time Rock 

and Roll,” “Night Moves,” “Against the 

Wind” and namesake “Turn the Page.” 

Fortunate Son opens with its tribute 

to Credence Clearwater Revival. The music 

of John Fogerty comes to life note for 

note on songs like “Down on the Corner,” 

“Bad Moon Rising,” “Who’ll Stop the 

Rain” and the band’s namesake tune. 

Aug. 17 sees the “Kings of Country” 

present tributes to Willie Nelson and 

Johnny Cash. Michael Moore presents his 

outlaw portrayal of Willie with some of the 

most beautiful country songs ever written. 

Tunes like “On the Road Again,” “One in 

a Row,” “My Heroes Have Always Been 

Cowboys” and more dot the play list. 

Cash’s music is immortal and Philip 

Bauer does an incredible job presenting the 

Man in Black. He’s brought Cash to life 

for over a decade with all the moves, patter 

and sound that personified the legend. 

The Long Run closes out the series 

with Experience the Eagles on Aug. 31. 

Formed in 1999 by accomplished musicians, 

The Long Run is considered a top 

Eagles tribute band and plays all the legendary 

group’s greatest hits...even the solo 

work done by Eagles Don Henley, Glenn 

Frey and Joe Walsh. 

General admission tickets for all 

shows are $37 as guests bring their own 

lawn chairs and sit under the trees. Premium 

bench seating is $48. Or see five 

shows for the price of four with season 

passes priced at $148 general admission 

and $195 premium. Gates open at 5 p.m. 

with shows starting at 6 and there’s free 

off-site parking with shuttle to the event. 

www.mountainsfoundation.org or call 

Discovery Center at (909) 866-3437. 

ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY PARTY 

AND FIREWORKS SHOW 

BEST VIEW ON THE LAKE! 

THURSDAY, JULY 4, 2019; 7:00PM 

Music by Mike Cross 

Buffet $85* per person 

(909) 866-5400 

Reservations required. 

Limited seating. 

*Plus Tax and Gratuity 

MENU 

St. Louis Pork Ribs 

Pulled Pork & Tri-Tip Sliders 

Frankfurters 

Tavern “Scrumptious” Tri-Tip Chili 

Marinated Chicken Legs 

Vegetarian Penne Pasta 

Potato Salad & Coleslaw 

Americana Strawberry Cake 

Soft Drinks, Coffee, Tea 

NO HOST BAR 

Music by Fantasy 

Buffet $95* per person 

(909) 866-5400 

Reservations required. 

Limited seating. 

*Plus Tax and Gratuity 

MENU 

Pines Prime Rib Carving Station 

Freshly Baked Turkey Breast 

Champagne Mushroom 

Chicken Breast 

Pacific Salmon Filet 

Caesar Salad 

Vegetarian Penne Pasta 

Garlic Mashed Potato & 

Garden Vegetables 

Americana Strawberry Cake 

Soft Drinks, Coffee, Tea 

NO HOST BAR


Bird gifts, walks, talks at Chirp 

Feeders, houses, baths, binoculars, 

books, seed, scarves and birds-eye cam 

views of nests around the country. 

Birding takes flight at Chirp Nature 

Center in the Village, just east of the Christmas 

Tree Lot. This store is strictly for the 

birds and those who enjoy them. “Estimates 

are that almost half of all households 

feed birds,” Chirp owner Randall Putz said. 

“Birding is another way to connect 

people with nature,” he said. “We use birds 

as the inspiration.” 

Chirp plants the seed for birding by 

hosting monthly walks and talks. The store 

has everything for birders whether they’re 

novices or enthusiasts. Just as important, 

Chirp offers solutions as well as product. 

When nuthatches were pounding the sides 

of a house, the solution was to provide alternative 

housing to distract the birds. 

When it comes to promoting birds Big 

Bear has plenty to work with. Well over 

200 different types of birds can be found 

here, obviously the well-publicized bald 

eagles but also tanagers, finches and even 

orioles among others. Chirp has free checklists 

birders can use to identify up to 248 

different Big Bear birds. 

“Big Bear is along the Pacific Flyway 

and at altitude so lots of birds migrate 

through here,” Putz said. “Bluff Lake has 

the widest variety if birds in the Valley.” 

On the first Saturday of every month 

including July 6, Chirp leads free bird 

walks to favored locations. Outings leave 

the store at 8 a.m. and last about 90 minutes, 

led by experienced birders. Discover 

local birds and viewing locations while 

enjoying the forest! 

Otherwise use bathes and houses to 

bring the birds to you, and Chirp has plenty 

to choose from. Some feeders mount on 

windows to allow for up close viewing 

from inside the house. Others have a cage 

built around them to let only song birds in 

and keep pigeons and squirrels out. Still 

others are bear-proof. 

Bluebird houses are popular and 

there’s also homes for kestrels and screech 

owls. Along with squirrel feeders that let 

the fuzzy friends perform aerobatics that 

are fun to watch. Birdhouses covered in 

seed are an easy way to get into feeding; 

as birds eat seed you’re left with the house. 

Feeders and bathes made of recycled 

water bottles can stand up to Big Bear’s 

intense sun, rain and snow. “They’re guaranteed 

to never crack, split, fade or peel,” 

Putz said. “Bird bathes are just as important 

as feeders since they need the water in 

our dry climate. We even have heated baths 

that won’t ice over in winter.” 

Chirp has the seed that goes into the 

feeders including it’s own custom Big Bear 

mix. “It has lots of black oil sunflowers,” 

Putz said. “Western and more rare mountain 

bluebirds especially like meal worms.” 

Join Chirp’s seed club to save 5% on 

all purchases and the savings increase with 

future purchases. Buy seed by the bucket 

with lid that safely stores it and when it’s 

empty just return to get a full bucket, thus 

eliminating the plastic bag. 

Gift items are also available at Chirp, 

Feeders galore; Chirp owner Randy Putz 

from custom design T-shirts and stickers 

to puzzles, games and art. Plates, mugs, 

door knockers, toys, calls and more are 

found, all dedicated to birds. 

Chirp also hosts free monthly talks the 

third Saturday each month at 4 p.m. including 

July 20. “Batty for Bats” is this month’s 

program. Refreshments follow both talks 

and walks. 

And the store makes bird watching 

easy by streaming 30 live nest cams on four 

screens. The images continuously rotate 

and feature a variety of locations including 

Big Bear’s own bald eagle nest. 

Chirp is open daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Chirp Nature Center is at 40850 Village 

Dr. (888) 412-4477. 


909.878.4FUN 

at North Shore Landing 

& Holloway’s Marina 

• Waverunners • Jet Skis 

• Sea Doos! • Kayaks, SUP 

• Wakeboard/Water Ski Rides 

• Poontoon Boats 

and Fishing Boats! 

Pirate Ship Lake Tours Aboard ‘Time Bandit’ 

Narrated lake tours aboard 

1/3 replica of a Spanish galleon 

seen in the movie ‘Time Bandits’ 

• Pirate Booty for the Kids 

• Cocktails for Adults • Sunset Tours 

www.HollowaysMarina.com or www.BigBearBoating.com 

COZY CHALETS WITH FIREPLACES & GREAT VIEWS... 

LOCATED AT SNOW SUMMIT'S BASE AREA... 

JUST STEPS TO THE SKI LIFTS! 

Also Available 

Lakeside RV Park 

with 

Full Hookups! 

Remodeled Bathrooms and Store 

www.800BigBear.com


Crafts, food, music at 21st Art Walk 

The heat is on Saturday, July 13 as 

some 40 top chefs vie for $4,000 in prize 

money and the right to advance to world 

International Chili Society competition 

during the annual Big Bear Chili Cookoff. 

The family-friendly ICS-sanctioned 

event is from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Village’s 

Bartlett Events area with live music and 

dozens of vendors in the artisan marketplace, 

featuring artwork, photography, oils, 

unique gifts, health and lifestyle merchandise 

and more. Bear Valley Farms Kids 

Zone offers farm fun for youngsters and 

for parents there’s beer, wine and cocktail 

garden under umbrella seating. 

Live music plays on the stage all day. 

At noon Born Country takes the stage followed 

by The Blue Henrys at 2 p.m. Both 

bands are favorites at Wyatt’s Grill & Saloon 

as well as at Big Bear Oktoberfest on 

the outdoor stage. 

Headliner I See Hawks in L.A. performs 

at 3:30. The alternative country 

group formed in 1999 and mixes in traditional 

elements of country music, vocal 

harmonies and instruments including 

acoustic guitar and fiddle. The band features 

Rob Waller, Paul Lacques and Paul 

Marshall and is known for songs like “The 

River Knows,” “Raised by Hippies” and 

“Sky Island.” The eighth Hawks studio album, 

Live and Never Learn, was released 

earlier this year. 

Admission is free to get in with chili 

tasting kits just $5, which allow guests to 

sample all the spicy fixin’s they can handle 

and vote for their favorites...bring the 

Artists from throughout Southern 

California gather July 27-28 at Bartlett 

Events area for the 21st annual Big Bear 

Lake Art Walk Festival. 

The festival features many artists presenting 

their own original works in all mediums 

of fine art, including paintings in 

acrylic, oils, watercolor, photography, 

sculpture in clay, glass, and wood. Each 

artist will be present to meet with the public 

and discuss their work. All work is available 

for purchase. 

In addition to fine art, fine crafts will 

also be presented. Festival patrons will find 

blown glass, turned wood, semiprecious 

jewelry, pottery, leather and metal. Muscle 

Beach restaurant will be serving sausages, 

hamburgers, tamales and other foods. 

Art Walk features accomplished artists 

displaying their own creative works, 

like La Quinta artists Charles and Linda 

Perkins, who present their colorful and 

cherished “Hearts” painted in acrylics and 

“Trees of Life” created from recycled metal 

and glass for the consideration of discriminating 

buyers. The Perkins’ have been creating 

their thoughtful and emotional artwork 

since the 1990s. 

Visitors will also enjoy talking to Big 

Bear Lake artists Shelley and Timothy Kahl 

of Shell Bell Designs. They’ll display oneof-a-kid 

jewelry designs featuring semiprecious 

stones set in hand wrought silver and 

gold. 

The Bartlett Events area is in The Village 

at 630 Bartlett Road. The handicapaccessible 

event is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day 

and admission and parking are free. 

Big Bear Lake Art Walk Festival is 

produced by West Coast Artists. For additional 

information call (818) 813-4478 or 

WestCoastArtists.com. 

Works by featured artist Linda Perkins 

Spicy fixin’s, music at Chili Cookoff 

heartburn medicine. There’s prizes and trophies 

for best red and green chili, salsa and 

the People’s Choice traveling award which 

gives bragging rights to the top Big Bear 

Valley chili cook and their concoction. 

Awards ceremony at 5 p.m. determines 

the winners with Mark Sweeney 

back as Chief Judge along with scorekeeper 

Donny Gordon and emcee Mike 

Austin. In addition to chili there’s other 

good eats including Mexican favorites, 

craft hot dogs, barbecue pulled pork, 

grilled corn and potatoes and festival foods. 

Chili Cookoff has been a longtime 

event, previously put on by Old Miners 

Association and now by Big Bear Visitors 

Bureau. Park at public lots in the Village 

as well as Community Church, Presbyterian 

Church and Calvary Chapel. A portion 

of the proceeds benefit Mountains 

Foundation and Discovery Center. 

Chili Cookoff is at 630 Bartlett Rd. 

Call (800) 4-BIG BEAR or BigBear.com. 

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 

Click Us Up 

Like You 

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Year-Round 

Christmas Room! 

Our rooms are 

filled with gifts 

and treasures 

from nearly 

20 artists! 

Come Up the Historic Staircase of the 1920's Navajo Hotel 

• Bear-ly Used 

Books 

• Jerky 

• Pottery 

• Aprons 

• Sports 

Memorabilia 

• Everything 

Bears & More 

Open 7 Days 

a week 

Big Bear's from 9:30 a.m. 

Shopping Experience 

There is not “Anything” we do not have! 

Village Faire 

40794 Village Dr. 

(909) 866-8220 

Above the Leather Depot in Big Bear Village


Big Bear Today


HOMESTYLE 

QUALITY... 

Steaks 

East 

Seafood 

Valley's 

Pasta 

Only 

Chicken 

Bakery! 

Voted Big Bear's 

Best Breakfast! 

DAILY Breakfast Special! 

Every Saturday Night 

All-You-Can-Eat 

Beef Ribs $20.95! 

NIGHTLY DINNER SPECIALS 

WED—PRIME RIB $17.95 

THURS—NEW YORK STEAK $17.95 

FRIDAY—HOMEMADE POT PIES $14.25 

OR SURF & TURF $18.95 

SAT—ALL-U-CAN-EAT BEEF RIBS 

$20.95...POT PIES $14.25 IF AVAILABLE 

SUN-HOLIDAYS—PRIME RIB $18.95 

FRESH CATCH OF THE DAY FRI/SAT 

After lunch or dinner... 

treat yourself from our 

Bakery! 

Caramel-topped apple 

dumplings...cheesecakes... 

apple streudel...fresh-baked pies 

of the season! 

Also Available to Go! 

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 

Dine Next to Our 2 Cozy 

Fireplaces or Under Trees on 

Our Outdoor Patio! 

337 W. Big Bear Blvd. 

(2 miles east of the Convention 

Center in Big Bear City) 

(909) 585-7005 

...FAMILY 

PRICES! 

To Los Angeles 

and Orange County 

Captain John’s 

S 

Marina 

CAPT. JOHN’S GROUT BAY 

MARINA 

West Boat Ramp 

WINDY POINT 

W E 

North Shore 

Landing 

Castle Rock 

Trail 

BOULDER 

BAY 

1989 

Holcomb 

Valley 

All Phone Numbers are area code 

(909) unless otherwise noted 

July 

4 

4th of July Fun Run 5/10/15K 

and costume contest 9 a.m. at 

Meadow Park. Runbigbear.com 

4 

25th Independence Day Fair at 

the Convention Center 10 a.m.- 

5 p.m. with arts and crafts, live 

music under the pines, kid’s 

activities. Free entry. 585-3000. 

4 

Fireworks Over the Lake, preceded 

by Rotary BBQ at Marina 

Resort with music, midway 

games, best fireworks view. 

$27 hamburger/hot dog/chicken 

sandwich dinner, $34 baby back 

ribs. (800) 4-BIG BEAR. 

4 

Above the Boom at Snow Summit; 

Skychair to top for dinner, 

music, fireworks view at 5 p.m. 

$65, ages 5-12 $39, 4 and 

under $15. (844) GO-2-BEAR. 

5 

The Petty Breakers tribute to 

Tom Petty at The Cave 7:30 

p.m. Tickets $18-$38. 878- 

0204. 

6 

Free Fishing Day on the lake; no 

license required. 866-5796. 

6 

Free Bird Walk leaves Chirp Nature 

Center (40850 Village Dr.) 

8 a.m. sharp. (888) 412-4477. 

6 

Big Bear Air Fair 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 

at the airport; static displays, 

skydivers, vendor, food. Free 

admission. 866-3218. 

6 

Music in the Mountains series 

opens at Discovery Center with 

Bee Gees Gold, AbbaFab opens. 

$37-$48. Gates open 5 p.m., 

show at 6. 866-3437. 

GILNER POINT 

METCALF 

Holloway 

BAY Marina 

2014 

The Mountain’s Monthly Lifestyle Magazine 

Big Bear and Vicinity 

Pleasure 

Point 

Performing Arts 

Center (PAC) 

Polique Canyon 

Trail 

Solar Observatory 

BIG BEAR LAKE 

Mill Creek 

Mill Creek 

Alpine Slide 

at Magic Mtn. 

Pine Knot 

Trail 

Cougar Crest 

Trail 

Woodland 

Trail 

Discovery Center 

Serranno 

Campground 

East Boat 

Ramp 

EAGLE POINT 

Swim 

Beach 


Pine Knot 

Marina 

Marina 

Meadow Park 

Town Trail 

5 

Metalachi blends heavy metal 

and mariachi at The Cave 7:30 

p.m. Tickets $20. 878-0204. 

6 

Movies in the Meadow 8 p.m. at 

Snow Summit; “Trolls.” Free. 

866-5766. 

6-7 

“South Pacific: in Concert” at 

the PAC 7:30 p.m., Sunday 2 

p.m. $9-$19. 866-4970 

11 

KOLA-FM Slide Day at Alpine 

Slide; water slide pass, Alpine 

Slide and Soaring Eagle rides, 

lunch, more $24.99. 866-4626. 

12-14 

“South Pacific: in Concert” at 

the PAC Fri, Sat 7:30 p.m., 2 

p.m. matinees Sat, Sun. $9- 

$19. 866-4970 

13 

ICS-Sanctioned Chili Cookoff 11 

a.m. in the Village; craft beer 

and wine, music. Free admission, 

tasting extra. 866-6190. 

19 

Jefferson Starship in concert at 

The Cave 7:30 p.m. Tickets 

$35-$45. 878-0204. 

19-20 

78th Annual Flower Show “Garden 

Party” by the Women’s Club 

at the PAC Friday noon-5 p.m., 

Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free, 

refreshments. 866-4970. 

20 

17th Xeriscape Garden Tour by 

Sierra Club; self-guided tour visits 

homes 9 a.m.-4 p.m., checkin 

Eminger’s (41223 Big Bear 

Blvd.) 547-2237. 

20 

Music in the Mountains at Discovery 

Center with Hollywood 

U2, Pat Benatar tribute opens. 

$37-$48. Gates open 5 p.m., 

Walk 

Board 

July 2019—Page 15 

Big Bear City 

Moonridge 

show at 6. 866-3437. 

20 

Pauly Shore at The Cave 7:30 

p.m. $20-$30. 878-0204. 

20-21 

Crafts & Cranks brew fest/ 

mountain bike racing at Snow 

Summit. 866-5766, 

20-21 

Big Bear Renaissance Faire at 

Pedersen Sawmill (39115 Rim 

of the World Dr. Fawnskin); 

jousting, shows 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

$18, $30 weekend pass, senior/child/military 

discounts. 


27 

Spirits of the West Brewsfest 1- 

7 p.m. at Convention Center 

with Sligo Rags, Temecula Gunfighters, 

tastings, Admission $5. 

585-3000. 

27 

Rock Legend Ted Nugent in concert 

at The Cave 7:30 p.m. 

Tickets $85-$120. 878-0204. 

27-28 

Summer Art Walk Festival in the 

Village (630 Bartlett Rd.) with 

colorful mediums, beer and wine 

garden, live music. free admission. 

(818) 813-4478. 

27-28 

Big Bear Renaissance Faire at 

Pedersen Sawmill (39115 Rim 

of the World Dr. Fawnskin); 

jousting, shows 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 

$18, $30 weekend pass, senior/child/military 

discounts. 


August 

3 

Tour de Big Bear 25, 50, 70, 

100 and 125 mile rides in the 

Valley with cycling festival in 

the Village, Sunday recovery 

rides. bigbearcycling.com. 

For updated calendar of events visit us on the Internet! 

www.bigbeartodaymag.com 

CC 

Club View Drive 

Bear Mountain 

To Victorville, Barstow 

& Las Vegas 

Museum 

To Angelus To Oaks 

and and Redlands 


Alpine Zoo 

E 

V 

E 

N 

T 

C 

A 

L 

E 

N 

D 

A 

R


Pontoon, SUP at Roy Rogers’ marina 

Play at a marina once frequented by 

cowboy legends Roy Rogers and his wife 

Dale Evans. 

Pleasure Point Marina is the secondokdest 

continuously operating marina on 

Big Bear Lake, first opening in 1914 as 

Belt’s Boat House. In 1926 the name was 

changed to Pleasure Point Marina and the 

“History Wall” in the office documents its 

treasured story. 

Free bowling at Barn 

Kids can bowl free every day this summer 

as part of a nationwide program offered 

at the Bowling Barn. 

Youngsters can bowl two free games 

daily at the Bowling Barn from June 1-August 

31 as part of the program, offered at 

over 1,400 locations nationwide and in 

Canada. All they have to do is register 

online for the Kids Bowl Free program. 

Sign up at www.KidsBowlFree.com 

and coupons for two free games each day 

will be emailed Sunday mornings through 

the end of the program. Over 18 million 

children have participated in past summers. 

“The Bowling Barn provides the Kids 

Bowl Free program as a way to give back 

to our community for their support 

throughout the school year and winter 

months,” said Dennis Beets.”It’s a fantastic 

way for families to have a great time 

together without breaking the bank.” 

Bowling Barn is at 40625 Big Bear 

Blvd. Call (909) 878-BOWL. 

NEW 

WEBSITE 

Live weather! 

Photo Gallery! 

PDF Reader! 

Today Pleasure Point is a full-service 

membership-owned marina with top 

facilities and plenty of paved parking. A 

range of water activities like pontoon and 

fishing boats,kayaks, jet skis, pedal boats 

and Standup Paddleboards are available 

to rent. 

Including Airhead’s Super 8, an immense 

inflatable SUP that accommodates 

up to eight paddlers at once. Why go out 

solo when you can bring the whole gang 

along, even the dogs? Everyone gets to 

experience the fun of dipping a blade into 

the cool lake water as up to eight riders 

simultaneously stroke to provide propulsion 

around peaceful Metcalf Bay, where 

calm tranquil water is ideal for 

paddleboard fun. 

“The trick is to get everyone paddling 

at the same time,” noted Pleasure 

Point’s Larry Whittington. “Some find 

it hard, for some it’s really easy. It’s a 

real team building experience for sure 

and no one gets left behind.” 

With eight inches of nose/tail 

rocker—just like modern powder skis 

and snowboards have—the inflatable 

Super SUP glides through the water. It’s 

super stable with sturdy, rigid platform 

and recommended for all ability levels, 

especially beginners who appreciate the 

extra wide platform with plenty of room 

to stand and stroke. Paddle or just float 

and enjoy the lake and mountain views! 

At 18-1/2 feet long and five feet 

wide the board looks like it could accom- 

If you can’t pick us up ... then click us up! 

Monthly! 

Your Best Source for activities and happenings in the Big Bear Lake Area 

Summer! 

Fall! 

Winter! 

Continued from page 4 

ish galleon. Three 50-foot masts, rigging, 

firing cannon that billows smoke with each 

thunderous shot, treasure chest filled with 

booty, Jolly Roger flag, it’s all here...right 

down to rum drinks poured by scurvydressed 

wench, as Time Bandit offers the 

only full cocktail service found on any lake 

vessel. Yo-ho-ho there’s a bottle of rum! 

Plus wine, whiskey, beer and more. 

Youngsters especially love Time Bandit, 

since they get to raid the treasure chest 

in search of “booty” that includes toys and 

rub-on tatoos so they can look the part too. 

The captains even let kids take a turn at 

the wheel, during daily 90-minute trips out 

of Holloway’s Marina at 2 p.m. plus noon, 

4 and 6 p.m. 

Pirate ship tours cost $24, ages 12 and 

under $16, lap child free. 

Holloway’s Marina (909-866-5706) 

or North Shore Landing (909-878-4FUN 


Up to 8 can go out on Super SUP rides at Pleasure Point Marina 

Pirate ship tours... 

modate Paul Bunyan, making for a stable 

platform. EVA traction pad and heavy-duty 

reinforced drop stitch construction with x- 

cross technology are other features. 

“The bay is the best area for a board 

this big because it’s clean, smooth and 

safe,” added Pleasure Point’s Carole Shaw. 

Super SUP rents for $50 for the first hour, 

$45 each additional hour, pretty affordable 

fun when shared by a group. 

In addition Pleasure Point is an official 

weigh station and offers Fishing Charter 

too. Plus full-service repair shop, 

snacks, fishing gear and gas dock. 

Call (909) 866-2455. 

Starship, Shore... 

Continued from page 10 

tingling. In perhaps the ultimate compliment, 

it was Richardson who was invited 

to sing “Somebody to Love” in her place 

by Slick herself when Jefferson Airplane 

received its Lifetime Achievement Award 

at the Grammys. 

Drummer Donny Baldwin also has a 

long association with Jefferson Starship. 

He replaced the great Aynsley Dunbar in 

1982 and was with the band for three years 

before rejoining in 2008. Interestingly he 

played on “We Built This City” recorded 

by another Starship band with Mickey Thomas. 

Chris Smith on bass and keyboards 

has been around for two decades. Guitarist 

Judge Gold lights it up on stage and even 

the newcomer has been with Jefferson 

Starship for eight years now. 

Five decades of music, starting with 

Jefferson Airplane and continuing into incarnations 

of Jefferson Starship, have resulted 

in many hits, a few being 

“Miracles,” “Ride the Tiger,” “Caroline,” 

“With Your Love,” “Count on Me,” “Find 

Your Way Back” and more. $35-$55. 

Comedian PAULY SHORE is at The 

Cave July 20. All shows start at 7:30 p.m. 

The Cave; 40789 Village Dr. (909) 

878-0204 or thecavebigbear.com. 

HORSEBACK RIDING 

Baldwin Lake Stables 

Open Year Round•Rates by the Hour 

1, 2, 3 & 4 Hour Rides•Reservations Suggested 

Lake Activities 

Boating • Fishing • Hiking 

Biking & Special Events 

Follow Us 

On Facebook! 

All Things Oktoberfest! 

Join the Two Month long Celebration 

with all the insider information. 

Essential Information about the 

#1 Ski Resorts in Southern California 

for All Skiers, Snowboarders 

& Snowplayers 

Big Bear's Best Calendar of Events 

• Lodging • Attractions • Much More! 

All Available On-line: www.BigBearTodayMag.com 

Pony Rides & Petting Zoo 

909-585-6482 • Big Bear City 

Big Bear Blvd. east through stop sign at Hwy. 38, 

veer left on Shay Rd. and follow the signs 

46475 Pioneertown Rd. 

www.baldwinlakestables.com 

Specialty Rides 

•Majestic Sunset Ride 

•1/2 Day Ride along the 

famous Pacific Crest Trail 

Please Make Reservations 

for Specialty Rides 

Under Permit USDA Forest Service


Recreation 

Guide 

Action Tours 

Zip through the trees on nine ziplines. 

Segway along Village streets, discovering 

Big Bear history at the same time on a most 

unique tour and ride. Learn tree rope climbing 

skills like rappelling from certified 

instructors. Action Tours has year-round 

guided mountain adventure for all ability 

levels! (909) 866-0390 or (909) 866-0830. 

Alpine Slide 

Shoot down a tobogan-style ride at Magic 

Mountain, as a hand lever allows you to 

control the speed. After an exhilerating 

run, ride the chairlift back to the top for 

more fun. $6/ride, 5-ride books $25. There’s 

also miniature golf, Go-Karts, Soaring 

Eagle, family-priced snack bar, video 

games. Open daily. Big Bear Blvd., 1/4 

mile west of the Village. (909) 866-4626. 

Big Bear Speedway 

Soki Kart racing comes to Big Bear with 

timed heats and authentic track experience. 

Reach speeds up to 30 mph while 

negotiating hairpin turns and straightaways 

on the Grand Prix-style course. Double 

Karts allow younger riders to go to. $20 on 

first visit includes license valid one year, 

head sock and race ($25 double Kart). Base 

lodge with snack bar. At Big Bear Snow 

Play next to Motel 6. (909) 585-0075. 

Bingo 

The Elks Lodge hosts stirring Bingo games 

each Friday night at 7 p.m. All are welcome 

ages 18 and over. 40611 Big Bear Blvd. 

west of the Village, across from Lakeview. 

(909) 866-3557. 

Boat Tours 

“Big Bear Queen” sails daily from Big 

Bear Marina including the lake’s most guaranteed 

daily tours and its most experienced 

captain, Chris Bellows. 2 p.m. tour goes 

out regardless of passenger count every 

day and Saturday noon and 4 p.m., Sunday 

at noon are guaranteed too. Adults $22, 

seniors/military $20, 12 and under $15, 3 

and under free. Sunset cruises each Saturday 

from July 6-Aug. 31, light hors 

d’oeuvres provided and bring your favorite 

beverage, $25. (909) 866-3218. 

Pirate Ship Lake Tours aboard newly 

THE ALMANAC 

refurbished “Time Bandit,” a one-third 

scale replica of a 1600’s galleon that appeared 

in the movie of the same name, sail 

daily from Holloway’s Marina...complete 

with canon fire! Full bar with beer, wine 

and cocktails. Fares $24, $16 ages 12 and 

under, lap child free. (909) 878-4040. 

“Miss Liberty” paddlewheeler with enclosed, 

heated deck and snack bar, leaves 

Pine Knot Landing for scenic tours of Big 

Bear Lake. View the homes of celebrities, 

solar observatory, and much more. $23, 

$20 senior/military, $14 ages 3-12, four 

and under free. (909) 866-8129. 

Captain John’s Lake Cruise is a more 

intimate cruise aboard eco-friendly 

Duffield Whisper Drive electric boat 

“Serena” or “Rose Bud” once owned by 

Shirley Jones and Marty Ingels. Tours include 

intimate knowledge of the China 

House and bald eagles. Fridays, Saturdays 

and Sundays at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. $20, 12 

and under $12. (909) 866-6478. 

Bowling 

The Bowling Barn offers new lanes with 

automated scoring for bowling enjoyment. 

Also arcade games and full-service cocktail 

lounge with pool. Glow Bowling after 

dark with black lights, sounds. Bowl 3 

games for the price of 2 with coupon in this 

issue. Open daily. 40625 Big Bear Blvd. 

(enter on Bonanza).(909) 878-BOWL. 

Discovery Center 

The Discovery Center on the north shore, 

two miles west of Stanfield Cutoff, is a 

breathtaking facility overlooking the lake 

and offering informational galleries, self 

and naturalist guided tours, Adventure 

passes and wilderness permits, and recreation 

programs. Open daily (closed Tuesdays 

and Wednesdays). (909) 866-3437. 

Fishing 

Catch some fun with Big Bear Charter 

Fishing on a 22' fully loaded, super comfortable 

boat with afriendly, expert guide 

Aaron Armstrong. Open or private charters 

for individuals or groups of all ages. 

All gear provided—rods, reels, bait, lures, 

drinks and snacks. Bass fishing too aboard 

a Ranger Comanche. At Holloway’s Marina; 

(909) 866-2240. 

Cantrell Guide Service at Pine Knot Landing 

is the lake’s longest running guide 

service since 1991. Troll for trout around 

the lake’s 23 miles of shoreline aboard 24' 

pontoon boat with 18 ‘ roof and enclosure 

Catch Rainbow Trout...See Bald Eagles! 

Cantrell Guide Service 

Big Bear Lake's Longest Running Guide Service 

Thousands Caught Since 1991! 

Comfortable 24 foot pontoon boat... 

only guide boat on the lake with 

18 foot roof and full enclosure! 

Professional licensed guides John Cantrell 

and Cliff Fowler ("Fowler's Fish Tales") 

have over 80 years combined experience 

fishing Big Bear Lake! 

Private Tours / Only your party 

Sunset Tour - No Fishing Happy Hour (BYOB) 

All Equipment 

Provided! 

Below the Village (909) 585-4017 or (909) 239-7867 

www.bigbearfishing.net 

Pine Knot Marina • 400 Pine Knot Ave. • Big Bear Lake, CA 

July 2019—Page 17 

Recreation • Dining • Nightlife • And More 

Road Conditions: (800) 427-ROAD quickmap.dot.ca.gov 

See a working blacksmith shop in action at Big Bear Museum, opens Wednesdays, 

Saturdays and Sundays in July. Call (909) 585-8100. 

to protect against cold and wind. Professional 

guides John Cantrell and Cliff Fowler 

(“Fowler’s Fish Tales”) have 80 years experience 

on the lake. (909) 585-4017. 

Golf 

High altitude enhances any game at the 

Bear Mountain Golf Course. A nine-hole 

(par 35) 2,730-yard course, each round is 

accompanied by clear air and spectacular 

mountain views. The full-service 4,000 sq. 

ft. Bear Trap clubhouse and pro shop offers 

putting green, cart and club rentals, restaurant, 

lounge, and great deck overlooking 

the golf course. Driving range too. Across 

from the ski resort on Moonridge Rd. (909) 

585-8002. 

Helicopter Tours 

See Big Bear from above during aerial 

tours by Helicopter Big Bear. The lake, ski 

resorts, desert and surrounding mountains 

aboard a climate-controlled Robinson R44 

helicopter. Tours start at $35 per person 

based on two passengers. (909) 585-1200. 

Hiking 

There’s dozens of trails and natural areas to 

enjoy the rugged beauty of the San 

Continued on page 18


GET WET 

WAKEBOARD 

RIDES 

Free ree Lessons! 

SKI DOCK 

Edgemoor 

Rd. 

Holloway's 

Marina 

Log Cabin 

Rest. 

With Us! 

SEA DOOS 

JET SKIS 

WAVERUNNER 

Rentals 

To 

Village 

Big Bear Blvd. 

Also on the North Shore at 

North Shore Landing! 

GET WET WATER 

SPORTS CENTER 

878-4FUN 

866-5706 

Big Bear. 

Blvd. 

Alpine 

Slide 

Bernardino National Forest. From easy 

strolls along the lake to stenuous climbs 

into the mountains, there are trails for all 

abilities, including families, within a short 

drive of Big Bear. For information on all 

trails in the Valley and the required 

Adventure Pass, visit the Discovery Center 

on North Shore Dr., about two miles west 

of Stanfield Cutoff. (909) 866-3437. 

Alpine Pedal Path is a very easy 3.5 mile 

(each way) paved trek following the lake 

on the north shore. Popular with hikers, 

bikers, skaters, strollers and wheelchairs 

as it passes Carol Morrison East Boat 

Launch, Discovery Center, Serrano 

campground, Solar Observatory and more. 

Castle Rock Trail is a short but strenuous 

hike, that ends with a panoramic view of 

Big Bear Lake. Legend has it that a beautiful 

Indian maiden, jilted by her lover, took her 

life by leaping from this towering 100 ft. 

monolith. It’s reached after a mostly uphill, 

.8 mile walk past a stream and featuring 

beautiful views. Located on Hwy. 18 

between Boulder Bay and the dam; park on 

the lake side of the road. 

Cougar Crest Trail is moderate two-mile 

(each way) hike. As it winds above the 

lake’s north shore, it offers up great views 

of water and the surrounding mountains. 

Trailhead is on North Shore Dr. about two 

miles west of Stanfield Cutoff, .6 mile 

from the Discovery Center where you can 

park without an Adventure Pass. 

Woodland Interpretive Trail is a short, 

scenic family stroll with minimal elevation 

gain, located on the north shore near Cougar 

Crest. Free trail maps (available at the 

trailhead or Discovery Center) identify 

markers along the route noting local 

vegetation, wildlife areas, etc. 

Pacific Crest Trail comes through Big 

Bear from Onyx Summit through the East 

Valley to Hwy. 18 and then past Holcomb 

Valley Rd. and Cougar Crest through 

Holcomb Valley before continuing its 2,638 

After Dark... 

Big Bear’s Nightlife & Entertainment Guide 

ALLEY OOPS SPORTS BAR—Family Karaoke each Saturday night at 8 p.m. Glow 

Bowling at 8:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sat. and Sun. 

Watch the big game on big screen TVs, open to all ages. Happy Hour Monday- 

Friday 5:30-7 p.m. with 50¢ off all bar drinks (except draft), $1 hot dogs. Bowl 

3 games for the price of 2 with coupon in this issue. Inside the Bowling Barn at 

40625 Big Bear Blvd. Call 878-BOWL. 

AV NIGHTCLUB—DJ every night at 9 p.m. Happy hour daily till 6 p.m. with $1 

beers. 664 Pine Knot. (909) 866-7377. 

BARNSTORM RESTAURANT—Live music Saturdays during dinner with Duke 

Michaels and Peggy Baldwin April 6, 13 and 20, Art Harriman April 27. 501 W. 

Valley Blvd. at the airport. (909) 585-9339. 

BIG BEAR MOUNTAIN BREWERY— Craft microbrew beers, food in a cozy 

atmosphere. Wear your gear, 75¢ off your beer. 40260 Big Bear Blvd. 866-BEER. 

NOTTINGHAMS TAVERN— 40797 Big Bear Blvd. near Bartlett. 866-4644. 

THE CAVE BIG BEAR—Your favorite artists up close and personal! See national 

performers, top tribute bands and more in Big Bear’s hot new intimate concert 

venue. Good food and full cocktail service including craft beers from Big Bear Lake 

Brewing Co. (909) 878-0204. 

THELODGE AT BIG BEAR LAKE—Fridays and Saturdays see singer Nikki Sparks 

in Stillwells lounge 5-8 p.m. followed by Johnny Jukebox 8-10. 30650 Village Dr. 

(909) 866-3121. 

THE PINES LAKEFRONT/TAVERN—Pianist Mike Cross and Bass Mark Cade live 

Thursdays in the restaurant 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Sundays 4-7 p.m., Fantasy 

performs Fridays 5:30-8:30. Cross and Guests play Fridays and Saturdays 6-9 

p.m. in adjacent lakeside lounge. 350 Alden Rd. (909) 866--5400. 

WYATT’S CAFE & SALOON—Open 4 p.m. Wednesdays for country dancing with 

DJ Evan, Fridays and Saturdays with live bands. July 5-6: Born Country, Terry 

McRaven. July 12-13: Southbound, South of Santa Fe. July 19-20: Jimi Nelson 

Band, Born Country. Great grub and drinks, family-friendly. Convention Center, Big 

Bear Blvd. at Division. (909) 585-3000. 

mile journey from Mexico to Canada. Call 

the Discovery Center to find out where to 

catch this famous international trail. 

Pine Knot Trail from Aspen Glen picnic 

area climbs the southern ridge above Alpine 

Slide three miles (each way) to Skyline Dr. 

2N10, through lush meadow and stands of 

white fir and Jeffrey Pine. Continue another 

1/4 mile to Grand View Point for spectacular 

180-degree vistas. 

Holcomb Valley 

At one time, Big Bear Valley was thriving 

gold country. The last remaining signs of 

this historic chapter in Big Bear history are 

featured in a driving tour through what is 

known as Holcomb Valley. Totaling 11.6 

miles over a dirt road, the tour offers stops 

at Two Gun Bill’s Saloon, Hangman’s Tree, 

Pigmy Cabin, Metzger Mine, and more. 

Free maps available at the Big Bear 

Discovery Center on the North Shore— 

call 866-3437. Allow three hours for the 

drive. 

Horseback Riding 

Baldwin Lake Stable is open year-round 

for horseback riding. Rates are by the hour, 

offering one, two, three and four-hour rides 

with longer rides heading along the famous 

Pacific Crest Trail plus sunset rides. A 

variety of spectacular mountain trails with 

horses for all riding abilities. For little 

buckeroos there’s hand-led pony rides and 

petting zoo. Reservations suggested for all 

rides. Big Bear Blvd. east to stop sign at 

Hwy. 38, go through intersection, veer left 

on Shay Rd. to 46475 Pioneertown Rd., 

Big Bear City. (909) 585-6482. 

Jet Skis/Waverunners 

Jet skis and two, three and four seater 

Waverunners from Get Wet Water Sports 

Center at North Shore Landing (878- 

4FUN), and Holloway’s Marina (866- 

5706) are $85-$140 per hour. Big Bear 

Marina (866-3218) has new Yamaha three- 


seaters for $125/hour, gas included. Pine 

Knot Landing has three-person 

waverunners available at $109. 478-4377. 

Miniature Golf/Go Karts 

Putt ‘N Around, located at the Alpine Slide 

at Magic Mountain, features a landscaped 

18-hole miniature golf course complete 

with water hazards and breaking greens. 

Then there’s an oval-shaped go-kart track 

with high-banked turns, which nine Can 

Am racers—including four two-seaters— 

with Honda 5.5 horsepowers engines and 

an array of safety features zip around. 

Open till 9 p.m. daily. 866-4626. 

Museum 

An authentic, restored log cabin, gold 

mining artifacts, rebuilt stamp mill, cattle 

ranching and logging memorabilia, 

information on native animals, birds and 

reptiles, and much more are found at the 

Eleanor Abbott Big Bear Museum. Open 

Saturdays, Sundays, Wednesdays and 

Holiday Mondays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 

Located at 800 Greenway just off the 

boulevard at Big Bear City Park. $5, 14 and 

under free. (909) 585-8100. 

Scenic Sky Chair 

Ride Snow Summit’s Scenic Sky Chair to 

the top for incredible views of the Valley, 

lake, Mt. San Gorgonio, and more. Enjoy 

barbecued food, beer and wine at the View 

Haus on top, which has a terrific sundeck, 

while taking in spectacular views that can 

stretch to the Basin. Hike down or ride the 

chair back. Roundtrip ride (no bike) $24, 

$19 senior/youth (save 20% with 72 hour 

advance online or phone purchase). Open 

daily through September 2. (909) 866- 

5766. 

Soaring Eagle 

Zip 500' downhill on the new Soaring 

Eagle attraction at Alpine Slide, only one 

of its kind in California. Reach speeds up to 

26 mph during the dramatic downhill 

descent—only after riding backwards to 

the top! Up to two can ride at one time. 

Open daily. On the boulevard 1/4 mile 

west of the Village. (909) 866-4626. 

Wakeboard/Water Ski 

Get Wet Water Sports Center offers 

water ski and wakeboard rides from North 

Shore Landing, Holloway’s Marina and 

Big Bear Marina. $195/hour ($360 for 2 

hours) includes equipment, boat and 

lessons, if desired. Group rates. (909) 878- 

4FUN. 

Water Slide 

The Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain is 

home to two side-by-side water slide flumes 

that take riders through a maze of banked 

turns and wild, wet action. At the bottom, 

each track dumps into a heated pool. Allday 

passes $15, single rides $2, 10-ride 

books $10. Open daily. 1/4 mile west of the 

Village on Big Bear Blvd. (909) 866-4626. 

Zoo 

Grizzly and black bears, bobcats, coyotes, 

mountain lions, deer, eagles, and other 

animals are at Big Bear Alpine Zoo, many 

of which are native to the San Bernardino 

Mtns. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays, 10- 

5 Saturday and Sunday with daily animal 

presentations at noon and weekend 3 p.m. 

“feeding frenzy” tours. Moonridge Rd. to 

Clubview, veer right to Bear Mountain, 

and turn left to the zoo. $12 adults, $9 ages 

over 60 and children 3-10, under two free. 

(909) 584-1299.


1989 30 YEARS 2019 

The Mountain’s Monthly Lifestyle Magazine 

Vol. 1 No. 1 

 

Vol. 1 No. 2 

HOLLOWAY’S 

MARINA & RV PARK 

"I was excited to advertise in Big Bear's first 

tourist-oriented publication with its first 

full-color cover back in 1989. 

Thirty years later it's still an excellent 

avenue for our advertising dollar!" 

— Loren Hafen 

Holloway's Marina / North Shore Landing 

and Get Wet Water Sports 

® 

"Come back after you've been in business 

for a year and we'll advertise. 

Now it's 29 years later and we're still 

advertising in Big Bear Today!" 

— Bruce Voigt 

Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain 

Big Bear Snow Play / Speedway 

and Ropes Course


THE BACK PAGE 

Ecology lesson, views on Woodland Trail 

E 

cology lesson, family-friendly hiking 

and views galore are rolled into 

one great time along the Woodland 

Interpretive Trail on the north shore. 

The 1-1/2 mile loop is rated easy with 

only a few gentle climbs and descents as it 

winds through forest. Hikers actually experience 

different climatic zones along the 

way, transitioning between mixed-conifer 

and Pinyon-Juniper woodland habitat. 

Lake and ski slope views, wildlife 

habitat, even a 1,500-year-old Western Juniper 

and more are identified by 16 numbered 

posts along the interpretive trail. Pick 

up a free brochure at the nearby Discovery 

Center though they’re also sometimes 

available at the trailhead where there’s picnic 

tables, rest rooms and parking. Adven- 

ture Pass is required at the trailhead, but 

many hikers park across the street for free 

at Carol Morrison East Boat Launch. 

The self-guided trek takes about 45 

minutes to an hour to complete. Kids love 

to scamper from post to post and don’t even 

realize they’re learning about mountain 

biology, landscape, even the native Americans 

who first occupied Big Bear Valley. 

There’s benches along the trail where hikers 

enjoy a civilized sit, plus plenty of logs 

interspersed for a more traditional hiking 

break. 

Catch the well-marked, extra-wide 

singletrack trail on the east side of the parking 

lot and after a little elevation gain hikers 

come to the first post denoting the ancient 

Western Juniper. Believed to have 

taken root 

around the fifth 

century, the tree 

was a seedling 

as the Roman 

Empire fell. 

Where the 

lake is now was 

lush, brassy 

meadow back 

then, stomping 

grounds for 

California grizzly 

bears, the 

now extinct state 

symbol. Juniper 

Enjoy lake views and colorful wildflowers 

on Woodland Trail 

played a huge role in the lives of native 

Serrano Indians, who used the loose stringy 

bark to make simple skirts, baskets, even 

shoes. 

Next up trekkers see mountain mahogany, 

what locals call ironwood at #2. 

For good reason: it’s been known to bust 

chainsaws and it’s so heavy it won’t float 

in water! It’s coveted as firewood because 

it burns so hot once you get it going. 

Markers highlight willow trees, found 

in moist drainage that was flowing with 

water in spring. Now it’s dry but the abundant 

willows prove water is underground. 

The Serrano made baskets and bows of arrows 

and also chewed on the barnk, their 

version of aspirin. 

Also featured are two different species 

of oaks found in Big Bear—side-by- 


side at #7, making comparisons easy. California 

black oak puts on a color show in 

the fall as its leaves change and drop. Canyon 

live oak on the other hand is evergreen. 

See snowcapped Mt. San Gorgonio, 

at 11,502 feet the highest point in Southern 

California, beyond the ski resorts. Really 

interesting is the towering Jeffrey pine 

peppered by hundreds of woodpecker 

holes, which the birds use to store acorns. 

The role fire plays in the forest ecosystem, 

ravines animals travel, granite rock 

to climb on (beware of rattlesnakes) and 

more highlight Woodland Trail. There were 

even scattered patches of colorful wildflowers 

on our late June outing, adding to 

what is already a scenic trek. 

Call Discovery Center (909) 866-3437 

• 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 

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 • 

Ride Our 

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Unlimited Water Slide rides ... $15 • 10 Rides ... $10 • Each Ride ... $2 

NEW!! 

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Season Passes! 

$69 Anytime, 

$49 Sun-Fri 

(non-holiday) 

Soaring Eagle Ride 

Spring and Summer are 

Great at Alpine Slide! 

Parents!... Sun On Our Spacious Deck While The Kids Play! 

Year-Round Family Fun 

With 300 Clear Days A Year! 

Cool 

Summer Spot 

Your Alpine Slide experience begins 

with a scenic chairlift ride above the 

beautiful Big Bear Lake. Then, with 

you controlling the speed, your toboggan 

plummets back down the mountain creating a thrill you’ll want to relive 

again and again! 

www.AlpineSlideBigBear.com 

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 

FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 • FAMILY FUN! • 909.866.4626 •

July 2019 Big Bear Today

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