Page 2—February 2021From the PublisherAll signs pointto staying offBig Bear Lake iceStay off lake ice. There’s signs allaround Big Bear Lake with the message,dozens and dozens of them inall shapes and sizes, from Boulder Bay toBaker Pond and everywhere in between,stapled to telephone poles and mountedonto posts.Some signs are 4x8 feet, practicallybillboards. Others are electronic. The messageis the same on all of them, threateninga hefty $500 fine for those who violateSan Bernardino County Code 52.0502.“We put signs up anywhere we see tracksto the lake,” said Ricky Seward, Big BearMunicipal Water District lake operationssupervisor, whose job it is to put up thesigns. “They’re on the gazebo at BakerPond, telephone poles, everywhere.”Yet every winter there are those whocan’t resist the urge to venture out onto frozenBig Bear Lake, intrigued by ice thatoften has cracked, thawed and refrozen repeatedlythanks to the warm days and coldnights that make Big Bear such a popularwinter destination.You see people in Boulder Bay especially,but at other spots around the laketoo, gingerly stepping out onto the ice justto see if...what? If it will hold their weight?What if it doesn’t?A more somber consequence than justa ticket that costs money awaits those whoinsist on walking on lake ice: doing so cancost much more, like your life. Which verynearly happened to one family last year,after they walked right past and defied oneof the many signs by stepping out onto icenear Stanfield Cutoff.The lake bottom slopes away ratherquickly at the east end of the lake, the resultof major dredging work several yearsago, so the water gets deep right away. Theman and his wife plus daughter had onlygotten 20 feet from the shore or so whenthe ice gave way and all three plunged intolake water that was only 34 degrees at thesurface, a couple degrees less underwater,several days after the incident.“There must have been some crackingor some noise,” Seward said. “We estimatethey were in six feet of water.”At those temperatures the bodydoesn’t last long as hypothermia sets in,losing the ability to function in only acouple minutes with death in as few as 15.“We’ve all jumped into a cold pool andsucked our breath in,” said MikeStephenson, BBMWD general manager.“We can all relate to that experience. Inbitter cold temperatures shock sets in.“We estimate that they were only inthe water for a minute or so before someoneon the shoreline reported it.”Stephenson added. “They were lucky theSheriff (Citizen Patrol) was around the corner.They were in the water about sevenminutes and probably would have been unconsciousin ten.”As it happened help was on scene inmoments and from the shoreline was ableto toss a rescue rope out to the family. Ittook several attempts and about three preciousminutes for all three to be pulled toshoreline. Lucky Citizen Patrol was nearby,lucky they were only a rope’s throw fromthe shoreline when they plunged in, luckythere was only three of them and not thedozens that have been reported out on theice at one time. Otherwise they’d havegone home from Big Bear in body bags.“In another couple minutes theywouldn’t have been able to grab the rope,”Seward added. “Your grip gets so weak.The deputy told them to wrap the ropearound their arms. The family was treatedon scene for hypothermia and also abrasions—icecuts you too.”To be clear most people heed the signs,but social media has been alive past coupleyears with photos of the relativity few whodon’t. And really the number of those doingsuch a head-scratching dumb act seemsto be going down. A decade ago we’d seetwo or three hundred out on the ice on abusy day, now it’s down to dozens.“I feel like we’re getting the wordout,” Stephenson said. “You can’t enter theValley without driving by a 4 x 8 sign. Alot of these people are knowingly breakingthe law. I’ll pull up and they run offthe ice. It’s no different than if they wereparking in a No Parking zone.” Except, ofcourse, you’re not likely to die in a NoParking zone.Yes, the family was issued a citationwith a court appearance but five hundredbucks seems like a slap in the wrist, noworse than a speeding ticket. “And that’sif the judge doesn’t reduce it as they oftendo,” Stephenson said.Ice hasn’t been much of a problem thisseason till the late January storms arrived,slated to be followed by cold temperatures.At press time there was ice off StanfieldCutoff where there’s a new pedestrian pathto enjoy, and at other locations around thelake too. Stay off it. The ticket, or worse,isn’t worth it.Have a good one.MarcusON THE COVER: Bald eagles are beautiful birds and there’s both a transient and permanentpopulation in Big Bear. See them up close online or in the skies! Photo credit SCMFVolume 32, Number 8 February 20214681116PublisherMarcus G. DietzAssociate PublisherSandra L. DietzPublishing ConsultantBret ColsonTechnical ConsultantCharles DietzPhotography/DistributionSteve DietzJohn DaskamMark GaugerIn This Issue...Big Bear TodayNature’s Harsh Side Unfolds on Eagle CamThose watching the live bald eagle cam last month werethrilled to see resident mama Jackie lay three eggs. They alsogot to watch ravens attack two of the eggs and the thirdcrack on delivery. Big Bear bald eagles are breathtaking to seein person and we’ll point you in the right direction. Or just usestream and we have the internet address right here.Zoo That Just Opened Gets to ReopenBig Bear Alpine Zoo had only been at its long-anticipated newlocation a month or so when it was forced to close for severalweeks by government order. That order has been lifted and ifyou haven’t seen the new zoo yet a visit is a must. Up closeexperiences, amenities like kids playground, and state-of-theartenclosures are just a few of the reasons to go.Craft Beer, Artisan Food, Avocado Bombs!Craft beer flows from the taps and the kitchen serves artisanpub grub, but it’s avocado that’s the bomb at Big Bear LakeBrewing Company. Stuffed with seafood and packed with zip,avocado bombs are the hot ticket, get yourself one.Care for Big Bear, Nativescapes Tackle TrashPlease pack out your trash after a day of play in themountains. That message is pretty straightforward and mostheed it, but the relative minority that doesn’t leaves behind ahideous mess of broken snow toys and garbage. A newprogram seeks to deal with the problem and you can help.Skating Away on Barn’s New Outdoor RinkThe ice is synthetic but the experience is very real on the newoutdoor skating rink at the Bowling Barn. Lace up a pair of realskates or even bring your own and get ready to slide in stylewith Big Bear’s newest winter activity. The rink just openedbut it’s already been a hit as we found out on a recent visit.37 challenges to conquer on the ropescourse at Big Bear Snow Play. Page 9DEPARTMENTS231314From the PublisherPotpourriArea Map/Calendar of EventsThe AlmanacBig Bear's most completelistings for recreation,dining, and more.Big Bear Today is a monthly magazine covering recreation,dining, nightlife, and events in Big Bear. Reproduction of anymaterial, 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. E-Mail: bigbeartoday@verizon.net. Member, Visit BigBear and Big Bear Chamber of Commerce. Internet Address:bigbeartodaymag.comProduction: Offset printing by G.W. Reed Printing, Inc.Color prepress by 2-Bit Studio.Manuscripts and Art: Contributions are welcome. BigBear Today is not responsible nor liable for unsolicitedmanuscripts or art. Materials received will not be returned.© Copyright 2021 Big Bear Today
Big Bear Today February 2021—Page 3
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