Big Bear Lake Official 2020 Visitors Magazine - 9

X-TREME SPORTS

1911-1925:
HOLLYWOOD DISCOVERS BIG BEAR
With its scenic vistas of majestic mountains and tranquil
forests, Big Bear Valley became an attractive backlot
for the burgeoning film industry in nearby Los Angeles,
driving a surge of tourism to the area.

SAN BERNADINO COUNTY MUSEUM; SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; BIG BEAR VISITOR BUREAU

HOLLYWOOD'S NATURAL BACKLOT
Since its founding, Big Bear Valley has been no stranger to the silver
screen. The region was featured in classics such as Heidi (starring Shirley
Temple) and Gone with the Wind, and the Valley became a favorite destination for movie stars looking to escape the glitz and glam of Hollywood.
Today, Big Bear Valley continues to serve as a scenic backdrop for hit
films and TV shows, including Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelorette.
Catch sights of locations from some of your favorite movies and shows,
or discover a production in action - and if you're lucky, you just might
spot a famous face or two.

1928-1949:
THE (WINTER)
FUN BEGINS
The first winter
facilities were
constructed in 1928,
when a ski jump
competition was
held just west of Big
Bear Village. In 1938,
a toboggan run and
sling lift were developed behind the
Village. The 1930s
and '40s saw an
explosion in tourism
as people flocked to
the area to ski, and
the first ski resort
was built in 1949.

1958-1961:
SNOW DAY!
Hoping to extend
the winter season,
nearby Rebel Ridge
Ski Area began
experimenting
with snowmaking
technology. In 1961,
Snow Summit was
the first Big Bear
resort to use the
new advancements,
churning up snow
created from Big
Bear Lake's water
supply.

In the late 1980s, snowboarding
exploded on the winter scene,
and Big Bear's ski resorts
became early adopters of the
new sport. Snow Summit and
Bear Mountain would serve
as training grounds for some
of snowboarding's biggest
stars, including Olympic gold
medalist Shaun White.
Fittingly, Big Bear would
host the first ever Winter X
Games in 1997.

1998: BIG BEAR
DISCOVERY CENTER

Co-managed by the Southern
California Mountains Foundation
and the U.S. Forest Service, the
center operated as a steward
for the San Bernardino National
Forest. Today, it services more than
190,000 annual visitors looking to
explore this pristine landscape.

1988
-
1997

2002

SNOWY PARADISE
Snow Summit acquired Bear
Mountain and became Big Bear
Mountain Resorts, creating an
unparalleled mountain
experience for
skiers and
snowboarders.

MOVING ON UP
In 2014, Mammoth Mountain Resorts
purchased Big Bear Mountain Resorts, consolidating the four major ski resorts in the
area; three years later, Mammoth Mountain Resorts was
acquired as part of what would become Alterra Mountain
Company, a resort company boasting 15 destinations
across the U.S. The annual IKON pass gives adventurers
access to all 15 destinations, including 23 ski resorts.

2014
-
2018

BIGBEAR.COM

http://www.SHUTTERSTOCK.COM http://www.BIGBEAR.COM

Big Bear Lake Official 2020 Visitors Magazine

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