Big Bear Lake is a reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County, California, USA. It has an east-west length of approximately 7 miles (11.2 km) and is approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) at its widest measurement though most the Lake's width averages a little more than 1 mile (1.6 km). These approximations are based on the Lake having an optimum retainable water level. At dam's end Big Bear measures its deepest water at 72 feet (22 m). It is a completely snow-fed lake having no other means of tributary or mechanical replenishment. The Ashokan Reservoir, located in Ulster County, New York, USA. It is one of 19 that supplies New York City with drinking water. ... San Bernardino Mountains The San Bernardino Mountains are short transverse mountain range northeast of Los Angeles in southern California in the United States. ... San Bernardino County is the largest county in the United States by area, containing more land than 9 states. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

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Defining surroundings

Looking East from China Island

View from Boulder Bay Park

big bear lake viewed from the village

Big Bear Lake is geophysically defined by its North Shore and its South Shore. The South Shore is defined by Big Bear Boulevard which leads into the Big Bear Valley as a continuation of Hwy 18, Rim of the World Highway approaching from the West. Big Bear Blvd. winds east through Papoose Bay, Boulder Bay and Metcalfe Bay, then leads directly east to the City of Big Bear Lake. At a point called The Village, the road turns toward the Lake and then curves eastward again on a straight 4-lane road that directs traffic to Moonridge, the ski resorts at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, Fox Farm, and Stanfield Cutoff on the east end of the Lake. Big Bear Blvd. continues east into Big Bear City. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 857 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Californias Big Bear Lake. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 857 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Californias Big Bear Lake. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 867 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Californias Big Bear Lake. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2272 × 1704 pixel, file size: 867 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Californias Big Bear Lake. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1067 pixel, file size: 292 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 534 pixel Image in higher resolution (1600 × 1067 pixel, file size: 292 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Big Bear City is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California. ...

North Shore (Hwy 38) begins at the Dam Junction of Hwy 18. It travels east past the historic location of Gray's Landing, a famous fisherman's landing dating back to the 1920's. It turns North around Grout Bay and travels through the small unincorporated town of Fawnskin. The road meanders across North Shore through Forestry Lands, past the Big Bear Solar Observatory, past the Discovery Center, past the Serrano Campground (U.S.F.S), past the public boat launch, and past the Stanfield cutoff at the east end of the lake. North Shore Drive continues east into Big Bear City and Baldwin Lake. Baldwin Lake is a natural watershed of the San Bernardino Mountains, San Bernardino County, California. ...

The primary approach to Big Bear is via Hwy 330 out of San Bernardino through Running Springs where it intersects Hwy 18. Hwy 18 proceeds past Arrow Bear, and Snow Valley, past Vista Summit and across the 15 mile "Arctic Circle." for a total distance of 33 miles. Big Bear Lake can also be accessed by Hwy 38 (referred to as the backside) at the San Bernardino (10) Freeway near Redlands, and takes a 52 mile route that passes through Big Bear City on the east. From Lucerne Valley and points North it can be accessed by Hwy 18 over the pass into Baldwin Lake and through the north side of Big Bear City.

Climate

The National Weather Service reports that the warmest month at Big Bear is July, when the average high is 80.7° and the average low is 47.1°. The coolest month is January, with an average high of 47.1° and an average low of 20.7°. There are an average of only 1.2 days each year with highs of 90° or higher. Freezing temperatures have occurred in every month and occur on an average of 193.0 days each year. Lows of 0° or lower average 1.1 days each year. The highest temperature ever recorded at Big Bear was 94°, last recorded on July 15, 1998. The record lowest temperature was -25° on January 29, 1979.

Due to the 6,790-foot elevation of the weather station, rainfall is usually higher than in the lowlands of San Bernardino County, averaging 21.15 inches a year. Interestingly, the maximum monthly precipitation equaled the annual normal of 21.15 inches, in January 1993. The maximum 24-hour precipitation was 9.43 inches on December 6, 1966. Measurable precipitation normally occurs on only 44.9 days a year, which is still more than most lowland locations. Mountain thunderstorms have sometimes produced heavy rainfall, even in midsummer (when most southern California lowland locations are quite dry).

Snowfall averages 61.8 inches each year. In February 1990, 59.5 inches of snow fell at the lake. The most snow in 24 hours was 27.0 inches on March 27, 1991. The greatest snow depth was 58 inches on February 3, 1979. Snow has fallen in every month except July and August. There are normally 16.5 days each year with measurable snow (0.1 inch or more).

History

The region now known as Big Bear lake was once a territory populated by the indgenous tribe of the Serrano Indians for approximately 2,500 years. They referred to the territory as "Yuhaviat" which translates into "Pine Place". They inhabited groups of 10 to 30 round buildings located along fresh water sources and subsisted on berries, roots, nuts, tubers, acorns, and hunted game along the valley. The Serrano looked at the native grizzly bears as ancestors and never ate the meat or wore the furs from the bears. The rich history that has been handed down by the Serrano is shown by several towns that have taken tribal names like Yucaipa, Cucamonga, and Muscupiabe.[1] The Serrano are a Native American tribe of Southern California. ... Yucaipa is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ... Rancho Cucamonga is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States. ...

Big Bear Lake was first discovered by a western settlers when a manhunt party was formed by Benjamin Wilson. Wilson moved to California during the days of Mexican territorial Alta California. He married into the Spanish landholder family, the Yorbas, and bought a portion of Rancho Jurupa (Riverside) from Juan Bandini. He became a local rancher statesman of great repute, especially for an Anglo in Mexican California. Benjamin Davis Wilson, (December 1, 1811 to March 11, 1878, San Gabriel, California; statesman and politician. ... Riverside is a name common to a number of cities and counties. ...

Wilson had signed on as Justice of the Peace of the Inland Territory and was commissioned by the territorial authorities to track down (and otherwise deal with) the Native Americans that were raiding ranches in nearby Riverside. The Ute band of cattle rustlers, led by the fierce Chief Walkara, drove the herd into the Lucerne Valley on the north side of the San Bernardinos. Wilson gathered a posse of 44 men, 22 of whom he sent through the Cajon Pass while he led a pincer movement with the other 22 men into the headwaters of the Santa Ana River so as to cut the Utes off at other end of Lucerne. Lucerne Valley is a small unincorporated community located in the Mojave Desert of western San Bernardino County, California. ... Cajon Pass (elevation 4190 ft. ... The Santa Ana River begins in San Bernardino County, California in the San Bernardino National Forest. ...

On the trip Wilson came upon a broad wildlife watershed teaming with California Black Bear. His posse immediately became a hunting party where the men were split into 11 pairs each pair bringing back a bear fur. Wilson dubbed the valley as "Bear Valley" and one of the nearby watersheds "Big Bear Lake". This same Lake is named Baldwin Lake today after Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin of Rancho Santa Anita fame, who bought the nearby Gold Mountain Mine that was renamed for him in 1876. On Wilson's return trip (seemingly the posse lost interest in catching Indians) the party took 11 more bear furs. Baldwin Lake is a natural watershed of the San Bernardino Mountains, San Bernardino County, California. ...

For about a decade the newly discovered valley became a venue for gold prospectors. In 1859 a Mr. William F. Holcomb, a prospector from Indiana moved to Los Angeles from the Northern California mines where he heard about the prospecting at Big Bear. He moved to Starvation Flats where he had little luck over the first winter. Because of his rifle marksmanship, he was hired by several of the other miners to hunt bear for meat. With his Indian companion Holcomb tracked a shot and wounded Grizzly Bear into a beautiful valley beyond Bear Valley. There he noticed quartz rock rifts flecked with gold. When word got out, the largest Southern California gold rush was on, and Holcomb Valley became the largest populated area in San Bernardino County.

In 1884 Bear Valley was dammed with a single arch granite dam which held back some 25,000 acre feet (30,000,000 m³) of water for irrigation purposes in the Redlands area. The simple granite brick-lay was never thought to be able to hold, but by the time the second dam was built, the still-standing first dam became affectionately referred to as "the eighth wonder of the world."

In 1912 a 72 foot (22 m) multiple arch dam was constructed about 300 feet (91 m) downstream of the old dam and increased the Lake capacity to 73,000 acre feet (90,000,000 m³). A highway bridge (18) was built over the dam's arches. The old dam still stands under water. Elevation at the surface is 6750 feet (2060 m), and is very susceptible to drops during droughts. The dams are part of the Big Bear Municipal Water District.

The heavy hunting of grizzly bears in Southern California's San Bernadino Mountains wiped out the native Grizzly Bear population by 1906.

Big Bear Lake never knew much tourism until the onset of the automobile and the eventual establishment of highways which could access the seemingly remote area. Even before there was much of a tourist attraction, Hollywood fell in love with the area, as well as Holcomb Valley, for movie shoots, westerns in particular.

Lake Activities

Like most reservoirs, Big Bear Lake ends up a great water sports venue for all pleasure activities: fishing, pleasure boating, speed boating, water skiing, jet-skiing and jet boating. Because of the high speed activity on the lake, not to mention other underwater dangers near the shorelines, there is little room for swimming. The lake is patrolled by the City of Big Bear Lake's law enforcement.

Lakeside resident all have private docks, while other can obtain mooring in several of the marinas found on both shores. The County makes available a public launch on the east end of North Shore. The local marinas provide all sorts of sport and pleasure boats, and there is a parasailing company available for those who would like to take to the air.

Points of interest

• Big Bear Dam

North Shore (west to east)

• Fawnskin (San Bernardino County uninc.)
• Captain John's Marina
• Big Bear Solar Observatory (New Jersey Institute of Technology)
• Big Bear Discovery Center
• Serrano Campground (USFS)
• County Public Launch and Park

South Shore (west to east) Fawnskin, California is an unincorporated community of San Bernardino County located on the north shore, more specifically at Grout Bay, of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino National Forest. ... The Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO) is an astronomical telescopic observatory with main interests in studying the physics of the Sun. ...

• The China Islands (proper name Garsten Islands near Papoose Bay)
• Boulder Bay
• Metcalfe Bay and Holloway's Landing
• Alpine amusement park (bunny slope in winter; slides and water park in summer)
• The Village (Village Drive and Pine Knot Avenue)
• Pine Knot Marina
• Snow Summit (skiing)
• Moonridge Golf Course
• Big Bear Zoo (on Moonridge)
• Bear Mountain (skiing in winter; mountain biking in summer. Ski lift open in summer for sightseeing)
• Big Bear Lake Interlocken shopping center (consists of several chain stores and markets)

Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... According to the USGS GNIS, the United States has 142 peaks named Bear Mountain: This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

See also

• Big Bear Lake, California for the incorporated city.
• Big Bear City an unincorporated town east of Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake is a city located in San Bernardino County, California. ... Big Bear City is a census-designated place located in San Bernardino County, California. ...

External Links

• Official Site
• Off-Road Trails around Big Bear Lake

Coordinates: 34°14′31″N, 116°58′37″W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...