BIG BEAR questions

Check out pages 8 and 9 of my build thread and that's the snow in the end of January of this year.

 

The traffic up the mountain is going to be horrible.

 

Oh you hit the nail on the head there. Town is already getting packed with all the tourist coming up this weekend. And now that we got new snow it's going to be a zoo up here. Tourists=no idea how to drive in the snow. There where people stuck/crashed all over the road on my way back from the grocery store today.

 

@FirstGen Jer I try to go up the 'back' way. Saves a lot of time too.

 

Smart man @Doc.SS - best way up here on weekends in the winter is through Lucerne valley up the 18....way less traffic and about 45 min less driving on "mountain roads".

 

Maybe I'm gonna have to come up then haha

 

Im going up this weekend and was going to try a different route. I normal go 210 to the 18 because Im coming from Torrance. Would the 210 to the 330 (City Creek Rd) be better? Maybe take the 10 to 210 up.

 

December would be a good month to go, snow will be minimal, due to it still being early in the season, I have a house in arrowhead, this comes from going up each year to snowboard.

 

So if your coming up on a Friday or saturday. My advice is stay away from the 18 and the 330. It is the start to the holiday break and traffic coming up is always bumper to bumper on the weekend. The best route and quickest way to take on busy weekends is the 10 to the 38 through mentone/redlands. It brings you up on the east side of big bear. Way less traffic this way because most tourist take the 18 or 330 way. We just received about 6-8 inches of snow over this past weekend as well. (20+year local). @SoCal Hillbilly

 

Any pics of new snow fall?

 

Excellent advise, thanks. What are some good places to eat?

 

This is the way I go. It's more scenic.

 

Mexican= hacienda, el jacalito, laguna grill. Italian=maggios, red baron, village pizza. Burgers n sandwiches= bj's, Broadway cafe, murrays, mountain munchies. Nice sit down restaurants=black diamond tavern, nottinghams, basil bistro. We also just recently got a brewery...big bear lake brewery, it's in the village.

 

Love it!!

 

To anybody coming up to big bear this weekend. This pic was posted on Facebook today of the 330 to the 18. People where saying it was takin an hour to go a few miles. Heavy visitor congestion.

 

If you are looking for a fun day trip, look up "Apple Valley to Fawnskin" on youtube. This is a 21 mile dirt road with no traffic. It is also called Coxey Rd and becomes 3N14. Once you get up past Big Pine Flats campground, turn left to go to Holcomb Valley. Great roads, historical sites, rockclimbing, and a wide-open area for the dogs. There will be a few others back there also so recovery is possible if needed, but your truck sounds capable. I just did this trip last Tuesday 12/22/15 and it was a blast. When you come out by way of Polique or Van Dussen canyon go to the Discovery Center on the north side of the lake, plenty of signs, and ask for the off-road map-it's free! It has every trail in the area. Also check out "explorethewest-Big Bear" on youtube for videos of the trails in the area. Get out and enjoy!

 

I went up Saturday. Some how I ended up on the 330 and it took 1.5+ hours to get up the hill, damn back seat drivers. It was 25 deg, super windy and mostly ice. We made the best and had a good time tgough. Its always funny watching the people who have never used chains before. Lots of fender damage from loose chains.

 

Ya...slap!slap!slap!. Umm I think your chains might be loose??? Haha. What gets to be annoying is the people who just stop right in the middle of there lane in town and check/put there chains on.

 

I have the 1st 5 days of the new year off. Anyone interested in wheeling up to big bear then?