Reviews for Bear Valley

Read skier and snowboarder-submitted reviews on Bear Valley that rank the ski resort and mountain town on a scale of one to five stars for attributes such as terrain, nightlife and family friendliness. See how Bear Valley stacks up in the reviews, on and off the slopes, from skiing and family activities to the après scene. Read up on pros, cons and other comments in reviews left by fellow skiers and riders. Don't forget to submit your own Bear Valley review! Scroll to the bottom of this page to let other travelers know about your skiing and resort experience.

Reviews for Bear Valley

Total (3.3)
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A ski resort's overall star rating displayed here is not calculated based on a simple average but takes several factors, including the age of a review, into account.
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60 Total Reviews:
5 Star Reviews (26)
4 Star Reviews (16)
3 Star Reviews (10)
2 Star Reviews (4)
1 Star Reviews (4)
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Most recent
BK
Low key, family friendly park. During the middle of the week there are no lines. Overpriced for a mid-level resort and the facilities are in very poor condition (especially restrooms). Needs a total upgrade. Poor management. Staff lack adequate training. Most of the young kids barely understand their jobs. One young lady lost her ski exiting the lift and we had to yell at the lift operator to stop the lift.
Tom Thomas
Great during the week. Nice powder in the trees on the backside. Short runs. Lifts spotty. New owners are cutting costs - For example, shuttle parking bus now runs only once per hour except on Saturday, when it's twice per hour. Not enough seating for lunch. Service at cafe is painfully slow, so I assume there's little training for young transient workers.
Great during the week. Nice powder in the trees on the backside.
Short runs. Lifts spotty. New owners are cutting costs - For example, shuttle parking bus runs only once per hour except on Saturday, when it's twice per hour. Not enough seating for lunch.
Zen Der
This has been our go-to resort for several years since we have a cabin in Arnold. We were never impressed with the corporate skiing of palisades and northstar and wanted at least some challenging terrain. Since BV is at decent altitude it gets pretty good coverage for at least the upper half of the mountain most years. Since it's basically at the end of the road (hwy 4) it is generally less crowded than the cluster&^*^#$ of the Tahoe resorts on busy weekends. They feature 2 high speed chairs which is an advantage over the nearest option (Dodge Ridge). There is enough blue terrain to keep you entertained for two days. On the third, it might get bored. The black stuff is decent but the BEST advanced runs are below the main resort (i.e. lower elevation) and I can't recall the last time they opened that chair. Sad because that was some of the juiciest bumps and bowls in the place and since the chair only serviced black runs, it was never crowded. The main negative with BV is the ski "team" While I applaud their outreach to get kids skiing what this amounts to are weekend winter camps for the kids to ski together with an instructor. A small % probably to race, but mostly it's just camp. So far so good. The problem is that on team weekends (basically every other weekend during the season) it puts 100-200 additional skiers on the mountain. Still not the end of the world except for the fact they are allowed, as a group of 20 or so, to cut the line at the chairs with zero regard to the everyone else who, let's face it, also bought season passes, drove up, is spending money at the eatery. If it happens once or twice, no biggie, but it's EVERY SINGLE TIME you're waiting for a chair. Furthermore, the parents for the kids show up at 8 and camp out all the lunch tables with their gear. Some don't actually buy any food, they packed all their lunches. Long story short, the ski team is a great idea but I would suggest to make it a lot smaller, make the kids wait in line like everyone else and kick the parents to the curb from the restaurant seating if they're not actively eating food they purchased.
More homey/family vibe than coroporate skiing resorts
Drive can be challenging, Ski team weekends are a drag
eric
Very poorly run resort, was once a hometown favorite but has become a travesty of miss management by corporate hacks. They are always the firs mountain in the area to close because of weather while others are operating. Chairs will frequently stop operating leaving you stranded on the backside for hours. Unless you only ski on sunny days when weather and good skiing are far from present go elsewhere. Today for example, they are again closed, however every single other resort in the area is operating and raving about how good the skiing is.
not crowded
will close at the first snowflake and chairs break down leaving you stranded
Sam Cremin
I have enjoyed bringing my family there for decades. The kids liked it there as kids and they still do.
Great value. Great scale for family skiing. Short lift lines. Good grooming.
Not enough tough slopes for my super strong skiing friends.
G Shaver
Great place for a day trip. Pros: Won't break the bank, making it friendly for families, great beginners area, good intermediate terrain, the crowds aren't bad, the lifts keep things moving, relaxed staff, good vibe. Cons: It's not massive like Squaw or Heavenly, the expert terrain is farther down the mountain, meaning in lean snow years it won't be open, and it's not South Lake Tahoe for apres ski dining and partying.
Relaxed, friendly, good bargain
Limited après-ski, isolated
Eric Stone
Great mid-size resort, with both great beginner and advanced skiing. Always nice folks on all the runs, and working the lifts. Not your big-time resort, which is exactly its appeal. Couldn’t ask for a nice, funner place to go ski. We love it here!!
Friendly, family atmosphere
tom tankersley
I have very fond memories of Bear Valley. The hill is just that, a hill (upper half) but they do have great tree skiing on the back side and a fantastic mogul run under the chair right down the middle of "Bear Chair" Also the lower part of the mountain is my all-time favorite on a cold powder day or spring slush. So why the low rating? The bottom of the hill is almost never open ( low elevation/ global warming) as well as never been groomed, and the price jumped from $60 to $120! What a JOKE. If you are going to spend that kind of money head to a real resort. Also, runs are short but rarely a crowd.
Lower mountain on powder days
The 2020/2021 prices $120
Bill F
I chose you resort because it said on your website that the beginner hills were groomed, $178 later there was no grooming I could see (12-26-20) It would have been fine except I was with a beginner and wanted them to have some groomers to start on. I checked your site at 715am before I left and it said you groomed and it still does. This is the first and last time this year you get my money. It's the little things that mater.
Nice Resort
Grooming updates are wrong
Elizabeth undefined
We have been going here for years and it is where our kids learned to ski starting at age 3. They are 9 & 11 and still going strong. It isn’t Aspen or one of the Vail resorts so if you are looking for that experience don’t come here. If you want a great place to relax and enjoy the mountain in a friendly, safe, easy going way without judgement and expectation, this is the place for you. The snow is usually good, the mountain is well maintained and they do it for a reasonable price.
Great place to get your kids into skiing
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