Husband and I were there during a blizzard in late January and had a wonderful time. The people at the resort and the lodge/restaurant/bar staff were all friendly. We were skiing on a Monday and Tuesday and there were no lines whatsoever. The lifts are slow and old-fashioned and a bit harder to get on and off than newer ones, but that was part of the adventure to us. The mid-week stay and ski free package is a great bargain. I think it's perfect for families or couples looking for a secluded, quaint get-away. It's decidedly lacking in nightlife, so if you're looking for a party scene, you'll probably want to go to South Lake Tahoe or Reno, but for us it was perfect. The one thing that we wish we had known was how limited the dining options are on a weeknight. We had a kitchen in our condo but hadn't brought a lot of food to cook and were wishing we had. The food in the bar and grill is good but not great. The atmosphere there is charming, however, and the beer is flowing.

Awesome snow, great terrain, no lines, and friendly people - tough to beat combination. It has snowed 3 feet in the last week and the roads are well maintained and easy to travel, though caution is always advised in the snowy conditions.

Great powder, unusual for California, but I'm lovin it. Gotta go get my turns for today.....

Our family has been at lake alpine since 1937 and bear valley since 1967. We love it and spend alot of time there in the summer as well as the winter. There is alot more to do at bear valley then ski. Its a great place to vacation all year around. The kids will love it, I know I did when I was younger. If you like hiking, mountain biking or just fun at the lake. The general area has many sites to see from Misquito Lake, down to Utica/Union and Spicer Resivors. I recomend a week or two week stay to be able to take in all the sites. Me and my dad some times walk up the mountain side in the light of the moon and camp up on the rocks.

The fishing is good, as well as the kiyacking. Its a great place if you want to snap some pictures of the family having fun. Come on up and enjoy all of what Bear Valley and Lake Alpine have to offer. Get some fresh air and meet some great people. This Year the Lake Alpine Lodge will be open all year around. Usually it is closed down in winter due to the heavy snow fall.

Now we have snow cats which will be used to shuttle people down to the lodge to view the beautiful snow coverd mountains and lake while enjoying a nice cappicino or a glass of merlot. I would rate the food on a scale of 1-10: a solid 9. The service is a 10 and the views are a 10. Make sure you bundle up this winter and make it one to remember.

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This is where i first learned to snowboard. Bear Valley is a great little mountain. It's very uncrowded for most of the season and they just installed a high speed quad. The lower mountain when it gets covered is just incredible. On big pow days its all about Grizzly.

My family and I had a great time at Bear Valley. The terrain of the runs and the lack of crowds allowed us to enjoy going down the slopes together again and again. The building is a bit old, but the food in the cafeteria was good. And the new speed lift was a perfect fit for our family of four. The lift operators were very considerate of my little girl, and showed courtesy to all. It would have been nice to have had more snow, but overall, we had plenty of fun!