Bear Valley Ski Resort

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# 10Family Friendly in United States
# 1Family Friendly in California
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Overview

Nestled off Scenic Highway 4 in the Central Sierra Mountains and Stanislaus National Forest, Bear Valley Resort is a family-friendly resort that accommodates skiers and riders of all levels and abilities.

The resort is known for being a relaxing High Sierra escape complete with gorgeous views of the surrounding mountains. Great weather makes for long days on the slopes, but when it's time to call it quits, there are excellent lodging options near the resort. Lodging options include Bear Valley Lodge and a multitude of cabins and vacation rentals near the ski resort.

Where Is Bear Valley Mountain Resort Located?

Bear Valley Resort is located on Scenic Highway 4, halfway between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite in Northern California.

Lodging in nearby Bear Valley Village; 600 beds, many lodges, 152 condos, 33 studios and one- bedroom suites. RV parking is available on-site.

Restaurants

Breakfast Places

  • A great place for brunch, the Creekside Bistro sells house-made Bloody Mary’s and breakfast favorites. 265 Bear Valley Rd, Bear Valley, CA 95223

For Dinner or Lunch

  • Sky High Pizza & Pub creates pizzas using their house-made dough. Try one of their signature pizzas. 265 Bear Valley Rd, Bear Valley, CA 95223

Apres/Nightlife

  • Watch the game, or grab your favorite beverage at the Grizzly Lounge. Grab a spot by the fireplace if you can. 265 Bear Valley Rd, Bear Valley, CA 95223

Terrain

Terrain

Grab a lift ticket, and check out the ski area's intermediate and advanced terrain mixed with multiple options for beginners and intermediates. Skiers and riders will find more than 75 trails and 1,900 feet of vertical drop, all serviced by a total of 9 lifts. Bear Valley, CA, offers tuning and repair, equipment rentals and ski lessons.

Averaging 359 inches of snowfall annually, Bear Valley offers 25% beginner, 40% intermediate and 35% advanced terrain spread across 1,680 accessible acres. Base elevation is 6,600 feet with a top elevation of 8,500 feet. There are 100 acres of snowmaking to bolster annual snowfall.

For freestylers, there are two progressive terrain parks with beginner to advanced features while advanced skiers and riders can join a snowcat tour to adventure into untracked powder in the sidecountry.

Bear Valley also features over 3,000 acres of Nordic Trails, one of the largest in the U.S., for track and skate skiing, and snowshoeing. There are also plenty of options for backcountry fun – telemark, snowshoeing, touring and more.

Inside Scoop

Bear Valley was originally called Grizzly Bear Valley, named during a scouting expedition in 1855. In 1952, the Orvis family purchased 480 acres of property and built a large log cabin and created a cattle ranch. Bruce Orvis then created Mt. Reba Ski Bowl and established Bear Valley as a winter playground.

It is one of two resorts in California that operates a NASTAR course with racing happening nearly every weekend during the season. Grab the Forever Pass, and get unlimited access to both cross country and downhill trails.

Take advantage of one of the Mountain Adventure Seminars that provides instruction in avalanche safety, mountaineering, telemark and more.

Plan Your Trip

Bear Valley Lodging

Best Time for Snow

Average Snowfall

86"
54"
36"
18"
0"
12"
Nov
65"
Dec
71"
Jan
55"
Feb
70"
Mar
16"
Apr
0"
May

Terrain Overview

11%
Beginners Runs
41%
Intermediate Runs
45%
Advanced Runs
4%
Expert Runs
56
Runs in Total
1.2 mi
Longest Run
1680 ac
Skiable Terrain
100 ac
Snow Making

Total Lifts: 10

1
High Speed Sixes
1
High Speed Quads
2
Triple Chairs
4
Double Chairs
2
Surface Lifts

Elevation

8500'
Summit
1900'
Vertical Drop
6600'
Base

Important Dates

December 16, 20232023/12/16
Projected Opening
April 14, 20242024/04/14
Projected Closing
142
Projected Days Open
165
Days Open Last Year
56
Years Open
359"
Average Snowfall
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