Mount Waterman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Waterman |
|
|---|---|
 Mount Waterman
Location in California
Mount Waterman
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Waterman Mountain San Gabriel Mountains Angeles National Forest |
| Nearest city | Pasadena, California |
| Coordinates | 34°20′59″N 117°55′43″W / 34.349722°N 117.928611°W |
| Vertical | 1,030 ft (310 m) |
| Top elevation | 8,030 ft (2,450 m) |
| Base elevation | 7,000 ft (2,100 m) |
| Skiable area | 150 acres (61 ha) |
| Runs | 27 total 20% beginner 20% intermediate 60% advanced |
| Lift system | 3 chairlifts |
| Snowfall | 180 in (460 cm) |
| Snowmaking | No |
| Night skiing | No |
| Website | www.mtwaterman.org/ |
Mount Waterman is a fun ski area located on Waterman Mountain. It's found in the San Gabriel Mountains within the Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County, California. You can reach it by driving on California State Route 2, also known as the Angeles Crest Highway.
The ski area sits at a high point of 8,030 ft (2,450 m). From top to bottom, the vertical drop is 1,030 ft (310 m). Mount Waterman operates with a special permit from the United States Forest Service. The ski trails are divided into different skill levels:
- 20% are for beginners.
- 20% are for intermediate skiers.
- 60% are for advanced skiers.
Mount Waterman has a ticket booth at the base, a cozy warming hut, and restrooms. There's also a ski school to help you learn. A ski patrol team is always ready for first aid. While there used to be ski rentals, this service is not active right now. There's even a heliport partway up the mountain. Near the top, there's a large reservoir meant for a future snowmaking system. At the 8,036 ft (2,449 m) summit, you'll find a flat area with big rocks. The resort uses three double chairlifts to take skiers up the mountain. Mount Waterman does not currently have snowmaking equipment. There are also steep backcountry ski trails, but these are not patrolled, so skiing there is not recommended.
Contents
History of Mount Waterman
Mount Waterman has a long and interesting history. It's located on Waterman Mountain in the San Gabriel Mountains. In 1888, a large area of land in these mountains was leased by Louis Newcomb. He was a master at building trails and cabins.
How the Mountain Got Its Name
Robert B. Waterman was an early mountain explorer and a ranger in the San Gabriel Forest Reserve. In May 1889, Robert, his wife Liz, and their friend Perry Switzer went on a three-week hike. They walked from La Cañada to the Antelope Valley and back. Liz Waterman was the first non-Indigenous woman known to have crossed the San Gabriels. During their journey, she placed a pile of stones on the summit. She named it "Lady Waterman's Peak." However, because of how women were viewed back then, people thought this name was not suitable. The peak was later called by different names, all leaving out "Lady." Robert Waterman tried many times to get the full name restored, but he was not successful.
Early Days of Skiing
The first rope tow at Mount Waterman was built in 1939. It was created by Lynn Newcomb, Sr. and his sons, Ren and Lynn Newcomb, Jr. Mount Waterman claims to have had the first chairlift in California. It opened on January 1, 1941. The chairlift actually broke down on its opening day, and riders had to jump off! But the ski resort kept going.
Lynn Newcomb, Jr. took over running the ski area after his father passed away. Until 1968, the area still had its original single chairlift and three rope tows from 1941. Then, a second chairlift was added. The winter of 1968–69 brought a lot of snow. The original single chairlift was replaced in 1972 with a new double chairlift. In 1981, a third chairlift was added. Lynn Jr. managed the ski area for many years until the 1990s. Then, he sold it to two businessmen from the San Gabriel Valley. Their big plans for snowmaking and other improvements didn't work out. So, they returned the resort to Newcomb.
Angeles Crest Resorts Takes Over
Newcomb later sold Mount Waterman to a group of Southern California businessmen. The main people involved were Barry R. Stubblefield and his brother Gregory R. Stubblefield. They formed a company called Angeles Crest Resorts (ACR). This group started operating Mount Waterman and the nearby Snowcrest ski area in 1999.
The resort was closed for several years, from July 2001 to February 2008. This was mainly because it couldn't meet the U.S. Forest Service's operating rules. Mount Waterman usually gets a lot of natural snow, about 180 in (460 cm) on average. The snow stays well because of the many trees and the steep north-facing slopes. However, the amount of snowfall can change a lot each year. Since there was no snowmaking equipment, the area couldn't open in dry years, like the 2001–2002 season. Mount Waterman also has a unique layout. It has a beginner area at the top and many steep, tree-filled slopes for experts. But there isn't much terrain for intermediate skiers.
Sadly, in January 2005, Barry R. Stubblefield, one of the owners, passed away in a skiing accident while working at Waterman. He was 48 years old.
A Winter of Heavy Snow (2004–2005)
The winter of 2004-2005 brought almost record-breaking snow to Southern California. In February 2005, there was already 3 to 6 ft (1 to 2 m) of snow. Then, another 10 to 12 ft (3 to 4 m) of fresh powder fell! Even though there was so much snow, the ski area was still not open to the public that year. Some people remember hiking long distances up the closed Angeles Crest Highway to see the buried lodge. The snow was so deep that it reached the bottom of the first chairlift. The lodge was completely covered by snow.
New Ownership and Reopening
On July 2, 2006, Rick Metcalf, a longtime skier at Waterman, bought Mount Waterman and Kratka Ridge ski areas. He formed a company called Mount Waterman LLC. His goal was to reopen Mount Waterman for the 2006-2007 ski season. However, that year was the driest in Los Angeles history, so there wasn't enough snow to open. A new website for Mount Waterman announced an opening date in early February 2008.
Mount Waterman officially reopened on February 16, 2008. More than 200 skiers came to celebrate! The first two chairlifts were working thanks to dedicated local people who dug them out from ice and dirt. The third chairlift was still being cleared from recent snow. The Metcalfs, other owners, and former owner Lynn Newcomb were all there. The resort operated for about five weeks on weekends, closing in mid-March 2008.
Recent Seasons and Challenges
- 2008–2009: Mount Waterman was open with all three lifts running. It received over 3 ft (0.91 m) of snow in December.
- Station Fire (2009): A large wildfire, the Station Fire (2009), spread quickly in August 2009. The Mount Waterman caretaker, Todd Brugger, saw the fire approaching. He used a bulldozer to create a firebreak, which helped protect the ski area. The fire never crossed into the main ski area. However, the most significant impact was that the Angeles Crest Highway was closed for two full ski seasons.
- 2009–2010: Mount Waterman had enough snow by late January 2010, but the main road was closed. An alternate route finally opened in March, allowing the resort to operate from March 13 to April 18.
- 2010–2011: In 2011, Mount Waterman was again open using the alternate route.
- 2011–2015: The Angeles Crest Highway finally reopened in May 2011, bringing back normal road access. However, for four seasons in a row, there wasn't enough natural snow for the ski area to open. This long drought was unusual in the resort's history.
- 2015–2016: Mount Waterman was open on weekends from January 16 to February 6.
- 2016–2017: Mount Waterman was open on weekends from January 28 to March 12.
- 2017–2018: This was another very dry season, so Mount Waterman did not open.
- 2018–2019: Mount Waterman was open for a few weekends in February and March. Road damage caused some closures, and a detour was needed to reach the area.
- 2019–2020: Mount Waterman received good snow in December but faced road closures and equipment delays. It opened for two weekends in January but then closed. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lifts couldn't run after later storms. However, many backcountry skiers enjoyed the snow in April.
In 2010, Mount Waterman started working with a large mountain biking group. They plan to create a managed bike park for summer use once they get the necessary permits.
Images for kids
-
Mount Waterman from the east
-
Mt. Waterman in March, 2000
