Snow Summit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Snow Summit
A Satellite View of Snow Summit Ski Resort, March 2008
Snow Summit Location in California Show map of California Snow Summit Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Snow Summit
Nearest city	Big Bear Lake, California
Coordinates	34°13′43″N 116°53′28″W / 34.2286°N 116.8911°W / 34.2286; -116.8911
Vertical	1,209 ft (369 m)
Top elevation	8,174 ft (2,491 m)
Base elevation	6,965 ft (2,123 m)
Skiable area	240 acres (97 ha)
Runs	31 total 10% beginner 25% low intermediate 40% intermediate 25% advanced
Longest run	1.25 mi (2.01 km) (Westridge)
Lift system	14 lifts
Lift capacity	18,550 passengers/hr
Snowfall	100 in (250 cm)
Snowmaking	Yes, 100% of developed terrain, 240 Acres
Night skiing	Yes
Website	www.snowsummit.com

Snow Summit is a popular ski resort located in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. It opened in 1952. Snow Summit is near Big Bear Lake.

It is part of a group of resorts called Big Bear Mountain Resorts. This group also includes Bear Mountain and Snow Valley. These resorts work together, offering lots of fun for skiers and snowboarders.

Snow Summit is one of the biggest ski areas in Southern California. Many people from the Los Angeles area love to visit it. The resort has a vertical drop of 1,209 ft (369 m). This means the difference between the highest and lowest points you can ski is over 1,200 feet! It also has 240 acres (97 ha) of land for skiing and snowboarding.

In 2017, Snow Summit became part of Alterra Mountain Company. This company owns many ski resorts across North America.

Big Bear Mountain Resorts: One Big Family

For many years, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain were separate resorts. They were only about two miles apart. In 1988, a company bought Goldmine Mountain and changed its name to Bear Mountain. They made many improvements to compete with Snow Summit.

Then, in 2002, Snow Summit bought Bear Mountain. This made them one big company. In January 2023, Big Bear Mountain Resort also bought Snow Valley. Now, Snow Summit, Snow Valley, and Bear Mountain are all part of Big Bear Mountain Resorts.

If you buy a lift ticket for one of these resorts, you can use it at the others too! There is even a free bus that takes people between Snow Summit and Bear Mountain. This makes it easy to explore all the different slopes.

There have been talks about connecting Snow Summit and Bear Mountain even more. A plan was given to the U.S. Forest Service to link them.

How Snow Summit Makes Snow

Snow Summit has a huge snowmaking system. This system uses water from Big Bear Lake. It helps cover all the ski trails with snow. If the weather is cold enough, the resort can make snow on all 240 acres (97 ha) of its developed terrain. This means you can almost always find great snow for skiing and snowboarding during the winter season!

Snow Summit Trails for Everyone

Snow Summit has 31 different trails. They are designed for all skill levels, from beginners to experts.