Big Bear Lake, CA, Oct. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coming off another successful winter campaign with near-record setting visitation and snowfall totals, Big Bear Mountain Resort (BBMR), Southern California’s premier year-round mountain destination, has begun a $5M renovation to the Bear Mountain base area that will include doubling the size of its iconic sun deck. In town, new activities, restaurants and a new Visitors Center will greet visitors in Winter ‘19-20.
Big Bear Mountain Resort Improvements
- One of the most unique and iconic settings in skiing and snowboarding, Bear Mountain’s sun deck will be expanded from 13,000 square feet to approximately 26,000 square feet, creating even more space for outdoor seating, special events, concerts, and more. When complete, the new deck will extend 350 feet from end-to-end, roughly the size of a football field. Additional improvements to the base area include custom benches built into the slope edge of the deck, a new outdoor dining location, three new fire pits, $250,000 in new furniture and new ramps that will provide complete ADA accessibility to both the slopes and plaza area. The improvements are scheduled to be completed by mid-December and mark the first phase of a two-part renovation plan for the Bear Mountain base area, with the second phase to begin after the 19/20 winter season.
- Bear Mountain’s retail portals -- both the physical and online stores -- will also receive a complete overhaul. Expanded and regularly updated inventory, including a new look for BBMR gear and apparel, will be available along with a wider selection of hard goods including boards, skis, bindings, and boots.
- BBMR’s terrain parks are routinely rated among the best in the world having launched a number of Olympic careers, most notably three-time Olympic gold medalist and 13-time X Games medalist Shaun White. This year the park will include several new features, among them a new corrugated down bar designed by Bear’s Park Team and believed to be the first of its kind.
New Infrastructure
- New Visitors Center: Visit Big Bear will officially open a brand new 5,200 square foot Visitors Center this October. Open seven days a week in the heart of town on Pine Knott Avenue, the new Visitors Center is a great starting place for any Big Bear adventure. Knowledgeable staff and a host of resources are available to help you make the most of your time in Big Bear. Big Bear Mountain Resort will also have a dedicated space within the Visitors Center where guests can get on the slopes faster by purchasing and picking up lift tickets and getting fitted for ski and snowboard rental equipment at the Visitors Center location.
New Dining
- Country Kitchen’s new locally-owned Big Bear Lake location will serve up the American comfort food staples that have made Country Kitchen an institution for over 80 years.
New Off-Mountain Activities
- 2-story ropes course at Big Bear Snow Play: The 2-level ropes course, which opened in August, includes an 80-foot zip line and a number of challenges to reward and excite young and old alike. State-of-the-art safety harnesses will keep guests secure as they traverse the course, the first and only one of its kind in Big Bear.
For more information on the upcoming winter season, or to book your next adventure, go to BigBear.com and BigBearMountainResort.com.