Race
for fresh, powdery snow
By Ruth Estrada
On-line Forty-Niner
With
the snow season steadily approaching, local
snowboarders and skiers should prepare to
visit Snow Summit Resort in Big Bear.
Snow Summit has just purchased Big Bear
Mountain Resort so the public now has the
choice of visiting either resort in the
same day with one interchangeable lift ticket
or season pass.
Together, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain
resorts cover over 400 acres of mountain
terrain. More than 55 runs wind down the
white, blanketed mountain tops for both
day and nighttime skiing.
Chris Riddle, director for sales at Snow
Summit said that they have ski runs for
all levels of preference.
“We have the world famous Westridge run
that is famous for its free style runs,
we have the miracle mile for people who
enjoy cruising, and we also have the Wall
and Olympic runs for the advance skiers.”
Farrah Chapin, a teacher and snow board
junkie agrees that Snow Summit is the place
to go for Southern California residents.
“It’s close and convenient,” Chapin said.
“It’s fun, it’s cool and they have runs
for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.”
Snow Summit’s park staff has gained a lot
of attention in the past couple of years.
They have gained much recognition for transforming
the everyday, normal run into a state of
the art freestyle park. They have also been
voted as the No.1 overall terrain park by
TransWorld Snowboarding.
However, this year Snow Summit will be making
a few changes. The services will be geared
its services more toward mainstream snowboarders
and skiers. The freestyle terrain parks
and half pipes will be reduced and the “Ego
Trip Super Park” will be changed into a
“Fun Park” that will give more space for
those who wish to fly down the mountain
without running into jumps.
Riddle said visitors should not worry about
potential changes because what visitors
do not find in one park, they will probably
find it in the other.
“Snow Summit will be more family oriented
with more cruising areas,” Riddle said.
“The largest features will be at Bear Mountain
where the more advanced riders and more
of the core riders can enjoy areas like
the Super Pike.”
Danny Hamm, a native of Long Beach is a
classic example of one who enjoys Snow Summit’s
runs.
“Snow Summit is the biggest as far as our
local mountains,” Hamm said. “It has a half
pike and it’s so close to home.”
Last year Riddle said that Snow Summit alone
received more than 500,000 visitors and
that Bear Mountain received more than 300,000
visitors. He also said that regardless of
the weather conditions it plans to have
an early snow season.
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