Bear Valley

2009-01-21T20:20:00.000-08:00

posted by Jim Gentling

OK, so I have been remiss in maintaining an up to date blog – now its catch up time. Let’s start with the Lower Mountain, Grizzly and Kodiak rumor control. Now that the lower mountain & Griz lift are open, the rumor that the USFS will not let us open it, should be dispelled.

SOOO what takes so long to get it open? The ski patrol as well as BVM Management and Owners will always err on the side of safety in opening the lower mountain. The opening procedures require a diligent and prudent AC (avalanche control) plan to work the lower mountain into submission. That generally takes 2 days of snow safety work. That work has to be done by the ski patrol before we can send any other depts. or staff into the area. Once the Ski Patrol gives the all clear, other depts. respond with their respective tasks. The patrol then starts putting up tower pads, stringing perimeter ropes and setting up the signage at the gates. The Lift Dept has to build ramps and a maze for Grizzly & the Grooming Dept sets up the roads. ONCE AGAIN - NO – THE GRIZZLY BOWL WILL NOT BE GROOMED!!!! We will however work on Snow Valley once we have sufficient coverage.

As you can imagine this is a very exhaustive and tedious process for all involved. Now for all of you data driven skiers the Grizz opened this year in Dec for the 1st time in the last 3 years .

As to the future of Kodiak - Yes - Kodiak is in the process of being decommissioned.

Just as important – Section 5 – Home Run/Lunch Run opened Friday Dec.26th the earliest opening in the last 3 years and our intentions are to groom Lunch Run, at a minimum, on Friday nights for Saturday morning. So take a cruiser down Lunch Run to Headwaters in the Village for lunch or just make a “bus run” or two!!

The grand opening of the new terrain park was delayed by mass quantities of snow (170% of the monthly December avg). But it did open on Saturday the 27th. SO, “what’s up with having a terrain park again” (you ask) – “we all thought you were against them, over the last few years all you did is trash talk them”. WELL, all I wanted was the proper equipment & talent to create a park with unique features, elements and in the right location…and then build one. NOW we have the Park Bully, Jon Mahanna, Mike Schimke and crew, $10,000 in new hits and West World as the trail – so here we go!!. Build it and they will come and you did!! Opening day in the park saw at least 500 users, unbelievable!!

You may notice that some of your favorite trails are not being groomed, we are trying something new – if it works BVMT just may end up with couple of bump (mogul) runs. We intend to leave Lone Pine, Tigers & Mokelume ungroomed in order to let the bumps build up. This is a work in progress, there will be some trial and error as we go – we will monitor it and see if it works or how well it works. If it does work and then bumps get ugly we may groom and start over.

Let’s talk Koala – the rumor is Koala is going to be closed Monday through Friday. The Facts: Over the last 3 seasons and with the installation of Polar, we have operated Koala as visits require and this season is no different. Polar has changed the traffic patterns and Koala use. When skier/boarder visits warrant running the lift - the lift will run, other wise it is on hold but available and if enough skier/boarders are here we will run it. Typically over the last few years there have been some days in January, a few more in February and in March where Koala did not operate but always available. The days at the highest risk of having Koala on a standby basis is Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and on an occasional Monday. You can count on it operating Friday, Saturday, Sunday and most (not all) Mondays.

As a reminder, the trails are all open and the terrain is easily accessible from the Tuck’s Run and we even groom a trail in that area. Yes it takes a little longer and slightly more effort to get there but think of it as your own private ski area when you get there, and enjoy the serenity.

Well that’s enough for now, as I need to get this to the presses for launch. Its been a great beginning of the season after a short & brief rocky start. Get out and enjoy your home away from home as there are only 89 days of skiing left!!!

New Blogs coming soon.....

2008-10-24T23:16:00.000-07:00

We are excited for the 2008/09 season too, but we are busy with construction both on the moutnain and in the lodge. We'll get to our offices soon to get you up to date on what's new. Bring on the snow.....stay tuned for more soon.

Opening - December 8th

2007-12-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

First - Yes, I am still here as the COO and General Manager of the Mountain and I now report directly to Martin the CEO, (no longer to someone in Colorado) of the Bear Valley Resort Group. As Martin builds our company for 2010, he will keep me on the straight and narrow - focused on continuing to improve your service experience and the nuts and bolts of the operations. Now that we have cleared that up!

It's finally happening - the snowmaking crew has made a mountain of snow - (litterly). They have created enough snow to open a couple of trails thanks to a cold Thanksgiving Holiday and now our OPENING DAY is upon us. As we approach Saturday the 8^th, it's only getting better - because it's currently snowing as well. While we all have high hopes for this storm being the "big one," the kind of dump that the Sierra's are famous for, the reality is that it is the FIRST storm of the season.

Now the big question is "how much do you need to open Grizzly"? Well let's table that discussion until we have a settled 70" base and get back down to opening day.

Opening day will have at least Moke West and Lodge Run on Saturday, with a couple of terrain features scattered about, but, we are also poised to expand terrain and lifts as the snow accumulates.

Again, the reality of the situation is that this pending storm will be the first appreciable precipitation that we have had since October. If this is the "the big one" we have a plan to open as much new and additional terrain as possible as soon as possible. BUT - we will march forward in a methodical and prudent manor to manage a sustainable opening and not be just a flash in the pan.

So what the H--does that mean? Well you can look forward to us - effectively & efficiently managing the snow. The first 12" to 15" will need to be track packed where ever the snowcats can go, this is to establish that initial base. Track packing is the compressing the snow as close to the ground as possible by using just the tracks of the snowcats no tillers, compactor bars or rollers. The next snows can then be groomed with the implements mentioned above.

Priority wise we intend to work the Cub and Super Cub areas first as they take the least amount of snow and are integral to the beginner portion of our business. Next we want the Back Side - at least to POOH chair (yep, I know, I know we should run Pooh all the time - another blog). Well, what about Koala? Not to worry it's in the mix also.

Our goal is to open as much terrain as possible, as soon as possible in a reasonable and prudent manner. We want to be open as much if not more than you want us open. One significant storm may set us for our next big push to open Cub/Super Cub. Next substantial storm after that - the Backside & Koala lifts would be a strong possibility.

May Ullr reward us all with a great winter & let the games begin!!! - gentling

Bear Valley Gears Up for the Season & Welcomes New CEO

2007-10-17T14:21:00.000-07:00

View Full Press Release

2007-03-27T13:39:00.000-07:00

NEW SNOW - COME AND GET IT!

Today I indulged in an hour of powder pleasure to capture images (for the marketing office) of the latest offering from Mother Nature. Over a FOOT of new snow, 15 degrees, light to moderate winds and a mountain nearly all to myself. Normally when I go out to take care of on-hill work :-) it's a quick boot up, scoot out the back door of the admin building, take a couple runs solo and get back to the office! Today, I was lucky enough to run into friends as I was heading out... friends I rarely, in the 15 years I've worked here, get to ski with! Today, I twisted their arms and asked them to ski for me so I could snap a couple pics of them tracking up the new snow! My instructions were simple. "Ski fast, ski right at me, hug the tree line... oh, and most importantly SMILE"! Thanks Rick and Graz for humoring me!

My advice, if you can work it into your schedule, make time to get up and enjoy the fantastic Mid-winter snow conditions this week/weekend at Bear! ps - Grizz & Snow Valley were on hold today (closed due to high avalanche activity)... should re-open tomorrow after Patrol conducts safety measures... check the website or call the main line 209.753.2301 x0 after 8:30am Wednesday for the lower mountain opening schedule.
Enjoy - Arch

2007-03-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

Blogging Polar

Well it's been two weeks since March 2, 2007, a day permanently etched on my brain, the day Polar Express went down for the entire afternoon. I have been agonizing on how to best address all of you regarding the cumulative effects of the day and the connected actions (or non-actions) of the 3(+/-) hr ordeal.

After writing pages and pages, I have come to the conclusion that the best thing I can do is communicate why it happened and what we are going to do to avoid such incidents in the future. The initial failure of the lift going down was somewhat of a fluke - a simple procedure that went awry. That's one thing, but the chain of unfortunate circumstances that followed, well, bottom line - there are just not enough words to effectively communicate how we failed you. The number of "should haves" and "why didn't we" is just plain unacceptable - we could have, and should have been better prepared to respond, and for that I owe all of those impacted by the incident a sincere apology and a "Thank You" for your patience through it all.

Since the events of that afternoon we have been very focused on ensuring that we do everything in our power to not have a repeat. We have held several debriefing meetings to assess our successes and failures of the day and action plans for the future. In attendance were the Lift Maintenance Director, Patrol Director, Lift Operations Manager, the Mountain Manager and Guest Services Director. We spent much of the time analyzing our errors and lack of effective communication. As a result - prevention, of course, is our highest priority. Immediately followed by a quicker reaction time to get to resolution, and improved communications to keep our guests apprized of the situation. Once again, I am truly sorry for the inconveniences we created and the heart ache we caused all those directly and indirectly affected, I'm confident we have covered and addressed every item that we can control and will be better prepared to respond the "next time". I wish I could guarantee that the lift will never go down, but I know that would be foolish, and time will tell if our efforts to improve will be successful.

Lift performance and lift down time have always been top of mind for me, we track it and chart it, and believe it or not we are always strategizing on how to reduce it. We track separately the operational downtime, mechanical downtime, electrical down time as well as the uncontrollable conditions of wind and my personal favorite, PG&E. Below is a brief summary of one of our tracking matrixes. This matrix does not include stop time for a mis-load/unload and has about a 10% margin of error. We use this information to better train our staff, upgrade our lift components, set part replacement schedules and establish service and maintenance schedules. I will let the numbers speak for themselves, but this chart compares the total for all last season to the beginning of this season to March 3rd.

As a result of the debriefing sessions, Poma is coming next week to further access the situation, train and retrain our maintenance staff and render some assistance on several nagging mechanical and electrical problems. In order to do this we need to bring the lift down and out of service for a day. So on Tuesday, March 20 Polar will be closed and Pooh will be operating for the day. Not sure yet on how to record this non operating day in the matrix.

Changing the subject - something else near and dear to all of our hearts - the LOWER MOUNTAIN - Just putting you all on notice - without a drop in temps or new snow Griz is not long for this world/season. I can't say how long exactly but it will most likely close before April 15 without a change in the weather. Get your runs in now - and let's hope for some new snow. The natives tell me, that just when we start thinking spring is here - we get a nice dumping! Would love to see it!

Cheers - Genling

2007-03-12T14:21:00.000-07:00

Hows it goin everyone,

I just thought I might add a little bit to the blog... In fact this is my very first blog ever, so please feel free to respond to this to let me know if I am doin' it right or if you have any feelings on the topic I wish to bring up today. Hmmm... my topic...okay... steeps... I guess that word might relate to the tea aficionados out there or fellow snowsports enthusiasts. This blog is relative to the intermediate to advanced snow "riders" out there but you tea folks are more than welcome to read on.

This time of the season I get to thinking about pretty much one thing... The steeper aspects of my favorite mountain. I really think about the "closer to vertical" portions of Bear Valley all the time but this is the time of year when I really get to refine my skills in these areas. With a great base of snow underfoot and the warmer weather, it really makes for sweet conditions to slide around on the steeps down in the Grizzly Bowl. Yes, the black diamonds and the double black diamonds in the lower mountain. The snow has been perfect for challenging this terrain as it starts to soften up around 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. and the top to bottom laps that have me breathing hard, feeling challenged, probably a little sweaty, and completely amped! Riding up the Grizzly chair, looking down on the terrain which is simply known as "the Grizz," and knowing that I had just growled back at it for a bit of time.

Now for most folks out there, a forty-plus degree pitch can seem a bit overwhelming, undoable, and downright scary. I am here to say that for those of you that are feeling a bit complacent in your intermediate to early advanced levels of snow sliding, the "steeps" are a great place to expand your abilities and love for your sport. I am also here to say that with a little bit of guidance- perhaps from a Bear Valley Snowsports Instructor- and a bit of motivation, you can and should get out there and make it happen. Getting versed in these spring time conditions on the steeps will allow you to feel comfortable and excel in the other aspects of your skiing or riding... guaranteed. Plus, if you happen to "accidentally" take a wrong turn with your buddy and end up looking down a piece of steep, bumped out terrain, the look on their face is always classic... confidence always shines... and last to the bottom always buys.

Come out to Bear Valley, sign up for a "Steeps" private lesson... Challenge "the Grizz"...make your friend buy...

Tip for the steeps: Shorter, tighter turns allow us to control our speed. Skiers keep your hands and body forward down the "fall" line. Riders keep your hips parallel to the slope.

Hope to see you guys up here- and we serve Earl Grey in the cafe!

2007-03-03T15:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Campers
The art of managing guest seating in the mid-mountain lodge

With over 6 feet of new snow in the past week, The Griz & Snow Valley open, no doubt we'll be seeing a lot of "happy campers" in the days and weeks ahead. Whether it's on mtn or in the lodge we strive to provide an exceptional experience! Making sure skiers/snowboarders buying lunch from the Hungry Bear Cafe have a convenient place to sit and eat is a main concern.

Visit any resort on a Saturday or peak period will have its fair share of "Campers" as we affectionately call them. These may be non-skiers/boarders in a group or family who take on the responsibility of marking out a "territory" (i.e., a table) and then sprinkling jackets, backpacks, coolers, gloves and helmets on chairs in order to "save" seats. Heck, I even saw an entire table dedicated to Scrap Booking one day. This would not be a problem on a quiet midweek day, but certainly is not OK on a busy Saturday or holiday.

Here's how we are approaching our goal to improve seating availability for customers:

1) Signage - Permanent signs have been installed every other post in the Hungry Bear Café instructing guests that "Ice Chest, Coolers and Bag Lunches NOT allowed in the Hungry Bear Cafe". This leaves the majority of seating closes to the Food Court open to guests buying their lunch.
2) Ambassadors - We've enlisted our public relations team (wearing the Gold jackets) to inform guests that the sunroom and sprung structure are the designated areas allowing ice chests and bag lunches. They'll even help you find a place to sit on the busy days!
3) More Seats - We've erected a Sprung Structure (temporary building) on the sundeck that provides an additional 1400 sq ft of indoor seating. This is space intended for Campers.

On a sunny day, guests have the opportunity to enjoy outside seating on our sundeck, near the BBQ or downstairs outside of ski rentals. Ah, those are the days! On snowy or cold weather days, a place to sit inside is like GOLD, as guests flock to the inside needing a reprieve from the elements to warm up, refuel, dry out and prepare themselves for more time on the mountain.

Let it be known to all, we do not endorse guests saving seats, tables, etc... Our mid-mountain lodge facilities are meant for one and all to share and enjoy. Unless your party will be sitting in a chair in the next 5-10 minutes, that seat is technically up for grabs! We want everyone to be a Happy Camper, whether they buy lunch from us or bring lunch from home. Next time you see a tray carrying skier or snowboard scoping the lodge or sundeck for a place to sit, invite them to share your table. Remember, what goes around comes around.

Who knows, you may even make a new friend!

Enjoy - Andrea

2007-03-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

GRIZblog #3
Lower Mountain Is Opening Tomorrow!

Yes we have enough snow and yes we will have completed the majority of our opening procedures by this afternoon, SO GRIZZLY WILL OPEN Friday (tomorrow)! Not all of it straight away, but the main veins will be open and peripheries will open as patrol gets to them. So enjoy, be smart and please obey the signs and enjoy.

Will anything be groomed? Maybe it will; maybe it will not. When will it be groomed? Can be groomed? They used to groom all the time, I remember when. Well I am sure you do. First of all, according to the previous management it was not groomed all the time. Second, in the old days when they groomed, it was a free fall (almost uncontrolled) with 12,000 lbs of steel charging down the slope accompanied by gravity. It is, and was, a very dangerous and risky grooming technique. But 20 years ago it was acceptable to do it that way. Third, as I have stated before, I will not put our employees or equipment in harms way! Our grooming fleet has the technology to groom Griz with winch cats and we will groom as conditions, weather, priorities and staff availability allow.

We intend to groom the lower mtn more than last season. On the other hand, we will not groom during most storm cycles, we may not groom immediately prior to the arrival of a storm, we may not groom if visibility is poor, if we have equipment failure or if we do not have the appropriately trained staff.

The moral of this story, be realistic. The lower mountain is for EXPERTS. The trails are black diamond and double black diamond. The conditions and terrain features are for experts and should be treated and respected as such. Those who enter the gates into the lower mountain should be prepared for any type of condition – after all, you are an EXPERT! The lower mountain is very unique and is as close to backcountry as one can get with out actually being in the backcountry.

For all you experts that want regularly groomed trails stick to the upper mountain. Yes, I know that as we age and mature we do not want to give up the things we used to do. Yes, I know that if the lower mountain is groomed so many more people with less ability can enjoy it, yes if it is groomed it spreads people out more. But it is EXPERT terrain. At some point you need to recognize your own limitations or be patient and wait for the perfect day!

Well, enough said. Now is when I apologize to all those who are offended by my bluntness, ignorance and obstinacy. In time, maybe I will learn.

Cheers - Gentling

Grizz Update #2

2007-02-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

OK, for all you math whizzes out there, as per my previous Grizz Blog, we needed 6 ft or 72 inches at mid mtn to get anywhere close to opening the lower mtn. Lets do the math; Monday - 20 inches; yesterday at report time - 8 inches; Saturday at report time - 0 inches; day before that at report time - 12 inches; and on Thursday - 16 inches at report time... Combined total - 56 inches.

Now, to consider a lower mtn opening, as I stated, we needed about 72 inches. When you do the math, it seems that we are currently 16 inches shy. The good news is that it is still snowing today with more to come tonight and the snow level is very low. As I stated in my last Grizz Blog, once we get that 72 inch total or now 16 inches, I will be able to let you know within 48 hours when the lower mtn will open. So, if it snows the proverbial 16 inches by report time on Tuesday, I will let you know by Thursday morning when you can expect the lower mountain to open.

Now you may be wondering, why does it take so long? Well, the lower mountain is very prone to avalanche activity. An avalanche can be created when snow builds up on a steep slope. When the snow can no longer support its own weight, it succumbs to the forces of gravity and slides uncontrollably down the slope. Snow in this form moves very quickly and can be quite heavy and dangerous. Due to its steepness, the lower mtn is very prone to this sort of activity in many areas. The ski patrol will be initiating their snow safety plan (SSP) over the next few days, weather permitting of course. The SSP reduces the avalanche hazards but does not totally eliminate the possibility, as snow safety is not an exact science.

While many of you are expert skiers and have vast knowledge about snow and hazard management and can protect yourselves, we at the ski area need to also consider and manage to those who have not quite achieved a higher snow safety skill/knowledge level yet, but have the ski/board ability and desire for lower mountain experience.

In addition to the snow safety work, the perimeter boundary needs to be set, trail closure ropes and gates installed and towers padded. Lift operations must build the ramps top and bottom, set the perimeter ropes, maze ropes and set up the signage. We refer to all these little nagging, yet critical tasks as "opening procedures." These tasks can't even be started until there is enough snow to get to and from the job site, without putting our valued employees at unnecessary risks.

Bear Valley will always take the time necessary to open lifts and terrain without rushing and endangering our employees. If that takes an extra day or two, so be it. I understand your anxiety and that you may think we are just "saving it for ourselves," as our personal and private stash. I would hope as our relationship grows, so will our trust and understanding. Will we make a mistake or two in the timely opening? Sure. Will you let us know when we do? You will. Please keep in mind that we still have to manage the current open terrain and visitors as well. While the lowermtn may be your top priority we, as reasonable and prudent ski area operators, will balance our activities to service all.

Snow willing, I anticipate the lower mountain could open as early as Saturday at noon. Let's blog again about the Grizz on Thursday! Until then... Enjoy the snow.

Cheers, Gentling

Tips from a snowboarder...

2007-02-23T14:39:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked as an instructor, "What's the best way to avoid people in front of me, when they tend to turn unpredictably or suddenly stop?" The first thing that came to my mind was the "Alpine Responsibility Code" (ARC). Three key components of the ARC stood out:

1. Avoid people ahead of you, they have the right of way.
2. When entering a trail or run or starting downhill, look uphill and give way to others.
3. Know your ability and always stay in control.

As confident as we may be in our own ability, snow conditions do vary and can considerably change the difficulty of a run, possibly effecting our turning radius or stopping capabilities. Never assume you know what the person in front of you is going to do next. Remember there will always be natural and artificial hazards such as rocks, trees, stumps, lift towers and people.

Regardless of how you enjoy your snow-sport, always show courtesy and use common sense and personal awareness to reduce the risks of unnecessary collisions. Don't take it personally if someone avoids you on the hill... Avoid them!!

... No one wants to get taken out, unless it's for dinner!

Home Run is Open!

2007-02-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

You have to check it out! After the long wait, the run to the village is now ready for you. Skiing is way good with spring like conditions. Best tip, head down and grab a killer lunch at Headwaters coffee house, then catch the bus back to the mountain!

John Mallard - Bear Valley Ski Patrol

When Will "Grizz" Get Open????

2007-02-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

"Grizz" the typical name that refers to Grizzly Bowl and Snow Valley. Bear Valley's Famed lower mountain for expert riders, where as Powder Magazine put it "the place Bear Valley hides its secret stashes of steeps and chutes...a laid back hill where you can find Fresh tracks all the time". Yes, I know the spot - so when is it going to open?

Well, while we finally enjoyed a bunch of snow at Bear Valley Mountain Resort - nearly 3 feet at Bear Top, elevation 8,500 feet. It also snowed about 18 inches at the midway base lodge elevation 7,750. The bottom of Grizzly is 6,600 feet, and it received about an inch of rain and about 6 inches of snow. That 6 inches fell on top of about 6 inches already on the ground, totaling about a 12 inch base. If you have ever spent any quality time on the lower mountain you are very aware that the rocks and boulders are significantly larger than 8 inches. In fact a majority of those features are 4 to 5 feet tall, not to mention the willows, streams, stumps and logs all of which are in excess of 8 inches. It is a fairly commonly known fact that when it snows, the higher elevations collect more snow than do the valleys, that particular fact is no different here at Bear Valley.

If you caught the news and weather last night, Squaw Valley had an amazing 3 feet of new snow, at their summit -- but only 6 inches at the base of the mountain. Funny how that works !!

So back to the real issue "WHEN"? If you can tell me the day and time it will snow about 5 to 6 more feet - at our mid mountain snow stake - I will tell you within 48hrs of that time, when it will be open. That 6 feet should equate to 3 to 4 feet at the bottom of Grizzly. Pending of course where the snow level is, meaning, it could be snowing at mid mountain and raining a 1,000 feet lower. In the business we refer to that as the "snow line".

An indicator you can use - If you live in the area or when you are driving to Bear Valley Mountain Resort, you pass and area called Cottage Springs (el. 6,000ft) yes it is slightly lower than the bottom of Grizzly Bowl but "bear" with me here, it's a landmark you can use and relate to. First picture the Cottage Springs base area where the lifts are, strewn with 4 feet tall granite boulders, fallen logs, 3 feet or longer, and several open streams running through the area, then take a look at how much snow is currently on the ground, now you have an indication of the snow depth at the bottom of Grizzly.

While we all promote, measure and get excited about the snow at the top or mid-mountain, the fact is - we need to manage the snow to the lowest denominator, at the bottom of each trail. The whole trail needs to be skiable not just the top half.

The Ski Patrol is monitoring the terrain after each storm, our lift dept is standing by, and believe it or not - we enjoy skiing and boarding the lower mountain as much if not more than you - WE WANT IT OPEN TOO!!!!

Progression Session & Jib Jam 2007

2007-01-30T13:38:00.000-08:00

G'Day All,
What are you up to this weekend? If you are like us here at Bear, you never stop thinking about the mountains, snow, and the next progression you would like to take with your skiing or riding. So why don't you come up and join us for Bear Valley's 1'st Progression Session & Jib Jam?

Have you ever wanted to slide the rails, or do you have a new trick you'd like to learn, but are not too sure ho to attempt it, or the progression to get there? This Saturday (Feb 3), BV instructors will be teaching free rail clinics in the cub park. Whether it's introducing you to rails, or guiding you to adding to your bag of tricks.

We would love to see guys & girls of all ages and abilities ripping it up, as long as you come with a helmet on your head and a mile on your dial! Learn with friends or make new ones as we encourage each other toward stomping each new trick. Along with learning new progressions and new tricks, we will cover park etiquette and smart style.

Then once you're warmed up and stomping rails, you'll be primed to join in the Jib Jam at 1:30pm. We want skiers & boarders of all ages and abilities to join in the Jib Jam at the Cub Terrain Park. Beginner through to advance rails will be there for your enjoyment, with the progression only left up to your imagination. All entries for the Progression Session and Jib Jam have a chance to win awesome prizes in our raffle, including a new video iPod!.

Look forward to seeing you show some flare at Bear!

Deano
"Indecision is the key to flexibility."

ONE LESS THING TO WORRY ABOUT...

2007-01-28T16:40:00.000-08:00

That's what Resort Charge has given me as a Bear Valley season pass holder this winter! I love it... my kids, age 13, 11 and nearly 6 are all dialed in through our customer profile management system to enjoy Resort Charge at Bear Valley. This means no more coming to me, or their dad during the day to ask for cash, or a credit card, so they can head to the Hungry Bear Cafe or Espresso Bar in search of a hearty lunch, hot cocoa and perhaps even the late afternoon Skittles snack to keep the energy up during the last hours of the day... Resort Charge is a payment method guests and employees can enjoy. All it takes is to complete an authorization form in our main office and we basically turn your season pass into the credit card of your choice. Leave the wallet in the locker and enjoy the ease and convenience of charging purchases with your season pass at any of our on-Mountain sales locations. It works for food, drinks, retail, repair service, tickets, lessons and more!

Of course, before activating Resort Charge on their passes, I engaged in serious discussion with my kids on the point that with great privilege comes great responsibility, as I do believe giving them access to resort charge is a great benefit (for them and me!) a perk I want them to respect. So, of course they have rules to follow about their spending at the Mountain. It's been three weeks since I hooked them up and so far, so good... as I have not seen any charges for Burton clothing or Spy goggles come through from Reba Sports, although my youngest did treat his mom to one of Melissa's top shelf Margaritas at the Monte Wolfe Saloon.

Stop by our main office to learn more about Resort Charge and put the power in your season pass for the 06/07 season.

Safety Week Comes to an End... With one more Safety Tip!

2007-01-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

Know how to use the lift safely

Before loading a chair lift you must be instructed on the proper technique. BVMR has four different lifts including a revolving carpet. Each one is slightly different and requires instruction. Ask the lift attendant, ski patrol or a ski instructor before getting on.

Safety Responsibility Code #6

2007-01-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

Know how to use the lift safely

Before loading a chair lift you must be instructed on the proper technique. BVMR has four different lifts including a revolving carpet. Each one is slightly different and requires instruction. Ask the lift attendant, ski patrol or a ski instructor before getting on.

Safety Responsibility Code #5

2007-01-17T09:01:00.000-08:00

Observe Signs and Warnings, and Keep Off Closed Trails

Bear Valley is full of great terrain. While most of it is a lot of fun to ski and snowboard, some areas are very dangerous. The signs and boundaries you’ll find all over the mountain are there to help you steer clear of those treacherous areas and the cliffs, rivers, avalanches, and other hazards found in them. Most closed areas aren’t served by lifts, so if you duck a ribbon, it’ll be a long hike back out. And if that isn’t enough, it’s actually against the law here to ignore boundaries and closures. So be safe and fight crime - Observe the signs!

Responsibility Code #4

2007-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

WHENEVER STARTING DOWNHILL OR MERGING, LOOK UPHILL AND YIELD

A ski run is much like a one way street. When you are stopped you are basically parked. In order to join the flow of traffic you need to wait for a good time when you won't cut someone off or cause a collision. Moreover, when trails come together make sure you slow down and look up the trail that you are merging into so it’s a smooth transition.

Safety Tip of the DAy

2007-01-15T16:10:00.000-08:00

STOP IN A SAFE PLACE FOR YOU AND OTHERS

Here at BEAR VALLEY MT. RESORT we have runs over a mile long and amazing views in all directions. It is only natural to stop and rest or take in the view. When stopping on a run make your way to one side gradually. Avoid sudden stops, drop offs and narrow spots to avoid collisions. When resuming skiing / boarding look up slope first to avoid others. Have a great day!

Responsibility Code #2

2007-01-14T12:58:00.000-08:00

PEOPLE AHEAD OF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY

You have the responsibility of not harming other skiers and snowboarders. Skiers and boarders downhill from you have the right of way because they can only see what lies ahead of them. If people had eyes in the back of their heads perhaps the case would be different. Until that evolutionary leap, do your best to respect and protect others by giving them plenty of room. You never know when another person may take an unexpected tumble or turn so be sure to leave enough space. If you are going to pass - anticipate everything. Ski and ride safely and have FUN!

National Safety Week January 13-19, 2007

2007-01-13T14:20:00.000-08:00

We're celebrating National Safety Week here in Bear Valley, and have week-long activities to help keep you informed about Snow Safety! (View Activities) We'll take each day this week to help explain the Responsibilty Code and what it means it real-world terms.

ALWAYS STAY IN CONTROL

Whether you are ripping or just cruising you must always stay in control. You must be able to stop, turn, slow down and avoid other skiers and borders or hazards on the slope. Have a great time, watch your speed, keep within your limits and always stay in control so you are not a danger to yourself or others.

Picking up from my last blog...

2007-01-07T09:16:00.000-08:00

To step right into where my first blog left off... "taking your input & what I have learned from last year, and apply it to this season to make it better..."

So you are all wondering what the heck happened - did he not learn anything!!

As many of you might have been with us the Friday before New Year's Eve - this blog is mostly for you. I'm pretty sure, had you made it into my office that day (after waiting in yet another line outside my door) I think I have a good idea of what might have been on your mind, (and if I don't cover it here, I'm sure you will let me know).

First let me set the scene. It was a day that the stars, moon, sun, wind & snow all converged to create one of those record setting days.

It was one of those days when everybody decided to come to Bear Valley Mountain Resort... all on the same day! I may be from Colorado, but I get it. We were closed the day before (December 28^th), thanks to the high winds - so sure, everyone was more then ready...makes sense! All this, resulted in a day that was nearly twice as busy as it should have been for that particular Friday.

Not to mention that our business is just a bit weather dependant too. So, if the weather is good & schools are out, and it's during a holiday - good chance you're walking into the busiest day of the season. It starts the minute you pull in, where you might have difficulty finding a place to park. Then it's the long lines every where you look and no place to sit and eat. So I'm sure the question on your mind is - "why don't you build the ski area to handle the biggest day of the season???" Great question... hopefully I can shed some light on this topic.

Well, probably for the same reason that "churches aren't built for Easter Sunday." The reality is that there are going to be a few days every season when we just plain fill up and reach our capacity - busting at the seams. And if you come to Bear Valley Mountain Resort on the busiest day of the season, it is very possible that you may have some challenging experiences.

And then there's the question about the lift lines - "why in the world does he not open up more lifts??" Again - great question! It's called balancing the skier densities on the lifts and trails. Bear with me here and consider this...

If all the lifts are operating, true, the lines may be shorter. But now all those people who would be standing in line are now skiing on the trails, so then the calls come in about the trails being too crowded (it's a lose/lose situation). So the challenge remains to balance the quality of the ski experience with the wait time in the lift lines. Hence, Pooh did not operate because West World and Big John are still closed and the new Polar Express (2400people/hr) moves as many people as old Hiber (800people/hr) and Pooh (1500people/hr) combined.

The moral of the story...

- if you happen to come to BVMR on the busiest day of the season, we will be happy to see you, and we will do everything we can to make it a fun day, despite the fact that you are rubbin' shoulders with crowds everywhere you go. I know there is still a chance that some of you will feel we didn't meet your expectations... not even close! I get it, and I wish I had a better solution, but I'm sure most GM's that service customers over the holiday's wish they had the answer for this one. For now, here are some tips for the future that might help your day, slightly, if you happen to visit on the busiest days of the season, (no promises - just some suggestions):

1. Arrive early - You'll get a better parking spot & will hopefully find fewer lines (by or before 8am)

2. Be flexible with the buses- We'll do our best to keep to a schedule, but with crowded parking lots, the bus route gets a little thinner and the loading and unloading is a little longer as well, so sticking to a tight schedule is tough - but we will keep them rolling.

3. Take advantage of BV Express & our off-site ticket outlets: Avoid standing in multiple lines to purchase different products. With BV Express you can buy multiple products at one location - check the web it should have details - and if it doesn’t have enough - let me know!!

Ticket Outlets: And if you buy your ticket from one of our out of area ticket outlets - you won't have to stand in line - they are DIRECT TO LIFT. Just put on a wicket (those little metal wires) and get on the mountain! Not to mention it's a better price.

4. Take an early or late lunch (before 11:15 or after 1:45). And this might be a good place to mention - PLEASE DON'T SAVE TABLES! Most people just want a place to put down their food for a few minutes and eat... PLEASE BE COURTEOUS to your fellow winter enthusiasts!! Everyone will be much happier and maybe you'll make a new friend or two.

5. Be aware that some lifts may not be open in order to avoid over-crowding on the slopes.

In closing - Please feel free to call ahead and ask how busy we think we might be. Although we cannot always predict the busiest day of the season, we may be able to give you an indication of how busy it MIGHT be. Plan accordingly - typically - one or two days between Christmas and New Years is always a near record day. MLK Saturday is always very busy. President's weekend is busy as it's usually the kick off to "ski week." (NOTE - If one of these days is a bad weather day, the trend is that you will come the following day if the weather is good - it's the same idea everyone else has too!)

Drive Safe, we look forward to seeing you, and yes - please feel free to keep sending in your suggestions or stopping me in the hallway - I'm ready!!

I Can't See!

2006-11-29T10:12:00.000-08:00

Someone asked me the other day how they could keep their goggles from fogging, especially while wearing a facemask. This is a problem that skiers and snowboarders have been battling since goggles were invented and there are a number of very good solutions to be found.

First-off, be sure you have a pair of goggles that have a dual-pane lens. This is the essential feature to a non-fog goggle. Think of a glass of ice tea on a hot day. The warm air surrounding the cold glass causes moisture to condense on the glass. Well, the exact same thing can happen with your goggles. The outside air will keep your lens cold while your body heat will warm the air inside your goggles. As you can imagine, this situation will lead to fogging. Now, with a dual-pane lens, the outside lens will stay cold and the inside lens will stay warm while the "dead air" barrier between the two will keep both of them from fogging-up. The next step in the battle against fogging goggles is the anti-fog treatment on the inner lens. There are two basic kinds of anti-fog treatments and while I won't get into the science of it here they both act similarly to windshield wax for your car. They won't allow any water to "stick" to your lens.

Technology can only go so far in the battle against fogging goggles, there needs to be some proactive help from the goggle users as well. The number one thing you can do to prevent goggle fogging is to put them on in the lodge and then once you get out on the hill, NEVER TAKE THEM OFF! Maintaining a seal on your face will insure that your dual-pane lenses are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Of course, skiing and snowboarding are action sports with many perils associated with them. Often times you can't avoid your goggles coming off on their own. When this happens, your best bet is to head into the lodge and eat ten minutes of your day to dry them off. Fighting that fight out on the hill is an uphill battle at best. Aside from taking lessons to help prevent the situations that lead to premature goggle ejection, consider that helmets will not only protect your noggin' but provide a secure point of attachment for your goggles.

As you may (or may not) have noticed goggles come in all shapes and sizes. Some of this is intended for fashion reasons but there are actually some performance benefits as well. I get a lot of people in the shop that want the smallest goggles they can get. What these people don't realize is that the volume of the goggle (the amount of air trapped between your face and your lens) plays a huge role in how easily it fogs up. A higher volume goggle is much less likely to fog up on you than a low volume goggle is. Higher end goggles can get away with smaller frame sizes by utilizing spherical lenses. The goggles may be a bit smaller but since the lens curves away from your face it is less susceptible to fogging (and yes, even a tiny bit of distance makes a difference). If you are a facemask user or if you produce a lot of body heat then you will need a higher volume goggle.

Last but not least on the goggle feature list is ventilation. Ultimately, you want to keep the air moving through your goggles. This will exchange the muggy air for crisp, dry mountain air. As long as you keep moving, this air flow will act like the defroster on the windshield of your car and keep your lenses nice and fog-free. Some of you may call me out here by pointing out what I said earlier about keeping the air inside your goggles warm and not cool. Well, the foam barrier in your vents will slow down this air flow enough for you body heat to regulate this. Also, having dry air inside your goggles is more important than keeping it very warm. However, this can sometimes be a problem but Smith has your back with their Regulator system. You can simply close the vents when things are looking clear and then open them back up for a quick defrost when necessary.

If you keep this stuff in mind you may just have a fog free season. If you think you may need new goggles here is our collection of Smith this season ranging in price from the $28 Sun Valley to the $160 Turbo Fan Phenoms.

Smith Spherical Series:

Smith Regulator Series:

Smith Airflow Series

Smith Classic Series:

And for the person that absolutely can't have their goggles fog on them, the Turbo Series:

Gearing up for the season

2006-11-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

This time of year becomes interesting and challenging around Bear Valley Mountain Resort. As we prepare to open for the winter, we close out summer operations where we have focused on repairing and maintaining the assets in preparation for winter. Many great things have occurred this summer.

Of course the highlight of the summer has been the installation of the new Polar Express detachable high speed quad lift. But many other improvements have happened that will go pretty much unnoticed by the majority of visitors.

Our lift maintenance crews have been very busy. They have replaced the old analog drives with state of the art digital drives that will improve our ability to trouble shoot Kuma and Grizzly chairs; both lifts have also had new communication lines installed between each tower and Grizzly has received a new electric motor. These improvements have all been installed and spearheaded by John, our new lift electrician. The desired result of this $100,000 expenditure should be smoother operating lifts with less down time and fewer stops. The lift loading ramps have had wooden platforms built along them to improve the loading process and several lifts will have new information centers. The best though, has got to be that each lift station will have a clock - and not just any clock, but an ATOMIC CLOCK. Atomic clocks talk to a satellite which cues its time off the atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado, thus all clocks will have the same accurate time, providing we keep them plugged in and batteries up to date.

AND yes, we will still scan your lift ticket; our goal is to scan it every time you enter an "access" lift. We have re-engineered our scanning system which should increase the speed of the scan. It has become necessary to scan every ticket in order to validate, count and have the revenue "drop" for the use of that ticket. Many tickets are sold outside the Resort now, at off-site ticket outlets. Tickets sold off site must be scanned to validate their use. The advantages of selling tickets off site are multi-tiered. It offers you the convenience of pre-purchasing your tickets, which in turn means shortened lines at the ticket office because off site tickets can be taken straight to the lifts, thus completely bypassing the ticket office. Off site tickets increase our distribution network and those tickets are offered at a discount, saving you a couple of bucks!

Lets talk rentals next... We have initiated an electronic sign in system- type in your information once and you will be remembered into the future. Our strategy is that it will save time in the future because you will be remembered along with your ski size and boot size. In the Grizzly Den, we have completely replaced the snowboard & boots inventory with Burton step-in equipment. The new step ins have been engineered with a binding back, unlike the older designs with just a step-on plate.

There have many other improvements around the mountain - other things to share: new stripes in the parking lot, another new snow cat, remodeled cafe and service line, the new Monte Wolfe Saloon and to those who have the privilege of a seasonal west locker, new carpet. I also look forward to sharing with you more of our environmental policies.