Big Bear Lake
Encyclopedia : B : BI : BIG : Big Bear Lake
- For the City of Big Bear Lake, see Big Bear Lake, California.
Defining surroundings
Big Bear Lake is geophysically defined by its North Shore and its South Shore. The South Shore is defined by Big Bear Boulevard which leads into the Big Bear Valley as a continuation of Hwy 18, Rim of the World Highway approaching from the West. Big Bear Blvd. winds east through Papoose Bay, Boulder Bay and Metcalfe Bay, then leads directly east to the City of Big Bear Lake. At a point called The Village, the road turns toward the Lake and then curves eastward again on a straight 4-lane road that directs traffic to Moonridge, the ski resorts at Snow Summit and Bear Mountain, Fox Farm, and Stanfield Cutoff on the east end of the Lake. Big Bear Blvd. continues east into Big Bear City.
North Shore (Hwy 38) begins at the Dam Junction of Hwy 18. It travels east past the historic location of Gray's Landing, a famous fisherman's landing dating back to the 1920's. It turns North around Grout Bay and travels through the small unincorporated town of Fawnskin. The road meanders across North Shore through Forestry Lands, past the Big Bear Solar Observatory, past the Discovery Center, past the Serrano Campground (U.S.F.S), past the public boat launch, and past the Stanfield cutoff at the east end of the lake. North Shore Drive continues east into Big Bear City and Baldwin Lake.
The primary approach to Big Bear is via Hwy 330 out of San Bernardino through Running Springs where it intersects Hwy 18. Hwy 18 proceeds past Arrow Bear, and Snow Valley, past Vista Summit and across the 15 mile "Arctic Circle." for a total distance of 33 miles. Big Bear Lake can also be accessed by Hwy 38 (referred to as the backside) at the San Bernardino (10) Freeway near Redlands, and takes a 52 mile route that passes through Big Bear City on the east. From Lucerne Valley and points North it can be accessed by Hwy 18 over the pass into Baldwin Lake and through the north side of Big Bear City.
History
Big Bear Lake was discovered by a manhunt party formed by Benjamin Davis Wilson. Wilson moved to California during the days of Mexican territorial Alta California. He married into the Spanish landholder family, the Yorbas, and bought Rancho Jurupa (Riverside) from his father-in-law. He became a local rancher statesman of great repute, especially for an Anglo in Mexican California.Wilson had signed on as Justice of the Peace of the Inland Territory and was commissioned by the territorial authorities to track down (and otherwise deal with) the raiding Indians. The Ute band of cattle rustlers, led by the fierce Chief Walkara, drove the herd into the Lucerne Valley on the north side of the San Bernardinos. Wilson gathered a posse of 44 men, 22 of whom he sent through the Cajon Pass while he led a pincer movement with the other 22 men into the headwaters of the Santa Ana River so as to cut the Utes off at other end of Lucerne.
On the trip Wilson came upon a broad wildlife watershed teaming with California black bear. His posse immediately became a hunting party where the men were split into 11 pairs each pair bringing back a bear fur. Wilson named the watershed Big Bear Lake. This same Lake is named Baldwin Lake today after Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin of Rancho Santa Anita fame, who bought the nearby Gold Mountain Mine that was renamed for him in 1876. On Wilson's return trip (seemingly the posse lost interest in catching Indians) the party took 11 more bear furs.
For about a decade the newly discovered valley became a venue for gold prospectors. In 1859 a Mr. William F. Holcomb, a prospector from Indiana moved to Los Angeles from the Northern California mines where he heard about the prospecting at Big Bear. He moved to Starvation Flats where he had little luck over the first winter. Because of his rifle marksmanship, he was hired by several of the other miners to hunt bear for meat. With his Indian companion Holcomb tracked a shot and wounded Grizzly Bear into a beautiful valley beyond Bear Valley. There he noticed quartz rock rifts flecked with gold. When word got out, the largest Southern California gold rush was on, and Holcomb Valley became the largest populated area in San Bernardino County.
In 1884 Bear Valley was dammed with a single arch granite dam which held back some 25,000 acre feet (30,000,000 m³) of water for irrigation purposes in the Redlands area. The simple granite brick-lay was never thought to be able to hold, but by the time the second dam was built, the still-standing first dam became affectionately referred to as "the eighth wonder of the world."
In 1912 a 72 foot (22 m) multiple arch dam was constructed about 300 feet downstream of the old dam and increased the Lake capacity to 73,000 acre feet (90,000,000 m³). A highway bridge (18) was built over the dam's arches. The old dam still stands under water. Elevation at the surface is 6750 feet (2060 m), and is very susceptible to drops during droughts. The dams are part of the Big Bear Municipal Water District.
Big Bear Lake never knew much tourism until the onset of the automobile and the eventual establishment of highways which could access the seemingly remote area. Even before there was much of a tourist attraction, Hollywood fell in love with the area, as well as Holcomb Valley, for movie shoots, westerns in particular.
Lake Activities
Like most reservoirs, Big Bear Lake ends up a great water sports venue for all pleasure activities: fishing, pleasure boating, speed boating, water skiing, jet-skiing and jet boating. Because of the high speed activity on the lake, not to mention other underwater dangers near the shorelines, there is little room for swimming. The lake is patrolled by the City of Big Bear Lake's law enforcement.Lakeside resident all have private docks, while other can obtain mooring in several of the marinas found on both shores. The County makes available a public launch on the east end of North Shore. The local marinas provide all sorts of sport and pleasure boats, and there is a parasol company available for those who would like to take to the air.
Points of interest
- Big Bear Dam
- Fawnskin (San Bernardino County uninc.)
- Captain John's Marina
- Big Bear Solar Observatory (New Jersey Institute of Technology)
- Big Bear Discovery Center
- Serrano Campground (USFS)
- County Public Launch and Park
- The Japanese Islands (near Papoose Bay)
- Boulder Bay
- Metcalfe Bay and Holloway's Landing
- Alpine amusement park (bunny slope in winter; slides and water park in summer)
- The Village (Village Drive and Pine Knott Avenue)
- Pine Knott Marina
- Snow Summit (skiing)
- Moonridge Golf Course
- Big Bear Zoo (on Moonridge)
- Bear Mountain (skiing in winter; mountain biking in summer. Ski lift open in summer for sightseeing)
- Big Bear Lake shopping center (consists of several chain stores and markets)
See also
- Big Bear Lake, California for the incorporated city.
- Big Bear City an unincorporated town east of Big Bear Lake
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