On paper (or these days, online), you peek at those vital numbers that skiers look for in a mountain and Big Bear can't possibly measure up, especially with its northern neighbors in the Tahoe region. A mere 55 runs, a vertical topping out at 1,665 feet, and average yearly snowfall of only 100 inches? Yikes. But those of us who throw caution to the wind and have made the trek from L.A. (100 miles east), San Diego (145 miles north), or Las Vegas (215 miles southwest) know Big Bear is more than a mere mountain. It's a winter wonderland for Southern Californians not accustomed to catching snowflakes on their tongue. A playground that features one of the top terrain parks in the nation, some good intermediate cruisers groomed to perfection, tubing, and guided snowshoeing tours to visit the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the southern part of the state.

Big Bear consists of two peaks, 8,805-foot Bear Mountain, and two miles down the road, connected by shuttle, 8,200-foot Snow Summit. Get your runs in at Snow Summit in the morning, especially on weekends when the ski area can be so popular that they limit the number of lift tickets to 7,000 people. Two high-speed quads get you up the mountain quickly to try the hard-packed powder on blues like Log Chute and Miracle Mile. The Wall and Dicky's have steeper pitches down the top, thus their black rating, though any solid intermediate skiers can tackle these as well. There's also a beginner trail, Summit Run, slithering down the face, but most of the easy stuff is found at the base. Snow Summit is also open for night skiing on most weekends and holidays until 9 p.m.

Bear Mountain is the hub for

On paper (or these days, online), you peek at those vital numbers that skiers look for in a mountain and Big Bear can't possibly measure up, especially with its northern neighbors in the Tahoe region. A mere 55 runs, a vertical topping out at 1,665 feet, and average yearly snowfall of only 100 inches? Yikes. But those of us who throw caution to the wind and have made the trek from L.A. (100 miles east), San Diego (145 miles north), or Las Vegas (215 miles southwest) know Big Bear is more than a mere mountain. It's a winter wonderland for Southern Californians not accustomed to catching snowflakes on their tongue. A playground that features one of the top terrain parks in the nation, some good intermediate cruisers groomed to perfection, tubing, and guided snowshoeing tours to visit the largest population of wintering bald eagles in the southern part of the state.

Big Bear consists of two peaks, 8,805-foot Bear Mountain, and two miles down the road, connected by shuttle, 8,200-foot Snow Summit. Get your runs in at Snow Summit in the morning, especially on weekends when the ski area can be so popular that they limit the number of lift tickets to 7,000 people. Two high-speed quads get you up the mountain quickly to try the hard-packed powder on blues like Log Chute and Miracle Mile. The Wall and Dicky's have steeper pitches down the top, thus their black rating, though any solid intermediate skiers can tackle these as well. There's also a beginner trail, Summit Run, slithering down the face, but most of the easy stuff is found at the base. Snow Summit is also open for night skiing on most weekends and holidays until 9 p.m.

Bear Mountain is the hub for boarders, with the highlight being its parks. Beginner to advanced tricksters can catch air on more than 120 jumps, ride the rails, and challenge their skills with more than 80 jibs. At 580 feet long with 18-foot-high walls, Big Bear's superpipe does justice to Shaun White wannabes, skateboarders, and surfers on the coast who change into serious snowboarders on the mountains. Yet skiers, especially those with some talent, should take the lifts to the top of the peak to sample two black diamonds, Geronimo and Exhibition. Why let boarders have all the fun at Bear?

Views from the top of both peaks are exquisite, surrounded by the uninterrupted pine forest of the San Bernardino Mountains and towering above the glistening waters of Big Bear Lake. The shores around this alpine body of water are a favorite nesting ground for bald eagles, which make their way south in winter to find this rare lake that never freezes over. The eagles are perched high up in the trees, looking for their favorite snack, ducks.

If you feel the need to get out on the lake, the paddleboat, Miss Liberty, cruises the water year-round. Or if the kids want to stay on the snow but tire of skiing, head several miles down the road from Big Bear to the Magic Mountain Recreation Area, home to a tubing hill and an alpine slide.

With 300 days of sunshine, Big Bear Lake is known as a year-round resort town. Sure, you can zip here for a day of skiing, but it's worthwhile to spend at least a night to breathe in that crisp mountain air. There are a slew of lodging choices from condos at the base of Snow Summit to lodges and B&Bs like the , a Bavarian-style chalet featuring cabins with hot tubs and fireplaces.