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May 2012
Pam’s Trail
Pam Kalina. Super nice resident of Big Bear. Just retired as the race director of the world famous Holcomb Valley Trail Run. And she was kind enough to talk to us about one of her favorite trails here in Big Bear: the Cougar Crest Trail. Pam's Trail was published in a May 2012 edition of the Big Bear Grizzly, and was graciously sponsored by OMYA, a company that produces calcium carbonate close to Big Bear. Learn more about OMYA.
April 2012
Kick and Flick
Join us for the Skyline Trail Kick-Off Celebration featuring the Inland Empire Premiere of Pedal Driven. download the flyer here
IMBA Rep Comes to Big Bear!
NEW IMBA SOUTHWESTERN REGIONAL DIRECTOR TO VISIT BIG BEAR Mr. Patrick Kell will be visiting in Big Bear Valley on April 16 and 17. The Trails Foundation will be taking him into to the field to see the Skyline Trail Proposal and other work the Trails Foundation has accomplished. He will be meeting with local bike shop owners, Trails Foundation Board members, USFS staff, and ski areas officials (come on guys...opening these slopes would bring in revenue to our town!) while he is in town. The goal of this visit is to get to know Mr. Koll and the work [...]
Get Involved with Tour of California!
Here is your opportunity to get involved! The Amgen Tour of California (Professional Bike Race) is coming to Big Bear on Friday, May 18th. Stage 6 finish of the 8 stage road race is at Snow Summit! The Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation will be once again providing a “free”, (donations are always accepted), Bike Valet Service for the day of the event! There will be NO PLACE TO PARK A CAR at Snow Summit. The parking area will be full with vendors, race support teams, media and hospitality tents. We are encouraging everyone to park somewhere offsite and ride [...]
Peggy’s Trail
After a good amount of consideration, Peggy Otterstrom has decided on her trail. It's the Pine Knot Trail...
March 2012
Fundraiser: May 1st at Maggio’s
Download a BLACK AND WHITE flyer Download a COLOR flyer
Ready or Not, Here Comes Pizza and Pizzazz
Its time for the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation famous fund raiser...The date is Tuesday May 1, 2011, from 5-8 at Maggios. Great food, great music great prizes. More details will follow. BUT GET THE DATE ON YOUR CALENDARS RIGHT NOW !!!!! -Phil
February 2012
January 2012
Winter Trails Day at the Discovery Center
Rachael working it during the Winter Trails Day at the Big Bear Discovery Center. January 7, 2012.
December 2011
Why Big Bear Is Cool #6: Holiday Traffic Jams
The holidays always bring various levels of pain and pleasure. Seeing your daughter ride her new bike for the first time: pleasure. Watching your brother in-law wince as he tries to drink a little spiked eggnog: pleasure. Driving into a tourist town at any moment between December 20th and January 2nd: pain. A whole heck of a lot of it. However, some times the pain is necessary... We live on the outskirts of town and can usually avoid the craziness of the supermarkets, the boulevard, and the village if we plan ahead. However, when the family comes to our house, [...]
USFS Sign Specifications
Everything you ever wanted to know about signing trails in the National Forest: United States Forest Service's very comprehensive Sign and Poster Guidelines for the Forest Service A listing of all the above Guideline sections in PDF format Signage section from the USFS Trail Construction and Maintenance Notebook USFS Signposts for Snow Trails Forest Service Installation Guide IMBA Trail Difficulty Ratings and Signs Carsonite brand signage US Forest Service National Trail Drawings and Specifications with specific sign and post installation Also check out the American Trails Resources and Library and Three Elements of Sustainable Trails.
November 2011
Numbers, Numbers…who’s got the Numbers?
I would guess all of you that use the trails in and around Big Bear have wondered what kind of use they actually get. The Trail Foundation has asked that same question. And as you all should know we don’t just ask those questions but we try and find and answer. With the help of Audrey Scranton, one of our Foundation Board member and a retired USFS professional, we were able to acquire the use of a trail counting device. We decided to install it on the Pedal Path and just see what kind of numbers it generated. We were [...]
We kept riding, through the rain, through the mud…
So I had this amazing idea (or so I thought) that myself, Peter, Colin and Driz should form a team and go race at the 12 hours of Temecula mountain bike race at Vail Lake Resort in Southern California. Everyone agreed and was as crazy as I so we made plans to race, and to wear our trails foundation jerseys in the process! Well Colin dropped out because he was in a wedding, a valid excuse, so in stepped Dawn, Driz’s awesome wife, and we had our team. For those that dont know what kind of race a 12 hour [...]
Volunteering at Endure the Bear
Volunteers and volunteering make the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation an organization with a big heart. In September, members of the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation volunteered to run “Advance Base Camp,” an aid station for the Endure the Bear trail run. From about 6:00 in the morning until nearly 6:00 at night, volunteers tracked, supplied nourishment to, and cheered on runners tackling 15k, 30k, and 50k across the north facing slope of the San Bernardino Mountains above Big Bear Lake. A heartfelt and enthusiastic thank you goes out to Paul Senft, Susan Piestrup, Lynn and Carla Segrest, Cassie and [...]
October 2011
The Trail Beckoned
I had one of those weekends. I packed my tent and bike up and I went down to a mountain bike race down the hill. Bike race was just what I needed, and was on my way home on Highway 330 when I thought about Castle Rock Trail. I knew I was stopping at the pull out near the trail head and hiking it as soon as I thought about it. I didnt have my hiking shoes, just water shoes from Keen. Luckily Keen makes an awesome water shoe that you can hike in, because I did and they were [...]
Pacific Crest Trail Maintenance Fun
The Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation cleared a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail this past Sunday, October 23rd. The area of the PCT was south of Hanna Flat Campground, in a beautiful area with views of Holcomb Valley and the Butler 2 Fire. A large portion of the trail had buckthorn growing onto it, so crews attacked and pushed the buckthorn back. Peter did a wonderful job organizing the effort, and Siri, the USFS Certified Sawyer cleared some down trees. Tiger and Parker the dogs even joined the fun, getting nice and muddy in some of the streams. A [...]
Chutes That Stink
At the last Trails Foundation board meeting, we got into a healthy debate about opening and closing trails. Right now we're pushing hard to develop the Skyline Trail, and US Forest Service district ranger Scott Tangenberg is doing a fantastic job talking with us and helping to support this project. Scott though, like all of us, has to report to someone up the ladder. And, reading between the lines, what those people up high are saying goes something like this..."You all want to build a new trail? Fine. But first, we have to address all of the illegal trails that [...]
Skyline Trail Update
As many of you are aware the BBVTF has been working very hard to establish a single track trail that will roughly parallel 2N10. Lots of time and effort, that often goes un-noticed has gone into this effort. We wanted to update you on this work so you know progress continues. A public hearing was conducted by the USFS and the public was invited to send any comments or concerns about this proposed project to them. At a recent meeting with USFS staff we were advised that no significant negative input had been received. This is very good news [...]
Pedal Path Paved
All of us know what a great asset the Pedal Path on the North Shore is for our Valley. No it’s not a great challenging path for strong hikers or riders. It is just a great path for families and folks who want a nice hike or ride along the lake. And I am sure we have all been concerned about the poor condition of the path. YEA for USFS. It has now been patched and repaired and is ready for winter. Thanks to those folks for getting the job done. I would add that this is going to be [...]
Trail Work: 10/23
Come join the Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation, meet some locals, see a different area of Big Bear, rehabilitate a trail, and do some good! We’ll be heading out to a section of the Pacific Crest Trail above Fawnskin and YMCA Camp Whittle on Sunday, October 23rd. Seems that last winter, and the fire burns, have wreaked havoc on the PCT and the Forest Service just doesn’t have the tax dollars to maintain it in perfect condition. So…we’re going to pitch in and help out a bit. Meet at the Fawnskin Triangle at 9am with dirty work clothes, gloves, water [...]
September 2011
Another Night of Trail Work
We made it out to the 7 Oaks trail again last Wednesday for a productive hour or so of trail maintenance. It’s amazing how much you can get done in a short amount of time. It’s equally amazing how much fun this “work” can be! We’ll keep rocking the Wednesday night fun fests, so get involved! Meet at Aspen Glen Picnic Area Wednesday at 5 pm ready to ride your bike up to 7 Oaks Trail (5 miles round trip). OR Meet at Upper 7 Oaks Trailhead Wednesday at 5:30pm. We’ll work, get dirty, and laugh for a solid hour [...]
Wednesday Evening Trail Work #1
Don't listen to them. Trail work is not easy. However, it can be fun...and social...and good exercise. This is exactly what happened on Wednesday night when three Trails Foundation board members worked on the 7 Oaks Trail. We met at Aspen Glen picnic area at 5pm and rode 2 miles up to the 7 Oaks Trailhead where tools were waiting. We grabbed the tools and hiked down, noticing that the last trail crew did a great job on the first 1/4 mile. Our section was over run with weeds and the buckthorn was crowding back into the trail (we need [...]
Wednesday Night Trail Work #2
We made it out to the 7 Oaks trail again last Wednesday for a productive hour or so of trail maintenance. It’s amazing how much you can get done in a short amount of time. It’s equally amazing how much fun this “work” can be! We’ll keep rocking the Wednesday night fun fests, so get involved! Meet at Aspen Glen Picnic Area Wednesday at 5 pm ready to ride your bike up to 7 Oaks Trail (5 miles round trip). OR Meet at Upper 7 Oaks Trailhead Wednesday at 5:30pm. We’ll work, get dirty, and laugh for a solid hour [...]
August 2011
Golden Pulaski Awarded to Eggebraten
Thanks to her tireless tenacity and dedication to non-motorized transportation and recreation in the Big Bear Valley, The Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation was pleased to honor Siri Eggebraten with its first-ever Golden Pulaski Award. As Foundation President Phil Hamilton said when he addressed the City Council at their August 22nd meeting, "I am sure there were a number of City employees who were involved in working on the CalTrans grant, but from the perspective of the Foundation the person who really made it happen was Siri. When we did not get the grant last year, rather than getting angry [...]
$230,000 Local Planning Grant Received
The City of Big Bear Lake, County of San Bernardino and Big Bear Valley Trails Foundation are proud to announce that the three partners have been awarded a $233,370 grant from the Caltrans Department of Transportation (Caltrans) for the development of the Big Bear Valley Pedestrian, Bicycle and Equestrian Master Plan. The funds will be used to develop a plan that will guide and enable future development of road and trail resources across our Valley floor with connections to lake and mountain amenities. The process will include extensive community involvement to collect visions and identify community needs valley-wide. The plan [...]
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