Snow and Wind May Make for Difficult Driving; Chain Controls and Wind Advisory in Effect for Tuesday

Big Bear Valley, CA — We’ve received at least another inch of snow here in the Big Bear Valley and this, coupled with severe winds, may make for difficult driving conditions this morning (Tuesday, March 9). There have been several reports of slick conditions on our mountain roads, all of which are under an R2 chain requirement, meaning that all two-wheel drive vehicles must have chains on, while four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels are required to carry chains. This R2 chain requirement, as issued by CalTrans, applies to all roads in our area, including Highways 18 and 330 the front way, Highway 38, and streets within the Big Bear Valley. At present, there are also chain restrictions in place on Highway 18 en route to the desert communities, and drivers should be aware that the road is slick and there have been reports of spin-outs on the switchbacks en route to the desert this morning. We can expect reduced visibility as winds continue through the day as the National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory, which applies to the San Bernardino mountains into this evening. We can expect northwest winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour possible during this Wind Advisory, which extends until 6pm. Update: As of Tuesday afternoon, all chain requirements have been lifted, and the Wind Advisory has been extended until Wednesday night.

Airport District Approves Purchase of New Snow Removal Equipment–for Efficiency, Safety and Cost-Effectiveness

Big Bear City, CA — Extreme snowfall over the past two years, particularly in January, has made for daunting snowplowing for the staff of the Big Bear City Airport, which must maintain a snow-free runway. During an average winter, airport maintenance staff, namely Tom Hoover and Ryan Goss, use two trucks to plow roughly 500-600 miles each, removing snow from the just-over-one-mile-long runway. However, this year has amounted to over 1,200 miles per truck and when snow levels were such that it couldn’t all be cleared, the airport was closed for 50 hours, which also resulted in a loss of revenue for the Big Bear Airport District. For the last two years, the airport has had to rent additional snow removal equipment to keep up, while also spending more on overtime costs to staff. To alleviate these ongoing expenses, while also keeping up with plowing demands, the Board of Directors of the Airport District approved the purchase of new equipment during their regular monthly meeting on March 3. Using roughly $369,000 in LAIF funds, the airport district is buying a CAT 950 loader and an RPM 220 snow blower (similar to the one just purchased by the City of Big Bear Lake). Per Airport General Manager Pete Gwaltney, who has also assisted in snowplowing efforts, should the new equipment last at least 20 years, the annual cost would be just over $18,000—a cost savings to the district as they will not need to rent additional equipment at $16,000 per year (as has been the case for this season), and overtime costs should also be eliminated given the increased efficiency of the loader, which replaces a 23-year-old model. The Airport District projects that, with the addition of their new loader and snow blower, there will be safety benefits to aircraft and clearing the full width of the runway should take two hours instead of two days.

Weekend Snowfall Results in Monday Morning Commute Chain Controls on Highway 18

Big Bear Valley, CA — An inch or so of snow over the weekend brings our seasonal total to about 112 inches of snow for the winter season, since we received our first snowfall on Friday, November 13. As of this morning [Monday, March 8 at 8am], CalTrans only has chain controls in place on Highway 18, west of the dam, so those headed down the mountain the front way will need chains if in a two-wheel drive vehicle; four-wheel drives with snow tires on all four wheels are required to carry chains. This R2 chain requirement applies only to Highway 18, from the Big Bear Dam, through the Arctic Circle and Snow Valley, and down to Running Springs. There are no chain requirements for any other roads in our area and, still, Snow Conditions have not been reinstated so parking on city streets is allowed. For updates on road conditions, visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.

Blanket of New Snow Prompts Chain Requirements on Mountain Highways

Big Bear Valley, CA — Last night’s snowfall amounted to an inch or less here in the Big Bear Valley, but was just enough to blanket dirty snow berms with fresh, white powder and prompt chain requirements on our mountain roads. At present (8am, March 4), CalTrans has R2 chain requirements in place for Highways 18 and 330 down the front way, Highway 38 to Angelus Oaks, and on roads within the Big Bear Valley. R2 restrictions mean that two-wheel drive vehicles must have chains on, while four-wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels must be carrying chains. The National Weather Service says that there may be reduced visibility on mountain roads this morning and, given potentially slick conditions, there was a five-vehicle accident on Highway 18 this morning. This pile-up was in the 7am hour, and occurred on Highway 18 just below Lakeview Point between the Arctic Circle and Snow Valley. That said, drivers are advised to proceed with caution and, again, R2 chain requirements are in place for Highway 18, west of the dam, Highways 38 and 330, and roads within the Big Bear Valley. There are no chain requirements for those traveling on Highway 18 east to Lucerne Valley. The City of Big Bear Lake has not reinstated Snow Conditions (which were lifted yesterday morning), so parking on city streets is allowed at this time. For changes to road specifics, see the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.

County Supervisors Extend Snow Plowing Contracts for Big Bear Valley, Approve Re-Appointment of Don Pletcher to Parks Commission

San Bernardino County Supervisors convened yesterday (March 2), and during their meeting in San Bernardino addressed a few items specific to the Big Bear Valley, which falls within the County’s Third District (of five). Given more than anticipated snowfall this season, County Supervisors unanimously approved an increase to blanket purchase orders for snow removal contracts with both Ken Willis Construction and Romans Construction, Inc. for roads within the unincorporated portions of the Valley, specifically at the east end. The existing contract with Willis had been for $100,000 though, as one storm incurred over $109,000 in plowing services, this contract will now extend to $200,000 in snow removal services; the Romans contract was extended to allow for plowing in the newly formed road district in Erwin Lake.
Supervisors also approved a construction contract in the amount of nearly $62,000 with Axis Controls, Inc. of Irvine for a vacuum control panel replacement project for County Service Area 53B, or Fawnskin. Sewer collection lift stations, installed in the 1970s, have reached the end of their service life, so replacement of the original control panel should alleviate disruptions of sewer service in the Fawnskin area.
And, given Tuesday’s unanimous vote, Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District Advisory Commissioner Don Pletcher has been re-appointed, and will serve a term through January 2014. With Pletcher continuing on the Advisory Commission of (now) five, which includes Kathryn Poole, Bob Ybarra and Gloria Rose, one vacancy remains. Those interested in appointment to the Rec and Park Advisory Commission by Third District County Supervisor Neil Derry can apply via the website of the County’s Clerk of the Board (see the top link under “Forms”).

The Big Bear Climb: Volunteers Needed for May 21 Stage of Amgen Tour of California

Big Bear Lake, CA — In anticipation of the Amgen Tour of California, the internationally recognized cycling race coming to Big Bear the weekend prior to Memorial Day, local volunteers are being sought to participate on Friday, May 21. The local organizing committee for the Big Bear Climb, which culminates with a finish at Snow Summit after a 135-mile ride from Pasadena, needs volunteers to assist with media, security, site decoration, volunteer check-in, the Lifestyle Festival Expo, and as course marshals. Though there are 75 professional course marshals that will line the course, which includes Highway 18 and the North Shore portion of Highway 38, the majority of local volunteers will be needed in the course marshal capacity. Those interested in participating in this large-scale event, which will include professional cyclists Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer, are asked to contact Big Bear Volunteer Director Eric Lewis via email at ericlewisbigbearlake@yahoo.com, or by calling 909/800-4371. For more information on Big Bear’s participation in the May 21 stage of the Amgen Tour of California, see the website TheBigBearClimb.com.

“Senior Adventures” Begin This Week, With the First of Many Off-the-Hill Field Trips Offered Through the Big Bear Senior Center

Big Bear Lake, CA — Given the availability of the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District’s luxury bus (purchased with funds from the Soroptimists’ Man About Town campaign in 2008), Big Bear’s seniors now have opportunity to participate in field trips being billed as Senior Adventures. Big Bear Senior Center Coordinator Tina Nazarian tells KBHR, “We’re just trying to do more things, so I’ve got trips planned all the way through October.” Among those will be a summer adventure to Catalina Island and, in May, a trip to the USS Midway in San Diego, which Nazarian says will be a fun one for seniors and their grandchildren. In the meantime, the first of many senior bus trips starts with a Friday, March 5 excursion to the Agua Caliente Casino, and a shopping expedition to L.A.’s Chinatown on Sunday, March 14; cost for either trip is $27.50 for transportation on the bus. On March 26, seniors can take the field trip to Ventura County to visit the Reagan Presidential Library which, notes Nazarian, “If you haven’t been in the last two years, it now includes Air Force One and the Marine One helicopter used by President Reagan, and you can go inside both of them.” Cost for this trip includes admission, as does an April 23 whale watching expedition. To sign up for any one of the upcoming Senior Adventures, stop by the Big Bear Senior Center (on the Boulevard, across from Baker Pond) or call 584-0323.

Latest Snowfall Brings Seasonal Total to Nearly Double Big Bear’s Average; Chain Requirements Lifted

Big Bear Valley, CA — This weekend’s storm brought another five inches or so of snow to the Big Bear Valley, and up to eight to 10 inches to the higher elevations at the resorts. This latest snowfall brings our seasonal total (for the Valley floor at 6,750’) to about 110 inches; average totals tend to be about 62 inches for the entire season.
Since Saturday’s flurries, all chain requirements have been lifted on our mountain roads (as of Sunday afternoon), so at this time chains are not required on any roads to, from or within the Big Bear Valley. However, as of Saturday, the City of Big Bear Lake reinstated Snow Conditions, so no parking on city streets or risk having your vehicle towed or ticketed. For updated road conditions for our area, visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.

Weekend Snowfall Prompts Chain Requirements for Mountain Highways, and Schedule Changes

Big Bear Valley, CA — Friday’s Winter Storm Warning did result in fresh snowfall here in the Big Bear Valley, with a powdered sugar-like dusting of snow to wake to both Saturday and Sunday mornings, and a few inches since yesterday (February 21) making for snow totals of around 104 inches for the season (average snowfall for an entire season tends to be 62 inches). The new snow has prompted chain requirements on some of our mountain roads, so for those traveling on Highways 18 and 330, west of the Big Bear Dam and down the front way, and for travelers taking Highway 38 over Onyx Summit and through Angelus Oaks, R2 chain requirements are in place. R2 means that you must have chains on the drive wheels of your vehicle, unless in a four-wheel drive with snow tires on all four wheels and carrying chains. Snowfall is expected to continue in the early parts of today (Monday), and dense fog and reduced visibility can be expected, so motorists—especially those taking the front way down the mountain—should proceed with caution. At present, there are no chain requirements for those taking Highway 18 the back way to Lucerne Valley. When conditions change, updates will be posted on the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.
Weather-prompted schedule changes:
The San Bernardino County food distribution at Community Church by the Lake is not being offered this afternoon, given the weather. There are no plans to reschedule today’s food distribution, but we will let you know when the next scheduled opportunity will be available at Community Church. Update: As of 1pm, there will be food distribution after all (as volunteers went down the mountain to pick up the food when trucks didn’t come up due to snow). Distribution available until 2pm this afternoon.
The Healthy Start Collaborative meeting, to have been held at the Recreation and Park District offices at 2:30pm, has been canceled due to snow. The next meeting of the Healthy Start Collaborative will be held on March 15. For information, contact Tanya Perry at 585-6257.

Other community events that are happening include this evening’s free workshop for parents, offered by Common Ground. At 6:30pm, the parent support group will host a two-hour workshop titled “How Do I Make My Kid Behave? Understanding the Teenage Brain,” at Community Church by the Lake. For more info on this Monday evening series, call 801-1766.
On Tuesday at 1pm, Big Bear’s new Alzheimers support group for caregivers will meet at the Big Bear Senior Center. The group is now called Care Partners of Bear Valley, as caregivers for those with needs and issues beyond Alzheimers are now welcome to participate. For more information, call Mary Andresen at 585-7958.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Funding Filters to Our Area, for Forest Trails, Highway Upgrade and School District

This week marked the first anniversary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act established by President Obama, and the appropriations of federal funding have made their way to the Big Bear Valley. Earlier this month, the Bear Valley Unified School District was able to hire a new Student Attendance/Safety Officer, a position that is federally funded through 2011 and will ultimately help the school district generate revenue from the state should student attendance increase.

In March 2009, the San Bernardino National Forest received $1.5 million in ARRA funding, which is being used to address the backlog of trail needs on the forest. The trail maintenance project, which includes reconstruction and survey work, was initially targeted to address 26 miles of trails and roads–including 3N16 in the Holcomb Valley area, 3N12 near Delamar Mountain and 2N09 in Polique Canyon—but, given the service of the Los Angeles and California Conservation Corps and the newly established Urban Conservation Corps of the San Bernardino National Forest Association, the actual accomplishment, so far, is 116 miles of trail maintenance on our local forest.
CalTrans has seen its share of Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, to the tune of $2.45 billion for, to date, 481 projects statewide. Among those is the Lucerne-area project, which started in January, to realign Highway 18 at Camp Rock Road and build a new Cushenberry Creek Bridge, just northwest of the current bridge. Per Project Manager Ron Rolstad of SEMA Construction, “This project came along at a good time, when there wasn’t a lot of work out there. It opened up opportunities for our employees, subcontractors and suppliers in the High Desert area.” Rolstad tells KBHR that they don’t expect there will be any flagging, or subsequent delays, on the Highway 18 project at the base of the mountain until the new Cushenberry Creek Bridge nears completion, which should be late June/early July.

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