Big Bear, Ca, March 23, 2016 – Many resorts were hopeful for a longer ski season thanks to El Niño this year, but officials at Mountain High Ski Resort said a dry March has led to an early end to the season. An average season for Mountain High typically ends in mid-April, but the prolonged drought has proven an unrelenting adversary for the ski resort.
The two ski resorts in Big Bear, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, run by Mammoth Resorts, should remain open until April, say Big Bear Mountain Resort officials. Nearby, officials at Snow Valley Mountain Resort, in Running Springs, say their resort should stay open at least until March 27, and possibly longer, depending on visitor interest.
Clayton Shoemaker, spokesman for Big Bear Mountain Resorts said they’d be going into April. Shoemaker credits an amazing snowpack and 24-inch base. Despite the lack of precipitation throughout March, the resorts’ snow-making system and water from Big Bear Lake make an extended season possible. According to Accuweather, Mammoth Mountain will return to a normal or longer-than-normal season.
