Snow Valley has been closed since Valentine’s Day, when a storm dropped 9 inches of rain then 34 inches of snow which resulted in the undermining of a portion of Highway 18 between Snow Valley and Green Valley Lake. The opening of Highway 18 will also signal the reopening of Snow Valley which has been closed for over two weeks. And now the management and employees can also celebrate their reopening along with 34 inches of completely untouched snow. Plus, that untouched snow can be reached with their high-speed, six-person chair, the only one in Southern California. Snow Valley will return to normal weekend lift hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 2nd. And now because of the incredible year it has been for snow they expect to remain open through at least Easter Sunday.
The 2019 Valentine’s Day storm dumped as much as 9 inches of rain in some areas of the local mountains creating flooding in some communities then snowfall as much as 3 feet. This weather event created, at times, the closure of all the major highways to Big Bear. The brunt of the damage fell upon the “Front Route” Highway 18 from Running Springs to Big Bear Lake.
The opening of Highway 18 not only will be a welcomed relief to the 400 Snow Valley employees but will be welcomed by Big Bear Mountain Resort and all the visitors who choose San Bernardino as their winter playground.
