![](https://kbhr933.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/swimbeachslide575.jpg)
School may resume next week, but it is still summer at the Big Bear Valley Recreation and Park District. Many recreational opportunities are ongoing, and some, such as the first-ever Gold Prospecting 101 class, don’t get started until next week. Lorie Judd of Rec and Park tells KBHR that a number of water-related classes for adults, including windsailing, catamaran, and water aerobics, are available now and, come August, goldpanning gets started in a fun, informal class that also comes with all the tools needed to pan for gold on your own. Adds Judd, “Scientists estimate that only 5% of our gold has been found, so that means there’s 95% for us to find, and right in our backyard in Holcomb Valley. Given the economy these days, this is a hobby worth investing in.” For more information on this special class, as well as kickboxing and landsailing, call the Rec and Park offices at 866-9700, or register online at BigBearParks.com. Swim Beach is also open daily, from noon to 5pm, and will remain open through Labor Day at Park Avenue’s west end on Big Bear Lake.
![swimbeachslide575 Swim Beach has the 16' Summit Slide, new this summer, and a white sandy beach along Big Bear Lake.](https://kbhr933.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/swimbeachslide575.jpg)