Dust of the Snowshoes!

It's that time of year again! With a fresh 6 inches of snow over the weekend we have seen the official arrival of Winter....and that means snowshoeing! It's funny. Before I started snowshoeing I really didn't get it. I understood what snowshoes were and how they worked but I never really grasped the adventure that snowshoeing opens you up to.

The biggest thing with snowshoeing is the places it allows you to go. With a decent snowfall you can simply strap on the shoes and take off through the woods. No trail needed. The design of current snowshoes has come a long way from wood "tennis rackets" strapped to your feet. They're light weight, durable, and can climb and descend steep snow covered slopes with ease. They make experiencing snow a whole different ballgame!

If you haven't tried snowshoeing I recommend getting out and giving it a go. There a plenty of shops that sell, and rent, snowshoes in Big Bear and plenty of places to put them to use. I'm going to dust of my snowshoes and keep my fingers crossed for more snow! See you out there.


Some Links to Get you Started!

 

  (The Premier Snowshoe Event in Southern California)

 (Snowshoe Outfitter/Rentals)

Soloing in Big Bear Lake

There is a point when you are still standing on the ground where you ask the question one more time. "Can I do this?" After that soloing is all about instinct. Soloing involves climbing routes without the use of any protection to prevent falling to the ground. It's serious business, but when done within your limits and under control it is the most rewarding experience I've found. Talk about living in the moment...when you are 30 plus feet off the ground with nothing but air under your feet you are thinking of nothing else!

One of the greatest parts about the climbing in Big Bear Lake is the abundance of solo-able rock. The experienced climber will find an abundance of routes from 5.0 - 5.5 in difficulty on all different varietys of rock, generally between 25-50 feet but sometimes much higher making for a great foray into the unroped world. While I wouldn't encourage inexperience climbers to push themselves too hard in this endevor we've all felt the urge to scramble to the top of a rock or peer over the edge of a cliff. It's all about pushing your mental limits.

Check out this video of a fun route in the John Bull Area of Big Bear. Stay safe and see you out there!

2012 Conquer the Bear is Official!

Check out the latest Press Release from Open Air Big Bear regarding the 2012 Conquer the Bear Schedule of Events. Looks like it's going to be a great series of races next year....can't wait for the road bike! 

(2011 Conquer the Bear Podium)

OPEN AIR BIG BEAR ANNOUNCES 2012 CONQUER THE BEAR SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

MultiSport Challenge Adds Road Bike Event and “Masters” Competition

Big Bear Lake, California – November 11, 2011 – Open Air Big Bear presented by FRS Healthy Energy is back with the 2012 Conquer the Bear, Conquer the Cub, and the all new Conquer the Grizzly multisport challenges in Big Bear Lake, California. The series will test athletes on four different disciplines throughout the year – snowshoeing, paddling, cycling, and trail running.

The events include:

● Snowshoe the Bear on February 25 – a snowshoe race of 5K for Conquer the Cub and 10K for Conquer the Bear and Conquer the Grizzly;

● Big Bear PaddleFest on July 8 – paddle races of 5K for Conquer the Cub and 20K for Conquer the Bear and Conquer the Grizzly;

● Tour de Big Bear on August 4 – NEW bike road races for Conquer the Cub, Conquer the Bear and Conquer the Grizzly;

● Endure the Bear on September 8 – a trail run race of 5K for Conquer the Cub and 30K for Conquer the Bear and Conquer the Grizzly

The series offers athletes numerous chances at cash and prizes including $1000 grand prize split between the Conquer the Bear men’s and women’s overall winners, and the individual FRS King of the Mountain awards giving participants the opportunity to win $50 cash at each race. Individual events in the series offer cash prizes to the top finishers, age group awards and additional prizes from sponsors including FRS Healthy Energy, Big Bear Vacations, Cliff Bar, The North Face, and Smith Optics. 

The 2012 series will include the debut of the Tour de Big Bear Road Race as well as the introduction of Conquer the Grizzly, a master’s category for competitors 50 years and older.  Conquer the Grizzly participants will complete the same courses as the Conquer the Bear competitors but are eligible for different awards.

These four premier events from Open Air Big Bear highlight what the mountain community of Big Bear Lake has to offer – a diverse, high altitude outdoor sports playground catering to weekend warriors and professional athletes alike.

For more information on Conquer the Bear, Conquer the Cub, or Conquer the Grizzly, including a complete schedule of event, registration details, contest information and more, visit www.openairbigbear.com.

Tour of Cali is Back!

Thirteen Host Cities announced for the 2012 Amgen Tour of California and Big Bear Lake is BACK in the mix! Just official today, Big Bear will again be the Stage 6 Finish on Friday May 18, 2012. While the route is yet to be finalized you can be sure the ride into Big Bear is going to be a tough one! Check out this video about the different host cities...Big Bear is around the 4 minute mark. Awesome news!

Big Bear "Off-Season" Training

 (The Ultimate Multisport Series!)

It doesn't stop. Which is a good thing. It's been a month since the conclusion of the 2011 Conquer the Bear here in Big Bear and while it's nice to have completed the multisport series it's left me itching for more. I was fortunate enough to have a good year and finished 3rd Overall behind Ultra-Runner Jesse Haynes and local fitness guru Ted Devito which was awesome...but next year I'm going for the win!

It's going to be a tough Winter if I think a win at Snowshoe the Bear is possible but the tools are available to get the work done. My good friends at Mountain Fitness Center are bringing Crossfit to Big Bear this fall. If you aren't in the know, Crossfit is all the rage for testing, and building your fitness. It's a core strength conditioning program that is varied, interesting, and tons of fun.

The 2012 Conquer the Bear schedule of events has not been officially release as of yet but it's coming soon. Great news is that it included a division for folks 50+, Conquer the Grizzly, and Big Bear Lake's first road bike race! Stay tuned for more information and keep training!

Conquer the Bear 2011 Final Results HERE!

Big Bear Autumn Cycling!

This looks like a great little event from the Big Bear Cycling Association. I am a big fan of the climb up to Onyx summit and it will be interesting to see the times of some of the strong local guys.  Hopefully we'll have some nice weather as there has been a few glimpses of winter already and nobody likes riding bikes in the snow! In addition to the Alpe d'Onyx the BBCA is holding a few other events in their Fall Adventure Series including a ride to Pioneertown and a ride to the beach along the Santa Ana River Trail. Check out the details here and get in as much time in the saddle as you can before the snow comes. See you out there!

Big Bear Climbing Season!

This is the perfect time of year to climb in Big Bear Lake. The weather is pretty much perfect every day...sunny and 70's and the summer crowds have long left the valley, meaning we get the mountain to ourselves again until ski season! This has always been a bit of a surprise to me as I would argue this is the best time of the year in the mountains. Cool crisp mornings. Blue sky days. Mandatory hoodie in the evening. Awesome.

 

While I enjoy all different styles of rock climbing I am definitely into bouldering the most. Bouldering involves climbing rocks up to about 25 ft with no ropes for protection. Crash pads (3" thick foam mats) are used at the base of the climbs to help soften the landing when we fall. Climbing shoes that have sticky rubber soles help tremendously when climbing harder routes, but are not necessary to get started in the sport. For me the best part about bouldering, or climbing in general, is that it never really gets any easier/harder. It's all about pushing your own limits so as you get better you will find harder stuff to climb, making it a life long journey....there is no end.

Climbing in Big Bear is outstanding. It is really diverse meaning you can find bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, even some mountaineering all in the area. There are some amazing areas with a high concentration of quality rock and some lonesome boulders sitting all alone in the middle of the woods. Some of the areas have amazing views of the lake, other of the desert. Exploring the different areas is half the fun! If you are new to climbing Big Bear has some great areas with lots of beginner friendly climbs including the North Shore Bouldering Area and Castle Rock (sport/trad). If you're a seasoned vet head out to Holcomb Valley to find the most established routes (250+) in the area and some amazing highball bouldering. Free camping too! All in all Big Bear is a great place to climb and now is the perfect time to be out doing it...hope to see you out there!

For more information on bouldering in Big Bear Lake check out the Big Bear Bouldering Blog!