As chilly mornings bring frost and fall colors to Bear Valley, it is time to bid adieu to summer. Winter preparations are officially underway! As folks around the village stockpile firewood and provisions for the coming winter, many of our friends outdoors have their own preparations underway.

Autumn arrived right on schedule, and we are enjoying a mix of rain and warm, clear weather. I even saw the first snowflakes of the season this morning, on October 3rd, but not enough to stick, which is okay with us this time of year.

Labor Day has passed, the trails are quieter, and it's another wonderful time of year to be in Bear Valley. The aspens are still green, but you know that the colors are right around the corner. Dreams of skiing have started …

Quaking aspens are a type of poplar tree named for their leaves that tremble given the slightest current of air. The feature is reflected in their latin name as well - Populus tremuloides.

Spend some time in a ski town, and you're likely to hear the saying, "every winter's different." While this is true, you rarely hear much about summer.

Summer is our favorite time of the year. However, we've also mentioned that winter is our preferred season. Regardless, mid-summer is upon us, and we are relishing the warm days, cool nights, and the abundance of outdoor activities.

The Sierra Nevada is characterized by a number of different bioregions that are heavily influenced by altitude. Though a number of species persist in multiple bioregions, they are distinct in their makeup. Bear Valley resides in the Upper Montane.

Spring has sprung, and summer is here! The Bear Valley Adventure Company (BVAC) reopened for the Memorial Day Weekend with regular business hours, continuing through at least Labor Day Weekend. Our store hours are …

As winter melts away, it's exciting to anticipate the summer season ahead. While this past winter didn't produce many big Sierra Nevada snowstorms, it did provide timely weather disturbances. Starting on …

My husband and I were having a very good day cross country skiing – blue skies with freshly groomed trails on top of four feet of snowfall from the night before.  The boys were at the mountain skiing with friends.  We had the day to ourselves …

Since the last Cub Reporter in February, we received a welcomed return to winter, followed by a blistering heatwave. Fortunately, …

As new parents and avid skiers, we were keen to get our two young boys on skis. We were apprehensive about bringing them to a downhill resort where it appeared difficult to manage young children in crowded lodges and keep them engaged in actual skiing.

Despite limited snowfall, several weather phenomena have combined to create some of the best cross country skiing conditions in Bear Valley this winter. What lacks in quantity and kilometers of open trails is superseded by the top-notch quality of the 25 open kilometers.

I first discovered Bear Valley Cross Country in the early 1970s.  We used Bonna wooden skis and bamboo poles, and always avoided using a klister wax!

Enjoy the third installment of “Project Warming Hut,” where new Bear Valley homeowners had a memorable experience taking their extended family to the Warming Hut and beyond.

Most of us know the Meadow Cafe as a sunny spot to refuel midway through a fun day on the snow.  A place to rest while children build snow people and forts and engage in all-out war as snowballs fly and shrieks of laughter fill the air.

Back in ancient times, when dinosaurs roamed the area, Bear Valley needed a sales office where people could learn about the valley and its development. Highway 4 was just being widened, and the only houses in the valley were in what is now known as the old subdivision …

The 2024/2025 winter season kicked off on Thanksgiving Day with near-perfect cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing conditions. A healthy dose of "Sierra Cement" sloshed into the meadow shortly before the weekend, providing an excellent substrate to start building trails.

The end of October brought the first signs of snow. This time of year is always exciting, with fall colors accenting the landscape while big and small creatures make final preparations before the arrival of winter.

After a brief encounter of wintery weather in early September, Bear Valley has returned to warm and calm fall weather. These late summer conditions, commonly called "Indian Summer," are one of the finest seasons in the High Sierra.