ACTIVITIES
Cross Country Skiing
Snowshoeing
Sledding & Tubing
Additional Winter Activities
Boating
Bicycling
Additional Summer Activities
EVENTS
VISIT US
Directions
Winter Trail Report
Reba's Meadow Cafe (winter)
Weather
Webcam
Trail Map
Natural History Tour
Lodging & Camping
Store & Amenities
Summer Trail Report
Reba's Toll House Cafe (summer)
ABOUT US
Vision & Mission
Bear Valley Co-op
Adventure Blog
Project Warming Hut
Quinn's Eco Corner
Newsletter
Gift Cards
Photo Gallery
Employment
Contact Us

Bear Valley Adventure Co.

ACTIVITIES
Cross Country Skiing
Snowshoeing
Sledding & Tubing
Additional Winter Activities
Boating
Bicycling
Additional Summer Activities
EVENTS
VISIT US
Directions
Winter Trail Report
Reba's Meadow Cafe (winter)
Weather
Webcam
Trail Map
Natural History Tour
Lodging & Camping
Store & Amenities
Summer Trail Report
Reba's Toll House Cafe (summer)
ABOUT US
Vision & Mission
Bear Valley Co-op
Adventure Blog
Project Warming Hut
Quinn's Eco Corner
Newsletter
Gift Cards
Photo Gallery
Employment
Contact Us
Aaron Johnson
January 10, 2026

Project Warming Hut: Story #7

Aaron Johnson
January 10, 2026
Project Warming Hut: Story #7

I haven’t worked at the Warming Hut for years, but I still love it.  Penny and I go skiing, and we see so many friends, so much so that socializing gets in the way of skiing.   It is nice to be in a place where everybody knows your name. 

1 Comment
Aaron Johnson
January 6, 2026

January 2026 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
January 6, 2026
January 2026 Happenings

While sitting down to write this article for the January edition of the Cub Reporter, a well-advertised “Christmas Miracle” storm is getting underway.  Over the next 48 hours, we are braced to receive an impressive amount of snow, even by Bear Valley standards.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
December 17, 2025

December 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
December 17, 2025
December 2025 Happenings

As we reach the last day of November, we're still waiting for winter to arrive in the meadow. Without snowmaking, Bear Valley Adventure Co. (BVAC) depends on natural snowfall to open for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and tubing.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
November 17, 2025

November 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
November 17, 2025

The waiting game for winter has begun, and it's hard not to check the weather forecasts multiple times a day. It's both exciting and agonizing as each nuance is analyzed. Is the storm door open or closed? Wax on, wax off.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
October 28, 2025

Quinn's Eco Corner - Winter Preparations in the Neighborhood

Aaron Johnson
October 28, 2025
Quinn's Eco Corner - Winter Preparations in the Neighborhood

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.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
October 5, 2025

October 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
October 5, 2025
October 2025 Happenings

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.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
September 10, 2025

September 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
September 10, 2025
September 2025 Happenings

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 …

Comment
Aaron Johnson
August 14, 2025

Quinn's Eco Corner - Quaking Aspens: Life and Legends Among the Leaves

Aaron Johnson
August 14, 2025
Quinn's Eco Corner - Quaking Aspens: Life and Legends Among the Leaves

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.

2 Comments
Aaron Johnson
August 10, 2025

August 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
August 10, 2025
August 2025 Happenings

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.

1 Comment
Aaron Johnson
July 8, 2025

July 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
July 8, 2025
July 2025 Happenings

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.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
June 23, 2025

Quinn's Eco Corner - Tree Adaptations at 7000 ft.

Aaron Johnson
June 23, 2025
Quinn's Eco Corner - Tree Adaptations at 7000 ft.

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.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
June 10, 2025

June 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
June 10, 2025
June 2025 Happenings

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 …

Comment
Aaron Johnson
May 14, 2025

May 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
May 14, 2025
May 2025 Happenings

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 …

1 Comment
Aaron Johnson
March 28, 2025

Project Warming Hut: Story #6

Aaron Johnson
March 28, 2025
Project Warming Hut: Story #6

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 …

1 Comment
Aaron Johnson
March 12, 2025

March 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
March 12, 2025
March 2025 Happenings

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

Comment
Aaron Johnson
February 28, 2025

Project Warming Hut: Story #5

Aaron Johnson
February 28, 2025
Project Warming Hut: Story #5

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.

4 Comments
Aaron Johnson
February 19, 2025

February 2025 Happenings

Aaron Johnson
February 19, 2025
February 2025 Happenings

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.

Comment
Aaron Johnson
January 24, 2025

Project Warming Hut: Story #4

Aaron Johnson
January 24, 2025
Project Warming Hut: Story #4

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!

1 Comment
Aaron Johnson
January 13, 2025

Project Warming Hut: Story #3

Aaron Johnson
January 13, 2025
Project Warming Hut: Story #3

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.

2 Comments
Aaron Johnson
December 19, 2024

Project Warming Hut: Story #2

Aaron Johnson
December 19, 2024
Project Warming Hut: Story #2

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.

Comment
Older Posts
 

Bear Valley, CA elevation 7100 ft. …

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Enjoy our Instagram feed …

Skiing + sunshine = smiles in Bear Valley!

#bearvalley
#bestgrooming
That’s right! Trail passes are only $25 on Tuesdays for the rest of the season. This is a great opportunity to visit the Bear Valley groomed trail system for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Ski you out there!

#bearvalley 
#midweekvibes
Checkout the latest installment of Project Warming Hut, with stories that capture the heart and soul of Bear Valley. In this chapter, Kerry Kilgore shares tales of living and working in the Bear Valley Warming Hut, now known as the Meadow Cafe. Link
Choose your tracks wisely and enjoy the ride!

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Bear Valley Adventure Co., 1 Bear Valley Road, Bear Valley, CA, 95223, United States209.753.2834

Store Hours & Rentals
9am - 5pm daily

Reba’s Meadow Cafe
11am - 3pm daily

Gas Station
Open 24/7

XC Ski/Snowshoe Trails
9am - 4:40pm daily

Sledding & Tubing Hills
9am - 4pm daily

Snack Shack
~10am - ~4pm Sat. & Sun.

Contact Us

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This institution operates under a special use permit with the Stanislaus National Forest and is an equal opportunity provider.

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