Big Bear, Crestiline or Running Springs (Crestline, Lake Arrowhead: transplants, trip , employment)

[Ulysses61]

I would not move to any of the places you mentioned: Crestline, Running Springs or especially Big Bear. Why not choose Lake Arrowhead, which is located between Crestline and Running Springs and is BY FAR the best place among these choices. Your home will appreciate vastly more in Arrowhead than in these other places. Arrowhead is a very lovely, safe, nice place. I don't want to be negative, but there are lots of meth addicts in Crestline and lots of junky homes. Be forwarned.

Unless you work in Big Bear, you will not be able to do the commute from there. It's too long.

[Ulysses61]

Also, those people claiming Lake Arrowhead has terrible snows must have lived here in the distant past. We haven't had much of any snow in the past 2 years, perhaps 24 total inches per year and it melts off quick. The fog is the problem when commuting. The fog can become truly horrific, but only for about 10 days a year. Lake Arrowhead for my money is the nicest place to live in So. California. The snow is NOT a problem.

[cynwldkat]

Originally Posted by Judy P.

TYVM for the info! It is all important in making up our minds exactly where to go. We really like the Big Bear and the Lake Arrowhead area too. One of the things we really would also like to know is about the squirrels and how much damage they do to a home. When we were last up in Big Bear (Sugarloaf area) they were everywhere! From what we have read they can cause major problems getting in your attic and chewing on electrical wires etc. and starting fires from that,along with a lot of general damage to a home.
We also are hoping for a single story home which really makes finding a place much harder as it seems so many places are 2 or 3 stories.
As far as commuting goes we will be retired so the commute won't be a problem. The only problem right now is selling our home in this ( we live in North San Diego County) California housing slump.

My family has lived in Big Bear since 1959....never had any problems with the squirrels. I'm not saying other people haven't had problems I'm just not aware of them I guess. As for living in Big Bear and it being to far to commute to work down the hill---I suppose it depends on how much you really want to live up in Big Bear. Many locals do commute to work down the hill and get to enjoy living on the mountain. I have found that once you get use to the drive it's really not all that bad. There are some bad days because of weather but many do it anyhow!!! And those bad days are only a couple of months a year as a rule.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by cleanfun

I forgot all about these places.

Big Bear is "on the way" to Crestline. Crestline is the place where you'll want to be, in my humble opinion.

Crestline is up at the top of the mountain that Big Bear resides at the base of.

It takes like an hour, give or take, to get down and beyond the outskirts of Apple Valley from crestline. That doesn't necessarily mean that you're anywhere at that point either.

Crestline is beautiful year round. Good snow in winter, etc. But you're suddenly surrounded by these trashy little cities, like Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, etc ... Eventually you wont want to come down from Crestline and ultimately, you wont be able to keep the surrounding cities' local population OUT.

You may want to consider asking your family to move a bit closer to you...

LOL!! You obviously know nothing about the area. Crestline is at the bottom going towards Big Bear. Big Bear is in a gorgeous valley at the very top of the mountains.

As far as "suddenly surrounded" by the communities you mentioned, that's laughable! All of them are in the desert - far below Crestline on the back side of the mountains.

Good grief, get your facts straight or don't comment on things you know nothing about.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

Also, those people claiming Lake Arrowhead has terrible snows must have lived here in the distant past. We haven't had much of any snow in the past 2 years, perhaps 24 total inches per year and it melts off quick. The fog is the problem when commuting. The fog can become truly horrific, but only for about 10 days a year. Lake Arrowhead for my money is the nicest place to live in So. California. The snow is NOT a problem.

It's been four years since I've lived in Lake Arrowhead when we did have lots of snow but, I was clear that the problem with the area is two weather extremes. Either you get virtually no storms with drought which causes the tress to die with fires OR you get winter storms with tons of snow.

And some years you get both fire and snow. Why? Because with the winter storms the brush tends to become overgrown and dry out during the summer ... causing even more fire danger when fall comes around with the Santa Ana winds.

As for the snow melting quick ... in my experience, people always tend to say that to downplay the effects of snow. Up there, it did not melt quick enough for me ... that's for sure. I wish it did melt quick but it didn't.

As for fog being bad for only 10 days a year ... that wasn't my experience either. Again, I wish it had only been ten days but, when we lived up there it was the years with lots of winter storms so there was plenty of fog daily.

So take your pick ... extreme drought with fire danger and evacuations or tough winter snow storms where you can't drive safely and the power goes out .... either way it's tough living up there IMO.

[Ulysses61]

It's much easier living in a beautiful area with no crime than living down the hill with a lot of gang bangers, graffitti and over crowding. Just a different viewpoint.

[mrsgenealogy]

Originally Posted by cynwldkat

My family has lived in Big Bear since 1959....never had any problems with the squirrels. I'm not saying other people haven't had problems I'm just not aware of them I guess.

Hi, cynwldkat! I heard a lot of people complain about problems with squirrels but we lived in Crestline for a couple of years before we ever had a problem. I forget what happened but we changed things around on our deck and might have removed the squirrel feeder...I think because we were beginning to get ready to sell and didn't want all the peanut shells around. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not but the squirrels began to get aggressive and started chewing the wood on the handrails. I tried putting oil on the chewed areas, sprinkling them with cayenne pepper, which helped but we eventually had to remove almost all of the bird feeders, too. My husband had to fill in the chewed areas and paint the handrail, which helped, too...and undoubtedly also helped make it look better for the sale!

I want to add that before that time, we enjoyed our squirrels more than most people. We hand-fed them and even our grandchildren did! We even fed several scrub jays by hand. It was wonderful!

Here's a pic of a squirrel that had gotten tired of waiting at the back door for a peanut. He's found me in the office and seems to be saying, "Got nuts?"



Here's a friend of ours feeding one of the scrub jays:



We have squirrels where we live in MO now but the worst thing they've done is dominate the bird feeders and keep them away. We could hardly keep enough seeds on hand until we finally scared them off often enough that they gave up for the most part.

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by Ulysses61

It's much easier living in a beautiful area with no crime than living down the hill with a lot of gang bangers, graffitti and over crowding. Just a different viewpoint.

As usual ... it depends on what you want. Mountain living wasn't easy for me at all. I was ready to get back to the convenience of suburbia, even with more overcrowding. Obviously mountain living does work for other people but it just wasn't for me.

As for gang bangers and grafitti ... I haven't experienced or seen that personally but ... whatever.

P.S. I know what you guys mean by the squirrels ... they were demanding little suckers. After awhile, I did regret feeding them because they wouldn't leave me alone!

And don't get me started on the blue bays ... one time we left our deck door open and they all flew in looking for food. Getting them out was basically a nightmare ... LOL.

[cynwldkat]

We did have squirrels but we throughly enjoyed them---for us they wern't a pest. But we never quit feeding them. We also fed them by hand and they ate on our window everyday. I could see where they may get upset if you were feeding them and then quit. But still they were not a problem for us.

And sheri, you are right in saying mountain living isn't for everyone. City living isn't for everyone either. To each his/her own. And it's good for the other interested readers to get other view points!!! Perhaps because I was basically born and raised in the mountains it was much easier for me. Although many people, tired of the "rat-race" down the hill, seem to enjoy the slower pace of life and all the beauty that goes with that!!!

[sheri257]

Originally Posted by cynwldkat

We did have squirrels but we throughly enjoyed them---for us they wern't a pest. But we never quit feeding them. We also fed them by hand and they ate on our window everyday. I could see where they may get upset if you were feeding them and then quit. But still they were not a problem for us.

I actually didn't quit feeding them but it was never enough ... LOL

Every morning I'd get up and feed them but ... when I'd sit down to eat my breakfast or whatever, they'd be at the window ... begging for more. Just like the picture that was posted.

I had no idea that the little critters could be so demanding ... LOL