Skiing in southern California (Los Angeles, Riverside: ski resorts, crime, living in)

[vegaspilgrim]

Does anybody here ski at one of the areas in the San Gabriel Mountains? I've heard of Mt Baldy, Big Bear, and I'm sure there are a couple of others. I'm originally from Denver, currently living in Phoenix, and I'm thinking about taking a trip out there this winter. I'm also considering relocating to southern California after I graduate ASU in May. I'm not sure how serious, but it's a thought. How is the skiing there? How long does the season last? I'm posting this in the Inland Empire forum since it seems like the IE has the best access the mountains. Also, what about the summer-- are there a lot of hiking trails in the San Gabriel Mountains? Does it cool off up there? How easy is it to get up in elevation-- what are the highways like, etc? Which areas would you recommend living in for closest proximity to the slopes, and which are relatively safe?

[jessemh431]

There is Mountain High, Big Bear, Snow Summit, and maybe some others. Snow Summit is good for beginners, while Big Bear, on the other side of the same mountain, is more advanced. I don't know much about Mtn. High though. Mammoth Mountain is the favorite snow destination of SoCal. It is about a 6 hour drive, but they have the best slopes and the most snow up there. The city of Mammoth Lakes is beautiful as well.

To determine where you live, it really depends on your price range.

Oh yeah. The IE is constantly over 95* in the summer and only goes down into the upper 70's. In the winter, temps drop below freezing. I would suggest moving to LA, especially if you are young. The IE is full of families and suburbia, and there is quite a bit of crime there because gangs are moving out there from LA. In LA, we have several hiking trails through the Santa Monica Mountains and other areas, while the skiing is only 2-3 hours away.

[radraja]

The Big Bear area is nice, but I wouldn't live there. The little towns are quaint, but they close down at 9:00. It's not really a hip place for young people.

If you want to move to CA and be near skiing, try the far east suburbs of LA, such as Riverside and Rancho Cucamonga. They're significantly closer to skiing than the rest of SoCal, but the area's developed enough that there's some actual life.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Does anybody here ski at one of the areas in the San Gabriel Mountains? I've heard of Mt Baldy, Big Bear, and I'm sure there are a couple of others. I'm originally from Denver, currently living in Phoenix, and I'm thinking about taking a trip out there this winter. I'm also considering relocating to southern California after I graduate ASU in May. I'm not sure how serious, but it's a thought. How is the skiing there? How long does the season last? I'm posting this in the Inland Empire forum since it seems like the IE has the best access the mountains. Also, what about the summer-- are there a lot of hiking trails in the San Gabriel Mountains? Does it cool off up there? How easy is it to get up in elevation-- what are the highways like, etc? Which areas would you recommend living in for closest proximity to the slopes, and which are relatively safe?

Big Bear is in the San Bernardino mountains, about 70 miles from the San Gabriel mountains. I believe Snow Summit is too.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by radraja

The Big Bear area is nice, but I wouldn't live there. The little towns are quaint, but they close down at 9:00. It's not really a hip place for young people.

If you want to move to CA and be near skiing, try the far east suburbs of LA, such as Riverside and Rancho Cucamonga. They're significantly closer to skiing than the rest of SoCal, but the area's developed enough that there's some actual life.

Riverside is not a suburb of Los Angeles, it's in it's own county. San Bernardino is at the foot of a 6k high mountain range, where Big Bear and Snow Summit Ski Resorts are located.