Nobody's Beer!

Isn’t it great when popular ski mountains are free of crowds? It actually happens! All you have to do is go before it snows. Big Bear’s Snow Summit is still open to hikers, so before the Oktoberfest beers, get in a solid, and solitary, 6-mile loop hike with marquee views and fall colors starting to pop. Start on Fern Trail and at your first junction keep left, steadily climbing for about a mile. Head right onto 2N10, a major fire road (also used by mountain bikers).

In about 1.5 miles you’ll reach the intersection of Pirates Trail; follow it and keep on it when it breaks left in just under 1 mile; Pirates Trail continues on a small fire road and leads to the hike’s signature scenery along the ridge to the top of the Scenic Sky Chair. Here you’ll get amazing vistas of Big Bear Lake and the valley. At Log Chute Trail, marked by large signage clearly indicating a hiker-only route, it’s a 1.5-mile descent to the summit base and parking lot. Oh snow good!

TIP: To avoid the nearly 1300 feet of elevation gain, you can pay to take the Scenic Sky Chair up, and hike either the Log Chute Trail or the Pirates and Fern options.

To get to Big Bear Lake, take I-210 east and then go north on CA-330 and east on CA-18 (Note: Road closure due to construction is scheduled most weekdays this October between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on CA-18.) Directions. If you’re not staying at Pineknot Campground, you can leave your car at Snow Summit’s parking lot and walk east along the fire road, passing Pineknot Campground and Buttercup Group Camp before reaching a small opening to two trailheads. Take the right path, called Fern Trail, to start the hike. Dog-friendly!