THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Strap on snowshoes, follow a local guide into a snowy Pacific-slope forest, and warm up with hot chocolate at a secret Big Bear overlook. This two-hour tour offers easy and moderate routes, local beta on snow conditions, and the kind of afterglow only winter air can give.
Strap on snowshoes, follow a local guide into a snowy Pacific-slope forest, and warm up with hot chocolate at a secret Big Bear overlook. This two-hour tour offers easy and moderate routes, local beta on snow conditions, and the kind of afterglow only winter air can give.
The Jeep eases off Elm Avenue and the town falls away: a low, brittle quiet replaces the hum of Highway 18. Your guide—local, practical, confident—pulls up in a grey SUV, boots crunching on a mix of slush and gravel. Within minutes you’re at the trailhead, breath visible, mittens fogging as pine and oak stand like weathered companions. The guide fits snowshoes to your gait, hands patient and sure, and you step out onto a white surface that seems to dare you forward.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Amber Holloway · Big Bear Lake, California
The Jeep eases off Elm Avenue and the town falls away: a low, brittle quiet replaces the hum of Highway 18. Your guide—local, practical, confident—pulls up in a grey SUV, boots crunching on a mix of slush and gravel. Within minutes you’re at the trailhead, breath visible, mittens fogging as pine and oak stand like weathered companions. The guide fits snowshoes to your gait, hands patient and sure, and you step out onto a white surface that seems to dare you forward.
The San Bernardino Mountains are young by geological standards, lifted by tectonic impatience and carved by winter storms that still load the slopes with snow. Big Bear Valley has long been a crossroads: Indigenous Serrano people read seasons here; later loggers and anglers reshaped the landscape and then tourists arrived, drawn by high-country air and the man-made lake that feeds a regional appetite for alpine days. That history shows in split-rail fences and early-20th-century cabins scattered around town; on the trail it’s the story of trees and rocks—the pines holding snow like stubborn hats, granite outcrops that remember freezing cycles.
On a two-hour guided snowshoe, the arc of experience is simple and satisfying. Your guide chooses a route to match the group—an easy loop along packed tracks that winds through fragrant pines, or a moderate climb toward an elevated lake overlook where the valley spreads and the water glints like metal. Along the way you’ll learn to move efficiently in snowshoes, read wind-hardened cornices, and find a sheltered hollow for the hot chocolate break that comes with the tour: steam and cocoa that taste of warmth and accomplishment.
Practical notes: tours run December through March, and the guide can advise on current road and snow conditions—texting ahead is recommended. Snowshoe rentals are available locally (expect under $30) or from the guide for small groups; bring waterproof boots, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water. The trail can change from crusty to powder in hours, so layers are key and traction matters on steeper sections.
This is a beginner-friendly winter outing that still rewards curiosity: it’s part workout, part natural-history lesson, and part a small ritual—hot chocolate at a scenic pause—against an open winter sky. For families, couples, and solo travelers who want a local-led, low-stress introduction to Big Bear’s higher-season mood, the tour balances ease with enough alpine character to make you feel you’ve earned the view.
moderate.
2 hours.
Basic aerobic fitness and ability to hike on uneven snowy terrain; suitable for families with kids 8+ on easier routes.
Snowshoe rentals are not included but are available locally for under $30; the guide can also rent to small groups—text ahead to arrange.
The guide knows higher-elevation trailheads where snow persists and will select a route with reliable snowpack when necessary.
Yes—easy routes are appropriate for kids around 8 and up; for younger children a private tour is recommended to customize pace and distance.
No—tours accommodate beginners and the guide teaches basic snowshoe technique on the trail.
Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, water, and any personal medications; hot chocolate is provided by the tour.
Full refunds are available if you cancel at least 24 hours before departure; the operator may cancel in unsafe weather with a full refund.
The Big Bear Valley was seasonally used by the Serrano people before logging and tourism reshaped the landscape; the lake and mountain town developed as Southern California’s high-country escape in the early 20th century.
Trails run through national forest managed for recreation and watershed protection—pack out waste and stay on designated routes to protect fragile winter soils.
Amber Holloway operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
The Jeep eases off Elm Avenue and the town falls away: a low, brittle quiet replaces the hum of Highway 18. Your guide—local, practical, confident—pulls up in a grey SUV, boots crunching on a mix of slush and gravel. Within minutes you’re at the trailhead, breath visible, mittens fogging as pine and oak stand like weathered companions. The guide fits snowshoes to your gait, hands patient and sure, and you step out onto a white surface that seems to dare you forward.
The Jeep eases off Elm Avenue and the town falls away: a low, brittle quiet replaces the hum of Highway 18. Your guide—local, practical, confident—pulls up in a grey SUV, boots crunching on a mix of slush and gravel. Within minutes you’re at the trailhead, breath visible, mittens fogging as pine and oak stand like weathered companions. The guide fits snowshoes to your gait, hands patient and sure, and you step out onto a white surface that seems to dare you forward.
The San Bernardino Mountains are young by geological standards, lifted by tectonic impatience and carved by winter storms that still load the slopes with snow. Big Bear Valley has long been a crossroads: Indigenous Serrano people read seasons here; later loggers and anglers reshaped the landscape and then tourists arrived, drawn by high-country air and the man-made lake that feeds a regional appetite for alpine days. That history shows in split-rail fences and early-20th-century cabins scattered around town; on the trail it’s the story of trees and rocks—the pines holding snow like stubborn hats, granite outcrops that remember freezing cycles.
On a two-hour guided snowshoe, the arc of experience is simple and satisfying. Your guide chooses a route to match the group—an easy loop along packed tracks that winds through fragrant pines, or a moderate climb toward an elevated lake overlook where the valley spreads and the water glints like metal. Along the way you’ll learn to move efficiently in snowshoes, read wind-hardened cornices, and find a sheltered hollow for the hot chocolate break that comes with the tour: steam and cocoa that taste of warmth and accomplishment.
Practical notes: tours run December through March, and the guide can advise on current road and snow conditions—texting ahead is recommended. Snowshoe rentals are available locally (expect under $30) or from the guide for small groups; bring waterproof boots, sunglasses, sunscreen, and water. The trail can change from crusty to powder in hours, so layers are key and traction matters on steeper sections.
This is a beginner-friendly winter outing that still rewards curiosity: it’s part workout, part natural-history lesson, and part a small ritual—hot chocolate at a scenic pause—against an open winter sky. For families, couples, and solo travelers who want a local-led, low-stress introduction to Big Bear’s higher-season mood, the tour balances ease with enough alpine character to make you feel you’ve earned the view.