Bear Valley is located in Alpine Country, a popular High Sierra getaway located in the beautiful Central Sierra Mountains. Just off Scenic Highway 4, southeast of Sacramento and south of Lake Tahoe, this year-round destination offers activities from back-to-nature relaxation to extreme adventure throughout the year. Recent census numbers place permanent residents at a little under 150 people, but the area is filled with beautiful vacation and getaway cabins, as well as a popular resort that enjoys visits from thousands around the world every year.
Winter Activities
Bear Valley is a popular ski area located between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. It offers world-class skiing with nine ski lifts that provide access to more than 75 runs over 1,680 acres. The destination resort is also known for its expertise in snow making and snow science, and as a result of snow management, was one of 6 resorts in California that remained open into mid-spring during the worst drought in California history. Bear Valley is also known for its rich racing history and one of two resorts in California that operates a NASTAR course nearly every weekend of the winter season.
Bear Valley back country offers endless options for alpine touring, cross-country skis or snow shoes. Mountain Adventure Seminars, based in Bear Valley, offers instruction in telemark skiing, avalanche safety skills, mountaineering guide services, and extended overnight tours of the surrounding back country. MAS, in conjunction with Bear Valley Mountain Resort, also offers snow cat assisted tours of both back country and side country ski areas outside the patrolled areas of the alpine resort.
Bear Valley also hosts a Winterfest Celebration every Thanksgiving with fun activities like downhill skiing and snowboarding, bonfires, movies, live music and great food.
Summer Activities
Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy exploring and experiencing unspoiled nature and rare sites including the California condor along with bears, mountain lions, coyotes, deer, hawks, owls and more when they visit Bear Valley.
The area is also home of the Bear Valley Music Festival, first organized in 1967 by orchestra conductor John Gosling and his wife Margaret who discovered the small town and were inspired during their stay to begin a festival just one year later. Past guest artists have included: Dave Mason, José Feliciano, Roseanne Cash, Glen Campbell, the Mamas and the Papas, The Big Bad Voo Doo Daddies, and John Corbett. In the summer of 2012, Michael Morgan, Music Director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony and Sacramento Philharmonic succeeded Carter Nice as Music Director.
Bear Valley History
According to an article on the Bear Valley Skyline Resort website, Bear Valley was originally called Grizzly Bear Valley, named by scouts seeking a trans-Sierra route between the various mining camps of the day. There are tales of notable personalities such as Jedediah Smith who came through the area in 1827 and Major John Ebbetts who came into the area in 1850, and the history throughout the next century is filled with notable names and people passionate about both sharing and preserving the natural beauty of the area.
Living in Bear Valley
One of the best things about Bear Valley, of course, is the great variety of log homes in the area. The community is filled with beautiful log homes and friendly residents, some who live there year-round while others enjoy vacation homes as often as they can.
California has a lot of great communities filled with every shape, style and size of log homes. We’re lucky to have clients throughout the state who trust us for restoring, repairing and building the log homes and structures they love. From great lodges in the north to cozy weekend getaways in the south, we get to see it all. In addition to this article about Truckee, we’ve also shared insights into other log home-friendly communities including Mammoth, Pine Mountain Club & Frazier Park, Truckee, Lake Tahoe, and Santa Cruz. Just click on their names to read more.
For travel planners, maps, and more information about life in Bear Valley, visit www.bearvalley.com.
We hope this inspires you to visit this beautiful mountain community. If you decide to purchase a log home in the Bear Valley area, or already own one and would like an appraisal, tips for maintenance, or general advice for keeping your home in good condition, please call our California log home experts at 877-477-6564, or email jon@prologrestorations.com.
