With an 8000ft ridge rising above the lake's southern side, Big Bear usually gets snow between mid-December and March or April and has two ski mountains, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. Bear Mountain, the higher of the two has a vertical drop of 1665ft (1200ft at Snow Summit), and is an all-mountain freestyle park with 150 jumps, 80 jibs and two pipes across 195 acres.

At Snow Summit the focus is more on traditional downhill skiing with trails for all levels of experience, although boarders are welcome too. More than two thirds of the trails are for intermediate and advanced skiers, and there's night skiing as well. Altogether the mountains are laced by over 60 runs and served by 24 lifts, including four high-speed quads. One tickets buys access to both resorts, which are linked by a free shuttle.