🍂 Before the Snow Comes, Take Your Kids to Big Bear

I think we make one big mistake with our ski kids: we wait for snow.

Author

Sasha Everett
August 20, 2026

Hey Ski Fam,

I think we make one big mistake with our ski kids: we wait for snow.

We think the mountain season starts when the lifts begin spinning and somebody sends us that first photo of a white Bear Mountain parking lot. But this year, I wouldn’t wait. 🚵‍♀️

Because the next few weeks may be one of the best times all year to take your kids into the mountains. And Big Bear is about to prove it.

🏔️ The Mountain Is Already Training Your Ski Kids

I’ve always believed good young skiers are built long before they click into skis. They’re built on bikes, on trails, climbing over things, falling down and figuring out how to get back up.

That’s why the Kids Adventure Race at Bear Mountain, August 28–30, caught my eye. It sounds like somebody took summer camp, mountain biking and an obstacle race, tossed them into a blender and yelled, “Ready, set, shred!” 😎

Kids ages 6–14 race in teams of two over a mountain course packed with 12–15 obstacles. They bike, run, get wet, climb and work together to find their way to the finish.

Friday, August 28, is the skills clinic, with four hours of training in mountain biking, ropes, map reading and first aid. Saturday is race day for ages 10–14, while Sunday belongs to ages 6–9.

And here’s the part parents need to know today: Big Bear Mountain Resort says online registration closes August 20.

Yep. Today.

So this is not one for the “I’ll look at it next week” pile. 😬

🚵 Snow Valley Has Something for the Bike Kids, Too

Maybe your kid looks at an obstacle course and says, “No thanks. Where’s the chairlift?”

I understand that kid.

Snow Valley MTB Camp runs August 29–30 and is built for riders ages 7–17. It runs from 8 AM to 4 PM both days and includes bike safety checks, skills work, trail rides, games and even some crafts.

What I like most is that your child does not need to be a tiny downhill daredevil to join. Snow Valley says the camp is for kids who are just starting out as well as riders who already feel good on a bike.

In other words, there should be more “learn how to ride” and a little less “SEND IT!” while Mom quietly wonders if she remembered to renew the health insurance. 😂

There is one planning quirk. Online registration is not available, so Snow Valley says to call 844.GO2.BEAR or stop by a Snow Valley ticket window to reserve a spot.

🏁 And Then Things Get Fast

The very same weekend, Snow Valley hosts Round 3 of the Southwest Downhill Series, August 29–30.

This is real downhill racing sanctioned by USA Cycling. But I like that the series is also built to welcome newer racers, with a Cat 2/3 course available when needed and designed with novices in mind.

Even if your kid isn’t ready to race, watching may be worth the trip. There’s something about standing next to a downhill course and seeing a rider blast through rocks that can change a child’s definition of what a bicycle can do.

Of course, it may also change their definition of what a bicycle should cost.

Parents, you have been warned. 🚵‍♂️💸

🌊 Not Every Kid Wants to Race Down a Mountain

That’s what makes August 28–29 such a good Big Bear weekend. You can build a trip around the mountains without every member of the family having to be obsessed with bikes.

Big Bear Lakefest takes over Ski Beach Park with live music, food, local art, a BMX show, a Kids Zone and more. General admission is free.

That gives you a pretty nice family split. One kid can dream about downhill bikes while another heads for the Kids Zone, and everybody can meet back up for food and music.

Then Friday night gives you another option. Skyline at Sundown returns to Snow Summit on August 28 with a chairlift ride, outdoor BBQ dinner, live entertainment and sunset views from the top of the mountain.

After a full day of kids running, riding and climbing over things, sitting down for dinner at the top of Snow Summit sounds pretty darn good to me. 🌅

🤠 And Fall Is Just Getting Started

Here’s the bigger point: don’t put Big Bear back in the closet after Labor Day.

The Big Bear Rodeo & Carnival runs September 4–6 at the Sandalwood Lot. There will be carnival rides, live entertainment and fair food, with pro rodeo action on Saturday and Sunday.

Then we trade cowboy hats for lederhosen.

Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest starts September 12 and runs on select dates into November. It’s one of those Big Bear traditions that makes a great excuse for one more mountain weekend before ski season. 🥨🍂

And yes, I know what some of you are thinking.

Oktoberfest. Kids?

It’s billed around family, friendship and togetherness, so this doesn’t have to be an adults-only mountain escape. It can be another excuse to get the family out of the city and back into the cool mountain air.

📅 My Big Bear Fall Game Plan

If I were looking at the calendar today, I’d keep this very simple:

You don’t need to do all of it. In fact, please don’t try unless your children run on nuclear power. 😆

Pick one weekend. Click the event that sounds fun, book a room, throw the bikes and sweatshirts in the car and go.

That’s the whole plan. 🏔️

❄️ Why This Matters for Ski Families

I think one of the best things we can do for our ski kids has very little to do with skiing.

We can help them fall in love with the mountain itself.

The trails. The dirt. The pine trees. The cool morning air. The tired legs at the end of the day and that little bit of fear they feel before trying something new.

Those are the same kids who come back when the snow starts falling and feel like they belong there.

And I think that matters.

Winter doesn’t need to introduce our kids to the mountain every year. Let summer and fall do some of the work.

Let them bike it, hike it, race it and explore it. Then when that first storm finally rolls over the San Bernardinos, they won’t be coming back to some ski resort they haven’t seen in eight months.

They’ll be coming home. ❄️🏔️

❓10 Fast FAQs

1. When is the Kids Adventure Race?
August 28–30, 2026, at Bear Mountain.

2. What ages can race?
Kids ages 6–14 compete in teams of two.

3. When does online registration close?
Big Bear Mountain Resort lists August 20 as the online registration deadline.

4. What do kids do in the race?
They travel by bike, on foot and through water while tackling 12–15 obstacles.

5. When is Snow Valley MTB Camp?
August 29–30, from 8 AM to 4 PM.

6. What ages can attend MTB Camp?
It is designed for kids ages 7–17.

7. Can newer mountain bikers attend?
Yes. Snow Valley says the camp is for beginners through kids who already feel confident riding.

8. When is the Southwest Downhill Series?
Round 3 runs August 29–30 at Snow Valley.

9. Is Lakefest free?
General admission is currently listed as free. Lakefest runs August 28–29 at Ski Beach Park.

10. When does Big Bear Oktoberfest begin?
The first weekend is September 12–13, with select dates continuing into November.

🍂 The Big Lesson

Ski season doesn’t really start when the snow falls. It starts when our kids begin looking toward the mountains and asking, “When are we going back?”

So maybe don’t wait for winter this year.

Take them now. Let them get dirty. Let them try something new. Let them build the kind of mountain memories that make them count the days until the first snow.

The kids who play on the mountain today will dream about its snow tomorrow. 🍂➡️❄️

Know a ski family whose kids would LOVE this weekend? Share this with them and start plotting your Big Bear escape together. 🚵‍♀️🏔️

– Sasha Everett ⛷️💦

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