Bear Valley Webcam – See When Snow Hits the Summit

The Bear Valley Webcam looks out from the top of Bear Valley Mountain Resort, a ski area on Highway 4 in Alpine County, high in California’s central Sierra Nevada. The resort runs this Summit Cam near the top of its terrain, which reaches 2,590 meters (8,500 feet) above sea level, plus a second Base Cam at the base area, and both players are on this page. In winter the summit view is about one thing: how much snow has fallen and whether the storm has cleared. In late September it is a different picture. The runs are typically bare rock and dirt between the trees, the lifts are parked, and the only movement is cloud shadow and the light changing over the ridges. That quiet frame is the baseline you can watch the first autumn storms change.

About Bear Valley Mountain Resort

Bear Valley sits in the Stanislaus National Forest on State Route 4, the road that climbs from the Gold Country foothills toward Ebbetts Pass. The ski area first opened in 1967 as Mt. Reba Ski Bowl, the same year the Bear Valley post office opened. The village below it is tiny: 128 residents at the 2020 census, at an elevation of about 2,164 meters (7,100 feet). This is not Big Bear in Southern California, a common mix-up. This Bear Valley is roughly an hour’s drive from Angels Camp and about three hours from Sacramento.

The mountain drops from its 2,590 meter (8,500 foot) summit to a base at 2,010 meters (6,600 feet), a vertical of 580 meters (1,900 feet). Nine lifts serve 680 hectares (1,680 acres) and more than 75 runs, and the terrain splits roughly 25 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate and 35 percent advanced. The newest big lift is the Mokelumne Express, a high speed six-pack added in 2017 that rises 223 meters (730 feet).

Snow is the reason people watch this camera. The resort averages about 9.1 meters (359 inches) of snowfall a year, which puts it among the snowiest ski areas in California. Beyond the lift-served terrain, a separate cross-country network runs 35 trails across about 1,214 hectares (3,000 acres).

Weather and Climate in Bear Valley

Bear Valley has a dry-summer mountain climate that sits close to subarctic. Reanalysis averages for 2015 to 2024 at about 2,300 meters (7,550 feet), a little below the summit, put January highs near 3 C (37 F) and lows near -6 C (21 F). July is the warm month, with highs around 25 C (77 F) and nights near 10 C (50 F). Almost all the precipitation falls between late fall and early spring, mostly as snow, and December through March carry the heaviest months. Summer brings dry days broken by the odd afternoon thunderstorm.

Late September is the gap between seasons, and that is what the Bear Valley Webcam shows at this time of year. Days still reach about 20 C (68 F) and nights drop to around 6 C (44 F), so the summit is usually snow free and the upper slopes look brown and rocky, with the lifts idle until the winter season. October averages cool to highs near 15 C (58 F) and lows around 2 C (35 F), and the first real storms often dust the ridges before the heavy snow arrives in November and December. By midwinter the same frame typically turns white from edge to edge, with groomed runs and snow-loaded trees.

Things to Do Near Bear Valley

In the snow season, the resort itself is the draw, with the Mokelumne Express and eight other lifts, plus cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the Nordic trails. Bear Valley Adventure Company rents cross-country skis and snowshoes in winter and kayaks, paddleboards and bikes in summer. Each summer, from late July into early August, the Bear Valley Music Festival fills a big tent in the village with classical, chamber and popular music.

Lake Alpine, at 2,226 meters (7,303 feet) and 72 hectares (179 acres), lies just up Highway 4 and is the local summer center for fishing, paddling and camping. The Lake Alpine Inspiration Point trail is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) out and back with 194 meters (636 feet) of climbing, and the Bear Valley to Lake Alpine route via the Emigrant trail runs about 9.2 kilometers (5.7 miles). Further east, the two small Mosquito Lakes sit right beside the highway at 2,454 meters (8,050 feet). Highway 4 over Ebbetts Pass, at 2,661 meters (8,730 feet), closes to cars each winter and reopens around Memorial Day, so autumn is one of the last chances in the year to drive it down to Hermit Valley and Markleeville.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More ski and Sierra Nevada cameras to check while you wait for snow at Bear Valley.

• Palisades Tahoe Webcam
• South Lake Tahoe Webcam
• Killington Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Bear Valley Mountain Resort located?

Bear Valley is in Alpine County, California, on State Route 4 in the central Sierra Nevada and inside the Stanislaus National Forest. It is about an hour’s drive from Angels Camp and about three hours from Sacramento. It is a different place from Big Bear Lake in Southern California.

What can you see on the Bear Valley Webcam?

The main Summit Cam looks out from near the top of the ski area, which reaches 2,590 meters (8,500 feet), so it shows the upper mountain and the surrounding Sierra ridges. A second tab carries the resort’s Base Cam at the bottom of the mountain. What the summit looks like depends on the season: bare rock and pines in summer and early autumn, deep snow in winter.

Why is there no snow on the Bear Valley summit cam?

In late summer and early autumn the snowpack has melted and the resort is between seasons, so the upper slopes are bare and the lifts are not running. Snow usually returns with the storms of late fall, and the heaviest snowfall comes in the winter months.

What is the weather like in Bear Valley?

Winters are cold and snowy, with January highs near 3 C (37 F) and lows around -6 C (21 F) at mid-mountain height. Summers are warm and dry, with July highs around 25 C (77 F) and cool nights near 10 C (50 F).

How much snow does Bear Valley get?

The resort averages about 9.1 meters (359 inches) of snow a year, among the highest totals for a California ski area. Most of it falls between November and March.

Is Highway 4 over Ebbetts Pass open near Bear Valley?

The section of Highway 4 east of Bear Valley, over Ebbetts Pass, closes to cars each winter. It usually reopens around Memorial Day and stays open until snow closes it again in the fall.

Are there other cameras at Bear Valley?

Yes. The resort streams a Base Cam alongside the Summit Cam, and it is in the second tab of the player on this page, so you can compare conditions at the top and bottom of the mountain.

Source: Bear Valley Mountain Resort