Snow Summit Webcam – Check Big Bear Slope Conditions

The Snow Summit Webcam puts three live cameras from the Snow Summit ski area in Big Bear Lake, California, on one page. The main Slopeside Cam watches the runs themselves, the Miracle Mile Cam covers one of the mountain’s named runs, and the Beginner Area Cam looks over the gentle terrain where first-timers learn to turn. In winter the picture is groomed snow, snow guns and chairlifts carrying skiers. In late September it looks very different: bare slopes, dirt bike trails and pines, because the summer season runs until October 4, 2026, with mountain bikers and Scenic Sky Chair riders on the hill. The same runs turn white once cold nights let the snowmakers start, so the cameras are the quickest way to see which season the mountain is in today.

About Snow Summit

Snow Summit opened in 1952 above the town of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Los Angeles. The top of the mountain stands at 2,491 meters (8,174 feet) and the base at 2,123 meters (6,965 feet), a vertical drop of 369 meters (1,209 feet). Inside that drop are 240 acres (97 hectares) of skiing, 31 trails and 14 lifts that together can move 18,550 people an hour. The longest run, Westridge, is 2.01 kilometers (1.25 miles). About 10 percent of the terrain is rated beginner and another 25 percent low intermediate, which explains why a whole camera is given to the learning area.

In 2002 Snow Summit merged with its neighbor Bear Mountain, and the two now operate together as Big Bear Mountain Resort, with shared lift tickets and a shuttle between the bases. Alterra Mountain Company bought the resort in 2017. Snowmaking covers all of the developed terrain, which matters in Southern California: natural snowfall at the mountain averages around 250 centimeters (100 inches) a season, so the runs do not depend on storms alone.

The Miracle Mile is the most interesting of the three views in the off-season. In summer it works as a downhill mountain bike trail, 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles) long and falling from 2,478 meters (8,131 feet) to 2,138 meters (7,013 feet). It is rated black and is almost entirely hand built, with technical sections, jumps and wooden features on narrow singletrack. The Miracle Mile camera has streamed since May 2024, while the Slopeside and Beginner Area cameras have been running on the resort’s channel since December 2022.

Weather and Climate in Big Bear Lake

The town of Big Bear Lake sits at 2,058 meters (6,752 feet), and its weather records are the closest to the slopes. January averages a high of 7.8 C (46 F) and a low of minus 5.2 C (23 F). Those freezing nights are what the snowmaking crews wait for, and on the Snow Summit Webcam an early winter morning can show snow guns laying fresh cover down the runs. The town itself averages 149 centimeters (58.6 inches) of snow a season, far less than the ski area higher up, and total precipitation comes to about 507 millimeters (20 inches) a year.

Summer is warm and dry. July averages a high of 26.5 C (80 F) and a low of 10.3 C (51 F), and from late spring the cameras show the slopes as they really are under the snow: grass, dirt, rock and the green pines along the run edges. Autumn keeps the same look, with cool mornings and mild afternoons, until the first cold spell. Spring runs the other way, as the snowpack thins and brown patches spread across the runs until the lifts switch to summer service.

Things to Do Near Snow Summit

Until the summer season closes on October 4, 2026, the Scenic Sky Chair carries sightseers up the mountain, and children aged 4 and under and seniors 80 and over ride it for free. The Summit Bike Park is lift served, running from 10 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 4 PM on weekends, and closing day also ends hiking and the Basecamp Activities at the base. The resort’s food stops include the Skyline Taphouse, Bighorn Smokehouse and Ironwood Coffee. Riders who want a few more weeks can head to Snow Valley Mountain Bike Park, run by the same resort group, which stays open until October 25, 2026.

Down in town, Big Bear Lake itself stretches about 11 kilometers (7 miles) and is about 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) across at its widest, and the Alpine Slide at Magic Mountain is in town. Birdwatchers follow Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles whose Big Bear nest has its own live stream. In winter the shuttle links Snow Summit with Bear Mountain, so one ticket covers both mountains. Big Bear Lake has 5,046 residents at the 2020 census and is reached from the valleys below on State Routes 18, 330 and 38, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from San Bernardino.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More live views from the same mountains and from other California ski areas:

• Big Bear Lake Webcam
• Big Bear Eagle Nest Webcam
• Mammoth Mountain Webcam
• Palisades Tahoe Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Snow Summit located?

Snow Summit is in the town of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Los Angeles and about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from San Bernardino.

What can you see on the Snow Summit Webcam?

Three cameras from the resort: the Slopeside Cam on the main runs, the Miracle Mile Cam, and the Beginner Area Cam on the learning terrain. Use the tabs to switch between them. In winter they show snow and skiers, and from late spring to autumn they show bare slopes, bike trails and chairlift riders.

Why is there no snow on the Snow Summit Webcam?

Outside winter the slopes are bare. The 2026 summer season, with mountain biking and Scenic Sky Chair rides, runs until October 4. After that the mountain waits for nights cold enough to make snow, and the runs turn white again once the snowmaking starts.

What is the weather like at Snow Summit?

Freezing winter nights and warm, dry summers. In nearby Big Bear Lake, January averages 7.8 C (46 F) by day and minus 5.2 C (23 F) at night, while July averages 26.5 C (80 F) and 10.3 C (51 F).

How high is Snow Summit?

The summit is at 2,491 meters (8,174 feet) and the base at 2,123 meters (6,965 feet), giving a vertical drop of 369 meters (1,209 feet).

Is Snow Summit open in the fall?

Yes, until October 4, 2026, for mountain biking, hiking, Basecamp Activities and Scenic Sky Chair rides. Skiing waits for the winter season and enough snow.

Is Snow Summit part of Big Bear Mountain Resort?

Yes. Snow Summit and Bear Mountain merged in 2002 and operate together as Big Bear Mountain Resort, with shared lift tickets and a shuttle between them. Alterra Mountain Company has owned the resort since 2017.

Source: Big Bear Mountain Resort