Winter at Boulder Bay

Big Bear Lake is located in the San Bernardino Mountains in California at an altitude of 6,750 feet so is high enough to get winter weather even in Southern California. The conditions can vary from year to year and even during the course of one winter. These pictures are from four visits to Boulder Bay and each has it’s own scenic beauty.

When we are in Big Bear we stay a short walk to Boulder Bay which is in the south-west area of Big Bear Lake. We get our first view of the lake when we walk down a steep hill. The first visit was in 2008 and was one of the more snowy years with several feet of show on the ground.

The water level in the lake was near maximum. There is snow on the lake ice around the dock.

Boulders like this mound in the lake are what gave Boulder Bay its name.

The houses give an idea of the large size of the boulders.

The second visit was in 2009 and we woke up to find freshly fallen snow with some still clinging to the trees.

The water level was still high but there was not much of any ice on the lake.

The third visit in 2012 found recent snow but none left in the trees. There is some ice on the lake.

There was just a little snow for the fourth visit this past December. There was a thin layer of ice as can be seen by the pieces of ice people threw to watch them slide across the ice.

There is a little more snow in this area. The water level is much lower after the drought years California has been experiencing.

A little bit of a reflection in the ice can be seen in this view.

There was a gathering of ducks by the dock. The ice can support the ducks but can rarely support people so if you visit Big Bear Lake during the winter never try to go out on the lake ice.

A content duck couple probably thinking how strange the humans on the dock are acting.

One last view of the boulder mound before leaving the lake.

Nearby we found this creative way to make a “snow man” without snow.

And this holiday display.

More information:

Big Bear Lake Wikipedia article