Friday, April 17, 2009

The Seven Summits of Big Bear is a challenge to the residents and visitors to the Big Bear Valley to climb seven of the highest peaks surrounding this beautiful area and to experience the valley and our own health in a whole new way. Last year was the first year, a huge success with 150 people participating! Will you help us conquer the challenge this year?

Here are the 2009 Seven Summits of Big Bear hike dates that you have been patiently awaiting!

  1. Bertha Peak- Saturday, May 2, 9:00am
  2. Grays Peak- Saturday, May 16th, 9:00am
  3. Gold Mountain- Saturday, June 27th, 9:00am
  4. Sugarlump/Bear Peak- Sunday, July 19th, 1:00pm
  5. Delamar Mountain- Saturday, August 1st, 9:00am
  6. Sugarloaf Mountain- Saturday, August 22nd, 8:00am
  7. San Gorgonio- Saturday, Sept 19th, TBD

Butler Peak is still closed due to fire damage, but Grays Peak has replaced the worthy stand-in Keller Peak from the 2008 summit list for a new scene and a new challenge.

You’ll need punch cards to track each peak you conquer. Punch cards and instructions will be available very soon to download from right here on the website or you can stop by one of these Big Bear Locations to pick up your Seven Summits punch card:

  • Mountain Fitness Center- 42007 Fox Farm Road, Suite 2A, Big Bear Lake
  • Equada Outfitters- 663 Pine Knot Ave, Big Bear Lake
  • Sol Food Market- 41564 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake
  • Big Bear Discovery Center- 40971 North Shore Drive, Fawnskin
  • North Shore Trading Company- 39130 North Shore Drive, Fawnskin

The punches, which are a set of small metal stamps you’ll use to punch your punch card, each with a unique pattern that verifies your effort, will be available at the top of each peak at least 1 month prior to group hike date.As each punch becomes available, that information will be posted on the Seven Summits Blog Spot website, Active Big Bear Yahoo! Group and the Active Big Bear Facebook group page.

Directions to the trail heads and hike descriptions are available for all hikes (except Grays Peak) by going to the 2008 Summits on the right hand side of the site.

Bertha Peak and Grays Peak punches are scheduled to be up by this weekend 04.18.09. The Grays Peak trail head directions and hike description will also be posted by the weekend.

Happy Hiking and we are looking forward to seeing you out on the trail!

6 comments:

Larry said...

Since the info on Grays Peak was posted on 4-17-09 and the peak has a punch card does this mean that the snow concerns are "melted away"
We plan of climbing this on Tuesday 5/5/09. Do we need snowshoes? Larry & Mary

Heather DeVito said...

I have gotten several reports now that the trail is mostly clear and there are just a few small snow crossings. No snowshoes needed!

Larry said...

Thanks Heather really appreciate your quick response. L&M

rickstep said...

Heather: Is anyone interested in GPS tracks of these hikes? I just hiked Gold Mountain and recorded the hike, using 30 second intervals between GPS points. I created a self-extracting ZIP of the hike at http://www.almsysinc.com/hikes/Gold-Mountain-Big-Bear.exe . This file contains a Garmin GPS Database and a Google Earth "kmz" file. Rick

Larry said...

Did Sugarloaf on 7/11/09. Description of trail was very accurate especially the warning about thf "False" peaks - keep on trucking!!! The trail was very rocky so plan for that with good shoes. CAUTION we did come accross a rattlesnake right by the trail on the left side, on the rocks about 4 and 1/4 to 4 and 1/2 miles up the trail. It was not active as we passed right by. On the way down it was still in the same area, on the right side and more active this time (warmer out). We went around so as not to disturb it. It was black with the classic diamonds on the body and the sacs below the eyes and of course the rattle tail.
Larry & Mary

Larry said...

Downloaded the Delamar hike info frm last year and completed the hike 7/16/09. The directions say go east many times, WRONG go west to get to the mountain when you intercept the PCT. Also we left a big pine cone arrow pointing to the "old" fireroad you need to take from the PCT toward the mountain. Yes the "false" peak is there too. It rained on us on the way back. We were prepared. Had a great hike. Larry and Mary