Big Bear Lake

A reservoir in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California, now very popular as a tourist getaway and summer-home site. With an elevation ~6750 ft (2060 m), it's a lot cooler than the LA Basin! The area supports a pine forest and even a small ski area. The water level is low, even for this time of year, because the San Bernardino Mtns didn't get the rainfall last season that northern California did. View looking east just upstream of the dam. Inset shows the dam, which was built in 1912.