Overall
Rank
Rank in
Region
Rank in
State
Accounts for resorts' snow quantity, moisture content, latitude, elevation, and slope aspects.
Bear Valley Mountain Resort is ranked No. 51 in North America for its total snowfall during an average season.
% of days with more than 6" of snow
15.7%% of months with more than 90" of snow
32.5%% of months with less than 30" of snow
26.5%Bear Valley Mountain Resort is ranked No. 51 in North America for its total snowfall during an average season.
Accounts for resorts' snow quantity, moisture content, latitude, elevation, and slope aspects.
This score accounts for total snow quantity, its moisture content, the resort's latitude, elevation, and its slope aspects, which affect total snow preservation.
Bear Valley has very good snow frequency of 15.7% of winter days with 6 inches or more and 33% of winter months with 90 inches or more, but also endures 26% of winter months with less than 30 inches. Bear Valley is forested to its 8,500 foot summit, so powder skiing can be good even on severe storm days. Average snow density of 12% is not the blower of the Rockies but easily managed on modern fat rockered skis.
Accumulation and PreservationIt takes high snowfall for Bear Valley to reach full operation by Christmas, because its steepest terrain is at low altitude. California droughts can be extreme, so even the snowiest areas are less than ΒΌ open at Christmas in the worst 15% of seasons. Bear Valley is about half north-facing but tops out at 8,500 feet, so overall snow preservation is about average for California.