May 4th - Los Angeles, CA! Drive to Big Bear Mountain...

Decided to get out of the city this morning and drive to Big Bear Lake.  It's a city in San Bernardino County, about 2 hours drive from LA.  The south shore of Big Bear Lake is surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest.  We enjoyed the drive up (about 40 miles) although it was winding and warnings of rock slides.  I can see why the motorcyclists like the ride up the mountain!  The alpine trees would make a picturesque view in winter with all of the snow!  There were several opportunities to pull over at 'turnouts' and take photos.  We could see snow on the caps of the mountains.  Lots of wildflowers in bloom.

Big Bear Lake was inhabited by the indigenous Serrano Indians for over 2,000 years before it was explored by Benjamin Wilson and his party. Once populated by only the natives and the Grizzly bears, from which the area received its name, The population of the Big Bear Valley grew rapidly during the Southern California Gold Rush from 1861 to 1912. Grizzly bears were not found in the region after 1908. Today, there are black bears in the region since their introduction in 1933, and they are sometimes sighted in residential areas.

Big Bear is also a ski area and there are many resorts.  Hot springs were located and some hotels advertise access to them as part of their hotel package.  David had looked up on the internet places to eat and the Black Diamond Tavern came highly recommended.  We stopped in for a beer - Hanger 24 IPA and I had a Coors Light.  Food was excellent - David's Steak Salad was consumed in its entirety and I was served the most enormous plate of nachos I've ever seen!  

Next, we went to the Big Bear Alpine Zoo to have a look at some 'critters' and this zoo primarily offers injured, orphaned or imprinted wildlife temporary housing. 

This is a raven who fell out of the nest and was being attacked by the others when saved.  He's imprinted on humans now and will stay at the facility.  He was cute!

This lovely grizzly bear ate 8000lbs of a bee keeper's honey - and was about to be euthanized when the facility agreed to give him a new home.

This is one of three mountain lions who were rescued when they were cubs.  Mum was killed and they noticed she was lactating.  Followed her prints and located the den where there were the three little kittens.  They have been looked after at the facility and have been taken to numerous schools for educational purposes so that children can see the beauty in these wild cats.  Now of course, they are too big and I would say, dangerous, to be outside of their pen.  I wouldn't like to encounter one in the wild!

The drive back was 'interesting' in the Saturday afternoon LA interstate traffic!  David was alert all of the way.