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Bear Valley ski resort
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Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain

📷 Bear Valley

North America

Bear Valley

Off-season

Last season ended March 28, 2026

Conditions data updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:01 AM UTC · informational only

Off-season — closed March 28

Weather data is still collected for informational purposes.

Last Snowfall

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Past 24 Hours

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Past 48 Hours

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Past 10 Days

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14-Day Forecast

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Snow Depth

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🎿

Powder Days

5

2026–27 season

Updated: Aug 28, 9:01 AM•Weather at base: 2073m

Overview

Bear Valley is a ski resort in North America, United States, currently closed for the season (Last season ended March 28, 2026). Conditions last updated 2026-08-28 09:01 UTC.

Resort Guide

Bear Valley is a ski resort located in the Central Sierra Nevada of California, offering over 1,600 acres of varied terrain suitable for all ability levels. The resort features a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere, with a mix of groomed runs, advanced trails, and accessible beginner areas. Key amenities include ski and snowboard lessons, equipment rentals, multiple dining options, and a base village with lodging. Bear Valley is distinguished by its uncrowded slopes, scenic alpine setting, and a focus on approachable, community-oriented mountain experiences.

Resort Info

Summit2621m
Base2073m
Vertical548m
Lifts9
Runs75
Skiable Area1680 acres
Average snowfall359 inches / 912 cm
CountryUnited States
Visit Resort Website →Follow on Instagram →View Trail Map →

Season dates

Last season endedMarch 28, 2026
Projected openingNovember 27, 2026

Ski passes

Indy Pass

Buy pass →

Powder Alliance

Buy pass →

Access tiers change by season — confirm benefits on the pass operator's site.

Top Après Ski

Sky High Pizza & Pub – A popular après-ski spot in Bear Valley, Sky High Pizza & Pub is known for its welcoming atmosphere, hearty pizzas, and selection of craft beers, making it a favorite gathering place for skiers to unwind and socialize after a day on the slopes.

Snow Summary

2621mECMWF Model

Updated Aug 28, 2026 at 9:01 AM

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14-Day Forecast
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Now28
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S29
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S30
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M31
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T3
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Today
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Snowfall Forecast Maps

California & Sierra Nevada region

Current Conditions

Reported Fri, Aug 28, 09:01 AM UTC

Depth by source

every reading we have
  • SNOTELSummit 0cm

The headline depth uses the most trusted available source. We show every reading so you can judge for yourself.

Base

2073m

Temp

13.3°C

Wind

1km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

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Mid-Mountain

2347m

Temp

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Wind

1km/h

Snow Depth

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14-Day Forecast

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Summit

2621m

Temp

9.7°C

Wind

1km/h

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14-Day Forecast

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El Niño Outlook · Winter 2026-27

Bear Valley El Niño rank & forecast

Bear Valley ranks #78 of 488 SnowSure resorts — Tier A, +10% in strong El Niño winters.

Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain: Historically snowed much more than normal in strong El Niño winters (≥ +8% vs this resort’s own 30-year average).

#78 of 488Tier A — Prime El Niño terrain

Strong-event signal: +10% vs this resort's 30-yr avg

In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Bear Valley averaged +10% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically been a friend here. With a record-strength event forecast for winter 2026-27, Bear Valley sits on the favorable side of the ledger. Analog winters: '97-98 +16%, '15-16 -11%, '23-24 +24%. A pattern, not a promise.

'97-98 +16%'15-16 −11%'23-24 +24%

Signal = average snowfall in the three strongest El Niño winters since 1996 ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24) vs this resort's own 30-year ERA5 baseline. n=3 — a lean, not a law. Updated monthly against measured snowfall Dec–Mar.

Full El Niño report →

Live Conditions

Bear Valley Webcams

All Webcams

Bear Valley Mountain Resort

Bear Valley Mountain Resort

2 webcams • Click to expand

Local Reports

0 reports
SnowSure™ Forecast Range

Daily Snowfall Forecast by Model

Black line = verified SnowSure™ blend (not a simple average). Weights update weekly from measured snowfall at SNOTEL stations and resort reports.

SnowSure™ blend — verified model weighting

The black line is not a simple average. For Bear Valley (rockies), we combine seven global weather models using weights learned from daily forecast verification — comparing each model's prediction to measured snowfall (SNOTEL, resort reports, ERA5).

  • 1.Horizon buckets: days 1–3, 4–7, and 8–14 each get separate weights — short-range skill differs from long-range.
  • 2.Regional calibration: weights come from verified error in this geography (Rockies, Alps, Japan, etc.), recalculated weekly.
  • 3.Ground truth only: we never grade a forecast against another model — only against measured snow.

Building verification history for this resort.

How we verify forecasts →

Hourly Forecast Detail

AM / PM / Night breakdown with wind and freezing level

NWP models refresh up to 4× daily · Last synced Aug 28, 9:01 AM

Hourly Forecast Detail
 
Today
11 / 813.5mm
Sat, Aug 29
16 / 60.9mm
Sun, Aug 30
18 / 6
Mon, Aug 31
17 / 5
Tue, Sep 1
13 / 3
Wed, Sep 2
14 / 2
PeriodAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Snow (cm)000000000000000000
Precip (mm)65.12.40.60.30000000000000
Temp (°C)911910168111771116781247134
Wind (km/h)452818471345154112179207
Gusts (km/h)122813295323273920215631466248395642

14-Day Snow Forecast by Model

Summit elevation (2621m)

ECMWF
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GFS
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GEM
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JMA
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ICON
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Météo-Fr
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SnowSure™
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10-Day Forecast

Today

28

🌧️

11.4°

7.7°

6 km/h

Sat

29

🌧️

16.3°

6.1°

19 km/h

Sun

30

☀️

17.5°

5.6°

13 km/h

Mon

31

☀️

16.7°

5.2°

16 km/h

Tue

1

☀️

13°

2.6°

22 km/h

Wed

2

☁️

14°

1.6°

21 km/h

Thu

3

☀️

13.3°

1.9°

24 km/h

Fri

4

☀️

12.2°

1.6°

23 km/h

Sat

5

☁️

16.5°

2.2°

15 km/h

Sun

6

☁️

19.6°

2.5°

11 km/h

Summit elevation (2621m) • ECMWF model

Avalanche

Off-season — no rating published

Sierra Avalanche Center

Watch for signs of unstable snow such as recent avalanches, cracking in the snow, and audible collapsing. Avoid traveling on or under similar slopes.

Read the official bulletin ↗

SnowSure relays the official avalanche bulletin and does not issue avalanche forecasts. Read the full bulletin at the issuer’s link and make your own terrain decisions. Not a substitute for avalanche education, equipment, or local knowledge.

Getting There

Drive times & access

Last updated May 29, 2:33 PM

Official map ↗

Drive conditions

Quiet — No winter restrictions — typical off-season pavement

The SnowSure call indicates a quiet status for Bear Valley, with no winter restrictions in place and typical off-season pavement conditions. There are no chain controls or closures on the highways SnowSure monitors near Bear Valley. Late-season and summer readings do not serve as a winter forecast. The resort road status and the official DOT map are authoritative — please re-check before you drive.

SnowSure take, grounded in live DOT sensors. Not the resort's road status.

Live highway sensors & cameras within ~30–40 km, via Caltrans. Conditions on the drive, not the mountain — the resort's own road status is authoritative. Always re-check before a winter drive.

Season vs Historic

Updated Fri, Aug 28, 09:01 AM UTC

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Season Total

This Season to Date

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vs 5-Year Avg

Off-season · 696cm full-season avg

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vs 30-Year Avg

Off-season · 575cm full-season avg

696cm

5-Yr Avg by Now

The last completed season totaled ~549.8 cm. That's 21% below the 5-year average (696 cm). Versus the 30-year baseline: 4% below the 30-year average (575 cm).

Bear Valley Snow History

Average annual snowfall is 632cm with an average of 84 snowfall days per season. The table below shows monthly averages across 30 seasons of archive data (modeled snowpack at mid-elevation).

Average monthly snowfall history
MonthAvg SnowfallSnowfall DaysAvg Base DepthMax Base DepthBiggest Snowfall
November56.2cm9 days12cm34cm19.7cm
December123.8cm13 days52cm92cm30.9cm
January122.4cm12 days96cm140cm28.9cm
February121.6cm14 days129cm170cm26.9cm
March111.1cm13 days153cm189cm26cm
April57.6cm11 days137cm171cm18.5cm
May21.2cm6 days78cm114cm9.8cm

Source: SnowSure archive · Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis at mid-elevation. Depth is modeled, not resort-reported.

Season at a Glance

Next season(2026-27)

Opens Nov 27, 2026

Through Mar 28, 2027

Multi-season averages will appear once SnowSure has tracked more than one full season.

ENSO seasonal analog

History · not a forecast

In 10 past El Niño winters at Bear Valley, ERA5 season snowfall median was 675 cm (266 in), about 14% above this resort’s long-term median. This is a historical analog from reanalysis — not a prediction of this winter’s storm track.

Prevailing ONI

El Niño

MJJ 2026 · ANOM +1.39°C

Analog season median

675 cm

10 El Niño winters · 14% above median

All-season median

590 cm

Across 30 ERA5 seasons (2026-27)

PhaseSeasonsMedianp25–p75Recent analogs
El Niñocurrent10675 cm526 cm – 743 cm2023, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2014, 2009
La Niña12576 cm478 cm – 672 cm2022, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2011, 2010
ENSO-neutral8514 cm417 cm – 649 cm2025, 2024, 2016, 2013, 2012, 2003

Season snowfall from Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (~9 km). ENSO phase from NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index. Relative phase differences are more trustworthy than absolute cm totals. Source: NOAA CPC Oceanic Niño Index + Open-Meteo ERA5 via SnowSure season archive.

Best Months to Visit

February

Peak Season

January

Peak Season

March

Good

December

Good

Note: Based on typical ski season patterns for this region.

Back to All Destinations

Frequently asked questions about Bear Valley

Where is Bear Valley?
Bear Valley is a ski resort in the United States.
How high is Bear Valley?
Bear Valley runs from a base elevation of 2,073 m (6,801 ft) to a summit of 2,621 m (8,599 ft), giving a vertical drop of 548 m (1,798 ft).
How big is Bear Valley?
Bear Valley has 1,680 acres (680 hectares) of skiable terrain, 75 marked runs and 9 lifts.
Which ski pass covers Bear Valley?
Bear Valley is on the Indy Pass and Powder Alliance. Access terms such as blackout dates and day limits vary by pass tier, so check the pass operator for the current season.
When is ski season at Bear Valley?
Bear Valley typically operates from November to March. Exact opening and closing dates shift each year with snowfall — check the resort's current season dates before booking.
How much snow does Bear Valley get in a typical season?
Bear Valley averages 359 inches / 912 cm of snowfall in a typical season. Any individual season can run well above or below that.
How will El Niño affect Bear Valley in winter 2026-27?
El Niño Signal Rank: #78 of 488 SnowSure resorts · Tier A · strong-event signal +10% vs its own 30-yr average. In the three strongest El Niño winters on record ('97-98, '15-16, '23-24), Bear Valley averaged +10% versus its own 30-year snowfall baseline. The pattern has historically been a friend here. With a record-strength event forecast for winter 2026-27, Bear Valley sits on the favorable side of the ledger. Analog winters: '97-98 +16%, '15-16 -11%, '23-24 +24%. A pattern, not a promise.