Learn the essence of skiing and snowboarding in a fun and laid back environment. We are focused on keeping your experience simple and exciting while helping you develop confidence and skills. At the largest beginner area in Southern California, everybody has the opportunity to enjoy a complete mountain experience! First-timers and novices enjoy more room to learn as well as more freedom to practice their new sport.

Skiing and riding can be exhilarating, but the sports can also be frustrating if you are unfamiliar with your equipment or the terrain. Bear Mountain's self-paced program reduces the unknown beginning at the base area, where instructors are available to assist students in the equipment rental and fitting process. A quick base-area learning session to familiarize students with their new gear and the on-hill program is a prelude to getting on the shuttle bus that takes you to the top of the beginner area. The shuttle gives first-timers an opportunity to learn the basics before riding the chair lift. Once you are ready, you can get to the top quickly and safely with use of the detachable quad chair lift, which slows to a crawl for loading and unloading.

Your ski or snowboard instructors will guide you on a self-paced progression through multiple zones that are specially sculpted to make learning fun and easy. Specific new skills are taught at each zone. Professional instructors with specialized skills are stationed in the corresponding zone to work with you until you grasp a command of the skill and a comfort level that allows you to progress on to the next zone.

You will find a variety of "Smart Terrain" features that are contoured into the learning zones. These features are designed to guide you into a variety of natural learning progressions The downhill slope of the beginner area leads into uphill snow ramps to keep you from gaining too much momentum. S and J shape banked turns guide you into natural turns while Two-foot U-shaped ditches teach the basics of moving through natural trails.

At any level of proficiency, your pro will show you how to blend your personal capabilities with the requirements of negotiating the mountain and its many conditions and personalities.

Skiing and riding creates unforgettable experiences. We encourage beginner skiers and snowboarders to take a series of lessons and continue to progress in the sport to build a mountain of wonderful memories.

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