Holcomb Valley quickly becoming the largest populated area in San Bernardino County. The unregulated hunting of grizzly bear in the San Bernardinos took a heavy toll upon the once significant population and it was totally decimated by 1906. In 1884 a very marshy and nearly flat
Bear Valley was dammed with a single arch granite dam, which held back some 25,000 acre feet of water for irrigation purposes in the Redlands area. In 1912 a 72 foot multiple arch dam was constructed about 300 feet downstream of the old dam and increased the lake capacity to 73,000 acre feet. A highway bridge (18) was built over the arches of the old dam, which still stands under water. Elevation at the surface is 6,750 feet, but this level fluctu- ates according to annual snowmelt and runoff.
ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY BOB ALEXANDER
ummertime is upon us and while Southern California has some great weather most of our favorite off roading spots are in the desert and the temperatures are often above 100 degrees during the day. We are fortunate to have our friends, the Inland Empire 4 Wheelers, who put on their annual Forest Fest event (June 17th, 18th, and 19th) in and around the Big Bear Lake area. This was their 14th annual event and our 6th trip to Big Bear to join in the fun. Before going into the details of the weekend and event, a little about the area.
S
Big Bear Lake History The Serrano Indian tribe populated the region now known as Big Bear Lake for approximately 2,500 years. "Yuhaviat" which translates into “Pine Place” was the Serrano name for this area. They inhabited
small villages located along fresh water sources and lived on berries, nuts, tubers, acorns, and game they hunted. The Serrano looked at the native grizzly bears (yes in those days Grizzly Bears were native to the area) as ancestors and did not kill them for either food or clothing. Outsiders first discovered the Big Bear Lake area when Benjamin Wilson was commissioned by the territorial authorities to locate and pursue Native Americans suspected of raiding ranches in nearby Riverside. This group was led by the fierce Chief Walkara and drove the Native Americans into the Lucerne Valley. Wilson gathered a posse of 44 men, 22 of whom he sent through the Cajon Pass while the other 22 men headed into the headwaters of the Santa Ana River, effectively cutting them off. On the trip Wilson came upon this area
filled with wildlife, particularly bear. The posse became a hunting party and after a very successful hunt, Wilson dubbed the grassy expanse Bear Valley and one of the nearby shallow seasonal marshes Big Bear Lake. This area is today called Baldwin Lake after Elias J. "Lucky" Baldwin of Rancho Santa Anita fame, who later bought the nearby Gold Mountain Mine. In 1859, the newly discovered valley became a haven for gold prospectors. Mr. William F. Holcomb, a prospector from Indiana, moved to Los Angeles where he heard about the prospecting at Big Bear. He had little luck the first winter and was hired by several of the other miners to hunt bear for meat. With his Indian companion, Holcomb tracked, shot and wounded a grizzly bear one ridge north of Bear Valley. There he noticed a vein of quartz flecked with gold and the gold rush was on, with
Logging in the San Bernardino Mountains was once done on a large scale, with the Brookings Lumber Company operation being the largest. About 60% of the finished lumber was hauled by wagon down the steep grades to the Molino box factory in Highland, CA, which made packing crates for the citrus grown in the area. The remaining 40% went to the company's retail lumber yard in San Bernardino. In 1912, the company dismantled the Fredalba sawmill and moved much of the machinery to Brookings, Oregon. Tourism began with the onset of the automobile and the eventual establishment of highways accessing the seemingly remote area. In 1949 the first ski resort opened and Big Bear Lake soon became Southern California's favorite mountain getaway. Hollywood soon discovered Big Bear, and several movies, particularly westerns, have been filmed in the region. Paint Your Wagon, The Parent Trap, Bonanza, Kissin' Cousins, Yukon Gold and Dr. Dolittle are just a few of the memorable films that have been shot on location in Big Bear Valley.
Limited to 250 registered vehicles it is best if you plan ahead and get your registrations in early if you plan to make the trek to the beautiful Pine Place. The Inland Empire 4 Wheelers and information about the event can be found at
www.ie4W.com where you will find links to
Forest Fest 14
32 S&S OFF ROAD MAGAZINE - AUGUST 2011 -
www.SS-OffRoadMagazine.com
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