Fish Camp to Snow Valley

Officially established as Fish Camp in 1924, Snow Valley fosters a rich heritage of alpine recreation in Southern California. As a primitive campsite, the natural area drew fishermen, adventurers, and winter sports enthusiasts, offering unique recreation opportunities beginning at the turn of the century and gaining popularity in the early 1920s.

In 1924, Fish Camp was granted official "Public Camp" signage by the Forest Supervisor of the San Bernardino National Forest, which was distributed throughout the area. (BBMR has a scanned copy of this letter today.) This marked the beginning of official alpine exploration for its patrons and helped forge a mecca for recreational activities, including skiing, ski jumping, and cross-country skiing in the San Bernardino Mountains.

During the winter of 1935, Jack Northrop, founder of Northrop Grumman, designed and built one of the first ski tows in Southern California. This sling lift would pull eight people 350 feet up the hillside.

snow valley historical photo of skier on chairlift

Fish Camp was transformed into Snow Valley in 1937, when Sverre Engen purchased the small concession stand at the base area. Engen proceeded to build a new base lodge, install a 1,300-foot motorized rope tow, and construct a ski jump, all of which bolstered the area's popularity and visitation.

In 1941, famed U.S. National Ski Jumping Champion John Elvrum—known as "Mr. Snow Valley"—along with his wife Genevieve, purchased the area. Upon returning from his WWII service in 1947, John built a mile-long, 144-chair ski lift and a new base lodge. By 1949, Snow Valley's lift systems, snowmaking infrastructure, and new lodge were capable of accommodating 7,000 skiers per hour on the slopes.

Starting in 1974, the ski area added seven new lifts over the next 12 years and continually upgraded its snowmaking system to combat unpredictable snowfall.

In 2017, the resort debuted the first six-pack chairlift in Southern California.

Alterra Mountain Company purchased Snow Valley in 2023, adding it to the Big Bear Mountain Resort experience. Snow Valley joined the BBMR tradition of innovation by offering accessible terrain and a welcoming environment that promotes learning, instills confidence, and fosters a lifelong love for mountain recreation for guests on their journey along The Alpine Progression Path.

snow valley historical photo of ski slope

The Fish Camp logo family pays homage to the original name of this famed recreation area, celebrating its unique 100-year heritage. With warm colors to signify fond memories, a rainbow trout jumping over a snowy Slide Peak, and the text "Where it all started," this visual expression brings history to life in a recognizable and memorable graphic system.

1920

1924: U.S. Forest Service issues a public signage permit for development of the Fish Camp recreation area. Known for hunting and fishing in the summer and accessible snow-covered terrain in the winter, the area becomes a popular alpine destination with a restaurant, supply store, gas station, overnight lodging, and campground managed by the Swetkovich brothers – George and John – who also operate the nearby Six-Bits Lumber Mill.

1930

1932: Lake Arrowhead Fire Chief, Les Salm, builds the first rope tow in Southern California at Fish Camp.

1935: A sling lift designed by aeronautical pioneer and Northrup Grumman co-founder, Jack Northrup, is built and operated with permission from the Forest Service. The same year, the Lake Arrowhead Corp. builds a roadside concession and supply shack not affiliated with Fish Camp to capitalize on the area’s growing popularity.

1937: Norwegian ski jumping champion, Sverre Engen, purchases the roadside shack from Lake Arrowhead Corp. – adding a warming room, fireplace, and ski rentals to attract more aspiring alpine adventurers – and convinces the USFS to change the area’s name to Snow Valley.

1939: The Arrowhead Springs Corp. – a private company consisting of Hollywood celebrities and tycoons – acquires Snow Valley’s facilities, including Engen’s Snow Valley Ski Shack and the lift lease rights, with plans to build a Swiss-style base area lodge and add new lifts and trails. After some preliminary development, the company goes bankrupt, and Snow Valley is put up for auction.

1940

1941: Norwegian ski jumping champion, John Elvrum, who would come to be known as “Mr. Snow Valley,” purchases the resort from Arrowhead Springs Corp. and begins multiple capital improvement projects before being enlisted to fight in WWII. Elvrum’s close friend, Howard Martin, oversees resort operations on an interim basis.

1947: Elvrum begins construction on the first steel-towered chairlift in the San Bernardino Mountains at Snow Valley with the help of local residents Tony Crowder and Mac McGlinchy and the financial backing of railroad heir Cortland Hill. Completed in 1949, the lift spans 1 mile end-to-end, with 144 carriers.

1970

1974: Nordic Group acquires Snow Valley from Elvrum

2000

2016: The Snow Valley Express, Southern California’s first high-speed detachable 6-seat chairlift, opens.

2023: Alterra Mountain Company acquires Snow Valley with operations managed by Big Bear Mountain Resort. Since joining Alterra, Snow Valley has received several upgrades, including major renovations to the main lodges, rental and retail shops, and beginner area with more improvements to come.