Ski and snowboard season kicks off Friday.
When the operators of Bear Mountain near Big Bear Lake informed me of this, I had to reply, “WTF?”
After all, to ski and snowboard, doesn't one need snow, manmade or otherwise?
OK, explained the Bear trappers, it's not the start of the season where lift tickets are purchased, equipment is rented and orthopedic surgeons start licking their chops. Not yet.
What the annual Hot Dawgz and Handrails event at Bear Mountain is is a snowboarding competition and unofficial kickoff to California's winter season, according to promoters.
Yes, yes, yes, but still I must ask: Don't you need snow?
“Yea,” answers PR guy Tim LeRoy, “we make bunch of it.”
He offered this video proof from the 2015 Hot Dawgz and Handrails:
Besides watching 50 of the top snowboarders in the world compete for $15,000 in prize money Friday and Saturday, there is live music throughout from Wale, Atlas Genius, Dilated Peoples, She Wants Revenge, Eagles of Death Metal and DJ JayceeOH.
It looks to be quite a scene, man:
Two day general admission tickets are currently available for $40, while single-day tickets run $30. For those looking to make a weekend out of it, rooms are currently available starting at $59 through BigBear.com.
