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    Bear Valley Snowmobile

    4.3 (56 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Summit
    Harvin T.

    All of the staff were so nice and helpful. What a great experience. I would recommend snowmobiling to anyone thinking of doing it. Totally worth it! Such a fun time!

    Bear Valley Snowmobile - Lake Alpine tour

    We've always had verry good time with Bear Valley Snowmobile. For a group of 30+ people, they did a such an amazing job, to accommodate our needs. Verry professional staff and friendly. We rented twice, and we are looking forward for the third time this winter... Thanks Kim...Thanks Steve...Thanks BVS team for your efforts.

    Hermit Valley
    Kelly L.

    We had a perfect day snowmobiling. They made it easy at BV Snowmobile. The trails were groomed to perfection. The team made sure everyone was safe and that our group had a good time!

    Went snowmobiling at Bear Valley. Great day!
    Laura W.

    Bear Valley Snowmobile was great, we had Steve explain the rules of riding. He did a great job explaining and was hilarious doing it. Very informative, yet making you feel comfortable. Great guy to deal with the customers. I joked with Steve telling him that they needed a woman on the mountain, and I was available. Haha. That would be a great job! The ride itself was fantastic! We have never done a trip without a guide. It made it nice that we were an able to stop and enjoy the scenery. Make sure you do the 4 hours so you can enjoy the day without rushing. Make sure you make the stops and see the scenery up there, its beautiful! Great place to go snowmobiling, will definitely be back to do it again.

    Alex L.

    The ladies at the counter are super sweet and friendly. It made handing over $500 for a pair of snowmobiles for 4 hrs easier. It's quite strategic. They say you need to rent them in pairs for safety reasons because you have free reign. In reality, there are so many riders out there that you're never really alone for long before someone else buzzes past you. They put those sweet ladies at the counter to make you forget you just dropped an equivalent to a nice car payment for 4 hrs of fun time. You make your reservation online, show up about an hour before your reservation time, pick up your helmet, go over the rules, hop in your car and drive 2 miles up highway 4 and park your vehicle along the side of the road and meet at the gathering spot where they hand you your Ski-Doos. The machines are decent. Some are better than others where they have handwarmers and backseats for the rear passengers. I was skeptical about those handwarmers in the beginning because I was thinking 'how will i even feel them thru my thick ski gloves"? Let me tell they get about as hot as grabbing a hot pan handle from the stove. There's no way you can grab those WITHOUT gloves once they get going. I had to keep turning them off because they got too hot. Most of the fleet are 550s. They ran out and gave me one of their reserve backups. It was kinda old looking, but at least it was a 1000cc Bombardier. The seats were ripped but so were most of them in their fleet of 50 vehicles they had. My riding partner was such a slow poke that I had to turn around and see what happened to her. Since the trail was so narrow and you can barely make a U-turn so I pulled right up the slighly raised embankment. When I did that, the friggin snowmobile rolled over and cracked the windshield. Ugh! For the rest of the day I rode with 1/2 a windshield and if you follow closely behind another vehicle, you get pelted with snow. It was a really fun time on a clear, beautiful day. Be warned that there is absolutely no cell phone reception once you're an hour east of Stockton all the way to Bear Valley. They don't have Wi-Fi either. If you wanna talk to someone, bring walkie-talkies or Yodel off the summit like a Ricola commercial. Would have been better if they didn't charge me $105 for a cracked windshield. But then again the sweet ladies gave me a free T-shirt so it lessened the pain of forking out $600 here. I told you it's strategic.

    K C.

    Staff was friendly! Had a great experience! Super fun! Follow the rules and you should be fine! Take pictures of your snowmobile before you start riding it! (Just in case)

    The sign stating they strive for excellent service and happy customers.

    Horrible Customer Service. We drove 4 hours on Christmas Eve & were treated horribly by the "manager and supervisor" Kim. She refused to give us her last name and I asked for the owner of the company name and she gave us owner name "Micheal Dinnakola". When we arrived we had reserved 2 snow mobiles. We had reserved for two hours and read all the instructions via the website we booked on. Upon arrival we explained our reservation was for two hours and she said no it's total 4 hours, two hours there and two hours back. Due to medical conditions one of our riders could not do the full four hours and she REFUSED to give a refund. She said it was explained online and could not show us any proof of where it's stated. She said we signed a waiver on our email confirmation, we never signed any waiver. We asked her for her copy of our waiver and she said she doesn't have access, I don't understand where the waivers go if not to the company? She showed us a printed email that she had there sent to someone completely different and showed us small printed lettering stating that, we showed her our email and how it did not state thshe said it didn't matter that was still the policy. We never received that waiver, They should have all waivers and confirmations in their systems and she didn't have any confirmations to give us and refused refund. After 20 minutes of arguing with this extremely rude lady, she said you're wasting your time you should leave already. We went ahead and just had our passenger with medical condition to just wait for us to return, when arriving we got yelled at by snow instructor for being late and he told us we needed to hurry up. There were mechanical issues with our snow mobile which caused us to end our ride earlier then our time we paid for. This picture I took that's hung in their office says "they strive for excellent customer service and happy customers" which is a lie. Me and my family wanted to have a great Christmas Eve went in so happy and the attitudes were unacceptable, especially Kim in the office. I have never encountered such an entitled person like her, very rude. All in all great views but horrible customer service and I will not be returning and giving my business here.

    Two brand new Ski Doos
    Rob D.

    Me and another guy did a two hour rental here. We had a lot of fun. The sleds were brand new Ski Doo's. The trail was beautiful too. I highly recommend this as a place to have fun on snowmobiles. Check them out !

    Angela L.

    This was our family's first time snowmobiling and this place was awesome! Fast and friendly service. Would come here again.

    New machines

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    10 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Being a first timer, Sandy and other staff are very helpful and made everything extremely smooth for our group of 10 adults and 4 kids.

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    8 years ago

    They need to work on their customer service. If you have an alternative for snowmobile access in the area, take it.

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    Mike D.

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    8 years ago

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    Mike D.

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    13 years ago

    Scott and Mike were knowledgable and friendly. I had a great time on their machines and will definitely use their shop again.

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    Page 2 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bear Valley Snowmobile

    Is it the road coming in there is snowing.?just wondering cause im driving only suv front wheel drive?

    Hi Jesille, when you come to the snow you should always carry chains, conditions can change frequently. You can watch the weather forecast to see if snow is predicted. We check NOAA and Weather Underground for weather just make sure you look at… Read more

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    Review Highlights - Bear Valley Snowmobile

    . BV Snowmobile is an asset to our community and they make our lives in this unique community so much easier to navigate

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    Bear Valley Adventure Company - Rental hut hahaha

    Bear Valley Adventure Company

    4.5(70 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    We had a gala of time over 3 days. First day was Snow tubing…read more(they were not open for sledding)... while it was crowded being the 2nd day after the first snowfall of hte season, it was fine. The kicker was that they gave a 50% off Learn to Ski package (cross-country skiing) which saved us several $$$ the next few days. Not only did cross-country skiing was fun (first time for us), the instructors were very patient and effective. The 2nd day I went (on a Monday morning), my group lesson became Private lesson as I was the only on in the class. Even more savings :-) The Warming Hut cafe is a great touch after doing some trails. The food was great here. The tracks for cross-country skiing was kept up. Our entire group (multiple kids and adults) had a great time. Weather was good as well as a bonus.

    It was a toss up between BV or Leland's...after reading the reviews for Leland's, I opted for BV…read more It was my kids first time in the snow and I didn't want them to have a horrible crowded first experience. We had to leave early because I wanted to be there close to opening time if 9am, we got there around 10am and there were plenty of parking spots and tubes for the kids to ride. For 6 people, 4 tube rentals for 2hrs it cost me $160. At Leland's I would've paid $240. It was a pleasant experience. The staff was very friendly and seemed genuinely happy doing their job. We had so much fun, the kids were whooped after the two hrs. At first I don't think that two hrs would be enough, but it was perfect. It's an honor system for the amount of time you use the tubes, don't be the one who tries to use them all day. There are a lot of people coming into the park at all times of the mid morning. 2 1/2hes is more than plenty to wear the little ones out. We will definitely be back and would recommend Bear Valley Adventure Co to anyone who has kids.

    Photos
    Bear Valley Adventure Company
    Bear Valley Adventure Company - End of sled hill

    End of sled hill

    Bear Valley Adventure Company

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    Sierra Nevada Adventure Co - Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult-sized kayaks (11.5 feet) in the back of our pickup truck.

    Sierra Nevada Adventure Co

    4.5(55 reviews)
    23.3 mi
    $$

    Great shop right on Hwy 4, in the middle of Arnold. They open at 8, and Bear Valley opens at 9…read more So get there at opening, and drive the 30 minutes. You can be first in line when the lifts open! There were several families there, but service was fast and efficient, and we were on our way in no time. The equipment was in decent shape. They have full Rossi rental packages. The boots were comfortable if not a little basic. The skis were in good condition. Everything looked fairly new. The poles were a little cheap, but who cares--they're just sticks right? We also got a demo package. Nicer Rossi boots plus Atomic skis. The previous week I tried the premium Rossi skis somewhere else, but these Atomics were hot. After I returned them, he offered to sell me a new pair that were on sale. Not this time, but I was tempted. The staff was friendly and knowledgable, without being overbearing or know it all. The were fast too. They sped us through our paperwork, we paid up front, and returned our stuff by 5:30 day of. Great experience overall!

    SNAC is the best! They went absolutely out of their way to help us when we were in a tight spot…read moreduring the recent storms, going way above and beyond to make sure our family was safe. They have the best rental game in town, are so knowledgeable and friendly, and are locals. Hit them up in the winter -- or summer -- if you need gear or some local insight. Could not be more grateful for their whole team!

    Photos
    Sierra Nevada Adventure Co - Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult kayaks in our pickup truck.

    Worry-free loading and unloading of 4 adult kayaks in our pickup truck.

    Sierra Nevada Adventure Co
    Sierra Nevada Adventure Co

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    Skyline Bear Valley Resort

    Skyline Bear Valley Resort

    3.4(216 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    I've been to the Village for tubing and snow play, this was my first time at the resort because my…read morekids were taking snowboarding lessons. The cost for lessons is comparable to other places, and somewhat of a good deal as it also includes a lift ticket. The lesson itself was less than two hours, so I wish they had a half-day lesson for this age group (13+). That being said, after the first lesson my kids were able to get on a lift for the easiest run and practice on their own. The process for parking, checking in, and rentals was STRESSFUL. Get there early!! The resort itself is kind of MEH. We came during one of the holiday dates (literally when else do folks come as we all have work and school) and it was over-crowded and kind of gross. Food was tragic, and over-priced. Leave food in your car and go eat in your car, it's that bad. I'd come again for my kids, but would arrive as early as possible with a big breakfast.

    You can tell that Bear Valley is a ski area that time has left behind. It's not on any major ski…read morepass systems, and the day lodge is dated and run down. Flashiness is not their thing - The entrance to the lodge from parking looked like the back door to a grade school, so for a minute we were worried we had gone the wrong way. It didn't help that the info on the website was so poor we knew nothing about the lodge - like if they had food (they did), or lockers, or a store, etc. (Turns out they do have lockers but they no longer work). The only "modern" touch since my last visit (15 years ago) was the addition of RFID lift tickets (used on the main lifts at the bottom). The vibe here during our Friday visit was: small town; locals and families. There had been 6 inches of overnight snow (with more still falling), so several groups had come up for the day from nearby towns in the Central Valley. There was also a lift ticket deal that day ($30 off when you buy two), but it was not advertised on the website, nor at the ticket area (just some unexplained jargon on a sign near rentals). My friend N and I were on different morning routines so we bought our tickets at separate times and missed out on the deal. We only found out later - Very annoying. Apparently we had to be "in the know" to take advantage. On the plus side, each adult lift ticket was pretty inexpensive for the Sierras ($135 in Spring 2024). The food situation here was the worst I've ever seen at any ski area, anywhere. We had intentionally returned very late to the day lodge to miss the main lunch crowd (Note: It's the only place with food on the mountain). But there was still an incredibly long, slow line to order. The offerings were meager (mostly fried-up frozen food), and they were under-staffed by a sullen crew who were cooking most items to order, one burger and chicken sandwich at a time. Just stupid. When we saw this, my friend and I opted for a yogurt, a bag of chips, and a bag of cookies to tide us over. I also had a snack bar in my pocket - But god forbid that they find me with outside food; there were signs everywhere stating this was verboten. (Note: If I'm ever at BV again, my future self will be putting a sandwich in my pack and eating it off-piste in some secret alcove). Other oddness. All lodging, including a ski lodge/hotel, is on the opposite side of the mountain and only available by shuttle. A few ski runs went down that way, but there were no lifts to get back. Turned out we were staying in that lodging area, but we didn't know exactly where the runs terminated; the map was too vague. Again, it appears you have to be in the know. In short, I found Bear Valley to be a below-average (a.k.a. 2-star) ski area. But it turns out they're in luck, because the snow on that day was so fluffy and fun that - despite all the negatives - I had one of the best ski days I've had in awhile. So I'll level-up for that.

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    Skyline Bear Valley Resort
    Skyline Bear Valley Resort - Magic Carpet

    Magic Carpet

    Skyline Bear Valley Resort

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    Heidi's Ski Shop - Black left boot (broken buckle not seen, under pant leg) and grey green right boot.

    Heidi's Ski Shop

    3.4(37 reviews)
    20.8 mi
    $

    I love Heidi's Ski Shop. They help make skiing affordable. Get there early and head up to Dodge for…read morea great day.

    Don't do it or be prepared to encounter craziness and some arbitrary charges on your credit card…read more This shop is stuffed (and perhaps run and owned??!!, not sure) by a crazy, unbalanced person, who is also a swindler. I have been a customer of this establishment for many years, renting a lot of equipment out. And the person behind the counter has lost completely his marbles. Detail In order to rent the equipment, you need to leave a credit card and a copy of the driver license or a driver license as a collateral. So as you can see, their equipment is very safe from being taken from them. At the same time although they open very early (way before the resort does), they close at 5pm, mere 30 minutes after the resort closing time. So, as you can imagine, this makes for a very frantic and hectic day close to be able to return the equipment on time. I rented some gear for two days and some gear for one day. At the end of the first day, I fell and injured my hand. So doing, everything became much slower than usual and being with the child and equipment, while parked pretty far, meant that getting out. As a result, I was late getting to the rental place by 30 minutes. Since, I had other equipment out and paid for two days and the place officially closes pretty early, I didn't even think of attempting to stop by and just thought that I would sort it out the next day. Also, as we were driving by, I saw all the cars gone and the doors closed at around 5:35 or so. When I came the next early morning (before the resort opens at 9am) with all their gear, he first made me intentionally wait for about 15 mins. Then, all of a sudden without any explanation, he threw my card to me and told me that I would no longer be able to rent from his establishment. My child got scared and ran out from the store. I was completely stunned and baffled by his behavior and after my repeated attempts to pry out some sort of an explanation of his utterly unhinged behavior in front of other customers I was able to glean some amount of information. As a result of all this, we were late to my child's class that morning. Had I known this, I would course never bother to try to come and return their equipment as early as possible. When I came home, I discovered that he charged the card I left with him with some arbitrary fees (several times the amount it should have been charged as a late penalty per their own contract), just out of his spitefulness, without even telling me so, an invoice or an explanation of the charges.

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    Heidi's Ski Shop

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    Bear Valley Snowmobile - skishops - Updated May 2026

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