In the midst of a busy semester, it can be quite refreshing to get away for a while just to take a breather and reenergize. I was fortunate enough to come across an opportunity for a weekend trip to Big Bear, which was organized by Outdoor Rec on campus here at CLU. It was listed up on the Hub where it stated that any student was welcome to attend, so I talked it over with my roommates and we decided to sign up together. It was in fact, a good decision.
Our adventure began on Friday, February 10th at 5:30pm in the gym, where the twelve of us who signed up for the trip had gathered around before departure. With brief introductions, a breakdown of the game plan for the weekend, and the snow calling our name we loaded the cars and headed on out. Friday was rainy, but that didn’t stop us from reaching our destination. With tummies rumbling, we stopped at the Habit for some dinner and then continued on our way to the mountains. With a significant decrease in temperature and a noticeable increase in elevation, we arrived to Big Bear and wormed our way through small neighborhoods to find our rented cabin. As soon as we parked and located the lock box for the key, we entered the cabin and investigated the space. It was clean, cozy and large enough for the twelve of us to either have a bed or sofa to sleep on. The cabin housed a full sized kitchen, a ping pong table, and air hockey table, two bathrooms, three bedrooms and two living rooms. Everyone claimed their sleeping area, and by the time we all got settled we hit the hay for the night.
On Saturday I joined one leader and a group of three others who wanted to take part in a sunrise viewing of Big Bear Lake, while the rest of the gang took some extra z’s. We took a short drive, parked on the side of the road, and headed to the lake’s shore where the view did not disappoint. Thick fog lay heavy over the snow covered mountains, the emerald trees, and the icy water. It was magical. I dressed like a marshmallow to stay warm, but the chill was hardly a distraction to the view. We walked up on a rickety dock, one we decided to fully trust to support our weight in order to experience the peace of being surrounded by water. We took some photos, watched the fog roll in and out, and took part in a playful snow fight. Afterwards, the five of us had to stop by Stater Bros. to pick up some items for breakfast and lunch. We split up to teams to muster what was needed to feed the troop back at the cabin, and don’t worry we did not forget the s’mores ingredients for the night. With a car stocked full of snacks, drinks, breakfast foods, sandwich condiments, and some extra supplies, we headed back to the cabin. Upon entrance, the twelve of us got to work to get breakfast ready. The deal was that those who did not cook had to clean, so naturally I decided to cook. I made some pancakes, while others were on bacon and egg duty. Breakfast was so good! It was perfect before a snow hike. Once our bellies were full, we bundled up to prepare for a hike to Castle Rock near the entrance of Big Bear Lake.
We left the cabin and made our way over to the hiking area. After walking a little ways from our parked cars, we found the entrance to start the hike and thus began our challenging yet rewarding adventure. This hike was all uphill, and there was still two to three feet of snow on the ground so we struggled, but it was all in good fun. It was heartwarming to see a great sense of teamwork within the group. If one of us stepped down and ended thigh high in snow, another was near to lend a hand for a tug out. Or if one of us had to stop to take a breather, others would as well, to show support. The beginning of the hike was pretty steep, the snow was high, and we had to pace ourselves. With good spirits and the challenge accepted, we made it to the first viewing point which overlooked Big Bear and all of its beauty. While here we had some light conversation and planning for the rest of the hike up to Castle Rock. Five people stayed behind to eat lunch and bask in the sun with one of the leaders, while the rest of us who wanted to continue headed up to the top.
The rest of the way was still uphill, but we inched forward determined to make it to the top. Music from one of our speakers was playing loud enough to add some extra motivation and cheer into our hike. Being in the back of the group while hiking up was nice because I simply followed the footsteps of those ahead of me, laughing at the instances where someone took a step that was way deeper than expected. I did however decide I better move up and carve my own path for a bit. This was fun, but my attire provided some difficulties. I had thick hiking boots, but they were not waterproof, so you can bet they got soaked. I do not own snow pants either so I was hiking in layers with jeans being my main layer of defense. My jeans were so saturated with water they started bleeding blue wherever my legs slid against the snow. It was funny because everyone knew where I stepped or fell really deep by the color of the snow. Honestly, my shoes nor pants bothered me. I was having too much fun laughing, conversing, and playing with everyone else that I kind of forgot. Before I knew it and before I couldn’t feel my feet, we made it to Castle rock. Here we experienced an even higher view of the lake and mountains. It was our turn to eat our lunch and bask in the sun. I took off my shoes and socks to let me feet thaw, and I put on a extra dry pair of socks that I packed. Of course, by the time we finished the hike those too got soaked, but it helped a lot. The view at the top was breathtaking. We were with the treetops and comparing our tiny bodies to the size of tree trunks. We absorbed the sunlight between passing clouds and we took our time to take the view in. With our hearts full, we hiked back down to meet the rest of the group. Hiking downhill meant sliding a whole lot more. We carved our own sled paths and you can bet I left a trail of blue from my jeans, but it was exhilarating nonetheless. Once we all slid to the bottom and made it back to the cars with the rest of the group, we headed to the cabin for a quick change before sunset and dinner.
I was cold and wet, so dry clothes were a luxury. Before dinner, we stopped by another secluded area on the lake’s shore. The sky was pink, the lights surrounding the ski lifts were reflecting on the lake, and the water was still. We skipped rocks and waited for the sun to come down. It was amazing to be in an area so quiet with so much beauty. It felt like the lake was ours for a moment. As soon as the darkness creeped overhead, we went to dinner in the Village. Dinner felt like a feast, with our group of a dozen gathered around a long table. While sharing stories, playing table games, and watching the sports channel inside we were all happy to be resting from the hike. Dinner was followed by a walk around some nearby shops in the Village for some souvenirs and gelato. Apparently it is never too cold for gelato, but I was still holding out for the s’mores. So with that, we went back to the cabin for the night. We stayed in roasting marshmallows in the fireplace, playing late night games, sharing stories, and learning about one another. Saturday was good for the soul.
Sunday rolled around and that meant packing up our goods and heading out. We cleaned up our space in the cabin, loaded the car once more, and went to our final viewing point for the trip. It was another lake view with more snow play and thick fog. We then ate breakfast at a nearby cafe that was kind enough to seat the twelve of us at a table without a reservation. We were already reminiscing about our experiences, but we were also ready to head home and rest. After breakfast, we drove around the lake one last time, refueled on gas, and then started our journey back to school. We took a more scenic route back, which cut through Barstow. It was very much a desert, but the open space and some tunes playing in the background was perfect for thinking. I was thinking how fortunate I was to go on such a fun excursion with my roommates, while also meeting some wonderful new people.
The moral of the story is to take part in opportunities that come your way, because you never know what you will take from these experiences. Be on the lookout for school organized trips. If you are lucky, you will get a lot more than you expected. I hope you take the time to reenergize this semester, whether it is a day trip with friends at the beach, a nearby hike, a mini road trip or something you have been really wanting to do… just do it. It will make your heart happy.
*All photographs provided by myself.