Big Bear

[tinaballina]

i am going to be going to the san bernardino mountains the weekend of the 26th of april. i know i won't be able to go to the top of san g. but does anyone know of any good hikes around the big bear area that are difficult minus the ice? i hike baldy, and san jacinto often so i like difficult, butt kickers. any suggestions?
thank you...

[Hikin_Jim]

Tina, I don't quite know of the same level of "butt kickers" over by Big Bear, but the Sugarloaf has always been a favorite of mine. If you want to get your butt kicked you can always go XC through the boulder fields. It's ~10k' at the summit, so there will be some snow, but I think it would be doable, particularly if you use the Wildwood trail which approaches from the south.

Here's a map of the summit: http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=34.19889&lon=-116.81361&scale=24000&zoom=50&type=1&icon=0&searchscope=dom&CFID=4896185&CFTOKEN=40763227&&latlontype=DMS

You can approach from the south via the Wildwood trail, from the north near the "green spot" which is along Hwy 38 just down from the town of Sugarloaf which is near Big Bear City, or you can approach from the east. I'm not familiar with the east approach, but have heard about it.