Mountain Newcomers

Undaunted by the snow pictures on the webcam, we are about to become the proud owners of a 40 yr. old mountain house with numerous leaks, dry rot, poor insulation and a family of varmits. Husband expects me and the three kids to "enjoy" every weekend sanding decks and replacing toilets. Don't want to exchange husband, so here we go... Questions: Are there any public pools for the kids? What summer activities are there for kids? Is there a long wait in line for the contractors/carpenters in the spring? I already read all the stuff on this site about driving in the snow - Husband grew up in Madison, WI, so we should be okay there. Know something about the moths in the summer. Which side of the lake is the "warm" side? Is gardening a waste of time? Any advice/condolences you can give would be appreciated.

Welcome to the Mountains. If you need a handyman please look in the classifieds section under Handyman/ JOHNNYB HANDYMAN . Good luck and if you need help please give me a call.

In what community is your cabin located?

You bought my cabin? That is perfect description of my house. There are a lot of things to do, some are even legal.

Arrowhead Woods

The mountains stay pretty cool in the summer, and I don't know of any public pools. In fact, I don't know of many private pools. If you live in Lake Arrowhead Woods, you have Lake Rights, and you can have a boat on the water, and there is a swimming area on the N/E side for those with Lake Rights. And, sad to say, there are not many ways to entertain young people in this area. But, there's always snowboarding in the winter, and hiking in the summer. And then there's the option of going up to Big Bear, which is a much larger community, and offers much more in the way of entertainment.

Welcome!!! There's a pool in Agua Fria that I believe has memberships of some sort. Also, Lake Gregory is a blast in the summer. They have water slides for the kids. Good luck with the house & do give JohnnyB a call, he comes highly recommended.

As a Lake Arrowhead Woods property owner, you have full use of the lake. There are a couple beach areas to take the kids swimming. Of course, you can go boating and fishing as well. There is a small private park next to Grass Valley lake for Arrowhead owners with a very nice setting for picnics. The Lake Arrowhead Country Club offers memberships for use of their pool and tennis facilities as well. Enjoy.

ALA info
http://www.lake-arrowhead-ca.com/arrowhead_lake_associati...

http://www.icecastle.us/about.html
Ice skating training sessions, etc.

http://www.mountain-skies.org/
Scroll through their calendar of events

How old are the kids? That can make a difference in what there is to do. Get your beach club pass with ALA so you can swim in the lake. Aqua Fria pool sells some seasonal memberships and offers lessons through parks and rec. What part of Arrowhead Woods is your cabin? Driving in snow in the mountains is different than driving in snow in other areas. I used to live in New England. Be very careful. Coming up on weekends leads to full-time living.

Welcome JuneBug
I live in Angelus Oaks which is on the other side of the mtn range over by Yucaipa.

Here's a pic of my home. It was a dump when we bought it but our place is living proof that with alot of elbow grease and little love you too can have a gem! Good luck.

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q244/mountain_sprite/O...

One piece of advice...if you don't have a fireplace insert with a blower...get one.

Well granted I have not been there for years, but I was on a swim team that practiced near the middle school there. I am not sure though if it was a public pool or not, just how funny it was to be taking swim classes while it was snowing. Depending on the ages of your children there is always hiking, going to the creaks and fishing was a favorite activity of mine growing up. I am not sure if you still can hike there, but over by Heaps Peak, yes the dump area, on the Running Springs side if you hike towards the desert side of the tower, there is some huge docile deer that are awesome to watch. There are several other things that are a blast to do up there, just get a little creative.

Welcome to the best place that I have found to be in the summer! Your kids are going to love it. So much to do. Your husband was smart to buy at this time, the deals are incredible. As a long time resident, I have heard hundreds of people tell me that their parents or grandparents had a cabin up here and sold it at some point. They wish it would have been kept in the family. I understand your concern about having to work while you are on vacation. It sounds like your husband finds this type of thing relaxing, that doesn't mean you have to. You can make the sandwiches and lemonade, do the shopping, take the kids on a hike or to the lake to get them 'out of his hair', etc.. See how that works out. Moms find Lake Gregory relaxing, just take a book and a lawn chair. Fun place for kids. Also, shopping in the Village is fun for adults and kids. Make sure you take evenings off to go out to eat and see a concert in the Village. They have free ones every Saturday and it's always a good show. Well, I wish you luck. Keep a Cabin Journal with photos and funny stories--that will be priceless later!

You will be amazed at how much there is for kids to do up here in the summer! and winter! A great place to start is the local libraries -- they have realllly entertaining summer programs all summer long -- and the branches are so close you can go to more than one to see a greater variety of programs -- there is the Lake Arrowhead Branch in Blue Jay, the Crestline Branch, and the Running Springs Branch. Big Bear is a little bit of a drive but we have attended there a few times for really special events. The branches are happy to have visitors from other branches -- it boosts their stats! Also visit the Forestry Dept. on Hwy 18 -- they have really creative fun programs that include camping & other mt. learning experiences -- as well as cool youth volunteer programs that expose the kids to how the forestry dept works - a great possible career choice for a young person. Visiting Hanglider Point in Crestline is sometimes a breathtaking experience. Sometimes you may encounter a less than friendly flyer -- but I tell myself anyone about to jump off an almost 5000 ft mt. in a little kite has good reason to be a little stressed...! Children's Forest is between Running Springs and Green Valley Lake and it is an outstanding place for day hikes. There is a short paved trail perfect for the 8 and under crowd (stroller friendly) and there are trails that include reasonable rock climbing, and trails that are very challenging. Some great campsites too. The Keller Peak Fire Watch Tower there is my favorite -- really knowledgeable & friendly volunteers give you lots of local color stories. The Strawberry Peak Lookout off Hwy 18 near Twin Peaks is another great one to visit. And all these are free! You just missed the annual sand sculpture contest at Lake Gregory. I could go on for another 1000 words -- I wish you good times with your family here in our beautiful mts!

//hmmmmmmmmmm...I'm wondering why this thread was revived...but enjoyed reading the comments! It's so funny to see the folks who choose to be positive about activities for the kids vs. those who are negative and think there's nothing to do.
I agree about the driving in the snow...it's different up here!

coughcoughthefogsuckscoughcough

Sooooooooo true, Boomer! You really should do something about that cough!

The north side of the lake is generally warmer and sunnier, which is a double-edged sword: The snow melts faster on the north side in the winter, but it gets a bit warmer in the summer. A north side neighborhood was one of our "must-haves" when we moved here six years ago.

Gardening isn't a waste of time. Consider it more of a challenge! As you can see, many residents have planted gorgeous deciduous trees that are in their full glory right now. I have some wonderful roses that are flourishing and am getting ready to plant bulbs (daffodil, hyacinth, bearded irises, and allium). You'll find that many things grow well and are somewhat critter-resistant. You'll also find yourself feeding them by planting other things. Check out the Mountain Gardening section for valuable advice from residents who have had success.

As has been hinted, fog is our largest and most dangerous adversity. Fog combined with snow and ice is downright brutal. We drive in when we have to, and stay home when we don't absolutely-positively have to leave. Make sure you have chains, cables or other snow/ice traction for your vehicles. Even if you don't think you need it, given your own snow-driving prowess, it allows you to quickly use avoidance tactics to get away from the other guy who didn't "chain up" and is careening toward you!

Good luck with your new adventure. There are lots of things to do, and not do...both of which are nice, depending upon your outlook.

I would think by now (over 2 1/2 years later, look at the date of the first post) they've probably figured all of this out already. The bigger question is, are they still on the mountain?

It has a lot to do with attitude. If you appreciate the beauty, the animals, and the small town environment, the rest we just deal with. It's about the nicest place for kids to make memories, but you have to be in on the adventure. If the electricity goes off, pull out some hot dogs or marshmellows and cook them over the fire in the fireplace. Play a game with the kids by candlelight. It's not shoot the electricity went out, it's "great" the tv's and computers are getting some much needed down time, and we're going to snuggle. My daughter hates it when the electricity comes back on.

I'd say your husband is a wise man. The question is...are you adventurous enough to appreciate it. You will have to deal with mountain "seasons". Summers are perfect...you can count on it. Winters are wonderful, too...just be prepared. You'll find that getting inside on winter evenings is usually a good idea, but that means you get to enjoy your warm cozy cabin.

Oh, by the way, WELCOME. You may find yourself hating to leave the mountains.