Southwest Shore Activities
Most Southwest Shore families come to Big Bear to relax, entertain their friends, and escape the day-to-day fast pace of life "down the hill." They socialize somewhat with their Southwest Shore neighbors, but generally they spend their time at Big Bear enjoying activities with their own families and friends.
The Southwest Shore Association tries not to disrupt that quiet environment any more than necessary. Occasionally the Association organizes and sponsors periodic events, projects, or social functions in order to maintain the common areas of the Southwest Shore tract, as well as to promote the communication, cooperation, and camaraderie among the cabin owners, families, and friends.
Here are links and descriptions to some ongoing activities as well as some past Southwest Shore events:
Healthy Forest Management
A primary mission of the Southwest Shore Association is "Helping Keep Our Forest Healthy." This phrase has been the tagline on our website for years, and it serves as a constant reminder of our responsibilities as cabin owners in a National Forest. In this effort we work in partnership with the Forest Service and with local Big Bear agencies, who provide guidance and partial funding for our healthy forest activities.
Specifically, Southwest Shore Association is active in two healthy forest programs:
Healthy Forest Association: The Southwest Shore Healthy Forest Association was originally formed in 2014 to administer federal grant funds earmarked for fuels reduction along the Southwest Shore of Big Bear Lake. Once the grant funds were exhausted, our local Southwest Shore Association continues to actively support and implement federal and local fuels reduction and fire safety programs in our Southwest Shore area.
Brush and Dead Tree Removal: Each summer cabin owners undertake the periodic cleanup of brush, downed limbs, excess small trees, and other debris throughout the Colony. This annual effort by all cabin owners helps to make cabin areas fire safe and to keep the forest healthy. The Southwest Shore Association also reports larger dead trees to the Forest Service, who marks those trees for cutting and removal.
Communication, Cooperation, and Camaraderie
The families and friends of the Southwest Shore Colony enjoy the benefits of remote access to a local webcam and weather station, graciously owned and operated by Ed Leonhardt, owner of Cabin 39. Ed’s cabin is located near the top of Keystone Point Road on Highway 18, with a great view of the lake and surrounding area. Follow this link to read more about the Cabin Cam operation and capabilities.
The SWS Newsletter is published periodically as needed to keep all Southwest Shore owners, families, and friends informed about events, concerns, projects, Forest Service activities, and other local issues that may be of interest or importance to the Southwest Shore community. Follow this link to read past issues of the Newsletter.
The Southwest Shore Colony traces its history back to 1912, when the first group of rustic cabins was built on the southwest shore of Big Bear Lake. The "new" dam was completed that same year, superseding the old rock dam built in 1885. The new cabin owners had a front-row seat to the rising waters of the expanded lake. To celebrate 100 years of history, in July 2012 the Southwest Shore Association had a celebratory party to commemorate the Centennial of the 1912 establishment of the Southwest Shore Colony. (read more...)
After the fun we all had at our 2012 Centennial Celebration, many people commented that we should have more frequent such social get-togethers for the Association families and friends as a whole. A new Summer Celebration is planned for July 30, 2016. Follow this link for more information.
Although the Southwest Shore Association is not an official sponsor of the local Adopt-A-Highway program, for more than 30 years, some owners of Southwest Shore cabins have volunteered their time and effort along Highway 18 above the Southwest Shore Colony to keep the roadway clean and free of trash and debris. These volunteers walk the 1.25 mile stretch of highway between the Castle Rock Trailhead and the Dam roughly four times each summer season, gathering the wide variety of litter left behind by careless and ungrateful motorists and hikers. Follow this link to read more about the history of this local Adopt-A-Highway effort.