Big Bear Today Magazine May 2022

Page 12—May 2022
Speed, soar, splash at Alpine Slide
Choose from two unique rides,
longtime favorite Alpine Slide and new
Mineshaft Coaster, neither found
elsewhere in California, both letting riders
control their own speed.
Mineshaft Coaster at Alpine Slide,
a mile-long stainless steel track on which
riders negotiate turns and drops aboard
karts they control, is open daily, first ride
of its kind in the state. Two up tracks on a
motorized bullwheel pulley system provide
the uphill lift, including a long one out of
a cool new start house at the bottom.
The real fun is on two downhill tracks,
as carts hit speeds up to 27 mph across
three 200-foot bridges, into two 100-foot
tunnels, through S-turns, over a few
whoop-di-doos, and around three 360°
corkscrew turns. The whole ride is elevated
above the ground, at times two dozen feet
Cool off on the double water slide, opening May 28
up and at a minimum four feet, really
giving riders a sense of speed as
surroundings blur by.
It’s a roughly nine minute ride—faster
drivers can get closer to seven minutes—
that elicits amusement park-style screams
from many riders, only this is no park ride
where there’s no guest interaction. On
Mineshaft Coaster guests go faster or
slower by applying brake. Rider in back
controls the cart’s braking mechanism.
Mineshaft Coaster features “Smart
Cart” technology with a computer
controlled, fail-safe magnetic braking
system that gently applies brakes if a cart
approaches too close to another.
Each cart has specially designed,
lockable seat belts and shoulder restraints
to assure rider comfort at all times. Plus
carts have energy absorbing front and rear
buffers. Mineshaft
Coaster is open daily
year-round and tickets
are $20 per person,
children $10.
Alpine Slide
bobsleds, only track
west of Utah, are open
weekends in May and
offer more selfcontrolled
fun. Lean
into banked turns with
the sled almost
perpendicular to the
ground and whip out
into a tuck through
Church Directory
Bear Valley Center for
Spiritual Enrichment
579 Knickerbocker Rd., Big Bear Lake
(Bridges Presbyterian Fellowship)
Sundays 11:45 a.m.
(909) 866-8081
Bear Valley Church
Big Bear
41960 Big Bear Blvd.,Big Bear Lake
Sundays 10 a.m.
(909) 866-3951
www.BVCBigbear.org\
Believers Chapel
42180 Moonridge Rd., Big Bear Lake
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m.
(909) 866-2552
Foursquare Church
at Big Bear Airport
501 Valley Blvd., Big Bear City
Saturday Worship 6:30 p.m.
Sundays 10 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
(909) 856-6259
www.bigbearfoursquare.com
Bridges Presbyterian
Fellowship
579 Knickerbocker Rd.
Big Bear Lake
Sundays 10 a.m.
(909) 866-5683
www.bigbearpresbyterian.org
Calvary Chapel Big Bear
1001 Holden Ave. Big Bear City
Sundays 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m.
(909) 866-9328
Christian Faith Center
39853 Crocus Dr. Big Bear Lake
Sundays 10 a.m., also on
Facebook Live
(909) 273-9234
www.cfcbigbear.com
Church of Christ
41035 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake
Sunday Worship 10 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 6 p.m.
(909) 866-2828
Community Church
Big Bear
40946 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake
Sunday Worship 8:45, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday Dinner/Study 6 p.m.
(909) 866-7523
straightaways to and experience some of
the same gravitational forces found in
Olympic sled events.
Apply brake to go as slow as you want
or let the sled’s teflon runners and ballbearing
wheels roll freely down the two
side-by-side quarter-mile cement tracks.
Banked turns, long straightaways and more
await riders and every time down is
different. Alpine Slide rides cost $9 each,
$40 for five-ride book.
Soaring Eagle is another unique ride
open daily, a zipline-like experience with
a couple notable differences. Riders sit
instead of lie down and ride up to the top
tower backwards. Plus guests don’t have
to apply any brake or use any skill set, since
it’s an amusement park ride rather than
zipline, so they’re just along for the ride.
What a ride it is! Between the two
First Church of Christ
Scientist
550 Squirrel Ln., Big Bear Lake
Sunday Services/School 10 a.m.
www.cschurchbigbearlake.org
Seventh Day
Adventist Church
349 E. North Shore Dr.,
Big Bear City
Saturday Worship 11 a.m.,
lunch follows
(909) 585-2275
www.BigBearSeventhDayAdventisChurch.org
Sheperd in the Pines
Lutheran Church
42450 North Shore. Dr., Big Bear
Lake
Sunday Worship 10 a.m.
(909) 547-0934
www.SITPBigbear.org
Spirit of Peace
Lutheran Church
42324 North Shore Dr.
Big Bear City
(St. Columbas Episcopal Church)
Sunday Service 10 a.m.
(909) 866-7239
Big Bear Today
Tunnels, drops, more on new Mineshaft
Coaster, and you’re in control!
towers riders soar 500 feet—close to two
football fields!—and reach speeds up to
26 mph, with a vertical drop of about 125
feet. It’s the first ride of its kind in
California.
Soaring Eagle costs $12 per rider.
Bundle Soaring Eagle flight, go-karts and
miniature golf for $22, a steal of a deal.
Double Water Slide at Alpine Slide
opens for the season May 28 weekends
only till June 4. Two flumes filled with
cascading cool water take riders on a thrill
ride through turns and chutes till a finale
splash in the pool at the bottom.
Rides are two bucks each, 10 for $15
or $25 all day. Season passes are just $60
for Sunday through Friday (excludes
holidays) or $75 anytime.
Alpine Slide is at 800 Wildrose Ln.
Call (909) 866-4626.
St. Columba’s
Episcopal Church
42324 North Shore Dr.,
Big Bear City
Sunday Services/Communion
10 a.m.
(909) 866-7239 * (951) 809-5232
www.stcolumbas.bigbear.com
St. Joseph’s Catholic
Community Church
42242 North Shore Dr., Big Bear
Lake
Monday-Friday Mass 8 a.m.
Saturday Reconciliation 4 p.m.,
Mass 5:30
Sunday Mass 8 and 11 a.m.,
Spanish 1 p.m.
(909) 866-3030
Summit Christian
Fellowship
41965 Garstin Dr., Big Bear Lake
Sunday Worship 10 a.m.
Wednesday Bible Study 6:30 p.m.
(909) 878-HOPE (4673)
SummitChristianFellowship.com
The Journey Church
800 Greenspot (Hwy. 38)
Big Bear City
Sunday Service 9:30 a.m.
(909) 585-4428
TheJourneyChurchBigBear.com