Looking back at 2023: Part 1

By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY

Senior Writer

As we ring in a new year, staff members of the Alpine Mountaineer have carefully considered and then selected a handful of articles from the past year that we feel have had a significant impact on the lives and lifestyles of our readers. The year 2023 will be remembered by many as a year that began with tumultuous and destructive storms.

Jan. 5 – This year’s Rose Parade featured a prize-winning float decorated, in part, by Mountain Sunrise Rotary Club members Corina Colan, Laura Dyberg, Norbert Loewen and their friend, Terisa Bonito, who ventured down to Irwindale on Dec. 28 to put the finishing touches on the float that featured a floral carousel horse.  On New Year’s Day, the Rotary International float was awarded the Princess Trophy for most outstanding floral presentation among entries 35 feet and under in length. (Photo 1)

Jan. 12 – An ultra-low-pressure weather phenomenon known as an atmosphere river – often referred to as a “bomb cyclone” – first soaked Northern California then spun its way southward, delivering five feet of snow in the Sierras before rolling into Southern California. By the time the intense storm reached the San Bernardino Mountains, it deposited 3 to 4 inches of snow in Running Springs, 0.28 inches in Lake Arrowhead and 1.48 inches of rain in Crestline, where rivers of water flooded many streets, downing more trees and powerlines.

Jan. 19 – On Tuesday, Jan. 10, 3rd District County Supervisor Dawn Rowe, who represents the mountain communities, was unanimously chosen by her fellow board members to serve as chair of the San Bernadino County Board of Supervisors. “Over the next two years,” Rowe said, “I will work hard to strengthen our local economy, ensure that public safety remains a top priority and improve the quality of life for all San Bernardino County residents.”

Jan. 26 – The seemingly endless siege of rain and snowstorms in recent weeks has left mountain area roadways riddled with a bumper crop of new potholes and cracked asphalt pavement. It has also expanded the size of potholes and cracks from previous winter deluges. One motorist commented that driving around Crestline is akin to driving on the moon’s surface.

Feb. 2 – For the first time in five years Rim of the World High School’s boys varsity wrestling team captured the CIF Southern Section League championship by defeating Carter High School’s award-winning team by a score of 55 to 20 points on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Of the match, which took place on Carter’s home campus in Rialto, Rim wrestling coach Joey Dorsey told the Alpine Mountaineer, “It’s been five long years since we took the league championship. Before this, we were riding a 17-year streak of championship victories.

Feb. 9 – In an exclusive report to the Alpine Mountaineer, Crestline resident Sean Eshelman joined many other brave souls for the 13th annual PolaRotary Bear Plunge, an event that involves jumping into the frigid water of Lake Arrowhead. The event is designed to benefit the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Club, as well as a variety of other local charitable organizations that provide services on the mountain. (Photo 2)

Feb. 16 – The Crestline Lions Club had a very successful food drive and food distribution at Goodwin’s Market in Crestline. Lions Club International declared February as “Hunger Month,” challenging each Lions Club to choose a way to help their community to lessen hunger. In Crestline, the Lions Club decided to hold a food drive in the morning and to distribute that food they had collected in the afternoon.

Feb. 23 – Last week’s snowstorm brought with it a dusting of so-called “dirty snow.” Climatologists attribute the phenomenon to high winds, with gusts of up to 50 mph, racing southwestward across the Southern California desert region, all the while mixing dust and sand into the snow-laden clouds which dropped anywhere from a trace of dirty snow at lower elevations and up to a foot in the Running Springs and Big Bear areas.

March 2 – A series of winter storms that began on Tuesday, Feb. 21 brought heavy rain and snow to the mountaintop communities with snow depth ranging from several feet at lower elevations to more than five feet in Crestline, Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs, and seven feet and more to the Big Bear Lake area. (Photo 3)

March 9 – On Wednesday, March 1, the roof of Goodwin & Son’s Market began to cave in toward the back storage room under the weight of several feet of snow. Vice President and General Manager Mike Johnstone and two employees were in the store at the time. They evacuated the building and then made calls to the fire department and building and safety officials. However, the weight of the snow took the whole roof down by mid-morning.

March 16 – County employees and volunteers, including the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department’s Mobile Field Force, have completed scores, if not hundreds, of missions in the area stretching from Crestline to Big Bear to rescue mountain residents trapped inside their snow-covered homes and clear snow from driveways and the rooftops of local businesses and public buildings in order to prevent roofs from caving-in from the weight of accumulated snow and ice.

March 23 – The series of so-called atmospheric river storms has resulted in unprecedented damage to mountain area buildings. Some, like Goodwin and Son’s Market, Akasha Healing Center, Linder’s Tires and Lake Gregory Yacht Club suffered collapsed roofs from heavy snow loads. Many other homes and businesses were damaged by fallen trees and limbs, flood damage from frozen and burst water pipes and from rapidly melting snow. The storms also brought heartache and sorrow, with 12 or more persons dying during last month’s blizzard.

March 30 – A storm response event held last Saturday and Sunday at Valley of Enchantment Elementary School lured hundreds of storm-weary local residents to the school’s multi-purpose room to learn from county, state and federal agency officials what type of assistance is available to them following the recent blizzard and series of subsequent snowstorms that wreaked havoc throughout the mountaintop communities over the past four weeks.

April 6 – Snow removal crews worked day and night to stay on top of road clearance throughout the mountaintop communities since beginning their Herculean effort on March 20. San Bernardino County Department of Public Works spokesman Angel Arreola explained that with more than 100 pieces of snow removal equipment deployed in the mountain communities, crews would be continuing their road clearance by widening lanes so that vehicles can more easily pass one another. 

April 13 – On Saturday, April 15, the Crestline Lions Club offered its next community distribution at Lake Gregory’s North Shore parking lot. Along with the Mountain Strong food items, the Lions distributed jackets, boots, food and gift cards. Mountain Area Mutual Aid distributed food from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

April 20 – Snow Valley celebrated the last day of its 85th ski season on Sunday, April 16, with large crowds and excellent snow as a result of the blizzard that left a deep base of snow on the slopes. The ski hill was sold this winter by the descendants of W. R. Sauey to Alterra Mountain Company. The family had owned Snow Valley since 1971. (Photo 4)

April 27 – The free Friday Night Summer Concert Series at Lake Gregory, with the just added farmers market, will be held in the North Shore parking lot at Lake Gregory Regional Park beginning Friday, April 28.

May 4 – Nearly 250 people attended a farewell retirement celebration held on April 28 at the San Moritz Lodge for doctors Walter and Leslie Bramson. It was hosted by the Crestline-Lake Gregory Rotary Club, Goodwin’s Market, Lake Gregory Company and members of Dr. Bramson’s staff.

May 11 – A cadre of devoted volunteers showed up at Lake Gregory’s north shore parking lot bright and early on Saturday morning, May 6, eager to begin cleaning up trash and debris around the perimeter of the lake and along Crestline’s Lake Drive business district. This, the eighth annual community cleanup, was sponsored by the Lake Gregory Yacht Club, Crestline-Lake Gregory Rotary Club, Lake Gregory Company and the Crestline Chamber of Commerce. (Photo 5)

May 18 – Rim School District Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Fricker briefed the trustees on the school district’s actions during the recent storms. Fricker told the trustees that the school library served as a barracks for So Cal Gas employees, the gym at Rim High School was a Red Cross evacuation shelter and the parking lots at the school sites were used for deliveries and staging of large equipment, and that food distributions took place at the majority of school sites.” 

May 25 – Fifth Street Development, LLC, the corporation that recently purchased the district office building that houses the Blue Jay Cinema from the Rim School District has refused to renew the cinema’s lease. Despite nearly 6,200 signatures on the petition, the new owners refused to budge. By mid-summer, a company identified as Grocery Outlet Discount Supermarket began construction activity at the former theater site in Blue Jay. However, by October, construction activity at the site suddenly halted. 

June 1 – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced on May 10 that SBA has approved more than $10 million in federal disaster loans for California businesses and residents impacted by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on February 21. The SBA has approved $2,780,900 for businesses and $2,780,900 for residents to help rebuild and recover from this disaster.

June 8 – Over 300 persons flocked to the June 3 Corks & Hops wine and craft beer walk through the streets of Crestline. Needless to say, most local merchants were quite pleased with the turnout and the boost in sales, which had been sluggish of late due to continuing, winter-like foggy and drizzly weather throughout the month of May.

June 15 – Salutatorian Adeline Epstein and Valedictorian Neva Hidjat shared some levity as well as wise words at the 67th annual commencement ceremony at Rim of the World High School. Addy thanked her parents for trying to teach her punctuality, “which I still lack. We are all following different paths.” Neva reminded her classmates that they have memories they will treasure forever. “Remember when all our toilet paper and soap disappeared? That was truly a crisis.”

June 22 – Mountain Top Strings, an affiliate of Arrowhead Arts Association (AAA), delivered a remarkably stunning performance at Crestline’s historic San Moritz Lodge on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Nearly 100 spectators witnessed the season final performance of the school-based, stringed instrument student orchestra. Their performance, the first of its kind at San Moritz Lodge, featured 16 talented, young musicians, ranging in age from 10 to 18.

June 29 – Over 100 volunteers for Rebuilding Together Mountain Communities arrived at the Twin Peaks Community Center early last Saturday morning, about to embark on a mission that would result in desperately needed repairs to five homes in order to make them warm, dry and safe for their occupants, many of whom are living on fixed incomes and lack the resources and energy to do it themselves. (Photo 6)

Part 2 of Looking Back at 2023 will appear in next week’s edition of the Alpine Mountaineer