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Planning Commission approves Holcomb Valley Trail Run headquarters at Christmas Tree Corner
Summary
The Big Bear Lake Planning Commission approved a major special event permit for the Holcomb Valley Trail Run, allowing the 30th annual multi‑day race to use Christmas Tree Corner as its village headquarters, with a limited noise‑hour extension and conditions including traffic mitigation and cleanup.
The Big Bear Lake Planning Commission on April 15 approved a major special event application to relocate the Holcomb Valley Trail Run headquarters to Christmas Tree Corner for the event’s 30th year.
Staff told the commission the Holcomb Valley Trail Run (also called Big Bear Peaks and Pines) will be staged over several days in June 2026 with a mix of course starts at Snow Summit, Christmas Tree Corner and Big Bear High School, and expected registration of roughly 400 to 700 participants. The application requests a limited extension of the city’s noise ordinance from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 12 and 13 to accommodate post‑race award activities and a mixer. Staff said no full road closures are requested, shuttle contingencies are arranged with Mountain Transit and Jazzy Bear, and the event is proposed to be categorically exempt from further CEQA review under the cited guidelines.
“It's the 30th year of this event,” applicant Suzy Schmelzer of Open Air Big Bear told commissioners, describing the race’s history and recent changes in operations. Schmelzer said the event previously started on the north shore of Big Bear Lake and that only the Saturday stage will start and finish in the village at Christmas Tree Corner. She confirmed the event previously received a grant from Visit Big Bear to help with costs.
Staff presentation outlined event operations including staggered starts to reduce congestion, the use of Snow Summit and Big Bear High School for course stages and parking, an expo area at Christmas Tree Corner open to spectators, and cleanup to return sites to their original condition by Sunday evening. The staff report identified Bear Valley Search and Rescue and the Southern California Mountains Foundation as beneficiaries of event fundraising and noted the event was publicly noticed and reviewed under the city’s development code; staff recommended approval subject to the conditions in the draft resolution.
After discussion and a question from Commissioner Jim about whether Visit Big Bear could offset staff costs, commissioners moved and seconded the recommended motion. The commission approved the resolution by a 4–0 vote, making it Resolution No. 2026‑02; the decision takes effect in 10 days unless an appeal is filed with the Planning Division.
The resolution authorizes the use and temporary closure of Christmas Tree Corner for race headquarters and event‑related activities, conditions the event on the items in the staff report (including contingency shuttle service and property owner authorization for any private lot use), and requires event cleanup and site restoration by the stated timeline.
Next steps: the permit will take effect after the appeal period unless appealed. Staff and the applicant will follow the resolution’s conditions, including the approved temporary noise‑hour extension and the traffic/parking mitigation measures contained in the permit.
