WHO WE ARE
Mt. Waterman operates in the winter and summer months, offering ski, snowboarding in the winter and Mt. biking, disc golf and hiking in the summer.
Mt. Waterman in the winter is a day ski & snowboard area. We have 3 chair lifts and 25 runs. 65% of our hill is advanced while offering beginner and intermediate runs at the top of the mountain. Lessons for skiing and snowboarding are available. We are an upside down hill, our facilities are located at the top of Chair One. We offer scenic rides to the top of the mountain for all guests on foot to enjoy the mountain. Chair One can be taken back down the hill to the parking lot. The Warming Hut offers amazing views, a fireplace to warm up and food and drink service. Our Ticket Hut is located at the bottom of the mountain offering tickets, apparel and stickers for sale. We do not have equipment rentals on the hill.
Mt. Waterman in the summer offers Mt. bike trails, beginner intermediate and advanced, a professional 18 disc golf course, scenic chair lift rides and hiking. Our warming hut is open for breakfast and lunch. Chair one is in operation for round trip rides. We have music on the hill and fun events including disc golf tournaments, Mt. biking events, raffles, full moon walks.
We are the closest Skilift area to the L.A basin and are now deemed a national monument. The Angeles Crest Highway out of La Canada has been repaved providing a nice and safe ride to the hill. There are no gas stations on the mountain so fill up before you come.
Mt. Waterman History
In May of 1889, Robert B. Waterman with his wife Liz and their friend Perry Switzer completed a three week hike from La Canada Flintridge to the Antelope Valley and back again. Liz Waterman became the first white non-indigenous woman known to have crossed the San Gabriel Mountains. She placed a cairn on the summit of Mt. Waterman and it was christened "Lady Waterman's Peak." Today it is known as Mt. Waterman.
In 1891 Loise Newcomb was Homesteading in the San Gabriel Mountains just months before it was federalized and it eventually was passed down to Lynn Newcomb Sr. The first rope tow on Mt. Waterman was started by Lynn Newcomb Sr. and his sons Ren and Lynn Jr., in 1939 and thus began Mt. Waterman Ski Hill. On January 1,1941 they opened the first chairlift to the public. On Opening Day the chairlift brokedown and skiiers had to jump off but they continued to operate and work out the kinks. Lynn Newcomb Jr. took over operations after his father passed on. He kept the ski area the same as it was in 1941, a single chair lift and three rope tows until 1968. They added Chair Two, a fixed grip double, that was opened in the 1968-1969 Winter Season with a spectacular amount of snow. The original single chair was replaced in 1972 with a fixed grip double and Chair Three was added in 1981. Lynn ran the ski hill until the 90's when he sold it to two business men who returned the Hill back to Newcomb with failed efforts. He sold again to a group of business men in the late 90's. The resort did not operate Between July 2001 and February 2008 mostly due to failure to meet the U.S. Forest Service Operating requirements.
In the summer of 2006 Rick Metcalf came in to save the beloved Mt. Waterman. Rick Metcalf grew up in La Canada at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains and learned how to ski at Mt. Waterman in Jr. Highschool. His love for the mountain inspired him to buy it with the help of a few close friend investors. They purchased the mountain at the last hour before the U.S. Forest Service was to revoke Mt. Waterman's Permit and the ski hill would be lost forever. They worked on the mountain for the Summer of 2006 and 2007 to get the hill ready for the 2007/2008 Winter Season.
On February 16th 2008, Mt. Waterman Ski Lifts re-opened to the public. There were over 200 people enjoying the Hill. The Newspress and T.V. Stations were there along with founder Lynn Newcomb Jr. and generations of skiiers who grew up skiing on the hill. The 2008/2009 Season opened in Dec and ran until March with a few closed weeks due to short snowfall. In August 2009 the Station Fire engulfed the San Gabriel Mountains and Mt. Waterman was almost lost. Newcombs Ranch and Mt. Waterman were miraculously spared. In Jan. 2010 there was enough snow fall to ski but because of the damaged roads they could not open. The back route through Tunjunga opened and Mt. Waterman was able to operate March 12th 2010 until April that season. Even though the Angeles Crest Highway was closed they were able to open in the 2010/2011 Season by the Tunjunga access. In the Summer/Fall of 2011 the Angeles Crest Highway was scheduled to re-open promising a great Winter Season for the mountain. Unfortunately it was a dry year and there was never enough snow fall to open the hill for the 2011/2012 Winter Season.
As of the Summer of 2012 Mt. Waterman has submitted a Mt. Bike Plan to the Forest Service and is hoping to open the mountain year round for Winter and Summer activities. The Metcalf's and investors hope to keep Mt. Waterman open for many generations to come.
The Mt.Waterman Family
