When we started planning their engagement shoot, Lauren and Christian were thinking of heading down to a southern California beach. But a few weeks later when we were putting our shoot on the calendar, they realized we’d be shooting in December and could have a chance at a snowy engagement session!
Lauren reached out and asked what I thought about heading up a couple hours to the snow and immediately I was stoked.
I had been to Castle Rock Trail before with Justin a couple years ago in the fall. It was beautiful and full of gorgeous pine trees and huge granite boulders, and so we decided to head up to Big Bear, California and hike on this trail!
We weren’t sure how much snow there would be for photos, but as soon as we drove into Big Bear, I was so. so. excited.
This snowy engagement session was cold, BEAUTIFUL, and made us all so excited for their upcoming 2023 wedding next July. I cannot wait to capture their wedding day next summer!!
Tips for shooting at Castle Rock Trail in Big Bear:
Parking is tricky, as you have to rely on street parking. When there is snow, the side of the road gets a bit taken up by piles of snow. Arrive with plenty of time to park and walk to the trailhead. Be careful as you walk along the road near traffic! I used my phone light as a reflector for on coming traffic just in case. There’s other people walking, but in the winter there is a lot of traffic in and out of Big Bear City.
The trailhead is not marked with a huge sign, so keep your eye out for the brown sign with a map on it. The trail itself is marked by small pillars made from rocks and wiring, so you won’t get lost even if there is snow covering the trail.
There are few flat areas for photos, and the hike up all the way to the rocks gets steep and difficult to climb if you’re not wearing good hiking shoes (and where the foot traffic has compacted the snow into slippery patches). There are plenty of beautiful spots to shoot, though, within just the first 0.5-1 mile of the trail. If you’re doing engagement photos here in the winter, make sure your couple layers like Lauren and Christian did to stay warm!
Want some photos of your own in Big Bear? Contact me today!
