The Redlands City Council has approved the “Big Bear” Marathon, to take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026. According to its October 6 agenda, runners will start at 5:30 or 6 a.m., above the Seven Oaks Dam; half-marathoners will start at Mountain Home Village. Both will run down Highway 38, which course is entirely within Mentone’s zip code. However, the City Council’s agenda says “The final miles take runners through the streets of Redlands, all the while continuing a strong downhill slope to the finish line at the Redlands Sports Park.” Runners will turn North on Opal Avenue, in downtown Mentone, along San Bernardino Avenue to Dearborn. The description omits that Highway 38 runs through Mentone territory and is the only throughway from Mountain Home to Mentone’s end at Wabash. MM wonders if Redlands already considers all of Mentone to be in its city limits.
The description further states: “Highway 38 – valley of the Falls Dr/MP 4.95 to MP 9.50
○ Starting at the intersection of Hwy 38 and Valley of the Falls Dr. to MP 9.50 half
marathon runners will occupy the shoulder and the westbound lane from 6:00 to
6:45AM. A line of cones will be placed on the westbound shoulder line, and another
line of cones will be placed down the center line. From 6:00 AM to 6:45 AM
Westbound vehicles will be held in 15 min intervals at Valley of the Falls Dr. and
Hwy 38. At 6:00 AM one CI–IP officer will take the first train of vehicles Westbound
to the Pilot car system that begins at MP 9.50. He will then continue to his post in
Redlands. Beginning at 6:30 AM, TMI pilot cars will take the waiting Westbound
traffic to the Pilot car system. They will travel in the Eastbound lane until reaching the
officer at MP 9.5. If needed, TMI will use the Westbound lane and travel slowly
behind/alongside runners. This process will repeat itself every fifteen minutes until
6:45 AM.
“○ Beginning at 7:15 AM, all half marathon runners still on this stretch (if any) will be
instructed to vacate the westbound lane and run on the shoulder of Hwy 38 until they
reach the pilot car system at MP 9.5.
“○ All full marathon runners will remain in the westbound shoulder only (no lane
encroachment) once they reach the Valley of the Falls Dr intersection. The CHP
officer stationed at that intersection will verbally remind the full marathon runners to remain in the shoulder rather than the westbound lane beginning at that point.
“○ Runners will be in this stretch from 6:00 AM to 11:00 AM.
“MP 9.50 (Marathon Mile 19) to Hwy 38 and Garnet St
“○ Starting MP 9.50, the Westbound side of the road will be closed to vehicular traffic.
Cones will be placed on the double yellow lines. A pilot escort operation will be
deployed in the Eastbound lane. Officers will be staged at MP 9.50 and Hwy 38 and
Garnet street for pilot car operation. For approximately four miles, runners will occupy
the entire Westbound lane. The lane will remain a full closure until the shoulder
widens at Garnet St.
“○ *PLEASE NOTE: The pilot car operation will be in effect from 6:00 AM to 12:00
PM. Their staging point will be MP 9.50 and the intersection of Garnet St and 38. The
slowest runner will be through the pilot car stretch by 12:00 PM.
“● Garnet St to Opal Ave
“○ The Runners will then occupy the shoulder and lane encroachment equal to 12 feet of
paved surface until turning right (North) on Opal Ave. While the runners are on the
shoulder and encroachment, East and Westbound traffic will be open. Cones will be
placed 12 feet from the Westbound paved edge to separate runners from traffic, and a
separate line of delineators will be placed in the middle of the road creating an East
and a Westbound lane.
“○ Runners will be in this stretch from 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM.
“● Opal Ave
“○ From 7:05 AM to 12:32 PM runners will occupy the Western most side of the road
(Southbound Traffic), up to 12 feet of paved surface. Cones will be placed 10-12 feet
from the Southbound paved edge to separate runners from traffic, and a separate line
of delineators will be placed in the middle of the road creating a North and
Southbound lane.
“○ TMI will close the Northbound lane of Opal Ave from Nice Ave to Hwy 38. This will
help eliminate Northbound acceleration lane traffic from crossing the runners path as
they cross Opal on Hwy 38. Closure will start from 6:50 AM to I PM .CHP will
manage the intersection.
“○ Runners will be in the section from 7:05 AM to 12:32 PM
“● East San Bernardino Ave from Opal Ave to Wabash Ave.
“○ From 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM runners will occupy the full Westbound lane. Cones will be
placed on the center line to separate runners from Eastbound traffic. Eastbound Traffic
will not be affected. Flaggers or staff will be placed at access points on the South side
of E. San Bernardino Ave to ensure traffic only turns East. An officer will be stationed
at Opal Ave and E. San Bernardino Ave to help runners turn West onto E. San
Bernardino and to detour vehicles away from Westbound travel on E. San Bernardino
Ave.
“○ Runners will be in the section from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM.”
The Marathon is managed by the Brooksee Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Highland, Utah. The agenda further states: “According to the Brooksee Foundation, the anticipated attendance for the annual REVEL Big Bear Marathon event is approximately 3,000 attendees.”
The City Council’s agenda further notifies that: “In the weeks leading up to the event, all residents and businesses located in the surrounding areas will receive an EDDM (Every Door Direct Mailer) postcard in the mail. This mailer explains all traffic control plans, delays, and other issues in relation to the event. It also lists our contact information and invites the public to reach out with questions or concerns.” MM wonders if any of Mentone’s questions or concerns about using its main ingress/egress would make any difference, such as switching the race to inconvenience Yucaipa, instead. MM