Top 10 Snowboarding Spots in California
If you truly want to unwind there is no better place than California. And the region spoils you with options. The endless beaches in summer, perfectly powdery snow in the winters, California has got something special for every season. Come winter, it becomes an American snowboarding hotspot.
Locals and tourists together embark on the journey to the top snowboarding spots of California. The cultural richness of the region bodes well with the plethora of snowboarding spots that are open for fun. You can discover one to your liking and just shred slopes after slopes of fresh snow.
Scroll down to read more about our top selection of snowboarding spots in California.
Top 10 Snowboarding Spots in California
Our top 10 picks of the best snowboarding spots in California are as follows:
10. Mt. Shasta Ski Park
The majority of the incoming skiers are visiting to explore the area beyond its groomed landscape. You need an experienced guide to direct you correctly on these backcountry skiing sessions. Sometimes, if it gets too late or you are too tired, you can easily stay back in their rustic cabins.
The park is located at the foot of Mount Shasta, a snow-covered volcanic peak. This legendary Northern Californian miracle has an elevation of 7500 feet. The base elevation is 5500 feet. The park is wedged between McCloud and Mount Shasta cities.
Ice Covered Playground
You can find decent lodging and eating options in the McCloud and Dunsmuir cities. The majority of the lodges, restaurants, and hotels are located in the Mount Shasta city. The total skiable area in this park is 425 acres.
Only 20 percent of the total 32 trails are beginner level. The remaining 55 percent are intermediate and 25 percent are advanced. The total length of the longest run of this park is 1.75 miles. The scenic views are for the cross country skiers to enjoy too.
9. Diamond Peak
There are a number of packages available on their website that makes it far easier for you to plan the trip. You just need to enter the main focus of your ski vacation. And the intuitive website will take care of your holiday plans.
The Diamond Peak offers you the chance to distribute your time in their resort according to your preferences. This way, you are also able to plan an itinerary that removes any and all confusion that you may have about your plans.
Customize Your Moments
They have this interesting collection of videos to give you a better look at the location. They have advanced mountain cameras that provide a vivid picture of how the slopes are today. This live feed makes sure that your expectations are met well.
The gorgeous scenery surrounding this peak makes the skiing experience all the more fulfilling. If you like, you can take a virtual tour of the entire area via their strategically placed cameras. Skiers of all age groups can participate in the ski lessons offered in the resort.
8. Mountain High
The resort is located in the green and fresh locales of the Angeles National Forest. The San Gabriel Mountains encapsulate the resort in the Big Pine region. It lies only 80 miles away from Los Angeles. That comes down to just one and a half hours while driving.
You get access to three separate resort area with just one ticket. These areas are North Resort, East Resort, and the West Resort. This award-winning location is a big hit in the South California circle. You get a lot of variety in terms of the terrains while in this region.
Choices Galore
The total size of the skiable area in the Mountain High resort is 290 acres. The 59 trails are connected with 16 ski lifts. The beginner level runs are 25 percent, 40 percent are intermediate and 35 percent are advanced.
The East Resort presents an amazing view of the Mojave Desert and advanced level runs. The North Resort offers safe ski option with 70 acres of intermediate runs. After night skiing option on the technical competition-level trails is offered in the West Resort.
7. Sugar Bowl Resort
The name comes from the highest level of annual snowfall, 500 inches, it receives in the entire Lake Tahoe region. People in San Francisco can get here within 3 hours under the right weather and traffic conditions. It is the closest Lake Tahoe Area ski resort to the people living in the Bay area.
Experience European style lodging of the resort when you choose to stay over. They offer the most delectable recipes presented to impress the food connoisseur in you. The elegance of these fine-dining eateries will entice you to come back every year.
Snowboarding and Much More
Complete coverage from the untamed winds makes the entire 1,650-acres of skiing space even more enjoyable. The total trail count for this resort is 98 with 12 ski lifts. 17 percent of the runs are beginner level, 45 percent intermediate and 38 percent are advanced.
The trails of this resort cover the four peaks of the Donner Summit. The surrounding pine forest creates that winter wonderland look that is quite elusive. Skiers of all ages can participate in the private and group ski lessons locally provided here.
6. Big Bear Mountain Resort
Not all snowboarding spots lie within the perimeter of Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The Big Bear Mountain Resort in the Southern California lounges in the San Bernardino Mountains. As of now, this resort has the largest area in all of Southern California dedicated to ski lessons and snowboarding.
People in LA can get here under the two-hour mark on sparse traffic days. It is situated at 8,000 feet, in close proximity to the Pacific ocean. The resort gets good enough snowfall to make it a prime snowboarding location in the world.
Snowy Secluded Oasis
The two main ski areas within this resort are Snow Summit and the Bear Mountain. The skiable terrain available in the Snow Summit is 240 acres and 748 acres in the Bear mountain. If you are not confident, learn a bit in the classes provided by certified ski professionals in both these areas.
The Snow Summit has total of 31 ski trails. Around 60 percent of these are marked blue for intermediate skiers. The Bear Mountain area has 32 trails with 12 ski lifts. The 30 percent beginner level and 40 percent intermediate trails of this region make it a place to just chill out for all.
5. Kirkwood Ski Resort
You can’t escape the humdrum of the city life in another city. Choose Kirkwood Ski Resort when you want to be surrounded by just mountains and serenity. A hit among the ski experts, this place is designed to test the brilliance of your ski skills.
12 percent of the runs are beginner level. Then comes the 30 percent intermediate runs. The 20 percent expert and the 38 percent advanced runs are aimed at the adrenaline junkies. Located at the pinnacle of Sierra Crest, it sprawls across 2,300-acre.
For Serenity and Adrenaline
The elevation of upto 9,800 feet results in greater and drier snow. This provides the skiers better grip on their gear. It has a total of 86 runs. Its black diamond runs are a thing of legends. The experienced skiers make it a point to visit its daring terrains every now and then.
You get a clear and beautiful view of the surrounding alpine scenery from this resort. So, you can ski and gaze into the hauntingly beautiful landscapes alternatively. The simplicity of this resort is what makes it stand out of the remaining clutter.
4. Heavenly Ski Resort
The adventurous and challenging vibes of Heavenly Ski Resort make it a local favorite. It is the largest resort located in the Lake Tahoe area. The total is of this resort is 4,630 acres flaunting total 34 miles of well-maintained trails.
One of the highlights of this place is the 1,600-foot chutes of double-black diamond runs. This and the two intriguing terrain parks of the resort attract seasoned skiers from around the world. Just get in time here after a 4- hour journey from San Francisco.
A Daredevil Beautiful Spirit
The view of the sapphire- blue Lake Tahoe engulfed with snowy slopes is breathtaking. People come here for the views and its masterfully crafted runs and terrains. A total of 97 runs are available, each being easily accessible by the provided 28 chairlifts.
Join a ski class to brush up your skiing skills here. A good mix of intermediate runs make is suitable for skiers of all skill level. The annual snowfall of over 360 inches keeps the powdery slopes ready for snowboarding action. The local lengthy trails stretch to as much as 3,500 vertical feet.
3. Northstar Ski Resort
The perfect place to ski as a family is at the Northstar Ski Resort. This place is a lot more than just skiing. Also, you will find a good number of intermediate runs in this region. This makes it a safe and fun ski spot for kids of all ages.
You absolutely have to visit the European-style village present at its slope base. Here, one can shop, dine or just stay over if they like. They have a wide range of restaurants and lodging areas for visitors. The surrounding blanket of pine forest adds that rusty touch to the view.
Full family Ski Fun
A total of 20 chairlifts are in place to take you to 100 manicured trails. The resort is sprawled over an area of 3,170 acres. The runs distribution is – 13% beginner, 60% intermediate and 27% advanced. The snowmaking machine is put to use when the slopes are low on snow.
Scale the longest run measuring 1.4 miles on your skateboard. The sunny weather and crisp snow-covered slopes get you in the skiing spirit the second you enter this place. A number of kids activities, ski school and a marvelous view of the Lake Tahoe makes it a must visit the location.
2. Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows
This gorgeous resort is situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It overlooks the bubbling blue Lake Tahoe. It gained widescale popularity ever since Lake Tahoe Area hosted the Olympic Winter Games in 1960. This event highlighted its perfect terrain and resourceful setup.
Today, it is known for few of the longest ski runs on all of North America. It gets an annual snowfall of over 450 inches during the winters. This means that the slopes here stay covered with layers and layers of snow for that perfect ski run.
Snowboarding Excellence
The region stays bright and sunny for over 300 days of the year. The ticket is inclusive of the entry to Alpine Meadows ski resort. Just take a shuttle and you will be there within next 15 minutes. The combined skiable terrain of both these resorts is an impressive 6,000 acres.
Access any of the 270 runs available in here with over 42 lift options. The green runs are for beginners, blue ones for intermediate skiers and the black diamond runs are only for experts. These two resorts together have 25 percent of green runs, 43 percent blue runs and 32 percent are the black diamond ones.
1. Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
When you need a ski day done right, head straight to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. It opens every year without fail till May or sometimes even till the 4th of July. You get the best lodging options here that the Bay area has to offer.
Make room for the gourmet delicacies from the finest restaurants that line this location. The five and a half hour drive from LA to the Eastern Sierra will be worth it when you finally arrive here. Located within the Sierra National Forest, the fresh air opens you up to the whole experience.
Best of the Best
You will have enough sunshine to bask around and ski from one corner of the scenery to another here. It gets over 400 inches of snowfall annually which is more than enough for a fantastic ski session. The peak of eleven thousand feet of elevation offers you enough vertical limits to test.
The two main parts of this area are Mammoth Mountain and the June Mountain. You go to the Mammoth mountain if you an expert skier. And, the June mountain is for kids, families and intermediate skiers. You can also benefit from the private and group ski lessons that are generously offered in the Mammoth mountain.
These are the top 10 snowboarding spots in all of California according to us.
Conclusion
Snowboarding is a sport that can be enjoyed by healthy individuals of all ages. That is why you can easily plan a trip to any of the above-mentioned snowboarding spots with your entire family. Or go with your friends and test the limits of adventure.
Where are you planning to go for snowboarding this season? Might we suggest California! Pick the one that catches your fancy from the above-mentioned list. And book a one-way trip in advance to there for availing incredible early bird discounts. Forward this article on your socials and let your friends and family know too what’s up with you.
