Believe it or not, there's actually some good skiing and snowboarding in Southern California. While most out-of-state visitors head to Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain, there are five ski resorts in Southern California that you can access within a few hours from the beach.
Big Bear Lake gets an average annual snowfall of 120 inches, and with assistance from snowmaking machines, the ski resorts in Southern California typically stay open from Thanksgiving through the end of March. Some days get pretty toasty on the mountain waiting in the lift line under the Southern California sunshine, but it can also be a good place for beginners to improve their skills, as the conditions are typically good with clear and sunny or overcast skies.
While it's not the neck-deep powder days you've dreamed of, these ski resorts are a great option for those living in and around Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. It's even possible to catch some runs in the morning and be back at the beach in time for a sunset surf - talk about a dreamy day!
Visit one or all of these Southern California ski and snowboard resorts for a memorable experience on the mountain.
Snow Summit Resort: Big Bear Lake, California
With beautiful views of Big Bear Lake, Snow Summit Ski Resort is close to Big Bear Village, and has lots of green, blue, and black runs for skiers and snowboarders to choose from. This resort has more skiers than its neighboring resort, Bear Mountain, and has a family-friendly vibe.
Snow Summit resort has an Adventure Academy for kids and several lodges and restaurants to choose from. The Snow Summit crew works hard to make snow whenever conditions allow, offering the best mountain experience for guests when natural snowfall just isn't happening.
Mt. Baldy: Mt. Baldy, California
Tucked in the San Gabriel mountains in the Angeles National Forest just east of Los Angeles is Mt. Baldy. A smaller resort, Mt. Baldy has four chairlifts and 26 runs for all experience levels and 2,100 vertical feet of skiing.
This is a good mountain for beginners and those who want to dip their toe into the terrain park. Mt. Baldy's terrain park is designed with features that help riders progress and improve their skills in the park, letting them build their confidence on the smaller stuff before hitting the bigger rail, box, and other features you'll find in ski resort terrain parks.
Bear Mountain Resort: Big Bear Lake, California
Bear Mountain is the place to go for snowboarders who love riding park. Located in Big Bear Lake, Bear Mountain Resort has the People's Park, a top-to-bottom of the mountain terrain park that has an ever-changing arrangement of boxes, rails, walls, barrels, trailers, and trucks (yes, trucks) to pick your creative line.
This resort has more snowboarders than skiers, and it's pretty much a party in the parking lot and at the lower lodge. Many of the visitors drive up from Los Angeles and Orange counties, we well as the surrounding desert and down to San Diego, as it's only a couple of hours from most of Southern California.
Snow Valley Resort: Running Springs, California
Snow Valley Resort is a shorter drive than going to Big Bear Lake for Southern Californians and visitors looking to go up to the mountain for a day trip and is a good option for those looking to avoid the crowds. The Snow Valley crew keep the lift lines moving with a six-speed lift and even a chairlift for families enjoying the tubing on the mountain.
The resort offers 230 skiable acres for guests, with 12 chairlifts and 28 runs. Skiers and snowboarders looking for more challenging and steep runs can get their kicks on the Slide Peak section at the top of the mountain where you can find double black diamonds: Show Me and Snake Run. Snow Valley gets an average of 150 inches of snowfall each year and has plenty of beautiful days of skiing under blue skies with beautiful mountain views. Legend has it that you can even see the Pacific Ocean from the top of the mountain on a clear day.
Mt. High Resort: Wrightwood, California
Catch some quick runs with a short trip to the mountain at Mt. High Resort, located in Angeles National Forest. This is the closest ski resort to Los Angeles (about 90 minutes away) and is good for both beginners and those looking for hot laps through the terrain park.
The Mt. High crew gets creative with their terrain park lines, giving guests lots of fun features to play with. There's are east and west sides of the mountain, and shuttles that run between the two, giving guests more runs to choose from. Be sure to purchase your lift tickets and rentals in advance before heading to Mt. High for a fun day on the mountain.
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