California Snowboarding Season is Here for 2024-25!
Welcome to California Snowboarding Season
With the winter chill now firmly setting in, snowboarders can finally join in another epic winter run on the slopes. The 2024-25 California snowboarding season is most definitely upon us, with several popular resorts from the Sierra Nevada mountains up near Sacramento all the way down to Mountain View and Big Bear in So Cal fully operational for visitors young and old, snowboarding beginner to expert.
We know riders are more than eager to start carving their way down the mountain, but before you head out, here are several of our favorite places to snowboard, both north and south in Cali…
CALIFORNIA SNOWBOARDING SEASON: NORTHERN CALIFORNIA RESORTS
The Lake Tahoe Area
With all of the outstanding options near Lake Tahoe, it’s pretty much impossible for you to not have a great snowboarding vacation (whether it’s for a day or for a week) up in Northern California. Here we focus on our top three iconic ski destinations in the region, well known for world-class resorts and abundant snowfall to boot.
Northstar
First, we’ll start with Northstar. Perfectly nestled in the Martis Valley at Lake Tahoe, Northstar offers an incredible blend of adventure and relaxation, one which will transport you away for a truly remarkable winter wonderland getaway.
Of course skiing and snowboarding are on the menu, but so is cross country, fat tire biking, snowshoeing, and more. Plus, with world-class amenities and a Village with fun boutique shopping, fine dining, and even ice skating, a trip to Northstar is arguably the best you can find in all of California.
A gorgeous view of Heavenly
Heavenly
Next up in the Lake Tahoe area, we bring Heavenly into focus. While all resorts in this area offer their own bit of spectacular, Heavenly delivers a next level experience.
Yes, the snowboarding is top notch here, but Heavenly also includes a world class ski instructors, scenic gondola rides with a view you’ll likely never forget, and even winter tubing for those not so tuned into the snowboarding vibe.
The ski village at Heavenly doesn’t quite stack up to Northstar, but if you’re looking for epic views and something different, you’ll likely fall in love with Heavenly.
Palisades Tahoe
While we love Northstar and Heavenly, I think it’s a fair assessment to say that Palisades pretty much walks the line right in between both of those other key Lake Tahoe resorts.
Indeed, the legendary Palisades offers a diverse range of terrain, from beginner-friendly slopes to challenging expert runs. It’s a great place to snowboard, undoubtedly.
Similar to Northstar, it’s also home to an incredible ski village (see image below), so you’ll definitely feel that “transported to another place” vibe that Northstar also offers. Meanwhile, similar to Heavenly, Palisades offers an aerial tram with gorgeous views. At the top of the tram’s ascent, however, you can exit and enjoy the Washoe Display, the Olympic Museum (for the 1960 Winter Olympics), unique dining experiences, and more. It’s hard to be disappointed at Palisades Tahoe. We highly recommend.
The Village at Palisdes is absolutely stunning
Other Areas
Mammoth Mountain
Head a ways south from the Tahoe National Forest down to the Sierra National Forest, and you’ll find a different ski adventure — one that’s certainly more convenient for folks south of Sacramento.
While Mammoth offers quite a bit of recreation, you also won’t mistake anything here for the splendor of Lake Tahoe. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, however, especially if you’re just looking to snowboard.
This is because Mammoth’s ski area boasts a variety of terrain, from gentle slopes to extreme backcountry. With its high elevation and consistent snowfall, Mammoth is truly a snowboarder’s paradise.
And although it may not deliver the flair of its northern counterpart, there’s still plenty to do here, including cross country, winter tubing, snowmobiling, and even a mountain coaster, where you can “unleash your inner tobogganist!”
You’ll also apprecaite their creativity, as noted in the super fun promotional video below, which will really get you amped for some Mammoth snowboarding!
June Mountain
Just a bit north of Mammoth, in the Sierra Mountains, lies June Mountain, one of the more off the beaten path snowboarding areas in California.
You won’t find any semblance of the giant Tahoe resorts in this region; instead, June Mountain offers a unique ski town experience, since its essentially an extension of June Lake, CA. With very limited dining options near the snowboarding areas (and no lodging there), instead you’ll spend the non-shredding parts of your trip more in June Lake itself.
If that’s what you’re looking for, however, you should enjoy time well spent. June Lake offers some great restaurants (including a local brewery), a resort and spa, and the unique gathering place known as the T-Bar Social Club (home to everything from live music to comedy to film premieres).
June Lake is also home to Tiger Bar, one of the oldest bars in all of Cali, established way back in 1932.
The quaint town of June Lake offers a unique experience for a June Mountain getaway
CALIFORNIA SNOWBOARDING SEASON: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RESORTS
Big Bear Mountain Resort
Shifting gears and heading down to the southern half of Cali, Big Bear is Located just a few hours from Los Angeles, and it’s an immensely popular destination for SoCal snowboarders.
It offers a huge variety, including terrain parks, night skiing, and even Mid-Mountain dining options. Different options exist between the three different areas, however, known as Snow Valley (Beginners and Families), Snow Summit (Intermediate and Families), and Bear Mountain (Beginners and Advanced).
All three offer snowboarding lessons and equipment rentals, while only Snow Valley and Snow Summit offer night sessions. Bear Mountain excels not only for its incredible view of the San Gorgonio Mountains, but also for holding the honors of both highest lift-served peak in SoCal and SoCals only halfpipes as well.
There’s a lot to love at all three venues.
Mountain High
Mountain High holds one really important distinction that sets it apart from everyone else (at least for Southern California residents): it’s So Cal’s closest winter resort, just an hour and a half from both L.A. and Orange County.
It also requires no mountain driving to get there, so you truly won’t find an easier path to your snowboarding fix anywhere.
Mountain High was once three separate resorts, but now serves as a single destination, known for its affordable prices and family-friendly atmosphere. The resort of course includes some very solid snowboarding and skiing, but also sledding, tubing, and even some scenic sky chair rides that offer more than you’d expect for the region.
All in all, Mountain High is great for a quick SoCal getaway, and it’s a good place to start learning snowboarding or to improve your skills.
Mt Baldy
Mt Baldy is very well known for being home to some of Southern California’s best natural snowboarding terrain. It offers quite the diverse range of slope pitch, and can be great for both beginners and experts alike, depending on the zone you visit.
This area does, however, present a very different snowboarding getaway than most other regions of California. With no big resort or true, centralized lodging, instead you’ll find only cabins (technically part of Mt Baldy Lodge, although all separate), tent cabins (off the grid, with no electicity or plumbing), or The Roadhouse, a cozy two story cabin located right next to the aforementioned Mt Baldy Lodge.
At Mt Baldy, you’re in for a much cozier, ultra small town vibe snowboarding getaway (or day trip) versus even June Lake in NoCal. As long as you’re ready for that, however, expect to have a great time on your board, as it really is a fun spot, especially if you’re in the San Berdoo or Ontario areas, where it’s the closest option as well.
Shreddin’ on the natural terrain at Mt Baldy
Whether you’re headed up north to a posh Lake Tahoe resort, or you’re simply looking for a one-day trip up to Mt Baldy for a little snowboarding purist action, we hope you enjoy your shreddin’ time in early 2025 here.
It truly is a magical time of the year for snowboarders, so we hope you get to appreciate some of it, especially with the snowboarding-friendly weather we’re experiencing right now too!
One last thing, here’s a quick, clickable list of all the snowboarding spots we mentioned up above, for your convenience…
Northstar: https://www.northstarcalifornia.com/
Heavenly: https://www.skiheavenly.com/
Palisades Tahoe: https://www.palisadestahoe.com/
Mammoth Mountain: https://www.mammothmountain.com/
June Mountain: https://www.junemountain.com/
Big Bear: https://www.bigbearmountainresort.com/
Mountain High: https://www.mthigh.com/site
Mt Baldy: https://www.mtbaldyresort.com/
— Billy Crafton
