If you’ve never ventured into snow country because you don’t know how to ski — or don’t want to mortgage your house to do so — there are other options.
Consider a day trip to Yosemite Valley to ice skate in the brisk winter air that comes with the bonus of enjoying the granite splendor while it’s draped in snow; low key snow play areas with pit toilets and parking along Highway 88 and Highway 4; or the children friendly Leland Snow Play Resort with its snow tubing and more.
That said, the 209 has three downhill ski resorts and two cross country ski areas with the most affordable, and arguably the most spectacular, being in Yosemite where you can access world-class views from Glacier Point.
Before venturing into snow country, you should rent tire chains just in case.
You can’t enter Yosemite National Park in snow season without them.
Also double check websites to make sure they are operating.
Curry Village Ice Skating Rink
The Curry Village Ice Skating Rink with spectacular views of Half Dome is my personal favorite given it is in the heart of Yosemite. It has been an enchanting winter experience since 1928. The rink as of Nov. 30, has yet to open for the season. But when it does and weather permitting, the rink is open daily through early March. Daily 2½ hour sessions are at noon, 3:30 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Weekends and holidays have those three sessions plus one added at 8:30 a.m.
Prices vary with an additional fee for skate rental and don’t forget the $35 entrance fee into Yosemite National Park that is good for seven days.
The website is www.travelyosemite.com
Sno-Parks
There are sno-parks along the Highway 4 and Highway 88 corridors.
Sno-Parks are areas maintained in the winter to allow people to park safely so they can enjoy winter activities in national forests such as cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, snowmobiling, and limited snow play.
Day permits can be purchased for $15 for a single day or an annual pass for $40. The pass is good at any sno-park in California as well as Nevada, Oregon, Washington, or Idaho.
The Highway 108 sno-park is six miles east of Strawberry that’s near the end of the plowed portion of the state highway. There are parking lots on both the north and south sides of the road. You need permits to use the sno-parks between Nov. 1 and May 30.
There are three sno-parks along Highway 4. One is at the Spicer Meadow Road turnoff, one at the end of the plowed road near Lake Alpine, and a new one at Round Valley off Highway 207 leading to Bear Valley.
Leland High Sierra Snow Play Resort
The ultimate family snow play area minus skiing plus having the added convenience of lifts is the Leland High Sierra Snow play facility. It consists of 12 acres featuring a “Little Hill” for kids and a “Big Hill” for everyone else. The big thing here is definitely tubing as well as just basic frolicking and having a grand old time playing in the snow.
There is also a lodge with a full kitchen, snack bar, and remodeled restrooms. Toss in a sun deck with plenty of chairs and tables along with a warm fire overlooking the base of the “Little Hill” and it’s ideal for families.
When open for the season, hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is closed most Wednesdays. Check the calendar on the website to make sure they are open.
The website is snowplay.com. Leland High Sierra Snow Play is reached via Highway 120 to Highway 108 to a point four miles past Strawberry where you turn right on Leland Meadows Road and travel for about two miles.
Dodge Ridge Ski Resort
The ski runs are nice but arguably the best draw is the fact you can reach it a good 30 to 45 minutes quicker than any other ski area. That means you can get more slope time in without having to get up earlier. The resort is currently operating daily.
The base elevation at Dodge Ridge is 6,600 feet. The summit elevation is 8,200 feet. There are 12 lifts with the longest vertical drop being 1,600 feet. There are 67 runs on 863 skiable acres with 40 percent rated advanced, 40 percent intermediate, and 20 percent beginner. The lifts operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The website is www.dodgeridge.com.
Bear Valley Ski Resort
The largest ski resort in the 209, Bear Valley also operates a NASTAR course nearly every weekend making it one of two ski resorts in California with a rich history in racing. The resort is now open Fridays through Sundays. The plan is to open daily starting Dec. 13.
The base elevation at Bear Valley is 6,600 feet while the mid-mountain lodge is 7,750 feet. The summit elevation is 8,500 feet. There are nine lifts with the longest vertical drop being 795 feet. There are 75 runs on 1,680 skiable acres. It ranks as the eighth largest resort in the state in terms of skiable acres. The longest run is 0.2 miles. The lifts operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
The website is www.bearvalley.com.
Badger Pass Ski Area
This is one of only three ski areas with lifts in a national park. It requires paying a $35 vehicle entrance fee to Yosemite National Park.
The base elevation at Yosemite Ski is 7,200 feet while the summit elevation is 8,000 feet. There are 10 runs and five lifts.
The website is www.travelyosemite.com.
Bear Valley Cross Country
The Bear Valley Cross Country and Snowshoe Trail System consists of 35 trails covering 3,000 acres. They offer a variety of lesson options and some equipment rental.
The website is bearvalleyadventutures.com.
Yosemite Cross Country
There are 90 miles of trails and 25 miles of groomed track.
The 21-mile round trip to Glacier Point with its incredible wintertime view of the valley below, Half Dome, Nevada Falls and the Sierra mountains beyond makes any other cross-country ski venture mundane.
While there is no trail charge, there is a large selection of rental equipment including snow shoes. You can also book two tours that also include trips to two overnight huts including the stunning one at Ostrander Lake.
The website is www.travelyosemite.com.
