Page 50 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

CA.SPORTS & OUTDOORS: WINTER
BY BILL FINK
Wonderland in Winter
Southern California draws sun-seekers, but others head to the hills
for world-class skiing, snowboarding and winter adventure
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING near
Donner Summit in the Sierra Nevada,
left; snowboarding off-piste near
Donner Pass, below.
PLAYING IN SNOW
Snow play isn’t usually foremost
in people’s minds when they
think of California, but the state
has some of the best skiing in the
West, with the area around Lake
Tahoe offering more options
than anywhere in North
America. For more information
on four-season activities, see
High Sierra, pages 142-151, and
Shasta Cascade, pages 158-160.
Southern California has long been known
as a year-round winter playground, with
sports and outdoor activities centered in
San Diego and Los Angeles. But the
mountains of Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Lakes
and Yosemite beckon winter visitors
who want to embrace snow-based sports
and recreation.
Sports
In winter, Southern California is still an
oasis for outdoor sports and adventure,
from golfing to tennis, hiking and
horseback riding, whether in the still-
baking desert around Palm Springs or the
perpetually pleasant vacationland of San
Diego or Los Angeles. But for those seeking
winter sports, there may be no better place
on earth than the mountains surrounding
Lake Tahoe. The area hosted the 1960
Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley and
continues to be home base for many U.S.
Winter Olympians who bang moguls, rip
the half-pipes and bomb down downhill
runs at more than a dozen area ski resorts.
For the non-extreme, plenty of beginner
runs, group lessons and smaller hills offer
a safe introduction to the sport.
Tahoe resorts including Squaw Valley,
Northstar and Heavenly feature ice skating
rinks and innertube runs for those looking
for something less extreme, with toasted
marshmallows by a fire for dessert. Cross-
country skiing and snowshoeing courses
dot the Tahoe area, offering a brisk aerobic
workout amidst pine forests and sweeping
mountain scenery. South of Tahoe, Mam-
moth Mountain boasts a world-class ski
resort, while Big Bear offers skiing within
a reasonable commute from Los Angeles,
enabling the highly motivated to surf
48 2014 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
GEORGE LAMSON/SHUTTERSTOCK; DON LANDWEHRLE/SHUTTERSTOCK. OPPOSITE: BIKERIDERLONDON/SHUTTERSTOCK.; GALINA BARSKAYA/SHUTTERSTOCK