Page 50 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

CA.WINTER SPORTS
BY BILL FINK
Not a Time to Hibernate!
While California’s bears may be hibernating in winter, the state’s
many winter activities provide plenty of reasons to get outdoors
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.
Southern California has long been
known as a year-round winter play-
ground, with sports and outdoor activities
centered in San Diego and Los Angeles.
But the mountains of Lake Tahoe, Mam-
moth 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 golf 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 con-
tinues 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
48 2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
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