Page 31 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

FAMILY ICE SKATING at Curry Village
ice rink, Yosemite, right; a snowboarder
gets some air above Lake Tahoe, bottom;
skiing Mammoth Lakes, opposite.
marshmallows and hot cocoa for
dessert. Cross-country skiing and snow-
shoeing courses dot the Tahoe region,
offering a brisk aerobic workout amidst pine
forests and sweeping mountain scenery.
South of Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain
boasts a world-class ski resort, while Big
Bear Mountain offers skiing within a rea-
sonable commute from Los Angeles,
enabling sports fanatics to surf and ski in a
single day. Beyond the ski resorts, snowmo-
biling provides high-octane motor sport
fun, while dogsledding is a way to enjoy a
different sort of ride with some furry
friends. The adventurous can try remote
back-country skiing and Alpine Touring
trips via helicopter, snowcat or just hard
work. Ice climbing and hut-to-hut hiking in
the Sierra Nevada mountains can also feed
one’s winter hunger for adrenaline.
The Great Outdoors
Step away from organized resort sports and
there’s still a wealth of winter outdoor
activities in California. The bears may be
hibernating but that doesn’t mean you have
to as well. Avoiding the hot summer
months means visitors can enjoy temperate
winter hiking and camping opportunities
in desert parks such as Death Valley, Joshua
Tree and around Palm Springs (be fore-
warned that the nights can still get frigid).
Prior to snowfall, the Sierra Nevada moun-
tain forests are alight with colorful fall
foliage, making a hike through the hills a
prime “shoulder season” activity.
Wintertime provides an escape from the
summer crowds often found in Yosemite
National Park. Visit the near-empty wilder-
ness to enjoy a quiet blanket of snow
covering towering cliffs, the sun glistening
off frozen waterfalls and the muffled
clomping sound of guided snowshoe tours—
and then retire to one of their lodges for
special winter food and wine events. Hot
springs around Mammoth Lakes provide
toasty outdoor relaxation with a view of
snowcapped mountains. Or, perhaps bundle
up and climb a mountain for prime star-
gazing opportunities in the crisp and clear
mountain air, then add a few more layers and
try some ice fishing on a high alpine lake.
Winter also is the time when visitors can
spot many animals migrating south to
follow the sun. From massive gray whales
to miniature monarch butterflies, flocks of
birds in the central wetlands and pods of
seals come to mate on the shores of the
Pacific, the world’s wildlife also seem to
think that California’s outdoors is a great
place to visit in winter.
» FIND YOUR
SPORT
Skiing
snow-online.com/cross-country/california
snow-online.com/ski-resorts/california
Hiking/Camping
travelyosemite.com
nps.gov/state/ca
www.parks.ca.gov
Wildlife
whalewatching.com/california
audubon.org/news/birding-california
wildlife.ca.gov
2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 29