Anyone skied in SoCal?
January 6, 2011
I'm headed (back) to Southern California (San Diego) for a conference in January. Although I get out that way 3-4 times/year, I've never tried to ski, but given the time of year, and the fact that the conference runs Mon-Thurs, I may decide to stay there and ski Friday and/or Saturday.
The question is, is it worth it? I'm looking at either driving to Mt. Baldy or Big Bear, but leaning heavily toward Baldy, since Big Bear seems to be little more than a glorified terrain park (like the Big Boulder/Jack Frost of the west coast).
My other "option" (still rather sketchy on details) would be to head to SLC to maybe crash with friends and ski Alta/etc. Although in an absolute sense, I'm sure the SLC option means better skiing, it also means a little more difficulty from a logistical standpoint. If the Mt Baldy option is "good enough" it would be fun to at least notch a new resort (and state) off the list.
Anyone skied there? Worth the convenience?
aaron
I have skied Big Bear, Snow Summit, Baldy, Mammoth and June. Big Bear and Snow Summit are both much more than glorified terrain parks. Either would be the best area in the mid Atlantic if located here. They are both 2.5 - 3 hr. white knuckle drives from LA and I am sure the same from San Diego. It is for this reason that I went to Mammoth after business in LA. Baldy is a mere 45 minutes from Pasadena, my business location, but is dependent on natural snow and rarely open. When it has the snow it is a gem. I understand that SD to Mammoth is the same time & distance as LA to Mammoth. That would be about 5.5 hrs. drive, a straight shot on 395, flat and easy all the way to Bishop and then still easy as you climb 4000 ft. in 30 miles to Mammoth Lakes. If you want more info PM me.
Edited to add some remarks on the culture. BB & SS are likely to have a majority of snowboarders and an average age under 30. I rode my board when there and had fun. Despite a very low ability level I got a lot of respect as a gray on a tray. If it's a warm sunny day you will see more drop dead gorgeous LA women at the outdoor bar than you ever dreamed existed.
Mammoth has an average age above 50. Many are excellent skiers who have been going there for a lifetime. On a weekend of clear weather following a storm it will be very crowded. On such days I would go another 25 miles on the road to June Mtn. where nobody goes and one of the best places in the country for powder in the trees. You can have untracked all day. June mtn. is part of the Mammoth operation and the same lift ticket is good at both, although a June only ticket is cheaper.
Denis - thanks for the feedback. My impression of Big Bear was based on looking at the trail map, which shows a LOT of "terrain features" on what appears to be most of the trails.
I think Mammoth sounds like a good time, but June Mountain sounds even better (especially the "cheaper" part). I've never heard of June, so I'll check it out.
Is late January (around the 28th) going to be OK for snow cover?
My conference ends on the 27th, so I could plan to ski that Friday and/or Saturday, but I'd have to fly out of San Diego on Sunday, so I may just get one day. I don't mind driving 5-6 hours for a day of skiing, though.
Once many years ago I dragged my skis and boots out to LA for week work trip kind of thing, and spent part of one day, perhaps the first day I was there driving up to Big Bear and skiing. What I liked is the concept of being able to go from the ocean to the mountains and ski, I recognized I wasn't going for anything unbelievable -- just a bit of fun. To me what I found was similar to say Whitetail in overall concept -- a local-ish day ski resort, except you are rather higher up and the snow -- well when I was there, it was "sierra cement"... But hey, the drive was nice up those windy roads -- and some great views were to be had at the top as you look out across through the San Bernardino mtn area. Another year when I had more time but a similar trip, I went to Heavenly in Tahoe which was also fairly nice -- obviously much larger than Big Bear. The reason by the way I went the first day after my arrival, is I was still on east coast time so I had the 'jump' on everyone without issue. I probably for some reason was able to leave a day early or something to make that work. I have to admit, I wouldn't absolutely rule out doing it again ... but I wouldn't beat a path to their door either. It was nice to have done it though, see a bit of the world of ski options. But you are in San Diego, that's a bit farther... well, it could be worth it. You could also see the desert (Joshua Tree out by 1000 palms is cool), or you know just hang. That is one thing about that area, there's a lot to see and do.
I think Mammoth sounds like a good time, but June Mountain sounds even better (especially the "cheaper" part). I've never heard of June, so I'll check it out.
Is late January (around the 28th) going to be OK for snow cover?
June is all natural snow. They have a big base now but you would want some fresh new snow for the wonderful tree skiing, or the steep lower mountain. Map.
http://www.junemountain.com/images/trail_map_lg.jpg
Mammoth is amazing. It is definitely worth the drive. It is like Tahoe on crack. Huge mountain, unbelievable amounts of snow, and (like Tahoe) you're most likely either skiing in feet of fresh snow or in warm, sunny weather (sometimes both). The town of Mammoth Lakes is also pretty cool.
I haven't personally been to any of the close-in Southern California resorts, but from what I hear, Baldy can be great on the rare days when the snow is decent (otherwise it gets a wicked freeze-thaw cycle given the location), but that almost never happens.
Some Mammoth info. The name comes from the Mammoth Gold Mine so named to attract investors. The mine played out rather quickly. Mammoth mountain with an 11,000 ft. summit is a midget by eastern Sierra standards. Generally in that area you must be over 13,000 ft. to get a name, otherwise you get a number, like Peak XXXX. The Sierra is the most formidable range in the lower 48. There are no open passes in winter from south Lake Tahoe almost to LA. Winter is roughly Nov. 1 to June 1. The Sierra Crest presents a solid near 13,000 ft. high wall and Pacific storms get backed up against it. The only low point for 100 miles in either direction is at Mammoth Lakes, so the storms get funneled through there giving Mammoth its prodigious snowfalls. The recent 15 ft. single storm total is an example.
The drive from Reno to Mammoth Lakes on 395 is extremely hairy in a snowstorm. I did it once and will never do it again. There are 3 stretches where it exceeds 8000 ft. and they were white out. It is CA and of course we had chains. LA is a much easier and more reliable airport from which to reach Mammoth in winter than Reno. If you want to avoid the long drive, Horizon air now does cheap flights directly in to Mammoth Lakes from SF, LA, and San Jose.
Dave McCoy, Mammoth's founder is known and loved by everybody in town. His story is well worth reading.
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20081201/how-i-did-it-dave-mccoy-mammoth-mountain.html
