California

Where to Go

• Palisades Tahoe: in Olympic Valley on the north side of the lake, host of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is now linked by gondola to Alpine Meadows next door, and is known for steep terrain.
• Northstar: near Truckee, with wide groomed runs, a pedestrian village and a strong ski school. It is one of the easiest mountains in the region for families.
• Lake Tahoe itself: in summer the lake is the draw, with beaches, boating, paddleboarding and the trails above the shore.
• Mammoth Mountain: in the Eastern Sierra, with a summit above 11,000 feet. Its season often runs from November into late spring, and longer in big snow years.

The Skiing

Sierra snow is heavier than Rockies powder, but storms can be large, and spring skiing on sunny days is very good. Tahoe resorts are busy on weekends with skiers from the Bay Area, so midweek is calmer. Mammoth is big and high, with bowls above the treeline and plenty of runs for every level. Mark skied Mammoth regularly between 2016 and 2020, on seven trips. In 2021 he stayed at the Resort at Squaw Creek, now Everline Resort & Spa.

Summer

Tahoe is a summer lake destination as much as a ski one, with warm days, cool nights and clear water. Around Mammoth, summer brings mountain biking, fishing in the lakes basin and hikes to Devils Postpile. When the Tioga Road is open, usually from late spring or early summer to autumn, Yosemite's high country is within reach.

Getting There and How Long to Stay

For Tahoe, fly into Reno-Tahoe International, about an hour by road from Northstar and Olympic Valley. From San Francisco it is about four hours by car, more in storms or weekend traffic. Mammoth is about five hours by car from Los Angeles. Check chain controls before you drive in winter. We suggest four to six nights.

Where to Stay

At Northstar, The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe sits mid-mountain with ski-in, ski-out access. In Olympic Valley, Everline Resort & Spa, the former Resort at Squaw Creek, has its own lift into Palisades Tahoe. Mammoth does not have a hotel at the level of the others on this list, so we do not list one. Most families there rent a condo or house near the Village or the lifts, and we can help arrange it.

Pairing

Tahoe pairs easily with San Francisco or Napa and Sonoma. Mammoth works well as a family trip from Los Angeles, and in summer it can be combined with Yosemite. For a wider view of North American skiing, see the Rockies.