5 - Epic California Ski and Snowboard Resorts

Seasons, they change, and what was once a sweltering summer filled with tourists and south swells turns into autumn and eventually winter. California is blessed with a diverse range of geography and is one of the few states that offers both epic swells and powder filled mountains. Skiing and snowboarding is as much a part of California life as surfing, and when the leaves start turning colors and the temperature drops, there is always a group of powder hungry snow enthusiasts that start shaking in anticipation.

And to honor those powder hounds, we have chosen 5 Epic California Resorts from the world famous to the more obscure that are sure to satisfy our winter hungry community. For more on how to conquer this winter and to find all of the best snowboard and ski equipment, stop into Hansen’s, we’ve got you covered!

1. Bear Mountain

Bear is the obvious choice for our fellow San Diego natives. It’s close, it’s fun and the weather there is usually epic! Bear has been at the epicenter of freestyle snowboarding since the early 90’s and continues to be a jibbers dream, as it is basically a giant snowboard park. If you like jumps, rails and boxes, a day at Bear is a must.

2. Mammoth Mountain 

While Mammoth can be susceptible to low snow years, when it’s on it’s really on. The staff at Mammoth Mountain goes above and beyond to create a world class snowboard park, and if you happen to be there when a storm rolls in, you’ll be thanking the powder gods, as it gets steep and deep.

3. Mt. Baldy

About an hours’ drive from Los Angeles lies a hidden gem of steep technical chutes and powder heaven potential. Mt. Baldy, while fickle, can be next level when the snow is dumping. With plenty of backcountry terrain, if you hit Baldy on a powder day, it won’t seem feasible that you are only an hour and some change from the legendary rights at Malibu.

4. Tahoe

While Tahoe is home to many resorts, it holds some of the best riding in the state. With too many epic resorts to name each individually, we will just say whether you prefer the parks of Northstar or the legendary steeps off of the KT-22 lift at Squaw Valley, Tahoe is all time.

5. Mt. High

Sitting a short 2 ½ hour drive outside of San Diego, Mt. High is also a progressive freestyler’s dream. The terrain park is one of the best in the state, and while the hoards can often show up from L.A., Mt. High is worth riding through the crowds if you like terrain parks. Mt. High rarely gets powder but it’s a great place to dial in your rail and jump game.