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Resort comments mostly from personal observation
Since I have snowboarded in the Sierra Nevada and San Bernardino Mountains only, I will limit my response to that. Mount Shasta area in Northern California and the Wrightwood area ( Mt.Baldy , Mtn High and more) north of Interstate15 in Southern California are other winter resort destinations. My age (48) probably heavily affects (Free riding) this also.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
I prefer the top of Heavenly (Mammoth is great too) blue runs that have more vertical, higher elevation, and lower humidity (California’s lighter snow). These officially intermediate rated runs allow the sports enthusiast who can link turns effectively to put the experience at a wide ranging level of intensity. My experience has shown that these runs starting at around the 10,000 foot level area for the most part effectively are blacks on just about any given day if you cruise hard enough at minimum. Higher traffic days/absence of grooming tends to create more challenges because of bigger bumps.
Freestyle looks to be an age/terrain influence. I prefer cat trail walls and drop offs as well as ravines. Heavenly again excels in this category.
Kirkwood during the 05/06 winter claimed to have more snowfall than any resort on this planet.
Sierra at Tahoe has big snow, easy access, and seems to be more terrain park orientated in the past. The free shuttle has run through the length of the city of South Lake Tahoe in the past.
Alpine meadows, Donner ski ranch, Squaw valley, Sugar bowl, are all noted for relatively deep powder, especially when the snow level is below about 6000 feet through out the storm. Donner tends to have the homey, alpine feel year around. Homewood (I personally have not been there in the winter) at lake level has deep powder again when snow level is below around 6000 feet, awesome lake views, and has that homey type atmosphere.
Diamond peak and Mount Rose are in the Nevada side of the Lake Tahoe area. Diamond peak around 2003 looked like a very well managed community facility that it is with views of the lake. Mount Rose has very high elevation for the Sierras and low humidity as it faces the desert city of Reno which results in a drier snow for the area.
San Bernardino Mountains
I have been to Bear Mtn. and mostly Snow Summit (S.S.) in the winter, and will limit my comment as such. Both are owned by the same company.
Bear Mtn. historically is one of the biggest innovators in snowboarding, has more vertical and probably half of its terrain is not developed. Snow Summit in the past has had more on mountain facilities (restaurants, restrooms, etc…). I have gone to S.S. more and take for granted Bear is very similar because of the close proximity of the resorts as far as the snow goes. Excellent balmy, low humidity snow sports (literally wearing beach clothes) conditions here during non El Nino weather patterns on consistent man made snow can be found very often in the early afternoon. There is also Snow Valley and Trinity Mtn.
Since I have snowboarded in the Sierra Nevada and San Bernardino Mountains only, I will limit my response to that. Mount Shasta area in Northern California and the Wrightwood area ( Mt.Baldy , Mtn High and more) north of Interstate15 in Southern California are other winter resort destinations. My age (48) probably heavily affects (Free riding) this also.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
I prefer the top of Heavenly (Mammoth is great too) blue runs that have more vertical, higher elevation, and lower humidity (California’s lighter snow). These officially intermediate rated runs allow the sports enthusiast who can link turns effectively to put the experience at a wide ranging level of intensity. My experience has shown that these runs starting at around the 10,000 foot level area for the most part effectively are blacks on just about any given day if you cruise hard enough at minimum. Higher traffic days/absence of grooming tends to create more challenges because of bigger bumps.
Freestyle looks to be an age/terrain influence. I prefer cat trail walls and drop offs as well as ravines. Heavenly again excels in this category.
Kirkwood during the 05/06 winter claimed to have more snowfall than any resort on this planet.
Sierra at Tahoe has big snow, easy access, and seems to be more terrain park orientated in the past. The free shuttle has run through the length of the city of South Lake Tahoe in the past.
Alpine meadows, Donner ski ranch, Squaw valley, Sugar bowl, are all noted for relatively deep powder, especially when the snow level is below about 6000 feet through out the storm. Donner tends to have the homey, alpine feel year around. Homewood (I personally have not been there in the winter) at lake level has deep powder again when snow level is below around 6000 feet, awesome lake views, and has that homey type atmosphere.
Diamond peak and Mount Rose are in the Nevada side of the Lake Tahoe area. Diamond peak around 2003 looked like a very well managed community facility that it is with views of the lake. Mount Rose has very high elevation for the Sierras and low humidity as it faces the desert city of Reno which results in a drier snow for the area.
San Bernardino Mountains
I have been to Bear Mtn. and mostly Snow Summit (S.S.) in the winter, and will limit my comment as such. Both are owned by the same company.
Bear Mtn. historically is one of the biggest innovators in snowboarding, has more vertical and probably half of its terrain is not developed. Snow Summit in the past has had more on mountain facilities (restaurants, restrooms, etc…). I have gone to S.S. more and take for granted Bear is very similar because of the close proximity of the resorts as far as the snow goes. Excellent balmy, low humidity snow sports (literally wearing beach clothes) conditions here during non El Nino weather patterns on consistent man made snow can be found very often in the early afternoon. There is also Snow Valley and Trinity Mtn.
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