Take a winter trip along Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway and discover the abundance of downhill and cross-country skiing opportunities among the byway’s towering volcanic peaks and scoured granite valleys. No matter your preference—skiing or snowboarding— or your skill level—beginner to expert— you’ll find unique and thrilling snow experiences when you visit one of the most scenic drives across California's Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Begin at the western end of the byway in Arnold, CA, and head east along the byway for about 27 miles to Bear Valley. This is where the fun starts! Step into your skis or strap on your snowboard at Bear Valley Mountain Resort and head to the peaks of the Sierras on one of the resort’s nine lifts. You’ll be able to keep yourself and your family occupied with the resort’s 67 trails, ranging from beginner trails to double black diamonds.
Secure your helmet and try your free-style skills at one of the resort’s terrain parks if you’re craving even more winter wonders. For the beginners in your family, Cub Terrain Park provides entry-level fun. The area, just off of the top of Cub lift, is dedicated to the development of basic skills. For the more advanced, the entire WestWorld run is dedicated to free-style ski and snowboard use. For a challenge, muster your courage and try out the new terrain features, including rails, jumps, rolls, and boxes. If you need a break from the adrenaline rush, ride down the backside of the mountain to Bear Valley Village, where you can rekindle your energy with some food and take a quick nap on the shuttle back to the resort before a lift whisks you up to tackle the mountain again.
If you’re itching to branch out and explore, venture to Bear Valley Cross Country, where an extensive trail system is carefully groomed for track and skate skiing and snowshoeing. Weave in and out of coniferous forests of pine and hemlock intermixed with bare oak, maple, and dogwood trees on one of the company’s 35 trails. In the first half of February, catch the Bear Valley Telemark Festival, known as the largest and most celebrated freeheel event in the West. Gather with your family and friends as you celebrate the spirit of freeheel skiing, a type of downhill skiing in which your heel is not fastened to the ski. Don’t miss other Bear Valley events, such as Winter Trails Day in January, where first-time skiers get to learn to cross-country ski for free, or the Bjornloppet Ski Race and Festival, held annually in March and said to be “the most prestigious, fun cross-country event in California.”
Perhaps the idea of cross-country skiing amidst the solitary forests and clear glacial mountain lakes of Lake Alpine Basin captures your curiosity. Head back to the byway and continue east, keeping an eye out for a sport shop, where you can pick up a State Sno-Park Permit. Park at the winter closure gate, where all of the Lake Alpine Basin trails begin. Pull on some dry socks and ski boots, step into your cross-country skis, and leave your car behind as you glide across the snow-covered Highway 4 towards a memorable adventure in the Stanislaus National Forest. The Calaveras Ranger District partners with Lake Alpine Nordic Ski Patrol to offer the popular "Ski and Shoe With a Ranger" programs at Lake Alpine. Get some expert advice from a ranger and improve your skiing experience. Before you go, contact the Calaveras Ranger District for information about acquiring an "Ebbetts Pass Winter Recreation Guide," essential for navigating unmarked trails.
You and your family will enjoy working on your free-style park skills, trying cross-country skiing for the first time, or skiing deep in the heart of the forests around the perimeters of mountain lakes. New challenges and opportunities will make your trip to Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway a memorable experience full of anticipation and excitement. Whatever activity you choose, be sure to “slow down…and savor the Sierra!”
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