There aren’t many ski resorts in the Los Angeles area. In fact, most are over 5 hours away from LA. But you can still get your ski fix by visiting a nearby mountain that also has great snow and winter activities. The best winter resorts near Los Angeles are in the San Gabriel Mountains, which are about an hour east of downtown LA. There are several great day trip destinations if you want to get out of the city during the fall or spring and check out some amazing scenery along with lots of fun activities. These resorts not only have incredible skiing and snowboarding opportunities but they also have hotels, restaurants and shops so you don’t have to go home after a long day on the slopes. Here are some of the best winter resorts near Los Angeles that you can visit in the fall or spring:
Echo Mountain
Echo Mountain is a small ski resort with just one chairlift. That might seem like a limitation, but they pack a lot in to this small space. This resort is a great choice if you are looking for an easy-going day trip to snow. The lift isn’t super crowded and the prices are fair. You can get a full day pass for about $40 a person. There is a nice assortment of runs for all levels of skiers and snowboarders, plus some great sledding runs for kids. And if you are lucky, you might even see some deer and other wildlife from Echo Mountain. Echo Mountain is a great choice if you are looking for a more low-key day trip. It is a bit off the beaten path, but still a great day trip from LA. It is about an hour and a half drive from downtown LA. There is plenty of parking and a nice cafe for lunch. And if you are lucky, you might even see some wildlife.
Bear Mountain
Bear Mountain is a large ski resort that offers some great family-friendly activities. It has a lot of easy-going, short runs that are great for beginners. At the same time, it also has some longer, more challenging runs that would appeal to more advanced skiers. The snow here is soft and light, which is great for beginners. But it is also remarkably dry considering how close it is to the ocean. There are some great jumps and rails for beginners who want to try some tricks. And for the more advanced, there are some longer rails and jumps. Bear is a good bet if you have smaller children who are just learning. There are also some good runs for more advanced skiers and snowboarders. Bear also has a nice tubing park and a snow play area for kids. There are also some good food options, including a full-service restaurant. Bear Mountain is a good choice if you want a larger resort and have kids who are just learning to ski or snowboard. It has a lot of easy-going runs, a long tubing park and a nice snow play area for kids. The only downside is that it is far from LA and takes about 2-3 hours to drive there. So you will want to plan for a full day of skiing and some extra time for traffic.
Badger Mountain
Badger Mountain is a small, family-owned resort that is great for beginners and kids. It has a small, easy-going lift and a wide variety of runs for all levels. It is a good place to take a child who is learning to ski for the first time. There are a couple of different snow play areas for kids. And there are also some good sled runs for building jumps and flying down the mountain on a sled. Badger is a great place to take a beginner skier or snowboarder and have a fun day on the mountain. You can stop by on a day when the weather is nice and the crowds are light. And you can finish the day with a nice dinner at the nearby resort hotel. Badger Mountain is a good choice if you want a less crowded resort with nice, easy runs where beginners can learn to ski or snowboard. It is a bit far from LA but takes about 2 hours to drive there. It is a smaller resort and doesn’t have the same number of runs as Bear or Baldy. But it is a great place to learn to ski if you are a beginner.
Mt. Baldy Ski Resort
Baldy is a large ski resort with a variety of runs for all levels of skiers and snowboarders. It is set in a beautiful, high-altitude desert environment. This makes for great snow and lots of sunny days. There are several challenging runs for more advanced skiers and snowboarders. At the same time, the resort has plenty of easy-going runs that are great for beginners. There are also some gentle green runs for kids just learning to ski or snowboard. And there is a large terrain park with rails, jumps and other features. Baldy is a good choice if you want a large resort with lots of different runs. It is a bit far from LA but takes about 3 hours to drive there. The only downside is that it is expensive with full-day passes costing over $100 a person.
Mt. Waterman
Waterman is a small resort with just one chairlift. It is set in the San Gabriel Mountains at a high elevation. This makes for great snow and sunny weather. There are a couple of easy-going runs that are great for beginners. And there are also a couple of longer runs that are good for more advanced skiers and snowboarders. There is also a snow play area for kids, along with some sled runs for building jumps and flying down the mountain on a sled. Waterman is a good choice if you want a smaller resort with nice, easy runs for beginners. It is a bit far from LA and takes about 2 hours to drive there. But the drive is beautiful and the entrance fee is a bit lower than at the larger resorts like Baldy.
Slide Rock Ski Resort
Slide Rock is a small, family-owned resort that is set in a beautiful red rock canyon. It has a couple of easy-going runs that are perfect for beginners. There is also a snow play area for kids with a large pile of sand and a small snow hill. And there are some nice sled runs that are good for building jumps and flying down the mountain on a sled. There are a couple of restaurants at the nearby resort hotel and a large hot tub that is open to guests and skiers. This is a great place to go if you want a low-key day trip that is good for beginners. You can finish the day with a nice soak in the hot tub. Slide Rock is a good choice if you want a small, low-key resort where beginners can learn to ski or snowboard. It is a bit far from LA and takes about 2 hours to drive there. But it is a beautiful resort set in a red rock canyon. And the snow is light and soft, which is great for beginners.
Conclusion
There aren’t many ski resorts in the Los Angeles area. In fact, most are over 5 hours away from LA. But you can still get your ski fix by visiting a nearby mountain that also has great snow and winter activities. There are several great day trip destinations if you want to get out of the city during the fall or spring and check out some amazing scenery along with lots of fun activities. These resorts not only have incredible skiing and snowboarding opportunities but they also have hotels, restaurants and shops so you don’t have to go home after a long day on the slopes. These are some of the best winter resorts near Los Angeles that you can visit in the fall or spring.