Ski Northern California nearest Bay Area!

Updated for the 2024-25 ski season.

No, it doesn’t often snow in Milpitas, and never enough to ski, but many love to head to the Northern California slopes near Truckee, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Here’s our favorite nearby ski areas within about a 4-hour drive of Silicon Valley or San Francisco.

If I missed one, please email me with the URL if you have it.

Ski Clubs

Blue Angels
Next session: Winter 2025. The Blue Angels are offering our youth a ski and snowboard program. The Blue Angels ski program offers 5 Saturday ski trips to Sierra-at-Tahoe for ages 7 to 16, all ability levels. Nearest bus pickup is in Danville at 5:30am.

Ski Reports

Sierra Nevada Snow Report
Includes webcams, powder alert, opening dates, and snow forecast, and more.

Ski Lake Tahoe Ski Reports
Get the snow and weather reports for all Tahoe ski areas right here, as well as ideas for other things to do in the area.

Tahoe Weather Forecast
Check the snow and rain and for just plain “great” conditions for skiing here. 10-day forecast.

Ski Resorts

North Lake Tahoe
Some open by Thanksgiving, but with few lifts running. Check lift status.

Diamond Peak
Opened. Planned opening December 12, 2024. At Incline Village (Upscale area) on the Nevada side of Tahoe. Guaranteed ski conditions or your money back. 30 runs, even dog passes for $3. Community-owned, fiercely independent and community-driven – those are the key differentiating factors that make Diamond Peak distinct in the crowded Lake Tahoe ski resort scene. Check Facebook for announcements.

Donner Ski Ranch
Opened. Check for opening of weekdays later. Webcams currently showing level of snow. Please check our Facebook page for the most up-to-date info on our operations or call (530) 426-3635. If you are searching for a simpler, more relaxed ski & snowboard experience, a resort that offers everything the major resorts do, without the hassles and expense, Donner Ski Ranch is the resort Playfor you and your family. Lift status. Please call (530) 426-3635 for the most up-to-date Chair Lift Operation Status.

Homewood Mountain Resort
Closed: Rebuilding in Progress. Homewood Mountain Resort is closed. For your safety and security, traveling on or through Homewood Mountain Resort, including any uphill traffic, skiing, snowboarding, skinning or snowmobiling, is strictly prohibited.  Ongoing lift maintenance, grooming maintenance and snow safety work via over-snow vehicles may be taking place at any time.  Unmarked hazards and obstacles exist.  Please respect this closure notice and observe all posted signs, rope-lines and avalanche control warnings.

Mt. Rose
Opened. Special feature is the “Adaptive Ski School” open to individuals of all types of abilities to learn or improve skiing skills. Package includes adaptive equipment and lift ticket.

Northstar-At-Tahoe
8% Open. Great early season conditions continue with the newest storm. Passes go on sale December 2. Say tuned to Lift and Terrain status for the most up to date info! Mountain Cam. Check for lift status. Check Facebook. Lake Tahoe’s premier year-round resort offering 2,420 acres of skiing and snowboarding. Open for golf in warm months.

Palisades Tahoe
Open. Enjoy $99 lift tickets and all spring skiing has to offer at the heart of Lake Tahoe. Check Facebook. Ready to start Trip Planning now?

Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort
Open. Check for trail conditions. North America’s largest cross country skiing resort, located near Lake Tahoe California. North America’s largest XC resort, Royal Gorge offers 6 distinct trail systems featuring 8 different warming huts across 6,000 acres, seamlessly integrated with the Village at Sugar Bowl. Not just cross country, but also skate skiing, snow shoeing, dog trails, and beginner trails for small children.

Sugar Bowl
Open. Check Facebook for ski conditions and job openings. Our independently-owned resort offers an authentic Tahoe skiing experience for beginners through advanced. Family-friendly offerings, world-class terrain, the most snow in Tahoe, and easy access is why Sugar Bowl remains a favorite for kids who are learning, adults looking for a challenge, and everyone in between.Check the Current conditions. It is located before Truckee. Here’s how to get there.

Achieve Tahoe, formerly Disabled Sports USA Far West
Open. Located within Palisades Tahoe. Achieve provides instruction and adaptive equipment for hundreds of students each winter. Our experienced instructors and highly trained volunteers make skiing possible for anyone with a disability. Miniature horses are not permitted on lifts, just incase you needed to know this.

South Lake Tahoe

Heavenly
Open. Check Facebook. Let the good times roll Toyota USA Air and Après returns Friday! Join us for another action-packed weekend, including an incredible big air show on World Cup with professional athletes and DJ Cat sets from Hayden James and VandeluX. A mountain so big it has to be seen to be believed. And even then you won’t believe it. Diverse terrain.

Kirkwood
Open. Check Facebook. Kirkwood’s first annual Women’s Weekend is March 8-9! This weekend is all about your skiing and riding, connecting with other women within the community, and exploring the mountain together. From on-mountain brunch to après at Wall Bar, morning yoga to terrain tours, this weekend is packed with all the fun. Always call the Uphill Access Hotline before heading out: 209-258-7444” Get a group-rated season pass. Claims to have the deepest snow in north America. Noted for its fine alpine cross country skiing. From The San Francisco Bay: Use Interstate 580, State Route 205 to Interstate 5 North, Route 4 East to Route 99 North, and Route 88 East (3.25 hrs.)

Sierra-At-Tahoe
Open. Sierra-at-Tahoe to Host CNISSF High School State Championships March 2-6, 2025. Check Facebook. Downhill skiing and snowboarding resort. Family-friendly. Check for conditions.

Soda Springs
Open. Check Facebook. Soda Springs operating schedule. Open from 10am – 4pm. Families can take the kids snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding, sledding and snowshoeing, all on one lift ticket. Home to one of California’s first snow tubing areas. Located just off I-80 at Donner Summit.

Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area
Open. Tahoe XC is OPEN 8:30am-5pm daily; conditions permitting. The Great Ski Race is this Sunday, 2 March. There is still time to register; check out their website: www.thegreatskirace.com *Dog Owners: On Sunday, 2 March, NO DOGS will be allowed at Tahoe XC due to the Great Ski Race. Check Facebook. Day lodge. Welcomes dogs on 7.5 kilometers of trail weekdays and Sunday afternoons that aren’t holidays.

Truckee North

Boreal/Woodward
Open. Shred on the Woodward Tahoe glacier. Check Facebook. Lifts and trails status and view web cam. Nearest ski resort, located in Truckee just off I-80. Has children’s and adult lessons. Has night skiing, freestyle, snowboarding, sledding areas. Group ski packages

Plumas Ski Club
Open when club members want to ski. Come try skiing on brand new 12-16 foot long board skis just like the old time ski races of the 1860’s. Longboard Races are held on the third Sunday of January, February and March. Near the Eureka Gold Mine in the historic ghost town of Johnsville, California, and the top resorts in Graeagle, north of Truckee about 40 miles. Noted for longboard skiing. Depends on volunteers to open.

Yosemite South

Badger Pass – Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area
Open December 13, 2024 – March 31, 2025. Check the Yosemite Park Facebook. Stay in lovely Yosemite and shuttle to the ski resort. Whether it’s a day of downhill skiing at Badger Pass or ice skating against the backdrop of Half Dome at alpenglow, the memories of winter in Yosemite will last a lifetime. Please call the Snow Phone at 209.372.1000 for conditions, weather and ski area information.

Big Bear Mountain Ski Resort
Open. Check Facebook. This new interactive site has been designed to bring the scene at Bear Mountain into the homes of snowboarders and skiers across Southern California and the world. Daily action photos, weekly video clips, live cams, the BS forum, live weather and current news. Have you ever ridden a snow bike or snow skate?

Dodge Ridge Skiing and Snowboarding
Open. Check Facebook. Near Emigrant Gap, so closest snow to south Bay Area. Dodge Ridge is the Bay Area and Central Valley’s closest snow to home for skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and snow play. With 1,600 vertical feet and 800+ acres of skiable terrain, Dodge Ridge is your families next winter destination. 

June Mountain Ski Area
Open. With 1,500 acres of uncrowded slopes, beginner-friendly terrain, and breathtaking views, the whole family will enjoy a ski day at June Mountain. Live cams. Explore June’s terrain using this interactive trail map.

Mammoth
Open. Fresh midweek corduroy and wide open groomers. Check Facebook. Hours of Operation. They offer snowmobiling, x-country, skiing, snowboarding and a sports school.