Great Escape –

Winter Wonderlands

by Stephanie Jimenez

Santa Clarita is one of the best cities to live in for so many reasons.  One of my favorites is how our climate supports so many different types – from the cool beach days of the spring to the extreme dry desert heat of the summer.  The one thing we don’t have is snow, well not regularly.  The last big snow fall in the Santa Clarita Valley took place back in 1989 when the Newhall Pass and Antelope Valley freeways were actually closed down.  Kids could make giant snowmen and had city-wide school snow days.  Something I know I enjoyed, as I was lucky enough to live in our fair City back then.
Now if you’re one of those cold weather lovers that enjoys the snow, pack up your gear and get the car ready because it’s just a hop, skip and a jump away.

Big Bear

Drive Distance: 2-3 hours
Big Bear Lake is located 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles and surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest.  Altitude ranges from 6,750 to 9,000 feet and there are over 300 days of sunshine each year.  Winter brings about 100 inches of snowfall, and temperatures average in the low 40s during the day, and mid 20s at night.  Pine and oak forests flourish in Big Bear’s alpine environment. The lake is fresh water and runs seven miles long.  The community is full of recreational opportunities such as fishing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, tours and winter sports.  It’s home to one of the nation’s only alpine solar observatories.  Big Bear also features a public zoo, a nine-hole golf course, seven public campgrounds, great restaurants, entertainment and lots of shopping.
Big Bear Lake is a scenic resort that offers fine accommodations, whether you’re a romantic couple, a family with kids, or a large group.  Choose from luxurious hotels, cozy bed & breakfasts, convenient condominiums, private homes, mountain cabins, and resort cabins and lodges.  Lodging accommodations range on average from $101 to $200 per night.  No matter how you love to experience the great outdoors, Big Bear Lake has the perfect accommodations for you.  The U.S. Forest Service operates the campgrounds in the National Forest, and there’s plenty of RV camping available in the Valley.  Pets need vacations, too!  Those lovable, furry critters can vacation with their owners thanks to the vast amount of “pet friendly” accommodations at Big Bear Lake.  The natural atmosphere of the mountains is ideal for pets because it allows them an opportunity to get back to nature and experience the great outdoors.
For more information, please call 1-800-4 BIG BEAR and visit www.bigbear.com.

Yosemite

Drive Distance: 5-6 hours
You don’t need reservations to visit or enter Yosemite National Park, but reservations for lodging or camping are essential if you plan to spend the night in the park.  The park entrance fee applies to all visitors.  If you arrive in your private car, the entrance fee is $20 per car.  This is valid for unlimited entries to Yosemite for seven days.
Winter sports are a popular pastime at Yosemite.  Several marked winter trails are available for cross-country skiing generally from mid December through March.  Yosemite Valley usually doesn’t have sufficient snow for skiing or snowshoeing.  Brochures, including maps, for each of the areas with winter trails are available.  In addition, the National Park Service offers ranger-led snowshoe walks from mid-December through March (conditions permitting).  Badger Pass ski area is home to the oldest downhill skiing area in California, celebrating the 75th anniversary in 2010, and offers downhill skiing and snowboarding from mid-December through March.  DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite rents downhill and cross-country skis, snowboards, and snowshoes at Badger Pass.  DNC also offers skiing and snowboarding lessons at Badger Pass.  An outdoor ice skating rink in Yosemite Valley at Curry Village is open from mid-November to mid-March.
For more information, please call 209-372-0200 and visit www.nps.gov/yose.

Mammoth Lakes

Drive Distance: 6-7 hours
Mammoth Lakes is filled with sun-splashed days of achingly blue skies and vibrant white snow-covered terrain.  Whether you downhill, ride, tele, or hang in the terrain park, this location can be your winter Nirvana.  The Cloud 9 Express is a new high-speed six-pack chairlift that can take you from the Eagle Lodge side of the mountain to Dragon’s Back in just six short minutes – Just long enough for you to catch your breath.  Enjoying the mountain is made even easier by the elite team of professional AASI and PSIA-certified instructors.  The international team will make you a better skier or rider.  An extensive range of lesson plans are available, with group and private lessons for all skiers and riders of all abilities.  Making sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the mountain is the mission of the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra.  DSES offers life-changing experiences year-round to those with physical or cognitive disabilities.
Mammoth Lakes lodging accommodations include bed & breakfast inns, cabins, chalets, residential and commercial condominium rentals, hotels, motels, lodges as well as campground amenities.  Hotel and lodging accommodations range on average from $101 to $300 per night while camping accommodations begin at $12 a night and go anywhere up to $128 per night.
For more information on Mammoth Lakes, please call 88-GO-MAMMOTH or 760-934-2712.  You may also go to: visitmammoth.com

Lake Tahoe

Drive Distance: 7-8 hours
Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous result of cataclysmic volcanic and glacial master planning.  Lake Tahoe’s North Shore, in particular, is a stunning 180-degree panorama that vividly narrates the impact of that ancient earth shaping.  Lake Tahoe is fed by 63 streams and two hot springs and according to research, with a volume of 39 trillion gallons of water, if the Lake was ever drained it would take around 700 years for the hot springs, snowmelt and precipitation to fill it again entirely.  Whether it’s on the lake or at the base of the gondola, a rustic cabin or a contemporary mountain residence, from five-star luxury to economy class comfort, action-packed excitement to quiet relaxation, North Lake Tahoe has something for every traveler, no matter what your definition of adventure happens to be.
During the winter months, snow settles silently like a fine dust upon the granite edges surrounding the Lake.  Located in a glacial valley along the northern crest of the Sierra Nevada’s western slope, its sculpted mountain architecture appears with a startling suddenness along a shore of this pristine lake.  The big peaks, the famed landmarks and towering trees stand frosted in a winter cloak that can only be described as enchanting.  The Lake offers many lodging accommodations for visitors including casino hotels, bed & breakfasts, private condominiums and homes, as well as hotels and motels.  The average cost per night is around $120 though some lodgings are as low as $50.
For more information, please visit www.northtahoetravelplanner.com.