Dodge Ridge: Resort Guide and Where to Stay
Last verified 26 August 2026 against Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort, the US Forest Service, Tuolumne County Transit and Caltrans District 10.
Dodge Ridge just finished its 75th season. It is family-run in character if no longer in ownership, it is the closest real skiing to the Central Valley and much of the Bay Area, and it has something almost no California resort offers: a ten-dollar ski bus.
It also sits lower than any other Sierra resort of its size, which is the single most important thing to understand before you book.
Around 862 acres, 1,600 feet of vertical, roughly 350 inches in an average season, weighted toward beginner and intermediate terrain. Sonora Pass closes for winter but the gate is east of the resort, so Dodge Ridge is reachable all season from the west. There is no on-mountain lodging — Pinecrest is three miles away, Sonora twenty-seven. And the base is only 6,600 feet, which makes early and late season genuinely unreliable.
The elevation problem, stated plainly
This isn’t a knock on the mountain — it’s the trade you make for it being two hours from home instead of five. Just don’t book non-refundable lodging in early December without looking at the snow report first.
What is Dodge Ridge like to ski?
| Dodge Ridge by the numbers | |
|---|---|
| Skiable acres | ~862 (the resort says “800+”) |
| Vertical | 1,600 ft — base 6,600 ft, summit 8,200 ft |
| Lifts / trails | 11–12 lifts, 62–67 trails (sources differ) |
| Average snowfall | ~350 inches |
| Terrain | ~20% beginner · ~40% intermediate · ~34–40% advanced |
| Pass | Cali Pass, Powder Alliance |
We’ve given ranges where the resort’s own figures and third-party databases disagree, rather than picking one and pretending it’s settled.
Character: a genuine family mountain. The resort markets itself as “the Bay Area and Central Valley’s closest snow to home” and that is the honest positioning — strong for families, beginners and intermediates and for Central Valley day-trippers, thin for anyone chasing big vertical or sustained steeps. It operates in Stanislaus National Forest under a special use permit, was founded in 1950, and was run by the Helm family from 1976 until 2021. It is now one of four California areas owned by California Mountain Resort Company, alongside Bear Valley, China Peak and Mountain High.
Does Sonora Pass close? Yes — above the resort
SR-108 over Sonora Pass closes every winter, but the gate is at the Highway 108 Sno-Park, east of Strawberry, at about 5,900 feet. Dodge Ridge is at Pinecrest, roughly three miles off SR-108 and west of Strawberry — so the plowed, year-round western approach reaches it fine.
What this rules out: coming over Sonora Pass from the east. If you’re in the Eastern Sierra, that route is closed and a mapping app may not know it. Come from the west via Oakdale and Sonora. The resort is 33 miles east of Sonora, and just over two hours from much of the Bay Area on SR-108.
Chain control happens on SR-108 in storms like anywhere else — read our chain control guide and check QuickMap.
The ski bus — genuinely worth knowing about
Tuolumne County Transit runs a SkiBUS from Sonora to Dodge Ridge on weekends and holidays from opening through March, conditions permitting. Ten dollars round trip, or a family four-pack for $25 with additional riders at $5.
It departs Sonora Save Mart at 7:00am, Timberhills 7:15, the Junction Shopping Center 7:25 and Twain Harte Market 7:45, arriving at 8:45, and also picks up in Sugar Pine, Mi-Wuk and Pinecrest. Reserve through the resort or by phone.
For a family from the Central Valley that’s a genuinely good deal, and it removes the chain question entirely.
Where to stay
There is no on-mountain lodging. The resort publishes partner properties with distances, which is unusually helpful:
Pinecrest — 3 to 5 miles
The closest base by a distance. Pinecrest Chalet is about three miles out, Pinecrest Lake Resort four, Lair of the Bear five. Small mountain community rather than a town — arrive with what you need.
Strawberry and Long Barn — 6 to 15 miles
Strawberry sits about six miles out with cabins and river lodges; Long Barn is fifteen. Both are quiet, cabin-driven and cheaper than Pinecrest. Long Barn is far enough down the hill to sometimes dodge the worst of a storm.
Mi-Wuk Village and Twain Harte — 18 to 23 miles
Twain Harte is the pick if you want somewhere with a bit of life to it — inns, a market, places to eat. It’s also a SkiBUS stop, which makes it a smart base for a car-light weekend.
Sonora — 27 miles
The last full-service town: hotels, restaurants, groceries, gas, and the SkiBUS departure point. Cheapest and most amenities, longest drive. Historic gold-country downtown gives non-skiers something to do.
Parking
Preferred parking is $40 per vehicle on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, first-come and with no reservations. Season parking permits guarantee a spot until 11am in the Main Lower and Motherlode lots. Lots fill fast on busy days. The resort does not state whether general parking is free, so we won’t claim it either way — assume you may pay and be pleasantly surprised.
For the drive up
Sno Cal™ Snow Beanie
Dodge Ridge Collection
Sno Cal™ Pom Beanie
Snow Chains GuideFrequently asked questions
Is there a ski bus to Dodge Ridge?
Yes. Tuolumne County Transit runs a SkiBUS from Sonora on weekends and holidays from opening through March, conditions permitting. It costs $10 round trip, or $25 for a family four-pack. It departs Sonora Save Mart at 7:00am and also stops at Timberhills, the Junction Shopping Center, Twain Harte Market, Sugar Pine, Mi-Wuk and Pinecrest.
Does Sonora Pass close in winter?
Yes, but the gate is at the Highway 108 Sno-Park east of Strawberry, above the resort. Dodge Ridge sits west of that gate at Pinecrest and stays accessible all season from the west via Oakdale and Sonora. Approaching over Sonora Pass from the Eastern Sierra is not possible in winter.
Is there lodging at Dodge Ridge?
No on-mountain lodging. The closest options are in Pinecrest, three to five miles away, then Strawberry at about six miles, Long Barn at fifteen, Mi-Wuk Village at eighteen, Twain Harte at twenty-one to twenty-three, and Sonora at twenty-seven.
Is Dodge Ridge good for beginners and families?
Yes. Around 20% of the terrain is beginner and 40% intermediate, and the resort has a long-standing family reputation. It is weaker for advanced skiers wanting big vertical, at 1,600 feet.
How reliable is snow at Dodge Ridge?
Less reliable than higher Sierra resorts. The base is 6,600 feet and the summit 8,200, which is low for California, so rain-on-snow and marginal early and late season are real risks. Average snowfall is around 350 inches but varies greatly year to year. Check conditions before booking non-refundable lodging.
How far is Dodge Ridge from the Bay Area?
Just over two hours east on Highway 108 from much of the Bay Area, and 33 miles east of Sonora. The resort markets itself as the Bay Area and Central Valley's closest snow.
Planning the rest of it:
Terrain, road closure, ski bus and lodging details verified against Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort, the US Forest Service Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County Transit and Caltrans District 10, as of August 2026. Where sources disagree on acreage, lift and trail counts we have given the range rather than pick one.