Palisades TahoeIkon
Olympic Valley
2,850'Vertical
3,600Acres
26Lifts
Opens Nov 25, 2026. Shares a pass and gondola with Alpine Meadows.
California Ski Resort Map
Verified for the 2026-27 season · Last updated August 28, 2026 · Coordinates checked against base-area lift terminals
California has 28 lift-served ski areas for 2026-27. Thirteen are in the Lake Tahoe basin, four sit within two hours of Los Angeles, and the rest are spread across the Eastern Sierra, Central Sierra and far north. Heavenly has the most vertical at 3,500 feet, Mammoth Mountain is the highest at 11,053 feet, and Mountain High in Wrightwood is the closest to a major city — about 90 minutes from Los Angeles. Every pin below is placed at the resort's base area, not its summit.
Filter by region or pass to narrow the map. Click any pin for vertical, acreage, lift count and a link to our lodging guide for that mountain. The full comparison table sits below the regional breakdown, and every column in it sorts.
Region
Pass
Ikon PassEpic PassCali PassIndy PassIndependent
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All 28 California ski areas by region
Lake Tahoe (13)
Thirteen resorts within about an hour of each other, from 4,800-acre Heavenly down to the little Donner Summit hills. This is where most Californians ski, and where I-80 and US-50 traffic decides how your Saturday goes.
Alpine MeadowsIkon
Alpine Meadows
1,802'Vertical
2,400Acres
13Lifts
Now part of Palisades Tahoe; linked by the Base to Base Gondola.
Northstar CaliforniaEpic
Truckee
2,280'Vertical
3,170Acres
20Lifts
Opens Nov 20, 2026. Most sheltered Tahoe resort on a storm day.
Heavenly Mountain ResortEpic
South Lake Tahoe
3,500'Vertical
4,800Acres
26Lifts
Opens Nov 20, 2026. Biggest vertical in California; straddles the NV line.
Kirkwood Mountain ResortEpic
Kirkwood
2,000'Vertical
2,300Acres
13Lifts
Opens Dec 4, 2026. Highest base in Tahoe, and the steepest terrain.
Sierra-at-TahoeIkon
Twin Bridges
2,212'Vertical
2,000Acres
14Lifts
Opening date not yet announced for 2026-27.
Sugar Bowl ResortIndependent
Norden
1,500'Vertical
1,650Acres
12Lifts
Targeting Nov 27, 2026. Catches the most snow of any Tahoe resort.
Homewood Mountain ResortIndependent
Homewood
Status unconfirmed for 2026-27
1,650'Vertical
1,260Acres
8Lifts
2026-27 passes on sale and a new gondola is under construction, but no opening date announced. Confirm before you drive.
Tahoe DonnerIndependent
Truckee
600'Vertical
118Acres
5Lifts
Small, cheap and genuinely good for first-timers.
Soda SpringsIndependent
Soda Springs
550'Vertical
217Acres
5Lifts
Tubing and beginner focus; the most family-oriented hill on Donner Summit.
Boreal Mountain ResortIndependent
Soda Springs
500'Vertical
380Acres
7Lifts
Right off I-80, night skiing, and usually the first in Tahoe to open.
Donner Ski RanchIndy Pass
Norden
800'Vertical
500Acres
8Lifts
Old-school, no-frills, and the best value on Donner Summit.
Granlibakken TahoeIndependent
Tahoe City
Status unconfirmed for 2026-27
327'Vertical
3Acres
2Lifts
California's smallest lift-served hill. Operating status for 2026-27 is unconfirmed.
Eastern Sierra (2)
Mammoth and June, reached by US-395 on the dry side of the range. The longest season in the state — Mammoth regularly spins lifts into June — but a 5 to 6 hour drive from the Bay Area.
Mammoth MountainIkon
Mammoth Lakes
3,100'Vertical
3,500Acres
25Lifts
California's highest and longest season — often open into June. Pin is Main Lodge.
June MountainIkon
June Lake
2,590'Vertical
1,500Acres
7Lifts
Mammoth's quiet sibling. Kids 12 and under ski free.
Central Sierra & Yosemite (5)
The Highway 4, 108, 120 and 168 resorts. These are the Central Valley's home mountains: smaller, cheaper, far less crowded, and much closer if you're coming from Sacramento, Modesto or Fresno.
Bear Valley Mountain ResortCali Pass
Bear Valley
1,900'Vertical
1,680Acres
9Lifts
Big terrain, small crowds. Pin is the Mt. Reba day lodge where you park.
Dodge Ridge Mountain ResortCali Pass
Pinecrest
1,600'Vertical
862Acres
10Lifts
Closest resort to the Central Valley — about 3 hours from the Bay Area.
Badger PassIndependent
Yosemite National Park
Status unconfirmed for 2026-27
800'Vertical
5Lifts
Also called Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area. Did not open in 2024-25 for lack of snow and opened late in 2025-26. Check before planning around it.
China Peak Mountain ResortCali Pass
Lakeshore
1,679'Vertical
800Acres
11Lifts
The Fresno-side resort — far closer to the southern Central Valley than Tahoe.
Alta Sierra at Shirley MeadowsIndependent
Wofford Heights
Status unconfirmed for 2026-27
400'Vertical
3Lifts
Volunteer-run in the southern Sierra; only opens in strong snow years.
Southern California (6)
Big Bear, Snow Valley, Mountain High and Baldy — all within two hours of Los Angeles. Lower elevation and heavily snowmade, so conditions depend on cold nights more than storms.
Snow SummitIkon
Big Bear Lake
1,200'Vertical
240Acres
10Lifts
The cruiser mountain of the two Big Bear hills; strong night skiing.
Bear MountainIkon
Big Bear Lake
1,665'Vertical
198Acres
7Lifts
SoCal's park mountain. Shares a ticket and a free shuttle with Snow Summit.
Snow Valley Mountain ResortIkon
Running Springs
1,041'Vertical
240Acres
11Lifts
Bought by Alterra and now on Ikon. Ski terrain tends to open later than Big Bear's.
Mountain HighCali Pass
Wrightwood
1,600'Vertical
200Acres
14Lifts
Closest resort to Los Angeles. Pin is the West resort; East and North are separate base areas.
The Lifts @ Mt BaldyIndependent
Mt. Baldy
2,200'Vertical
600Acres
4Lifts
Steepest terrain in Southern California. Reached via Mt. Baldy Road from Upland, not Highway 2.
Mt. WatermanIndependent
Angeles National Forest
Closed — no access
1,030'Vertical
150Acres
3Lifts
Highway 2 is closed indefinitely for storm repairs, cutting off the only access. Do not plan a trip here for 2026-27.
Northern California (2)
Mt. Shasta Ski Park and tiny Coppervale, north of the Tahoe corridor. Long drives, but Shasta has real vertical and almost no lift lines.
Mt. Shasta Ski ParkPowder Alliance
McCloud
2,034'Vertical
634Acres
6Lifts
The only real ski resort north of Tahoe, and almost never crowded.
Coppervale Ski AreaIndependent
Westwood
Status unconfirmed for 2026-27
700'Vertical
2Lifts
Run by Lassen Community College. Opens on weather windows, not a schedule — call ahead.
Compare every California ski resort
Sorted by vertical drop. Click any column heading to re-sort. Dashes mark figures the resort does not publish.
| Resort | Region | Vertical | Acres | Summit | Lifts | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavenly Mountain Resort | Lake Tahoe | 3,500' | 4,800 | 10,067' | 26 | Epic |
| Mammoth Mountain | Eastern Sierra | 3,100' | 3,500 | 11,053' | 25 | Ikon |
| Palisades Tahoe | Lake Tahoe | 2,850' | 3,600 | 9,050' | 26 | Ikon |
| June Mountain | Eastern Sierra | 2,590' | 1,500 | 10,090' | 7 | Ikon |
| Northstar California | Lake Tahoe | 2,280' | 3,170 | 8,610' | 20 | Epic |
| Sierra-at-Tahoe | Lake Tahoe | 2,212' | 2,000 | 8,852' | 14 | Ikon + Powder Alliance |
| The Lifts @ Mt Baldy | Southern California | 2,200' | 600 | 8,600' | 4 | Independent |
| Mt. Shasta Ski Park | Northern California | 2,034' | 634 | 7,536' | 6 | Powder Alliance |
| Kirkwood Mountain Resort | Lake Tahoe | 2,000' | 2,300 | 9,800' | 13 | Epic |
| Bear Valley Mountain Resort | Central Sierra & Yosemite | 1,900' | 1,680 | 8,500' | 9 | Cali Pass + Powder Alliance |
| Alpine Meadows | Lake Tahoe | 1,802' | 2,400 | 8,637' | 13 | Ikon |
| China Peak Mountain Resort | Central Sierra & Yosemite | 1,679' | 800 | 8,709' | 11 | Cali Pass + Powder Alliance |
| Bear Mountain | Southern California | 1,665' | 198 | 8,805' | 7 | Ikon |
| Homewood Mountain Resort | Lake Tahoe | 1,650' | 1,260 | 7,880' | 8 | Independent |
| Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort | Central Sierra & Yosemite | 1,600' | 862 | 8,200' | 10 | Cali Pass + Powder Alliance |
| Mountain High | Southern California | 1,600' | 200 | 8,200' | 14 | Cali Pass + Powder Alliance |
| Sugar Bowl Resort | Lake Tahoe | 1,500' | 1,650 | 8,383' | 12 | Independent |
| Snow Summit | Southern California | 1,200' | 240 | 8,200' | 10 | Ikon |
| Snow Valley Mountain Resort | Southern California | 1,041' | 240 | 7,841' | 11 | Ikon |
| Mt. Waterman | Southern California | 1,030' | 150 | 8,030' | 3 | Independent |
| Donner Ski Ranch | Lake Tahoe | 800' | 500 | 7,781' | 8 | Indy Pass |
| Badger Pass | Central Sierra & Yosemite | 800' | — | 8,000' | 5 | Independent |
| Coppervale Ski Area | Northern California | 700' | — | — | 2 | Independent |
| Tahoe Donner | Lake Tahoe | 600' | 118 | 7,250' | 5 | Independent |
| Soda Springs | Lake Tahoe | 550' | 217 | 7,300' | 5 | Independent |
| Boreal Mountain Resort | Lake Tahoe | 500' | 380 | 7,701' | 7 | Independent |
| Alta Sierra at Shirley Meadows | Central Sierra & Yosemite | 400' | — | 7,087' | 3 | Independent |
| Granlibakken Tahoe | Lake Tahoe | 327' | 3 | 6,781' | 2 | Independent |
California ski resorts — frequently asked questions
How many ski resorts are in California?
California has 28 lift-served ski areas operating for the 2026-27 season, from 4,800-acre Heavenly down to two-lift hills like Granlibakken. Thirteen of them are in the Lake Tahoe basin, four are in Southern California within two hours of Los Angeles, and the rest are spread across the Eastern Sierra, Central Sierra and far north.
Which California ski resort has the most vertical?
Heavenly, at 3,500 feet from its 10,067-foot summit down to the South Lake Tahoe base. Mammoth Mountain is second at 3,100 feet, and Palisades Tahoe third at 2,850. Mt. Baldy has the most vertical in Southern California at 2,200 feet.
What is the highest ski resort in California?
Mammoth Mountain, with a summit of 11,053 feet. Its elevation is why it holds snow longest — Mammoth regularly runs lifts into June, weeks after every other California resort has closed. Kirkwood has the highest base area in Tahoe at 7,800 feet.
Which California resorts are on the Ikon Pass, and which are on Epic?
Ikon covers Palisades Tahoe, Alpine Meadows, Mammoth, June Mountain, Big Bear (Snow Summit and Bear Mountain), Snow Valley, and Sierra-at-Tahoe. Epic covers Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood. The independent Cali Pass covers Bear Valley, Dodge Ridge, China Peak and Mountain High.
Which California ski resort is closest to San Francisco?
For the Bay Area, the Donner Summit resorts off I-80 — Boreal, Sugar Bowl, Donner Ski Ranch and Soda Springs — are the shortest drive at roughly 3 to 3.5 hours without traffic. Dodge Ridge, via Highway 108, is a comparable drive and usually far less crowded.
Which California ski resort is closest to Los Angeles?
Mountain High in Wrightwood, about 1.5 hours from central Los Angeles via I-210 and Highway 138. Big Bear is roughly 2 to 2.5 hours, and Snow Valley slightly closer than Big Bear.
Are any California ski resorts closed for 2026-27?
Mt. Waterman cannot open because Highway 2, its only access road, is closed indefinitely for storm repairs. Homewood, Badger Pass, Granlibakken, Coppervale and Alta Sierra have not confirmed 2026-27 operations — check directly before planning a trip around any of them.
Do I need snow chains to reach California ski resorts?
Often, yes. Caltrans issues chain controls on every major mountain route, and R2 — the most common level — requires chains on all vehicles except four-wheel drive with snow tires. Carry chains that fit your car whenever you drive to the Sierra between November and April.
Plan the rest of your trip
Lodging guides for thirteen California resorts, plus what you need in the car to get there.
Where to stayBest snow chainsChain control explainedResort comparisonStats from each resort's official site, cross-checked against Ski California. Base coordinates derived from mapped base-lift terminals and validated against published base elevations. Opening dates are the resorts' announced targets and can move with conditions — confirm directly before you travel.