WHAT A WINTER: It would be an understatement to say that the ski resorts of the Sierra, and those located nearer to Southern California, have had a good winter. Mammoth Mountain surpassed last year's seasonal snowfall total on Jan. 20, 2016, a date that was soon followed by a number of big storms. June Mountain, Bear Mountain, and Snow Summit all experienced some very impressive flakeage over the 2015-2016, even into March, when photos from several of our regional peaks showed various fences and car roofs sticking out of deep, deep drifts. Fans aren't done schussing just yet -- the snow scene is still happening, even as we slide into spring -- but mountain mavens are also looking ahead, to the next season, when things'll heat up (read: cool down) at the various ski resorts dotting the map. Four of those resorts, the quartet mentioned just a few sentences back, come together each year for the money-saving Cali4nia Pass. The pass is all about "season-long access to Mammoth Mountain, Snow Summit, Bear Mountain, and June Mountain" for the upcoming season, with a timely twist: It can be used sooner than that, if you purchase soon. By "soon" we mean...
MARCH 21... when the pass goes on sale. It's $749 through April 5 -- yep, it goes up after that -- and the use-it-sooner part comes right away. Though it is a 2016-2017 pass, skiers and boarders can head down the hills at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit "immediately" and at Mammoth Mountain after April 11. Call it a frosty taste of things to come down the road.
OTHER BENEFITS: The benes on the Cali4nia Pass don't end at the use-it-early part of the deal; score "premium slopeside lodging of up to 20%" off as well as "discounts on retail, equipment rental, and lessons." There's more to know on the whole Bring-a-Friend end of things as well as a discount, on some mornings, for early bird skiers. The whole snowy shebang is this way, peak people. Don't try and claim you're not already daydreaming about next winter (you so are).
