# Closest Snowboarding to Bay Area



## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Living in the bay area and addicted since 1999...3rd year season pass at Kirkwood. Welcome.
you mean the San Francisco Bay area I hope....right?


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks for the Reply, yeah San Fran bay Area. How long of a drive is Kirkwood from the Bay Area and when does the season start and end??


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Unfortunetly Tahoe is the only place that serves the Bay Area. Kirkwood isn't really in the main Tahoe area, though it's part of the whole shibang. Expect to drive 3 hours each way.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Kirkwood is 2:45 from Pleasanton ( If I drive.......where are you gloing to be in the bay? 

Cheaper and smaller spots perfect to let your kids to learn are Dodge Ridge and Donner Ski Ranch...they are MUCH smaller and the tix are around 40 bucks / day if not less.

I have a Season Pass for Kirkwood ($ 299 if you get it early) that makes a HUGE diference. Kirkwood is a particular resort...gets the most/best snow in the Tahoe area, but it's not the "coolest". Lift are ancient (and slow) but the terrain is amazing and lines are almost nil. No attiturde at all, but then it's not Squaw or Alpine..with tons of after-riding venues, clubs and activities.
That is why I love it..most of the people there are Hardore riders....

This season started really early...24th of November with about 3 feet of pow over a good base...but January sucked. We might get some this weekend, but I'm not holding my breath.

My kids learned in those spots..they are 13 (g) and 11 (b), now they follow me in Kirkwood, one rides the other skis with my wife.

I have been riding there for the past 3 seasons, mostly day trips, 40 of them last season.


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

Im originally from New Jersey so Im sure I can match your driving time... We are getting transferred to Alameda, just found out yesterday so we are in the early stages of planning our trip out there. Definatley looking for the best place for my kids to learn and my wife and i to knock the rust off. We havent snowboarded for 4 years, We live in Key West now but are really excited to go out West. Ive never been out West and cant wait to get to that area for the snowboarding, surfing and wakeboarding!!!


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

Thanks for the Great info, any suggestions in places to live within a reasonable commute to Alameda???


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

...Oh to live? Well it depends on your budget for a home...prices vary dramatically from one side of the bay to the other...I'm in Pleasanton...has BART and its well connected to HW


well the closest would be Bear...
Bear Valley – Ski and Snowboard Resort In California's Central Sierra Nevada|
but it's low and weather dependent. Good for kids. then Kirkwood,
Lake Tahoe Lift Tickets, Lodging, Ski Resorts & Ski Lessons | Kirkwood Mountain Resort

WIch is great but prob not the best sol for kids...

Then Dodge ridge or Donner ski Ranch (both right on Donner pass on HW 80) Then you have the whole Tahoe area.

Day trips are tough with small kids...we used to get a motel room around Tahoe and enjoy the weekend.

I'm probably going mondsy if it snows enough. I can't take it anymore.


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## Kauila (Jan 7, 2011)

We do day trips from the Oakland area to Tahoe, takes me 3-3.5 hrs drive time...apparently I'm a much slower driver than pawlo :laugh:

Sugar Bowl's across the street from Donner Ski Ranch. Bigger mountain, very kid-friendly, good deals on lift tickets and lessons on some days. Closest ski area from the Bay Area on Hwy 80.

How old are your kids? Tahoe Donner (not to be confused with Donner Ski Ranch) is a low-key, smaller hill that's a good place for little kids to start. Only two chair lifts. There's an easy green run, a big wide bowl, and a green-circle "mile run" that's fun for kids on skis but hellishly flat if you're on a snowboard. Not much for advanced riders, though.

Not too far from Tahoe Donner, there's a Hampton Inn and also a Holiday Inn Express in Truckee that are good places to stay overnight if you need to break up the driving. Hot breakfast in the morning!

Dodge Ridge is south of Lake Tahoe but also an option.

Are you planning on living in Alameda? It's a pretty accessible place to other parts of the Bay Area. Has kind of a Mayberry town vibe to it with July 4 parades and barbecues and the whole bit.


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## striker14588 (Dec 27, 2010)

pawlo said:


> Kirkwood is 2:45 from Pleasanton ( If I drive.......where are you gloing to be in the bay?
> 
> Cheaper and smaller spots perfect to let your kids to learn are Dodge Ridge and Donner Ski Ranch...they are MUCH smaller and the tix are around 40 bucks / day if not less.


Dodge is about $60 for a day pass which sucks for how small it is.


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

Kids are 10, 8 and 1 all girls... My wife is looking at alameda and the surrounding area. We had friends live on Bay Farm Island and said to look there.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

striker14588 said:


> Dodge is about $60 for a day pass which sucks for how small it is.


Ok..Back then was cheaper


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

NJSURFER said:


> Kids are 10, 8 and 1 all girls... My wife is looking at alameda and the surrounding area. We had friends live on Bay Farm Island and said to look there.


We bought here in Pleasanton (7 years ago)...Alameda is nice too, close to the beach. Where are you going to work?
Going tomorrow up to Kirkwood for a quick fix after 4 weeks of abstinence....IF it snows tonite and tomorrow.


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

how necessary is a 4wd vehicle going to the mts out there. Im only used to East Coast mts and its perfectly fine. Im trading in my Nissan Xterra for a car because i will be commmuting to Bodega Bay from the bay area.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

If you go to Kirkwood you do need AWD. 88 is always snowed in after a dump. Sunday Iwas hoping for 6-8", at 8 I was plowing a foot of fresh
with my car, no tracks yet from 20 miles to Kirkwood...Once there we found more than a foot on the cars parked overnight....surprise pow day!
you can make it with chains too, but it takes forever.


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## NJSURFER (Jan 28, 2011)

that is sick glad you got some fresh pow. Youve been a great help thanks again


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

no problem man...always stoked to show kirkwood around..I love that place. Probably going up with the family sunday...looks like we're in freaking spring again until the 15th


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## Kauila (Jan 7, 2011)

If you're heading to South Lake, having 4WD/AWD definitely helps since the road has lots of curves and it's nice to have that extra grip on the road. The drive's easier to North Lake, you can make it up there without 4WD but carry chains. Or you can always rent a 4WD car if you don't plan to drive to Tahoe weekly or anything like that. I have some friends who traded in their old Subaru Outback for a Prius around town but rent a 4WD for their trips to Tahoe.


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