Published May 5, 2004 12:00AM
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Best of the Adventure Adviser Week of December 26, 1996-January 1, 1997 Inns and trails on Vancouver Island Primitive camping in Florida Tips for trekking in India It’s no joke: Skiing near San Diego A family vacation in Jamaica It’s no joke: Skiing near San Diego Question: I am considering relocating to the San Diego area and would like to have some information about the nearest skiing areas. I am aware of Mount Baldy, Ski Sunrise, and Mountain High northwest of San Bernardino, but would like to know the details (season, trail specs, etc.). Thanks! Rhonda P. Cincinnati, OH neverfear@msn.com Adventure Adviser: OK, so San Diego’s only 15 miles from the Mexico border. But that doesn’t mean you can’t wax your boards and head out to the slopes with all the other bikini-clad Southern Californians who, like you, are hell-bent on skiing. If you’re willing to drive a couple of hours and aren’t expecting Alta-like steeps or immense terrain à la Vail, then you’ll probably adapt well to life as a skier in Southern California. Most resorts report a Thanksgiving-to-May season. Mount Baldy (909-931-4458), about two hours northwest of San Diego, has 26 trails, four lifts, a whopping 2,100 feet of vertical, and charges $40 per day. The smaller Ski Sunrise is 30 miles from San Bernardino and charges $28 per day. The summit of Mountain High (619-249-5479), is located at a breathtaking 8,200 feet and boasts 11 chairs. Another biggie (relatively speaking) worth considering: Snow Summit (909-866-5766), in the town of Big Bear Lake, is also about two hours from San Diego–with about 35 runs, 1,200 feet of vertical, and 12 lifts. A one-day ticket will set you back $42, and this resort’s season generally runs from mid-November through mid-April. You may also want to check out Bear Mountain (909-585-2519) and Snow Valley (909-867-2751). |