Spring is a magical time at California ski resorts. The lines are shorter, deals abound, and there’s a spirit of fun in the air. You can ski in a t-shirt, picnic on patios overlooking ski runs, listen to live bands, and smell (and taste) the sizzling outdoor barbecues. Depending on snowfall, California resorts have stayed open until July 4 in recent years, so you’re not too late to plan a trip now. Here are four things that make the season extra-special.
Lots of Sunshine
Sunny skies and warmer weather will have you smiling as you ski California’s slopes—t-shirt days abound. Just don’t forget the sunscreen, given the high-elevation rays, and be sure to stay hydrated, as Mammoth Lake’s blog details in its spring-specific ski tips. There’s almost always “one more storm” that dumps a fresh layer of snow to keep the lifts running well through April at most resorts.
Unique Events
In South Lake Tahoe, Heavenly’s Gunbarrel 25 competition (a race to complete 25 laps of the resort’s famous mogul run) is as festive for competitors and attendees as it is thigh-burning, while at Northstar, through mid-April, you can toast the spring at Tōst, the resort’s daily champagne tasting with bean bags and chairs set up on their East Ridge Run.
Many resorts also host “pond skims” to embrace the shifting season. The annual Cushing Crossing at Palisades Tahoe, typically held in early May, exudes a party atmosphere as spectators cheer on costumed skiers and snowboarders attempting to cross a large water hazard. Other resorts do their own versions of pond skims during the month of April: check out those happening at Northstar, Heavenly, Mammoth, and Sugar Bowl.
Serious Deals
Most resorts offer spring deals with discounted lift tickets, reduced rates on lodging, and early-bird specials on season passes. Beginning in mid-March, many ski resorts start offering their annual passes for the next season, and buying one now means you can often ski for free for the rest of the current season.
The Palisades Tahoe–based Ikon Pass and Vail’s Epic Pass, meanwhile, cover multiple resorts in California and the rest of the U.S.—a good investment for visitors planning to ski next year. To get started, browse Visit Lake Tahoe’s special offers page for specific spring discounts on food, lodging, and lift passes, and more.
Cool Festivals and Competitions
North Lake Tahoe hosts its Tahoe Snowfest event typically from late Feb. well into the second week of March, with more than 40 events taking place that celebrate mountain culture and community. The calendar at Palisades Tahoe is jam-packed in March—it hosts its Far West Open Series, a competition that pits the best young talents from California and Nevada against one another in ski and snowboard giant slalom and slalom races, while in early April, it’s home to the annual, bluegrass-themed Winter WonderGrass music festival, which features free beer tastings for ticket holders (Ed. note: Winter WonderGrass will not be taking place in 2025; its organizers hope to return in 2026). Or, sit back and watch the best of the pros at the U.S. Freestyle Moguls Championships, in late March.
At Sugar Bowl, early April sees two competitions take place: the revived Silver Belt freeride event, which traces its origins back to the 1940s, and the Jossi Wells Invitational, a multiday event that attracts top freeskiers. At Mammoth Mountain, the calendar is thick with competitions: the weeklong U.S. Revolution Tour and the Futures Tour at Unbound’s Main Park and Halfpipe give amateurs a chance to shine, while the Caldera Burn multiple-ascent event rewards grit and sheer long power.