January
A great way to start the new year is to ski or snowshoe around Lake Tahoe/ Carson Pass. Resorts like Kirkwood (my favorite) and Heavenly offer downhill skiing, but you can also venture cross country into the valleys and lakes around Carson Pass. To save some money, you can rent your gear in the Bay Area (this is the cheapest place I know) and even sleep in your car for $5 on the SNO-Parks at Carson Pass. Difficulty: *
February
Sequoia National Park offers a spectacular wide landscape of canyons, mountains and the largest Sequoia trees on earth. While it is great to visit year-round, winters offers some easy back country skiing or snowboarding with a view. If you want to sleep in the Pear Lake Ski Hut, apply for the lottery many months in advance. **
March
Hiking in Death Valley is as outlandish an idea as it is exciting. If you are prepared to carry 4 liters (a gallon) of water per person per day, you can leave the hordes of tourists behind you and head into the wild for some real adventures and romantic star gazing. You will be surprised how much life there is in “Death” Valley. ***
April
You can see Mount Shasta a hundred miles before you actually reach it. At 14,179 feet (4,322 meters) it dwarfs all the surrounding volcanic mountains and keeps its snow until spring. April is the ideal time for alpinism and skiing: while there is still sufficient snow for an ascent, the hut at the bottom is already open and offers access to water and a toilet. In summer Mount Shasta becomes a huge pile of rubble which is not fun to climb. On a clear day you can climb steep ice and snow to the summit, ideally with a base camp in between, and ski or glissade down again. Experience, planning, avalanche skills, crampons, sun protection and good weather are crucial. ***
Please read the rest of the article on the Life in the Bay site, that originally published it. >>