Closest resorts to LA - help an Aussie.

[dachlostar]

My brother gets married in Venezuela in March next year. Our flights will be routed through LA so we are hoping to stay about 10 days or so and do a little sightseeing and a little skiing.
We're looking for a family friendly resort. Older boy (6) can ski black runs but smaller boy (5) is still skiing blues (maybe he will be on blacks by the end of our winter). Although they're quite good skiers for their age they still need lots of hot chocolate breaks, toilet stops and so on.
Ski-in ski-out accommodation or good enough public transport not to need a car would be an advantage.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

 

[socalskier]

"Local" skiing would be Big Bear, Snow Summit, or Mountain High. They are at least 1.5 hours away. The only resorts really worth spending time at are Mammoth or Tahoe, both of which are far (5-8 hours depending which mountain).

I'm not too familiar with Tahoe, but I know Mammoth pretty well. They have a fantastic bus system, so as long as you stay anywhere in town, you can catch a bus to the lodge within about 10-15 minutes.

 

[Nadine_A]

Kangaroostan :ROTF:

Tahoe is closer to San Fran / Sacramento...Love, love, love Tahoe.

Mammoth is closer to LA. Hopefully this will be on the agenda for the next trip...

 

[dachlostar]

Thanks for your advice.
The bride has got herself knocked up so it looks like the wedding will be postponed for a few months so that she can fit into her clothes again.
It's a shame because were looking forward to some North American skiing but on the other hand we're all excited about welcoming a new member into our family.

 

[Mish]

Chiming in late... but if you do end up this way this year, Mammoth is known to sometimes be open until early July! Snow isn't up to par so far this year but its not uncommon to have huge storms and a late season despite a dry beginning.

There are flights on Alaska Airlines from LAX to MMH - beautiful hour flight over the mountains with complimentary adult beverages! Bonus!

Cheers
Katy

 

[mustski]

We skied Mammoth last June; stayed at a 5 * resort with lift tickets included for the same price as the usual "season" hotel rates. The snow doesn't look hopeful for this year though.