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Boreal Mountain Resort
Categories: Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Active Life Ski Resorts, Active Life [Edit]
19455 Boreal Ridge RdSoda Springs, CA 95728
(530) 426-3666
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
119 reviews for Boreal Mountain Resort
119 reviews in English
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Review from Mary C.
9/29/2011
I love this place. It's the closest and cheapest place ever to the bay. And my FAVORITE trail, thus far, is at this resort believe it or not.
The Lost Dutchman
It's not crowded, a lot of powder, stunning view. Here you are one with the snow. It's incredible.
Pack your own snacks and picnic and don't forget to take a break. I love this place. -
Review from Somi A.
Sacramento, CA
1/30/2012
Boreal is often referred to as "Boring-eal." I am a newbie snowboarder and I have to say that I agree. I was tired of this place after the 2nd time.
The positives of this place is that they groom their runs a lot more compared to other resorts and it's the closest resort from Sacramento. I also like the 1-2-3 Ride program...after the 4th time you get a free season pass.
This is a good place for newbies to learn but experienced riders get bored pretty quickly because the terrain is not challenging. You can do the whole mtn in a few runs. This may be a fun place for those that like to do jumps if that's your thing!
The convenience of this place is one of the few reasons I will come back here. I also want to check out night riding so I will have to come back for that in the near future! -
Review from Mercy D.
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
We went up on a Sunday, the day before MLK day. No new snow but it really wasn't toooo bad. Even though there wasn't a whole lot of snow and they closed down the "accelerator" because of windy conditions so going to the top was banned for that day, I had a pretty good time practicing my ability to come down the slopes without hurting myself. But the trails were pretty much straight down so after a while it does get a little boring. They have a lot of parks and pipes so if you're a daredevil on skis or boards then this is the place for you! Plus, it's probably one of the cheapest resorts and can't beat their random $15-for-all Fridays!
My biggest complaint is: wth is wrong with their lift lines! There's really no line at all - it just seems to funnel into the front and if you even stay standing for a few seconds, people will bypass you and you'll get barricaded. You gotta be aggressive and not care about stepping on anyone's skis/boards. -
Review from Britney L.
Corte Madera, CA
12/13/2011
One word, BORING. I have been to a couple resorts but this one was plain boring. The routes are only on one side of the mountain and only last a few minutes. I would suggest coming here if you are more into doing tricks since there is a park.
This weekend there was no snow at all, so Boreal was one of the resorts that had man-made snow. They had two routes other than the bunny slope! Annoying! I went down the same route about 8 times because there was nothing else to do! Another drawback is that if you are snowboarding, it sucks because you have to repeatedly take off your bindings because the route is so short! After an hour or two my whole group was sick of everything. Although $45 for a half day lift ticket seems cheap, it is not worth it!
I wish Boreal had more to offer! But I know for sure that I won't be coming back again. I'd rather spend a day in the cabin without snow than snowboard at Boreal with fake snow.Comment from Jon S. of Boreal Mountain Resort 1/25/2012
Britney- thanks for the review. We would love it if you… More » -
Review from Ashley C.
San Jose, CA
11/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Been here twice - first time was during my first season of learning how to board. Let's just not bring back those memories -- all i remember was eating it many times.
Some say this might be a good place for beginners, but i beg to differ. I suggest diamond peak for beginners =)
Went here last weekend and although the resort wasn't fully open, I enjoyed it.
It was thanksgiving weekend so it was a little pricier ($56) for the day & night session. Only i believe 3 lifts were open, so we ended up sticking to one lift that gave a pretty good run.
The 'middle' lift which took you to the terrain park and the bunny slope was super packed and the line was forever. Wasn't really worth it if you don't do parks and if you've mastered the bunny slopes.
Although it was pretty crowded most lines went by pretty fast and seating for resting/eating wasn't too difficult to find.
The night boarding was fun but FREEZING! Pack some extra gear to stay extra warm when the sun sets!
If it's your first time night boarding (mind you, i'm only intermediate) the runs are not all lit. There will be some dark patches that you might want to be aware of as i couldn't really see and ended up eating it a couple of times =)
I love snowboarding so wherever i can board, i like.
Drive time from Milpitas, CA about 3:45. Rented a Chevy Traverse and made it there and back in a tank and a little under a quarter. -
Review from Tammy B.
San Jose, CA
12/7/2011
I went snowboarding here with my boyfriend and his cousins. I had a great time here. The price was really good due to the Friday college students special for $15. Just remember to bring your college ID.
I don't know where this resort stands with other resorts since this is the first resort I've been to but it seemed fine to me. The ice was rock hard on the bunny slope which was a little iffy.
The employees here have mixed reviews within my group. I thought they were fine as they kinda helped me and told me to have fun. However, my boyfriend received horrible service. They accused him of purchasing his ticket in the parking lot, gave him attitude, didn't help him when he asked for a screwdriver, yelled at him, etc. I don't know if they're biased but his cousins felt they had bad service too.
Overall, everyone had fun snowboarding and the only problems were the motel and the employees. -
Review from Bob S.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Small resort but if you're a beginner it's an okay ski resort to practice your turns. It's easy access is both a curse and a blessing. It's a curse because it's always crowded, it's just not worth the price to wait in line to get on the chair lift for such short runs. Since it's next to the freeway, it's easy to get to. I'd drive an extra 30 to 45 minutes to get to Squaw Valley, the runs are longer and there are runs where you can avoid the crowd.
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Review from Eric B.
5/10/2011
Boreal is sometimes represented as the closest Ski Resort from the Bay Area. I haven't done the mileage math to Kirkwood or Dodge Ridge, but at least along I-80, Sugar Bowl seems to be closer.
Yet when I look at Boreal directly from the Interstate, my first impulse is to exit and strap on those skis. And on Friday afternoon on May 6th, they were open! When you add night skiing, pricing specials, and easy accessibility, you definitely have the Little Ski Area that could.Comment from Jon S. of Boreal Mountain Resort 5/19/2011
Eric, Thanks for the great review. It's true that Sugar… More » -
Review from Paul C.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 3/17/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Boreal is one of my two favorite mountains for riding. Not a big place, four main lifts from the bunny to the mini-shred park to the quad lift to the top, plus a couple lifts on the south end and one on the north face.
For intermediate riders like me there is plenty to do - dozens of small jumps and rails and boxes, plus big stuff like full jumps and half pipe for me to dream about getting it over the lip.
Right now I 'm breaking for lunch - eating tuna fish, drinking a Racer5 for St Patty, and looking at a huge mountain of SNOW! Boreal doesn't have any long runs like Sierra, but they have a great central area and then fun stuff to both the north and south.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/31/2010
Smallish mountainside 1.5 hours northeast of Sac on 80. Set up for boarders to get air and ride… Read more »
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Review from Mona C.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2011 6 photos
[M]ona: 3.5 Stars
[W]ayne: 3.5 Stars
Average: 3.5 Stars
+ Good for Beginners
+ Student Discounts on Fridays (Bring ID)
+ Decent Prices
- Small
[W] This is a great place to take a beginner snowboarder or skier because it has nice small bunny slopes and a couple of easy to advanced slopes as well. I also like coming here because it's one of the closer ski resorts to San Francisco. It was roughly about a 3 hour drive without traffic and we came on a beautiful sunny day.
Rentals here were $39 for all the snowboarding gear. It includes the boots, bindings, and board. Lift tickets today were $49 a person for off season and for holidays it's $59. The only thing that really sucks about this resort is that it's so small that when there are ski or snowboard lessons, the lifts can get backed up quite quickly. You have to stand in line until the whole class gets up the mountain/hill and when you're done waiting, now you have a dozen or more students all falling down on the hill and you have to go around them.
Overall it's a really nice ski/snowboarding resort for beginners again. If you're a student, don't forget to come here on Fridays and BRING YOUR ID because it's only $15 for a lift ticket! You really can't beat that deal! I wouldn't mind coming here again in the future but I would search for another resort is you're looking for longer and more technical slopes i.e. Northstar at Tahoe or Kirkwood.
PARKING: The lot can be a little small here so make sure you come early because I saw plenty of people circling around after 12pm. -
Review from cassie b.
San Francisco, CA
Small mountain, but great for those who need to get back into skiing or boarding, or maybe its your first time.
Watch out for lots of kids classes though because one of the runs is so mellow its almost too good for the little ones.
Should I have felt bad that I was gearing up to go on the lift next to fifteen 4 year olds wearing neon green vests? I think not. -
Review from Cathy N.
San Jose, CA
1/11/2011
Boreal is perfect for beginner snowboarders...great place to take your friends if it's their first time boarding. Not the biggest resort but it's a lot less crowded so less likely you'll run into anyone or even get runned over. Since it's more on the smaller side, it makes it easy to find your friends as well.
Not my preferred place to board since there's not that many trails and most of them are pretty short too. But they have night boarding here which is pretty awesome - you can actually hit the slopes up until 9pm. If you're quite the pro-active boarder, there's also a park where you can practice some tricks and stunts. Plus they always have some crazy cheap deals so if you don't want to spend a grip at the larger, more popular resorts, definitely swing by here to get your snowboarding fix.Listed in: Time to Terrorize the Slopes!
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Review from Noelle S.
1/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Do NOT, DO not DON'T go here for tubing, it sucks, bites and blows.
First you have to wait in line at a shack with two windows, only one open for an entire HOUR before you can even get to the slope. Hubby went snowboarding and had already done two runs before we even got to see the runs. We could not believe that they took so damn long to let people in. What a joke this is; they need to fix this process.
Next, it's 25 bucks a person, even for kids - I paid 75 dollars for three of us! What a friggin rip off. Once we made it past the entrance we saw the runs, which are about 6 or 7 runs. Oh and yes, ANOTHER LINE to get an actual tube to ride on - joke #3.
We waited another 35 minutes to get a tube, went up the conveyer belt and waited AGAIN for a slide to open. This is so lame. The workers have to tell you when to go because the people down at the bottom have to cross all of the lanes to get back to the line - yes another line. And this process takes forever as well because they are not streamlining anything here.
Once at the bottom, you have to give up your friggin tube each time to wait in the 35 minute line AGAIN so that you can go up the slope and wait again. The kids were miserable here with all the waiting in the cold. They were all complaining about the lines and their poor frozen feet while standing around so, so much.
So, needless to say, we only went down two runs before we were totally over this waiting around experience at Boreal. I hated paying 12.50 a run for this horribly managed tubing place. I triple dog hate this place, no sugar coating here!
Do yourself a favor, go to Big 5, pick up some saucers and go off the side of the road on the way up the mountain and have lots of fun going down as many times as you want - for free! -
Review from Vicky H.
11/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
I LOVE THIS PLACE! Its perfect for beginners and the view is so nice. I love going here for the obvious reasons, its very close to the freeway, their student discounts, and the amazing scenery.
They have a lot of slopes and lifts depending on your experience. But be warned there are a lot of noobies that go here watch out for them or you will run them over...or maybe even you will get run over. :x -
Review from Jennifer L.
Cupertino, CA
1/31/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I have only skied once in my life - and it was at a little resort in the French Alps. So my review of Boreal has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the mountain. Of that, I cannot speak.
However, as a parent, I can say that this is a great little resort for your children. I have an 8 year old daughter and a 10 year old son. We went to Boreal during Thanksgiving week, because Tahoe Donner wasn't open yet. We discovered that Boreal has great deals for beginners. Boreal currently has a 1-2-3 promotion. The first day is $75 for lesson and rental. The second and third day, only $25 for lesson and rental. On the fourth day you show up, you get a free season pass. In and of itself, this is a great deal.
However, I must also compliment the staff because the instructors are terrific. My daughter adored her instructor (and cried when we left to go home because she missed him.) My son really liked his instructor too. Both improved tremendously with lessons. When we returned to the mountain a few weeks later, both instructors remembered our kids by name. I thought that was cool.
Finally, the bar is in an ideal location to watch the skiers and check on your kids. You have a great view of the jumps from the bar where you can see snowboarders experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The bartender Drew serves up killer Bloody Marys to start your day right. When you get hungry, there is a cafeteria down stairs from the bar where you can pick up standard grill type food. -
Review from Justin C.
1/24/2011 1 photo
A small resort compared to some of the big names on the mountain. This is okay to me though. It's cheap!
$15 on Friday with a student ID! How awesome is that!?
The hills are often groomed well and the pipe and terrain park are pretty good. The slopes lack steepness but its made up by the time it takes to get there. In 1.25 hours from Sacramento, you could be surfing on that powdery white.
The food is expensive so I recomend you pack a lunch. Parking is plentiful and they allow tailgating as well as parking for snowshoers/XC skiers using the nearby Castle Peak area. The PCT skirts right by this place so it's a great jump-off place in the summer months when hiking.
Renting was pretty cheap a few years ago. I don't know what the status is now because I now have my own gear. Call ahead.Listed in: Sunday Funday
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Review from Tanya A.
1/6/2011
I went to Boreal for a weekend in December. First of all, I only had credit card with me, and their credit cards were not working!! After borrowing from a friend, I went to get my rental equipment. There was no one to help me get my boots or my board. It took practically 45 minutes to get my equipment. There was no line or anything--the resort was just short of staff!! I stared at employees who were bustling around as to imply I was waiting for someone to help me, but they just looked away as if saying, "that's not my job!"
Once on the slopes, there were no employees helping at the ski lifts. I haven't been boarding in ages, and of course, I would stumble getting on the lift the first time. Thankfully, I had some friends who could help.
We paid full price for the lift tickets, but guess what! More than half the lifts were closed!! They failed to disclose this upon payment.
Boreal is a no-no. Try another resort in Tahoe. -
Review from Andrew D.
Fremont, CA
1/16/2011
First Big Air! Also, first broken tail bone!
Boreal is my proverbial birds nest, where I was born into the boarding world here. Raised on regurgitated powder, and weaned off green circles, I grew up on this little mountain. Back when I was 18, I took the first paycheck I've ever earned and threw it down on a GNU snowboard, Burton Bindings, and Rossignol boots. What a nice little mash up that was. The resort boasts being the first to open every season, with really cheap lift ticket prices, and student deals, its definitely worth checking out for the budget shredder.
Every Friday we would head up to the pass to hit up the $10 college student all day lift ticket. It has recently increased to $15 for the college deal. We would bomb the Mt. all day take naps in the jeep, then get back to shredding into the night. For those who have not been to Boreal, it is one of the few resorts that have night skiing. Granted its only the main run, but the park stays open too. I don't think I would be the boarder I am today without the Boreal $10 Fridays. All that slope time for very little cash will improve even the slowest learner, i.e. ME!
Being up there so much we became well familiar with the entire Boreal staff. We were known as parking lot crusaders because we were constantly tail gating the jeep blasting music, eating, drinking, among other things. People were always being directed to us for assistance with pulling out snow logged cars on account we had a winch perfect for the job. One day we made over $100 in tips from people we saved during a huge storm.
I made one trip to Boreal last year. For the most part its remained unchanged. The Staff have always been great. Chair lifts are quick. They have a few decent length runs, a boarder-cross route, and plenty of big air jumps. I've heard they introduced a 50x50 bag jump, which would have come in handy back in the day before I smashed my tail bone. /sigh. Oh well, always good times on the slopes. -
Review from Johanna P.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2011
Best deal you can get for college student which is $15 on Fridays with college ID.
This means, as a beginner-intermediate, it's perfect to hone in your skills! Sure the resort is smaller but in terms of saving money and being able to snowboard/ski 9am-9pm for that cheap, it a dream come true, for me at least.
Quick tip: They have ski/snowboard checks so if you need to go potty or eat lunch/dinner and don't want to leave your stuff alone, you can check it in with an attendant for free. -
Review from TeaBoy A.
Sacramento, CA
12/25/2010
Pro-
Great Pricing
Con-
It was Closed due to weather condition T_T -
Review from Karla L.
Los Altos, CA
2/7/2011
The skiing is fine but the lodge itself is a disaster. We were here on Sunday and they could not manage to clean the FILTHY bathrooms or even keep them open for any length of time. I tried to tell several employees that the bathrooms were dirty or non functioning and no one did anything.
Food is very basic and overpriced but that is pretty typical for ski resorts.Comment from Jon S. of Boreal Mountain Resort 2/18/2011
Karla, Thanks for the review. Info like this needs to be… More » -
Review from Anisha M.
Fremont, CA
1/10/2011 6 photos
I love this place. I have been going here for years!
Its a great place to skii/snowboard for beginners. Also it great for people like me who have some experience but want to take it easy. We usually leave from Fremont at 5 am to get there around 9am. But this time we stayed in reno and left at 8:30am. Surprisingly, there were no long lines to get rental gear and lift tickets.
I totally recommend this place for skiing/snowboarding. It is a great place!!
BTW: you need a credit card to rent gear. -
Review from Laura P.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/3/2010 2 photos
First off, I've never been to the snow. EVER. I've seen it from a distance, but mostly what I know about it is what I've heard from friends and movies. So getting a chance to walk in the snow and touch it was an experience on it's own.
That being said, I came here last weekend and decided to try snowboarding. I opted to take the beginner lesson and get the package deal ($65 for lift ticket , lesson, and rental). At first I was hesitant to take the lesson because I had heard from multiple people that it doesn't help much. But in the end I was glad I went.
Lesson Highlights:
- Our instructor Chris was great. He was fun, upbeat, and catered to each person's needs.
- The lesson offers a way to meet other beginner snowboarders.
- Group size was decent (5-10 people per group), but they offer an unlimited number of sign-ups and split the group up if there's too many people.
- A good way to learn snowboarding basics.
- Lessons are about 1.5 hours.
- They take you to a lesson area where you have your own space to practice, and then you take the ski-lift to the smallest hill.
- Boreal offers the "1-2-3 Ride Free" deal, where you can come back and do the same thing for only $25, and then get a free season pass.
I'm really glad that I chose to take the lesson. As silly as it sounds, I watched YouTube videos for beginner snowboarders the day before and thought that I had everything down. But it's much different when you have an instructor teach you and you get to see everything in person. I also found the rental gear to be in good condition. It may not be expensive, pro snowboarder stuff, but it's definitely not old, smelly, broken-down stuff either.
This probably isn't the place for intermediate or advanced snowboarders, since the mountain is on the small side and there isn't much variety. But it's the perfect place for beginners and families with children.
Surprisingly, I found that stopping was the hardest part for me. I could make it down the hill without falling down, but coming to a complete stop at the bottom was the most difficult aspect for me. I had a great time going down the hills over and over again, but it does take a toll on your body (especially if you're not used to being active). My knees felt pretty banged up the next day and my neck was sore.
Overall, I had a great experience. The weather was PERFECT! It was sunny, warm, fresh snow, and not too crowded. I'm glad that my first time was such a positive one. I will definitely be back. -
Review from Anna K.
Milpitas, CA
2/23/2009
Boreal is a nice little snow park. $5 for 2 hours of play and $25 for 2 hours of tubing. We just played in the snow with the kids. I was being a little chicken along with my 6 year old to do any tubing. We all still had fun building igloos and having snow ball fights.
The only thing I didn't like was how long it took to get the passes. My husband had to sign a waiver saying we wouldn't sue if we got hurt and that Boreal was not liable. After signing the waiver he had to get back in line and pay for our admission. The whole process took 15-20 mins :( but the kids were able to play in the snow on the side while we waited so that was pretty cool.
I'd come back. The kids had fun and that's all that really matters. -
Review from Vincent K.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2009
It's nice going on a week long training class in Sacramento and having the opportunity to go up to Boreal for a quick fix to that snowboarding itch. That was the case for me a couple of weeks ago when I got myself a nice free stay at a hotel in Sac. After class got out at 5pm, I rushed home to change and drive up to Boreal or a good 2 hours of boarding right when sunset hit. That was nice. Seeing the sun set as the orange sky reflects off of the white ground.
There are good and bad for night boarding at Boreal. It's cool that you get to board at night regardless, but the floor turns icey making it a painful fall. Also, I find that it's mostly experienced folks that come here during that time. But for $25 on the company per diem, I'm very happy I came here. How I wish if I went to davis for college, this would have been so convenient. -
Review from Linda L.
Fremont, CA
10/23/2008
This place is probably the place you wanna be if you're a broke college kid that wants to skip out on friday classes ... or possibly even thursday classes.
The college fridays are the best deals you can get, but that is probably the only price i'm willing to pay to board on this mountain. Its very good if you want to practice and see if you are into snowboarding/skiing.
The only thing that i didnt like about this mountain is after you have mastered the bunny slope (very short) and want to take something slightly challenging and longer .. its not good for snowboarding! the longest path has a lot of plateaus so it was quite a work out just skating it across.. instead of any boarding. -
Review from James N.
1/8/2010
My first time ever snowboarding was here. Came here with my friends family. It was fun but I had a fun/bad experience. Being a first timer, I skipped the lessons and went strait for the hills, My friends and I decided to follow some little white kids who looked like they were 9 because we thought they suck too and would lead us to a easy hill. We ended up at a double-black diamond. :O So look at our situation. Noobs on snowboards following little white skiers to the hardest hill at Boreal. DUN DUN DUN !!! Took us 2 painful cooooold hours to get down. By the time we made it down, we made a giant snowball and destroyed it.
The Lobby was really nice and clean. Food sucked though. I had frozen boogers all over my face and no one told me until I went to the bathroom and saw my face in the mirror. It looked gross. I was walking around like I was cool with boogies on my nose.
Pros - Nice Lobby, The bunny hill is perfect for me and noobies. The store offers a lot of affordable gear for snowboarding and skiing. The bathrooms are REALLY nice and clean. There is a mirror in front of the urinal THUS ! My discovery of my boogies.
Cons - Damn you double black diamonds !!! The food in the lobby is like school food. Nasty and overpriced. Their arcade only has like ... 5 games including DDR.
I came here when I was a freshmen in high school I am now a sophomore in college. I don't think I'm gonna be any better just because my title is different. -
Review from Chris T.
Hayward, CA
Updated - 9/6/2008
I was in the area right after we got snowed in near the end of last season with some friends and decided to play in the park on this day. There was some sort of trick competition going on, so all the snowcats were running getting the jumps and lips nice and groomed. We also spent the majority of the day on the lost dutchmen, bombing down the boarder cross area, nothing gets your blood boiling faster then a run through the high banked section, running three-four people wide that runs into a narrow chicane where the inside line is cut in by a massive dead tree... Good times...
I am now counting down until the start of the next incoming season... Waxing my board starting....... now!Listed in: Got outside and do…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/17/2008
I have to admit it, I graduated almost 3 years ago from college and I still keep my old beat up… Read more »
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Review from Zakk D.
San Jose, CA
4/1/2009
Boreal has no illusions of what it is: A mountain transformed into a jibtastic park land filled with every shape and size kicker, tabletop, hip, and spine you can imagine with one of the best half pipes around to boot.
No vertical to speak of, but it is a blast for ground tricks, butters, jibbing, jumps, and the like.
$25 night riding is a great way to waste an evening as well.Listed in: Shred the GNAR!!
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Review from Michael R.
Sacramento, CA
9/18/2006
TEN YEARS AT BEGINNER LEVEL. Yeah, that's me. This'll be my tenth snowboarding season. Yet, I'm still at beginner level. I rule! I can get down an "intermediate" run just fine, but I tend to fall a lot on the way down. And don't put any small hills in front of me, because if I get off the ground I'm done for! Still... I love the snow and I love snowboarding. I even bought my own board the year I learned!
But this isn't about me and my skills. No, this is about Boreal. Thank you, Boreal. Thank you for being so close. And thank you for being cheap. Those two things make you the greatest resortHAHAHA... sorry, calling you a "resort" makes me laugh, 'cause you're NOT! You're pretty much just the side of a mountain. But I love you just the same, Boreal. Keep on being cheap and close and I'll keep on coming back. -
Review from Jeff I.
San Pablo, CA
8/9/2007
I actually find this place kind of cool. If you're a beginner you'll love it because they offer some of the most easy to learn and not so long runs. If you are a park rat like I am starting to become then you'll have fun on anything from the Core to the various progession park features that are all over the place. Also the Superpipe here is usually open before other resorts.
Boreal has a laid back atmosphere, very family friendly, and people there that shred and ski there are chill. They have a really laid back staff, that are helpful and also cool to chat with too.
It's cheaper than most resorts, and also offer $10 Fridays for college kids. Oh yeah and speaking of which, if you have kids Boreal offers a share pass where both parents can play tag team, one takes care of the kids in Boreals fun center/cafe, the other goes out and shreds or skiis. When you ready to switch, no problem, because you can since you paid for the snow share ticket.
Did I forget to mention that they have night riding? Well yes they do, and that adds even more to how much I think of Boreal. If you work like I do, and can't make it early on the weekdays, guess what, they are open till 9PM and if you come after 3 you pay half price the normal ticket. If you are looking to kill a day, well your full price ticket covers both your day and night session. $40 something bucks for snow play from 9 to 9... sick, and I've done that more than once. Granted that the lighting system covers only a few runs but still lots of fun to be had.
Warning, if you are not either of those, a park rat, a beginner, or a family looking for a nice outting, then this place might not be the best place for you. They offer a backside for people looking to do natural features, but not much after that.
But I digress from my rather lengthy review, go there for yourself and have fun, that's what it's all about. -
Review from Rocco B.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2008
The great philosopher Confucius once had these wise words.
"You get what you pay for."*
And in this case he's completely right. $25 for night skiing is a GREAT price, and makes Boreal an excellent value.
There are only 3 main routes down the mountain during night skiing, and after a few hours they get a little boring. But this is one of the closest places to the Bay Area / Sac Town and it's ON I-80. Again, it's 25 bucks.
The short runs are more tailored towards boarders (lots of jumps and tricks).
The cafe and bar are "movie theater priced", but they're not over-the-top like at the big fancy resorts. Warning: they close the bar an hour before the lifts, supposedly to cut down on drunk driving.
*Actually I may have taken artistic liberty on that quote. His great wisdom is "He who goes to sleep with itchy ass wakes up with smelly finger". FYI. -
Review from Kara V.
1/26/2011
Mid week night skiing is the bomb! You can see actually better then you might think. The lighting provides good contrast on the snow. Its a fun unique date night. Day skiing with the crowds...forget it!
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Review from Celeste M.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2006 1 photo
We arrived at Boreal a little after 3pm yesterday. It wasn't too crowded and the line for the lifts (2 total) moved fairly quickly. This is a perfect place for someone who is just starting out (snowboarding or skiing), but I think that all ages and all levels will enjoy their time here.
I really wanted to do the Beginner Package ($65) that included 1 3/4 hour lesson, beginner lift ticket and equipment rental, but we missed the last session at 2:30pm. Private lessons are also available and making a reservation is recommended.
We just ended up going on our own. Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought and I was standing on my board the first time I went down the slope. Just like surfing, it just came naturally to me. I'm totally addicted now -- I want to buy my own snowboard before I go back again :-)!
I liked the spacious cafe and bar (upper deck bar). It was really nice to relax with a glass of ice-cold $3.00 PBR as I devoured my chili in a sourdough bowl.
$25 for a lift ticket + $35 Snowboard Package = $ FUN $ -
Review from Olma M.
Burlingame, CA
1/4/2007 2 photos
I'm a pretty sentimental person, so my instinct was to give 4 stars to this place, because of my latest positive & memorable experience here! But, alas, I can now step back and try to be objective.
We braved a road trip on 12/27/2006, determined to finally learn how to snowboard for the very first time! Boreal was the destination of choice since we just wanted a straight drive on 80 and we wanted to hit the first place we saw. Our plan was to pay for group lessons, and take it from there.
I was pretty unprepared but it didn't stop me. I had my jeans, one fleece jacket, a down vest and some fleece gloves - that was it! It was freezing and I was scared to death.
As soon as we arrived, we noticed a packed parking lot, but we still managed to easily park relatively near the front entrance. As soon as you enter the lodge, there are clearly marked signs for restrooms, rentals, etc. The place was bustling, but despite a few minutes wait in line, the whole process was pretty smooth.
We had a late start that a.m., so our 3:15p arrival was too late for the last group snowboarding lesson. We opted to rent our boards/boots and wing it!!! For $60 each, we had our gear and a lift ticket good through 9pm.
The guy at the snowboard counter was kind enough to give us some few beginner tips, after asking "if you were to kick me, which leg would you use!?" From then, he proceeded to instruct us to put our Left leg in the front (I woulda kicked him with my right leg!), and how to get in/out of the bindings and on/off the lift. By this point, my heart was racing. Not only was I deathly afraid of heights, I have a bad tendency to lose any sense of control, with any increase in velocity!
Rest assured, the hill was full of very nice, patient snowboarders willing to give us more tips. I swear I didn't learn how to get off the lift until I was in line to get on the lift! Thank you, Boreal, for having nice people willing to help out the beginners.
The employees, generally speaking, were extremely awesome. Totally helpful, attentive and personable. Thank you guy at the top of the lift for not getting mad at me or laughing at me; Thank you snowmobile guy for checking up on me as I hiked/boarded up/down the bunny slope even after the lift closed; Thank you everyone who was anywhere near me for giving me my space!
After about an hour or so of beginner boarding (Yes, I did it!), we headed indoors to return our gear and get some grub. The cafeteria leaves much to be desired, but I swear, those were the best darn french fries, particularly after a grueling snowboarding adventure. The "Upper Deck" bar upstairs was a bit divey but maybe that's why I liked it. There were plenty of t.v. screens to keep up with sports scores and a jukebox with some cool music. Also, the view of the slopes added a nice touch.
I'll be back, Boreal. But please please please refill the women's restrooms with adequate supply of toilet seat covers and toilet paper! I can't wait to check out other resorts.Listed in: Snowboarding!
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Review from Stef V.
Elk Grove, CA
4/1/2011
It's a hit or miss. For $15, you get what you pay for..& I'm a broke ass college student so I'm not complaining. Shredded, no cheese!
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Review from Nance W.
San Francisco, CA
1/14/2009
I remember about 3 years ago when college lift tickets were only $10.
It's $20 now, but that's okay. I don't know why people are complaining. You have to factor in the bad economy and inflation. They gotta make money. $20 is still cheap compared to other places.
And yes, this is a better place for beginners but I don't think it's not bad for people who are more advanced.
They have jump ramps, a half pipe, and some other stuff... I don't know what they're called haha. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember seeing a half pipe here a few years ago!
This place will remain 4 stars for me, until I conquer this place and move onto bigger and better ski resorts! -
Review from Venice C.
Berkeley, CA
4/28/2010
I finally decided to try skiing and came to Boreal because I heard it's great for beginners. I did the Boreal 1-2-3 Ride Free beginners lessons program and it was definitely worth the money! The instructors (I had Mark, Barbara, and Clio) were all great and really helpful. Each lesson was almost 2 hours long and varied in the number of students. My third lesson was on a Friday morning (took the day off work) so the hubby and I were the only students. That meant that we ended up with a private lesson (score!). I also like that they're open until 9pm for most of the season.
The annoying thing about this resort is that it gets really crowded, both on the slopes and in the lodge. Since this place is popular with beginners, it means that the main green runs at the front are always littered with people who fell while skiing/snowboarding and decided to just sit there and recuperate for a while. Great for them, but not for the person who has to try to avoid them while skiing/snowboarding down the hill. I try to think of it as target practice, except the opposite since I have to try to miss the many human targets. I'd recommend hiking over to the the less crowded lifts located away from the front. -
Review from Jose O.
Alameda, CA
3/4/2010
-Caters to Snowboarder =).
-If the snow levels are good you will find many boxes and rails.
-Draws a younger crowd.
-Food for Vegetarians sucks.
-On the cheap side, $47 for adults.
-Nigh boarding (1 lift opened only).
-Righ off HWY 80.
-It's a good place to learn (I did).
-Runs are not very long.
-On Fridays they have furloughed, military & student discounts.
-Usually the first to open & last to close for the season. -
Review from Susan P.
Irvine, CA
2/20/2007
How can you beat $10 Fridays?
So you can skip class for a day and not feel guilty for blowing your money on gas and on a lift ticket because it's just $10. Very nice, indeed.
When I went, it was snowing like crazy and it was wonderful! I was very much the beginner then, so I had some trouble with the flatter, narrower tree-lined paths. I just didn't know any better, but overall, Boreal is a nice, not-too-crowded place on Fridays to work on your snowboarding without going near broke. Doesn't seem like an exciting place to go snowboarding at, but it does do the job.
The lodge and eating area is spacious and simply serves its purpose. I liked the carpeting which made it easier to walk around. Nice big windows to look out and stare at the snow drifting down. The food wasn't too good though.
