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Snow Valley Mountain Resort
Categories: Hotels & Travel Ski Resorts Active Life Parks Ski Resorts, Parks [Edit]
35100 Hwy 18Running Springs, CA 92382
(909) 867-2751
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 8:30 am - 4 pm
Fri 8:30 am - 8 pm
Sat 8 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
46 reviews for Snow Valley Mountain Resort
46 reviews in English
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Review from Nicole S.
Riverside, CA
1/23/2012
Our purpose of going to Snow Valley was for entertainment for the kiddos while staying in a cabin for the weekend in the mountains with some friends. We did the snow play and had a lot of fun. The prices were okay, $15 for my 5 year old and $19 each for my 8 year old and myself. There was a winter snow storm of rain and wind so the lift for the snow play hill was not on which was a little bit of a bummer because it meant we could not go all the way to the top of the hill for the sledding but we still had a lot of fun. The sleds were included with the price of the snow play which was good. It was very cold and I did not regret spending extra money before coming up on snow boots/pants/jackets for the kids and I.
We also ate at the restaurant while there, food was just okay, a little pricey but kind of what you expect when you go to a place like this. We had nachos, pizza and fries.
The staff there were incredibly friendly and helpful. We will definitely go again next year. -
Review from Cynthia S.
Los Angeles, CA
2/1/2012
Having been a skier for a very long time, as have my now grown children; We were told Snow Valley was a very family oriented resort, so we looked forward to an outing that included several young children. Many of them would be taking a group lesson.
It was only a few minutes into the lesson that we would be stunned and saddened by the treatment and lack of professionalism displayed by the staff at Snow Valley.
Certainly not something we'll subject young children to ever again :( -
Review from Robert L.
Tustin, CA
1/29/2012
This review is for their snow play area where you ride down a small hill on a sled.
Snow valley was recommended to us by our cabin nearby as a close option for sledding. Their prices were a bit high -- $31 for all day sledding using their lift to get up, or $19 if you want to just walk up. Being cheap and not minding a bit of exercise, we decided to go with the $19 option. Once we got there, paid $5 parking and tried to buy the tickets, they told us that the $19 option was only available on days when they did not operate the lift. That... is lame, especially since we already paid for parking. After a few minutes of deliberation, we grudgingly paid the $62 for two people.
After a couple minutes on the slow chair lift, we found ourselves at the back of a massive line of people waiting their turn sled down single file. It took literally about 40 minutes to get to the front of the line and take your 20 second sled ride down to the bottom. We went 3 times... that was about 6 minutes of chair lift time, 2 hours of waiting, and 1 minute of sledding. If you do the math, that's about $31/minute of real sled time, or $1860/hour. Horribly expensive, a terrible system, and mildly entertaining. And they sent me down the hill sledding when someone was walking up and I nearly crashed into them. -
Review from Lany H.
Chula Vista, CA
1/25/2012
I was here for a day and got a really awesome discount from the snowjam card. Half-Off--Not bad. There was pretty much only 2 runs open when I went the week after Christmas. It was snowing hard enough that you had to wear chains and there were only 2 runs open. Kind of a waste of a mountain if you ask me. It was well groomed and there were no lines which was pretty great.
But when it comes to reviews, it's all comparative. This place.... NOTHING like Snow Summit. Yeah, it has a somewhat cool freestyle area. But...if you want want the full experience of snowboarding I'd take it and drive the extra 30-45 mins to the "better" resort. It's definitely worth the extra money and windy roads. -
Review from Mark G.
Huntington Beach, CA
2/4/2012
This place is horrible, seems like all the good reviews are written by people at snow valley
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Review from Jody L.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
1/29/2012
Unfortunately zero stars is not an option, so I generously awarded Snow Valley one star. We had the worst experience here with somebody involved with our Group Lesson. And when we contacted Snow Valley with our complaint nothing was done. We won't be back.
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Review from Anne R.
San Bernardino, CA
1/29/2012
This resort is so pathetic! Besides the fact they charge for parking, the bathrooms looked like a tornado hit it! We decided to try there because it was closer than going up to big bear. Well take it from me, take the extra 25 min for a better experience! My friend decided on a snowboard session and the kids in rentals all had head phones on, and looked high. If you decide that snowboarding isn't for you and want to switch to skis be prepared to shell out 5.00. Which, I understand isn't much but its the point, to keeps customers coming back and give good customer service it should be an even trade. Than I was stuck on the chair lift for about 20 min. As I was unloading they gave me a ticket to take to guest service. Again guest service was as unprofessional (silly me to assume one would get good service... at guest services) this entire place is a joke and its no wonder this resort is even still in business. Moral of this story kids.... take the extra time to hit up bear or summit. Were they are friendly, professional and have clean restrooms. Don't waste your money!!!! Giving this place one star was my only option as negitve stars was not available!
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Review from Nita B.
Marina del Rey, CA
12/1/2011
Considering this was my first time hitting any slopes, ever, I liked it here! The lift operators were very nice and gave advice and patience as this was my first time. The bunny hill was just long enough to feel like I had accomplished something great! The price was right as well- 30 for 1/2 day.
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Review from Gary B.
Laguna Beach, CA
11/21/2011
The staff at Snow Valley is very helpful. We look forward to a fun ski season!
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Review from Karen C.
Updated - 1/25/2011
**Snow Valley Restaurant**
Was hungry mid-day after boarding all morning and wanted to supplement the lunch I brought with a small side. I saw Sweet Potato Fries on the menu for $4 and was eager to try it.
I had to wait a long time for my food to come out. =/ The quality of the fries sucked, after the first bite I have to say they were the blandest sweet potato fries I've ever eaten. These Sweet Potato Fries had no sweetness or potato flavor... if I knew that the fries sucked this bad I would have ordered something else. At least they came out hot and after the long wait I was hungry enough to eat my order and half of my friend's who was so disappointed that she couldn't finish her fries. =(
Other friends that ordered the burgers here also disappointed... It's just that Snow Valley Mountain Resort knows they got you trapped for the day and that they can get away with selling crappy food for unfair prices. Granted they had variety, you could get anything from soup, chili, nachos, pizza to the crap burger and fries I mentioned. But I can do with less variety as long as the quality was stepped up.
Positives: The staff was friendly and you could pay with credit card. Also free water provided from a giant cooler so you can stay hydrated, and avoid paying $3 for a bottle of Aquafina.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/20/2011
Came here for the first time over MLK weekend, and it exceed my expectations. I got a free lift… Read more »
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Review from Kenneth N.
Monterey Park, CA
1/9/2011
This is the perfect place to take friends learning to ski and snowboard.
They have a nice little run for them at the bottom that's pretty flat, and another area for those learning park. Only downside is that all the upper trails funnel into there, but you can avoid it if you jump onto the middle of chair 1.
Up top they have huge and small airs alike as well as some jibs and rails thrown in there for good measure. They have a back mountain that gets opened when they get enough snowfall too.
This place can be a great alternative to Big Bear/Summit
- you pass by it to get to Big Bear (at least from LA)
- tickets cheaper (cheaper...er? from local shops on the way up)
- easier runs for those starting and harder runs for the more experienced rider
It doesn't have the variety other mountains have, but it definitely has everything you need. -
Review from william w.
Newport Beach, CA
4/4/2011 1 photo
Sensing the snow was not going to last forever, my 10 year-old son and I packed it up last Thursday and headed for Snow Valley. Both of us novice snowboarders (this was our 2nd time!) we were excited to get in some runs before summer.
I Did a little on-line research and found some "promo" codes that got me a $9.99 lift ticket. I put my son in their "explorer" program which is a half day group lesson (9-11:30) and an all-day lift ticket for around $60.00, which ended up being a GREAT bargain as he was the only one in class! His instructor was wonderful and very encouraging. He got my son up on chair 13 (advanced beginner) within an hour and he was on his way!
All the staff at Snow Valley were exceptional. All very helpful and willing to do whatever they needed to to make your experience great. For example, I stopped one of the instructors to ask him what runs I should try for a bit more of a challenge. He took several minutes asking me about which runs I had been down and suggested I try chair 1. He even offered to ride up with me!
Overall a great time! Next season we wont wait so long! I just wish it would snow again so we can go back before then! -
Review from amaree t.
Marina del Rey, CA
1/6/2011
I have been to snow valley several times- my last time was just last week (12/30). We came up here early in the morning, but didn't get on the mountain until late because of a delay with chains. (Make sure you have the right size chains before driving up!)
Snow Valley is a great alternative to Big Bear if you aren't a hardcore boarder/skier. It never gets too crowded and you can always buy discounted tickets at Sport Chalet. I have never seen more than 4 lifts open at a time, but that's usually enough for me.
I recommend doing rentals before you get there (sport chalet or a local place) so you don't have to wait in line.
Overall, a good alternative choice to Snow Summit, etc. -
Review from Kevin Y.
Brea, CA
1/4/2011
Quiet on 1st day of 2011. Nice sun shine make white mountain sparkling.
Thingking picked right date skiing. -
Review from Christy L.
Brea, CA
2/27/2010 1 photo
On our way up to Bear Mountain, there was a van from Snow Valley handing out coupons to all the people on the side of the road strugging to put snow chains on their tires. We noticed it was $22 for an ALL DAY lift ticket so instead of driving all the way to Bear Mountain, we decided to check out Snow Valley. Glad we did!!! Much shorter drive compared to Bear Mountain.
The weather condition was not the greatest considering it was snowing and hailing and raining all day. Luckily we got there early enough to avoid the snow storm which came around noon. I liked how this resort wasn't too big and overwhelming like Snow summit or Bear Mountain. The trails might not be as nice once you get up to the blue/black diamond area compared to Bear Mountain. But the slopes were wide and perfect for those who are beginner to intermediate.
For $22, I would definetely come back here again considering the distance, crowd and price. Skiing while it was snowing wasn't too fun but it was sure nice to see snow falling from the sky!!!
Cons: Rental for boots and ski=$30
Lodging area is small with long lines during peak lunch time.
Pros: HUGE bathrooms with couple dozen stalls!!Listed in: Best of Los Angeles
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Review from Jun T.
Ladera Ranch, CA
5/27/2010
Now that snowboard season is over, I figure I'd review Snow Valley.
Not being an expert snowboarder, you have to take this review with a grain of salt.
Since I am a novice snowboarder, I actually liked Snow Valley better than Mammoth. Although Mammoth is quite a bit larger. Easy trails to board and not overcrowded at all. All the staff are helpful and friendly. Plus, it's a much shorter drive here than anywhere else.
I'm sure as I get more experienced, my view might change, but either way, Snow Valley is a great place to get your skills down before you really can appreciate the nicer resorts. If you're just starting out, you'll be running down the beginner and intermediate slopes anyways!!Listed in: Guy stuff on Yelp
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Review from Debby L.
9/11/2008
My family and I have been skiing for 23 years, and we live in Southern California. There isn't a lot of options down here unless you make a trip to Mammoth or Utah.
I have to agree with Helen in that I actually prefer this place to Big Bear as well. Here are my reasons:
-- Although Big Bear is grand and wonderful and all, it is PACKED with random people that DO NOT know how to ski. Especially in the lower parts of the mountain. We are forced to leave the bottom and stay in the top half of the mountain all day long. Even then, during lunch, when we want to actually chill out and eat pho by the car (yes, as good and fast as we are, we are still GHETTO asian skiers), we can't. Feeding 4 hungry full grown kids is a lot of money, and the resort prices don't help. It's 5 dollars for a hot dog! At Snow Valley, we can park so close to the bottom and do not have to walk a million miles in our ski boots to get to the car. The eating area is small, but cozy, and the staff is friendlier than Big Bear.
-- We dont like lines. At Snow Valley, there are NO LINES. We go up and down, up and down. Although the lifts take a bit longer to get to the top, the ride down is nice. The black diamonds are like blue squares and we just zoom right through it. We ski right into the chair and rarely stand in line at all.
-- It's not as far as Big Bear. Every weekend, we pack up the Suburban at 7 am and drive up to ski and then come back down by 3 pm. Going to Big bear, we dont even get on the slope until at least 9 am and coming back down is pain in the ass since everyone and their momma is leaving as well. Snow Valley saves us half an hour going up, and at least another half hour going down.
It's nothing fancy, but it satisfies our craving for the snow without too much hassle. -
Review from Samuel L.
Los Angeles, CA
2/9/2009 2 photos
Snow Valley vs Big Bear (Round 1....fight!)
-30 min closer (x2 roundtrip = 60 mins) meaning you get an extra hour on the slopes and less time on the road behind some slowpoke on the 2-lane roads
-less runs, but not as crowded as big bear
-easier parking if you go late. big bear's remote lots require you to wait for shuttles both ways and wastes time you could be on the slopes
-shorter walk from parking lot to lifts (save time)
-bigger bathroom than Big Bear (less time waiting in line when you gotta go) and not too far from the lifts (saves a long walk)
-Vitamin Water (limited time) deal at Ralph's supermarkets the last couple years (buy 10 vitamin water for $10 and get a free weekday lift ticket worth about $44)
Obviously both cannot compare to more highly recommended destinations such as Mammoth or Whistler, so we all accept SoCal snow for what is is. It's hard to say one is significantly better than the other, so sometimes the little things are what count more.
Enjoy the photos! -
Review from Helen C.
2/22/2008
I'm going to get lambasted for saying this, but I actually prefer Snow Valley to Big Bear. For now. I say for now because I've only begun tackling the intermediate runs, so the quality of a run is not particularly important to me. So my main criteria are (1) length of lines to get on lifts and (2) absence of fallen boarders sprinkled across a mountain that I have to avoid.
This place is not as festive as the others in the area, but I'm OK with that since I'm not really looking to get hammered when I'm going down a snowy mountain. I could, however, do without the "Snow Play" option which tends to attract more kids and more people allowed on the snow = unnecessary crowds.Listed in: Weekend Trip to Big Bear
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Review from Heather D.
San Pedro, CA
1/11/2008 1 photo
This ski resort is perfect for absolute beginners, families and for those who are tired of very crowded runs like they have at Big Bear and Mtn High. The runs aren't as exciting as Big Bear but they are good for people who want to ride for the first time, and for those who have had a beginner's lesson or two, and just want to practice and improve their technique. There is less bad attitude here and a lot more professional behavior from riders.
I do have a bitch though, they accept credit cards but not ATM/debit cards when it comes to paying for lift tickets. -
Review from s r.
San Francisco, CA
12/29/2007
I *HEART* Snow Valley...
As a neophyte, I spent many a mid-week day at Snow Valley, honing my snowboarding skills. I have such fond, sentimental feelings for those slopes...and such lucid memories....sigh...
I first came to Snow Valley during the El Nino winter of 1997. It was off the charts good...knee to waist deep powder. Can you even imagine that sort of powder at such a low elevation today? Good times, good times...
The runs here aren't as challenging as those at Bear (or Summit). Thus, it's a great place to learn. Because of the elevation, Running Springs versus Big Bear Lake, Snow Valley usually gets less snow and opens a little later in the season. It usually closes earlier in the season than Bear, as well, although the depth of the snow pack in a good year can alter this.
The lower elevation usually means the snow isn't as icy on a bitter cold day and less windy, as well. It also shaves off a little bit of the mountain driving if you're someone who detests that. If the snow is decent, it makes for an easy drive up...half day on the mountain...drive down, as well. That is, if you can only get away for the day.
Keep your visits mid-week, though. Weekends and holidays are always a nightmare on the slopes...don't even come up on a weekend/holiday as a last resort. It's not worth it, as you'll be miserable...the slopes are packed.Listed in: Big Bear Lake, Like to Snowboard?????
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Review from Patti V.
San Luis Obispo, CA
1/25/2010
This place is a great example of poor management. We were there on Saturday after an abundant snowfall. Only 2 lifts were operating, one being the bunny-slope, which we had no interest in. The lines were insanely long. We stood in line for half an hour at lift 12 which was supposed to open 'any minute' according to the staff. We ended up leaving after waiting in lines for 1 1/2 hours. Our tickets hadn't been scanned so we decided to come back the next day.
On Sunday, it seemed to be promising - we got a few good runs in and decided to use the mid-slope lift and not ski to the bottom as it would be more crowded. Well, then they closed one of the two bottom lifts and the mid-slope lift lines became congested. The lift they 'closed' was running empty chairs up the mountain and no one we asked had an answer as to why.
One chair lift kicks around so quickly when you exit the chair, that it knocked me down pretty hard. I'd tried to sit toward the middle, push off the seat so the damn thing wouldn't keep catching me, but it got me.
We decided to go on another lift and when we looked back to grab the bar to sit down there were two people already sitting on the chair and the lift operator was staring off into space. We were knocked down, my husband's ankle twisted by the snow-board of one of the morons who sat in our chair. Had the lift operator been paying attention, she would have prevented that from happening.
Halfway down a run, some guy holds up poles and says for everyone to 'take a break' - 'help us out, stop'. I'm kind of pissed at this point because with all the delays, lift shutdowns and inept staff - now this guy says 'take a break'? Not until I ask, 'why'? does he answer that a cat is coming up the slope. I suggest he tells that to people immediately. It was unprofessional.
They lost power and after about 20 minutes had to use generator power. At that point we were done with the place.
If you don't mind an unprofessionally managed ski place that puts your safety at risk - go ahead.
The only thing good about the place was the snow, and they had nothing to do with that. -
Review from Erhan A.
Corona, CA
3/23/2011
Nice Ski Resort. Not the best I've ever been to but VERY close to the IE and also lower in price. Good food, never too crowded. Come here if you have a quick impulse urge to ski/board but don't want to pay too much. Also check out snowjam preferred cards, if you buy one they'll give you a free lift ticket here!
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Review from John G.
San Clemente, CA
3/1/2011
Snow valley is a small but fun mountain. They always have deals going and you can usually ride for around $25 a day (look online for deals).
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Review from David E.
Newport Beach, CA
1/25/2011
I'm an amateur snowboarder, for me this was a good place to learn because it isn't very crowded and its closer then the Big Bear resorts. I haven't been up there this year with the road closures but we had a lot of fun up there in the past. There isn't a lot to it, but thats ok unless you have high expectations.
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Review from Lee D.
4/24/2010 3 photos
This is a review by a skiing novice who got inspired by the Winter Olympics, and who is lucky enough to be living just three hours away from a ski resort.
Snow Valley became my first choice when I decided to head up to the mountains to try skiing. Their prices were a little less than the Big Bear resorts and the location was easier to get to. All five of us got the Learn to Ski package for $85/person (that's the weekend rate) which includes ski rentals and an hour and a half of lessons. The only thing is that unlike the resorts in Big Bear, Snow Valley does not have a "learn to ski guarantee" which allows somebody to take as many lessons as he/she needs to be comfortable on the slopes.
And the service in the chalet restaurants was so slow! Yes, it was a weekend and yes, there were lots of people and the lines were hella long, but at least they could've added more staff to accommodate the crowds. It took us an hour in line for a pizza but ended up not getting any at all because we had to catch the next lesson.
But if you live in SoCal and just want to get your feet wet in the winter sports, I guess Snow Valley ain't that bad. -
Review from Hung N.
Arcadia, CA
3/1/2011
This place is not too crowded. The runs are pretty fun on top. Down below are more for beginners. If you're beginning, this is great place to start. Now, not to say it isn't fun for the intermediate riders. It has a great snowboarding park -- jumps and boxes no worse than Mt. High. I'll go here over Mt. High anyday. Well except when it snow-- the drive there can be pretty bad. Other than that, I'll highly recommend this place.
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Review from Joseph W.
Arcadia, CA
1/25/2010
WOW... is this place for reals?
went there on Saturday over the weekend since the 330 was closed and I couldnt make it to Snow Summit. We were forced to board here.
Lines were long. NO ATM/ CREDIT CARD machines...
Tickets SAME PRICE as snow summit... are u serious?
Buy our tickets and then find out ONLY the 2 bunny slopes are open...
All the other lifts are closed because this resort ( can't even really call it a resort) is too poor to afford real machinery. They don't even have enough staff to handle the mountain.
We waited over 3 hours for them to finally open lift 1 which takes you to the top.
UNORGANIZED!!!! WTF is the owner doing? The one chance Snow Valley has to get new customers because the roads are closed, they screw up just to remind us why we should drive past snow valley and never look back.
When they were opening lift 1, they have their staff beating the chairs that had snow on them( at least 1 foot each) with a stick to get the snow off. BEATING the CHAIR WITH A STICK! It was crazy. Its as if Snow Valley has never seen real snow...
All their lifts must be older than my parents. #1 they are SLOW, and #2 their main lift seats 2 people. 2 PEOPLE!
The worst part is that after lift 1 opened, I was boarding down and saw that 1 person had a bad accident. He fell and split his head, blood coming down his head. When I went past him, there were staff around him checking him out.
If this guy has blood running down his head, and if i was snow valley would be to access the problem and then have a snowmobile pick him up and call the ambulance.
So i get to the bottom and wait 30 minutes, get back up and then see that this guy is STILL there. All i think is wow, this place is unready for accidents and is actually really unsafe. I hear lawsuit! They have a stretcher and the ski patrol is going to carry him down... Are times so tough they can;'t rush it with a snowmobile?
Anyways, the only good part of being at snow valley was that mother nature dumped 5 feet of powder.
Anyways, maybe the recession will make them close, and snow summit can buy them out and upgrade everything.... -
Review from Calvin N.
Costa Mesa, CA
1/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fun in the sun. The weather has been pretty hot lately so the snow was vary icy. Overall it was a fun trip and it was just nice to get away.
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Review from Jill A.
Glendora, CA
12/31/2008
my step-dad offered to treat me and the kids to a fun-filled day of snowboarding...how can i say no to that?
i woke the kids up at 5 am so we can get ready and get an early start to our day. traffic wasn't bad at all. we left around 7 and we were there in a little over an hour and a half. the ticket offices open at 8 am and the lifts open at 8:30 am. the lines were starting to fill up quick.
the biggest mistake we made that day was to wait til we got there to rent our boots and snowboard. the line was horrendous. by the time we were ready to get on the lifts, two hours had passed. i was already tired from waiting in line so long. they were understaffed and had to have instructors helping with the rentals.
once we got on the lifts, the lines there got pretty crazy as well. the snow wasn't too bad. the kids were having a blast. after four runs, my bad knees were tellin me to stop so i decided to enjoy a nice, hot cup of joe and enjoy some alone time. there's a bar, a cafeteria-type eatery, and a pizza place...all pretty typical. the restrooms were really gross.
mid-week all day tickets were $44 for adults, $34 for teens, and 6 and under are free! rentals were pretty cheap too... $30 for adult packages and $28 for child packages.
the traffic to get out of there was just ridiculous. i guess that's what we get for goin during peak season. -
Review from Steph H.
1/21/2010
As you approach the entrance, there's a big inflatable smiling snowman asking, "Why go any further?" Why indeed, especially on a snowy day like the day we visited. As the lowest elevation and smallest ski area in Big Bear, it definitely doesn't do business like Bear Mtn/Snow Summit. But it does have its charms. It's definitely more beginner/intermediate-friendly, it's cheaper, and closer. Speaking of cheaper, my brother found out about an internet ticket deal where it was half off midweek prices. That's $22 for an all-day lift ticket, something I haven't seen since the 80s. So we planned a couple of weeks ago to go on a Wednesday, not knowing that an epic storm was about to hit southern california. This is where it's good to be closer: we had to put on chains about 5 miles down the mountain and it seemed to take FOREVER to go those 5 miles. If we were going to Bear Mtn or Summit it would've taken us another 1.5 hours, I'm sure. So if the snow's good and you're not some radical boarder/skiier who demands expert terrain, it's definitely an option to consider.
By the time we got there around 9:30am, it was all gray, misty, and windy. Consequently, only a couple of lifts were open, but It was also totally not crowded, which was awesome. Being a mediocre snowboarder at best, it was great not having to worry about avoiding a lot of people. Their lounge area was utilitarian and needed a makeover but it did the job of helping people thaw out and had clean restrooms. Their chili cheese fries weren't bad either. Overall, it was worth the trip and I'd definitely be open to future visits if the conditions are right. -
Review from paul b.
Los Angeles, CA
1/7/2007
as far as i can tell this is the red haired step child of socal skiing (compared to snow summit, big bear and mt. high). not quite as big doesn't mean so bad though. its night skiing was the perfect place for my wife to learn how to ski. it was mostly empty on a sat night and she had the green slopes to herself. it really helped her gain confidence not having the big weekend crowds around and i highly recommend night skiing for beginniners. i'm not sure if i would make the trek up to the mountains just for snow valley, but i bet if you don't like crowds on the weekends and have to ski, snow valley is the place for you.
on a side note, we were hoping that there would be enough snow to try x-country skiing across the street at rim nordic ski area. hopefully later this season it will open.Listed in: mountain getaways
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Review from Greg L.
Cardiff by the Sea, CA
11/20/2008
Snow Valley is fun. It doesn't have awesome snow or nice long runs, but neither does Bear, Summit, or Mt High. What it does have is smaller crowds, quicker access, and fun little runs. I'm from Ohio where people have to learn that you ride on what you have and make the best of it. I've had more fun on former landfills that are now "mountains" in Michigan with my best friends than I should admit. If you come here looking for Aspen, Mammoth, or even Stowe, you will be disappointed. Instead enjoy that Snow Valley allows you to do the following, which Aspen or any other big mountain does not:
-wake up early and get a half day in by noon with your good friends
-grab a bite to eat on your way out and head down the mountain (a half hour ahead of the Big Bear folks)
-get home and grab your board and head out for an evening glass off on the coast
- meet your friends at your local bar and party; then sleep at home
This is a dream lifestyle and be glad you have the opportunity to have something to ski/ride this close to home. We have "A" grade surfing and "C-" grade snowboarding. The sooner you appreciate this fact the more fun you'll have out there. -
Review from Marian B.
2/8/2009
The runs aren't as long and great as Big Bear but if you want to snowboard or ski somewhere that isn't super freakin crowded (like how Big Bear gets esp. during weekends) then this place is great. Snow Valley is about 30-45 min before Big Bear and is a decent place. I like how there are no lines and if there are, super short. I get to enjoy boarding the mountain without having to wait forever. The staff is nice except for this one female instructor my friends had ( I won't mention names) who just annoyed the hell out of me. She seemed super fake I wanted to punch her. She told me I was wrong for telling my friends to go up the mountain on the higher lifts to board. They're new boarders but they're not going to learn staying on the flatass bunny slopes all the time. She said that they would hurt themselves. NO SHIT LADY! Boarding your first time hurts everyone! Everyone gets sore and falls on their ass. She was annoying as hell and kept talking even when we had to leave.
Other than that annoying chick, my experiences at Snow Valley have been awesome! =) -
Review from Mel L.
Crestline, CA
8/27/2006
Only about a 15-20 minute drive from Crestline. Poor Crestline doesn't have enough snow for skiing but Running Springs does. Great for snow boarding and leisurely skiing but this is nothing like the Colorado ski areas or Mammoth.
Listed in: Things To Do!
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Review from Malia H.
Santa Monica, CA
3/6/2009
I stopped there once, unfortunately, on the way to Snow Summit. The only way anyone should ever go here is if you have NEVER tried skiing or snowboarding. If you have, you'll be severely disappointed.
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Review from shaun a.
Santa Monica, CA
2/21/2008
Snow Valley is to Big Bear as Primm Nevada is to Las Vegas. It is a closer thrill than going all the way to the good stuff so it attracts the amateurs, the kids who don't know better, and the poor planners like myself who show up on a holiday weekend and realize that everything else is sold out. I recommend getting there early because it turns to slush and is slippery. For a hole in the wall resort, they do have some steep runs and a whole back mountain. Unfortunately, you have to get there before 3pm to experience the back mountain. The park is pretty fun. The lifts are old school and feel slightly dangerous. The lift lines are crowded on the green runs so even if you are a beginner go for the blue runs. And the pizza and beer is good.
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Review from Pamela s.
1/11/2010
about a 3.5 for me.
comparing this place to bear/summit, you get about the same quality in runs. what i like about this place is that it's waaaaaaaay less crowded, which means more boarding, woo! another plus, this joint shaves off at least 30 minutes off your drive time. i made it here in 2 hrs saturday morning, and made it back to sd in no more than 2.5 hrs. then again, i do have a heavy foot, so for the regulars, it would prob take about thirty minutes more than that.
right now you can get a snow jam card for eighteen bucks, which gets you a free lift ticket at snow valley and half off the rest of the season. this is the only reason my friend and i tried this place out, and boy was it more than worth it!Listed in: it's boarding season!!!
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Review from Liz H.
San Diego, CA
3/8/2010
4 stars for Slide Peak! I can't believe nobody mentioned it yet- maybe we should keep it a secret? This place is definitely worth going to when the natural conditions are good and this gorgeous top half of the mountain is open. There are a lot of cool off trail tree runs to check out. The chair lifts are slow and only fit 2 people but for $22 lift tix (snow jam preferred card special) you cannot go wrong. Definitely less crowded than Snow Summit, and probably a better place for beginners who don't want to drop a lot of cash. Most of the trails on the map are marked about a level higher than what they really should be (the blue runs are more like blue-green, the black runs are more like blue.) The terrain park has pretty nice looking features if you're into that kind of thing, and does not appear to be too overrun by douche bags. Maybe the fact that they provide terrain lessons here helps to tone down the out of control boarders. The bar has a few decent beers on tap (stone ipa, and some microbrew from redlands-hangar 21?).
I would avoid snow valley if there is a storm, as the lifts are old and rickety and they tend to shut them down during a good storm. They said it is too windy at the top to keep them open. And if the natural snow is chintzy and slide peak is not open, i'd probably skip it as well. -
Review from Corrry H.
Santa Monica, CA
3/1/2010
I've been riding for nine seasons and I have never encountered any resort that offered freestyle (terrain riding lessons). We went up today (Monday) for $22 per ticket. We had gear but rented my friend's boots at a rental place ($10). I figured on paying $55 for my freestyle lesson. Guess what? I have gear! And because of this they knocked $20 off. (This is actually a 4 1/2 rating).
My lesson was awesome and know I can do bigger jumps and boxes;-) My instructor was great. His name is Jay I recommend him highly.
The bathrooms could have been a bit cleaner, but I don't spend a lot of time in there. Didn't get a chance to check out the restaurants, I was riding all day, taking snack breaks at my car, which was so easy to do.
I was pleasantly surprised at how vast and wide the resort really is. There is a back side to the mountain as well. Most of the main runs are def beginner friendly, it's less crowded and there was a friendly vibe about the place.
I didn't see any pipes in the terrain, but there are plenty of big jumps to go off on and little boxes here and there.
I had fun and actually enjoyed it more so than Snow Summit.
