Dodge Ridge, CA 3/11/2011

[tseeb]

Dodge Ridge is having a good season with total snowfall so far of 448” and reported base of 84-100. They do have a lot of snow as some places under lifts are marked off to prevent lift riders from hitting snow riders. Dodge is just north of Yosemite and has a base of 6600’ and a top of 8200’. They did not get any of the snow that hit No. CA Thurs. night when Squaw reported 3” and Heavenly 1”. We left San Jose shortly after 6 am and arrived three hours later. Dodge is the closest ski resort to a lot of the SF Bay Area at 155 miles from San Jose and 160 from SF. It is only 30 miles from Sonora, which is much shorter than distance from other Gold Rush Sierra foothill towns like Auburn, Angels Camp or Jackson to Sugar Bowl, Bear Valley or Kirkwood, respectively.

Why go there when I have a pass to Squaw? My only one-day trip of the year, a free ticket and somebody else driving, plus a chance to ski with friends and go back to Dodge where I cherry-picked some great powder days in the past.

We parked against the snow at the base of Chair 5 and skied down to the main base to get our tickets. We went up chair 3 and skied a groomer over to chair 7 base, then down to chair 5 and went up it. Groomers were in great shape, although a little firm in very shady spots. It was partly cloudy and the snow in most places softened quickly. We went up long, slow Chair 7 and skied down Graceland to chair 8. We found very good snow on top, then icy spots in the shade after the corner. After going up Boulder Canyon - chair 8 - we skied Creekside which was the longest, somewhat challenging groomed run. It starts out flat, gets steeper, then drops off at a place where you can launch down a short steep face that is followed by a high-speed left, then a short gully, a high-speed right and another gully. I ventured off the groomed and found it was OK where flat with the sun was hitting it, but too firm where steep and north-facing. We skied Creekside many more times and finally went back to chair 7 where we skied the slow and sticky Stampmill to Bobby’s Freedom Run, which had some of the best snow of the day. Our last run, before going in for lunch was upper Stagecoach to Powder Keg, where there was a little soft snow in the trees and the north-facing groomed run was excellent. It was sticky getting back to the truck, where we contacted friends who drove an extra 100 miles by going to Dodge Ridge via Sacramento. It was even stickier skiing to meet them at lodge for a quick lunch break that included a Bloody Mary for our snowboarding friend who had not been out for a couple of years and had taken some hard falls in icy spots.

After lunch, clouds/fog moved in and cut visibility to a couple of hundred feet for about an hour before lifting. Our friends were snowboarding beginner chair 2 and we went up chair 3 and skied down with them, then went up chair 2 and skied a groomed run I spotted that had not been skied. We then took chair 3 to chair 5, where we skied soft Boneyard before returning to Boulder Canyon via chair 7. Our snowboarder friend was done after a couple of runs there, while my skier friend and I skied Creekside a few more times. Only on the first run visibility was bad, but it quickly cleared. We moved to chair 7 and skied SW facing Dynamite which is steep enough to keep you moving well even though snow was soft. We then skied upper Stagecoach to Separator, which was not on grooming map, but looked and skied like it was recently groomed. We finished the day with another chair 5 to Boneyard, where my friend missed the cutoff to chair 5 base and his truck so after changing I drove it to the main lodge and found him. 21 runs/19.6 K

 

[rsmith]

Nice report, tseeb.

Dodge Ridge is in that group of ski areas I would call the 'mid-majors' (since it's NCAA tourney time). Definitely not in the rank of the destination resorts, but big enough (832 acres) to provide interest with some unique advantages.

Like you said it's the closest resort to the SF Bay area. In addition, the resort is on the west slope of the Sierra - you don't drive over a high-elevation pass to get there. Drive times are generally quite predictable, as opposed to I-80, I-50 or 88. Chain control is enforced during storms, but there are several 2-lane sections where passing is possible if you have 4WD.

The general pattern of large dumps in the Sierra + the relatively mellow terrain of Dodge Ridge means the entire area will open after 1 or 2 decent storms. This year was a great example - bluebird powder days throughout late November with a 40" base (all lifts and trails open). All but Granite Bowl will open with a 30" base. Wind holds are rare since the bulk of the terrain is heavily forested. The entire area follows a single ridge line where the vast majority of runs face due north, with runs off of chair 7 pointing west.

Bear Valley is the closest competitor to Dodge - with Bear slightly larger, more developed, and nearly as close to the Bay Area. Tony Crocker's bestsnow.net site lists average snowfall at Bear Valley (7750') as 362 inches. Dodge Ridge is one valley south of Bear, with a similar elevation range, so the snowfall # is likely consistent. Bear Valley's 'base' (the Day Lodge) is at the mid-point of the area, so it's base conditions will generally be better than at Dodge. However, Bear Valley's steep terrain (Grizzly Bowl) is all below the Day Lodge and faces west while Dodge's steeper terrain - mainly off of chair 8 - is at it's highest elevation (and faces due north). It's rare for Grizzly Bowl to open before January. Dodge's advanced terrain, with rare exception, is less steep than Bear Valley's Grizzly.

Black runs at Dodge are analogous to steeper blue's at Squaw or Kirkwood, with a handful of pitches that would qualify as easier blacks at the steeper resorts. Granite Bowl is the only large open area - it's located on essentially a granite slab with huge boulders making for a wide variety of interesting run possibilities. Tree skiing is quite good, with well-spaced trees off of chair 7 and 8 (as well as scattered throughout the area). Pitch on the steeper chairs is steep enough to allow for powder turns in all but the thickest powder.

As you mentioned, Sonora is a quick drive to Dodge. Many Bay Area families own second homes in the area as a lower-cost vacation alternative to a Tahoe cabin. Dodge is a family-oriented resort and the ski school is quite popular. The placement of the lower, beginner lifts is sub-optimal, though - with a long, arduous walk to the bunny lift and no super-easy greens off of the other chairs. Unfortunately, the magic carpet lifts (which end at the base of the bunny chair 6) are limited to the ski school. However, once a beginner progresses off the easiest greens there is a good progression of intermediate terrain.

As with all lower elevation Tahoe resorts rain and heavy snow are a concern. If you get the timing right Dodge can provide a healthy share of excellent powder days per season. Dumps that (literally) bury Kirkwood and make Squaw/Alpine inaccessible/limited can often make for perfect days at Dodge due to easier access and lower snowfall totals. The area is well groomed so skiing can be very enjoyable well into spring.

Dodge has plans to expand further along the ridge plus add a (much needed) high speed quad. Base facilities are well developed, but no lodging is available onsite. Crowds can overwhelm over major holidays, but lift lines are otherwise short to nonexistent. Overall, it's a great little resort for a family, while giving Dads and Moms some fun terrain to play in while the kids are busy in ski school.

 

[Tony Crocker]

My impression was that Bear Valley's Grizzly faces mostly north, though it is low elevation. However my day there was in 1983.

 

[rsmith]

My impression was that Bear Valley's Grizzly faces mostly north, though it is low elevation. However my day there was in 1983.

Ya, you're right. Grizzly faces mostly north. It's the Polar Express intermediate terrain pod that faces west. Thanks for the correction.

Grizzly holds good advanced terrain, but like I mentioned I haven't seen it opened before January (though my experience is limited to the last few years).

Bear Valley holds a lot of the same advantages as Dodge - close drive to the SF Bay on an accessible highway with no pass to cross and a good mix of terrain. It's also more developed - with more acreage, a high-speed lift and a small village with overnight accommodations (with no direct lift access yet, but in the works). However, for the advanced skier the season is generally short due to the limited availability of the Grizzly terrain.

I wouldn't ever argue that these 2 resorts together offer up near the terrain of the larger Tahoe resorts, and certainly not the overall snow conditions of Kirkwood. But my conclusion is that they're the best solution for a family skier from the Bay Area, given the ease of accessibility, decent terrain, uncrowded powder days, and relatively lost cost of motels and real estate in the nearby Sierra foothills.

 

[tseeb]

The Snow Valley entrance to Grizzly (lift to the east of Grizzly that did not go as low, and doesn't run anymore and may have been removed) does face a more west, especially if you go out towards Haleakala, which is on the slope of the real Mt. Reba.

I did a trip, about twelve years ago, where we left San Jose early and skied Dodge, then drove to inexpensive room in Arnold and skied Bear the next day. If was a little more relaxing than two-day trip to Tahoe (where I am now and saw rain up to about 8,000 feet today).