Just off HWY 80, tucked next to the slopes of Boreal, you’ll find Donner Summit California State Snopark.
We found it to be a very convenient and well sorted place to get some snow play time in, but it wasn’t the best for skiing with pups.
It’s pretty easy to find in the winter, there are lots of signs out around Boreal directing you to it. And dont be scared off if the parking looks packed, the snopark has it’s own lot, which YOU WILL NEED A PERMIT FOR (as with any snopark in the area) during the winter season. Permits are NOT sold on site, so be sure to grab one ahead of time.
A look at the large parking lot
There are also two restrooms and trash
As mentioned, this is an awesome place to get some play time in. There’s a decent sized area just behind the parking that looked ample for some snow-ball fights or zoomies, and then there’s the trail with some open areas on either side.
The trail here is part of the PCT, so if you’re like us and are slowly trying to chip away at this crazy trail, that’s another perk of checking this place out.
At the trail-head from the parking lot, there are some handy signs and maps. If you’re hiking or snow-shoeing, check these out.
We got our skis on and headed out on this trail, ready for an awesome adventure. Unfortunately, we turned around pretty quick. This trail is just that, a trial, meaning it’s narrow and winding, making skiing at a husky pace very difficult. We (or at least I…) capsized a few times before we decided to turn around and head back. It was so back that I didnt even ski back to the car; I walked! What made matters worse is that, being a winding trail through the trees, you’re under the trees most of the time. In snow this means it warms up slightly, the snow in the trees melts, it drips onto the snowy path below, and refreezes - making ice! So add icy to narrow and winding on the reasons we wouldnt recommend this spot for skiing.
You can see here the narrow trail
Once we got back to the car, we headed out in search of a better skiing spot, which we found after a little searching… well a lot. Good news is, it’s all on the MAPS page of our site, so go check it out!