Known for its sunshine and sandy beaches filled with bathing beauties and musclemen, Southern California is a Mediterranean-climate haven for winter-weary Americans from Michigan to Maine. But for those with a hankering for winter sports, one could scarcely ignore the snowcapped peaks of Mount Baldy and San Gorgonio shimmering in the bright California sunshine. By the 1930s, skiing was all the rage, with the towns of Big Pines, Lake Arrowhead, and Big Bear Lake evolving into popular snow-sport locales. Southern California was also home to many who made their mark in the world of American skiing: Walter Mosauer, the father of skiing in Southern California; Tyler Van Degrift, owner of Los Angeless first ski shop; Clarita Heath Bright, talented member of the first U.S. Womens Olympic ski team; Dorothy McClung Wullich, first woman member of the National Ski Patrol; and Sepp Benedikter and Tommi Tyndall, both leading the way with ski schools and instruction. These and many others are documented here in this collection of rare and vintage images of Southern California skiing.

The snow-laden slopes of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains have beckoned Southland skiers since the 1930s. Many once-cherished ski areas have disappeared, yet their history remains. A short drive from the sun and sand, places like Rebel Ridge and Kratka Ridge offered snowy escapes. Thrilling races were held at the First International Pine Needle Ski Tournament in North Hollywood, while the San Diego Ski Club boasted Dorothy McClung Wullich, the first female member of the National Ski Patrol. Ingrid Wicken, ski historian and founder of the California Ski Library, chronicles Southern California's lost mountain getaways and the vanished ski areas that introduced everything from rope tows to artificial snow.

After some dreadful years for Sierra skiers, the snow is back and the pent-up demand to ride it is satisfied by this book! From Bishop to Tahoe to Shasta, and multiple slopes in between, California has a big ski and snowboard culture and this backcountry guide describes 97 of the state’s best routes. Part of our critically-acclaimed series, Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: California is written by Tahoe-based professional skier, Jeremy Benson, and covers the best of the state, featuring advanced backcountry descents with serious verticals. The northern region of the book focuses on Mount Shasta and Tahoe, while the central region includes Mammoth, Bishop, and Sierra Club hut trips, and to the south, 14ers Mount Whitney and Mount Langley and more.

50 Classic Backcountry Ski and Snowboard Summits in California offers some of the finest ski and snowboard descents in California, ranging over a 550-mile span from the Cascade Range in the north, to Mount Whitney, to the Sierra Nevada in the south. Grouped into nine geographical regions, these summits represent the best of the best from well-known destinations to more remote areas to a sampling of the highest peaks.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Lake Tahoe and the Donner Summit region became California's first developed winter sports areas. Plentiful snowfall and newly built highways opened up the summer playground for visitors year-round, and skiing flourished. The Sierra Ski Club formed in 1925, attracting members eager to experience everything the mountains had to offer. People flocked to the slopes, visiting places like Clair Tappaan Lodge in Soda Springs, boasting one of the summit's earliest ski tows, and the Yuba Gap Lodge, a pioneer in night skiing. Join Ingrid P. Wicken, award-winning author and ski historian, as she recounts the fascinating beginnings of this celebrated ski hub.

CLICK HERE to download a sample advanced, intermediate and beginner route from Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes Oregon * Includes 120 black-and-white photos and 90 maps * Routes coverage ranges from Lassen Peak, through Oregon, up to Mount St. Helens The first guidebook in a new Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Series from Mountaineers Books, Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: Oregon describes nearly 100 of the best and most classic mountain routes that will exhilarate and challenge winter backcountry seekers. Although many of these routes are geared toward intermediate and expert skiers and boarders, there are also appropriate routes for those just getting into the backcountry for the first time. Full state coverage includes more than 30 routes on Mount Hood alone, and ranges across Mount Jefferson, the Three Sisters and Bend area, Willamette Pass and Mount Bailey, Crater Lake National Park, the southern Cascades, Steens, and the Wallowas and Blue Mountains regions. There are also classic routes just over the borders -- Mount Shasta and Lassen Peak in Northern California and Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, and Muir Snowfield in Washington. Many of these routes are selected for their straightforward approaches. Sections describe avalanche safety, best resources, gear, Oregon backcountry laws, and routes by best season and skill level. This is a guidebook to get snowboarders and skiers out in the mountains for quality fun! WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT BACKCOUNTRY SKI & SNOWBOARD ROUTES OREGON: "Van Tilburg's new book provides extensive, easy-to-read information on the majority of the ski and snowboard objectives in the greater Oregon region and should be considered a mandatory addition to a local backcountry enthusiast's library." -- Off Piste magazine

CLICK HERE to download a sample route from Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Washington Ski and snowboard adventures can be found year-round when you know where to look — start here! * Only Mountaineers Books offers guidebooks for backcountry ski routes in Washington, and this is the newest and best available! *Backcountry skiing is one of the fastest growing winter sports * Written by the authors of the bestselling instructional text on the sport, Backcountry Skiing Washington’s Cascades, Olympics, and Mount Rainier are prime destinations for backcountry ski and snowboard adventure, and no one is better qualified to write this guidebook than Martin Volken and his team at Pro Guiding Service, based in the Cascade foothills. The all-new guidebook includes 80 routes throughout the state — plus one in British Columbia! — Ideal for intermediate to expert skiers or snowboarders. It features routes ranging from accessible day trips suitable for relative beginners to more challenging multiday traverses. It’s a guide to the very best routes available to skiers and boarders throughout the state. Each route includes the following elements: * Starting elevation and high point * Elevation gain and loss * Route distance * Time required * Recommended skill and fitness levels * Best season to ski * Maps and permits info * Driving directions, from nearest major town or junction * Detailed route description * Backcountry Ski & Snowboard Routes: Washington also includes an introduction by legendary Northwest skier Lowell Skoog.

Committee Serial No. 89-36. Considers H.R. 6891 and similar bills, to provide for winter recreational use of the San Gorgonio Wilderness area in San Bernardino National Forest, California.

This upbeat guide to Southern California covers where to take in a baseball game, rollerblade the boardwalks, browse an art festival, people watch at the beach, sport fish near offshore islands or see world-class performances by street entertainers. A spe