Mountain High Resort

With the season just ending & the snow already melting, it was nice to have touched some snow this past winter.
Mountain High has been on my list of places to check out mainly because snow to any LA-​born & raised-​individual, is pretty much like a super shiny distracting object.
Went for the early session of snow tubing at around 8AM, which allots you a longer amount of time for $ 20 (really a bang for your buck type of thing). You practically get an extra round of tubing compared to the slotted times afterwards. But no matter what time, lines can be pretty long.
Two types of tubes: Child-​size & Adult. For short girls like me, child-​size is way easier to climb out of.
It definitely wasn’t as lengthy in time or as vigorous of a past time as snowboarding BUT much cheaper pay to still play & at least be in the snow if you happen to be a bit too low on funds for snowboarding/​skiing.
But do remember, Mountain High is also crossed between man-​made snow & actual snow which is already at its minimum amount because LA heat never leaves.
Still gorgeous & worth a sight if you’ve never been to the snow.

If you don’t have the luxury to live close to Tahoe, this is where you go for the desert dwellers of LA. It’s the closest resort and if you do it right, it’s cheap!
Get the Point card! A 500 pt card lasts me all season (if I go 3 – 4 times) and if the snow is crappy, you’re not weighed down by a daily pass. Each of the big lifts are 20pts and the point pass is $ 140. It’s also SHAREABLE. My friend who’s a beginner got one pass between a few people and they can split it however they want.
They do groom the snow well and if you already know how to ski and snowboard, make your way to the top and stay away from the bottom. On good days, it’s swamped with sitting ducks learning how to snowsport. If you’re a beginner, move over to the side to avoid accidents. PLEASE.
I love their outdoor patio; during weekends, they have live bands. There’s a big oh bar in the middle. The food is your standard ski/​snowboard resort price and not the best but it’ll fill you up!
Staff is always chill here and once in awhile, you’ll see someone pretty pissed off because their board/​skis got stolen. BE AWARE of your gear.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
I come here once or twice a month!!!
Prices are ok. I just really enjoy snowboarding so I love it so much on top of that they have a bar big PLUS lol

Okay, this isn’t the BEST place to hit the slopes, but that’s mainly to blame on the weather. All of you resort snobs need to calm down.
if you live in the LA area, you can’t beat the convenience of this place. It’s 1.5−2.0 hrs from the South Bay, so even less of a drive from central LA. There’s no mountain driving involved, so you don’t even need chains.
Sure, it’s a little warmer because of the lower elevation. There’s maybe 1 or 2 weeks in the whole season when there’s decent amounts of snow falling, so the conditions are usually a little rougher. Just be careful.
Aside from those things, I think this place is very well run. They’re good at closing the drier trails and consolidating most of the snow to the more popular ones. The staff is always super friendly! They’re very encouraging for experienced boarders like myself and beginners alike. The prices are pretty good too. I usually opt for the point pass– it relieves the pressure of getting all your runs in 8 hrs that comes with an hourly pass.
They have special events here frequently. There’s always bands playing, competitions, etc. Their bar, The Foggy Goggle, is a fun place to grab a brew in between runs. There’s a special outdoor section roped off for 21+ people like myself that want to drink during the day.

The snow may be different now, but when I went, it was very icy and hard. I’m sure if I went after a snow this review would different but I’m writing this based off my weekend experience. The hard snow made the riding a lot more difficult and the falling a lot more rough. The higher I went on the lift, the softer the snow got. If your an expert rider, I can imagine this place being a 4 – 5 star place, but for beginners/​intermediate riders, the snow isn’t so friendly.
Me and my friends had purchased our own lift tickets which cost us $ 35 each. I highly recommend going to sports chalet or active rent shop for group discounts on lift tickets ($ 80 for 4 tickets).

Easy to to for SoCal residents and generally don’t need chains because there’s no mountain driving to get to the resort.
The snow isn’t always the greatest, it’s only decent after a storm. The man made snow is dark and very powdery, but what can you expect? What it lacks in quality of snow, it makes up for convenience and pretty good food haha.
Not that anyone should drink and go on the trails, but the drinks are really cheap at the bar. Maybe an after run drink?

I had a blast here yesterday! I arrived around 8:00 and the mountain was completely empty people were waiting for the lifts to open so after our long drive we stopped inside the lodge and had some Sausage and Bacon Panini’s with a shot of fireball to warm the body before boarding.
The resort itself is very clean but cell phone reception (verizon and sprint) are TERRIBLE. So if you are here with your friends and your girlfriend/​boyfriend that doesn’t trust you isn’t then you will have some trouble. They do offer free wifi but it hardly works.
When I went yesterday the sun was out so in terms of powder there wasn’t very much but if you do go up on Black Diamond and etc you will be able to feel some.
I will definitely be back as this is an amazing alternative to Big Bear as it is MUCH closer.
(The drive before you actually get here is very windy and narrow so be careful!)

Mountain High gets a lot of flack for not being up to par to Big Bear, Mammoth, or Snow Summit but out of pure convenience, it gets the job done. Mt High was the first resort I ever visited when I first started snowboarding as a little youngin and was the first place I can remember touching snow. With decent runs and hilarious staff members, the experience is mostly enjoyable.
I say mostly because some trails or certain areas should clearly be closed due to hazardous conditions. Because of the dry and warm Socal winters as well as inconsistent snowfall, certain runs can morph into death traps when patches of ice form. Inexperienced riders can slide, fall, and seriously injure themselves. Hell, I severely bruised my ribs because of this last year. On that day alone, I saw 2 individuals need to be rushed down the hill by the Med staff.
Like any resort, it gets crowded on weekends. We try to stick to only night boarding, 5 PM — 10 PM, as there tends to be significantly smaller crowds, faster lines, and better deals at almost half the morning rate. You’ll just have to brave the below freezing temperatures. If you are planning on night boarding, there’s a 4 Night Ticket Deal for $ 79 that you can get at REI, Sport Chalet, Big 5, and Sport Authority. That’s just a little over $ 19 a night, a saving of $ 10-​$ 15.They are also transferable and valid throughout the season at any combination (use three that night and save one for later).
Now for a little story time of why I will never go back up for a morning/​afternoon sesh during the weekend. We tried to get our first session for the new year in on Sunday, January 15^th, two days after they got 24″ of snow. We left around 7 AM and hit some traffic right before Lone Pine Canyon Road at 7:45 AM. What we thought would have cleared up in a couple minutes turned into bumper to bumper traffic leading all the way to the resort, going 0 MPH for looooong stretches. It took us 2 hours to get 7 miles from the beginning of Lone Pine Canyon Road to Blue Ridge Truck Trail. At that point, we lost all hope and turned around. We decided there was too high of a risk of being turned around at the front, long lift lines, and packed runs. Not to mention it would take another 30 – 45 minutes until we get to the Resort itself. On the way back, we noticed that the traffic was backed up miles further from where we started, making it easily a 3 – 4 hour drive to get to the resort if you were in the back.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE! We later found out on social media that people were being turned around due to over occupancy. Mt High advertised all morning long on their twitter, bragging about how much snow they received and how everyone should stop what they’re doing and head up… EVEN THOUGH they were turning everyone around. It was only until later in the afternoon that they posted news of closing up until that evening to manage the crowd. This was HOURS after we left. Unabashedly deceiving people as well as wasting everyone’s time and money just to turn them around is quite unethical and downright dirty.

As this was my first time being in snow, I had a freaking blast!!!
Everyone there was super nice and helpful!
My group and I went with an awesome deal last night. We got the 5−10pm deal for $ 79 for four people!!!
Unfortunately, we made it there by 7pm and had to go through the process of renting skis, snowboards, and boots.
Therefore, that process lasted about an hour and we had about 2 hours left to have fun!
We started off at the beginners slope and ran some trial and error practice runs. Heck, I slid and fell so many times! Kept eating sh*t!
By the 20^th time of trying to learn how to stop on skis, I finally asked one of the helpers there.
He taught me how to stop and turn!
After practicing my stops and turns on the beginners slope, I’ve developed the balls to go onto the higher slope called Coyote, and take a lift up to the very top of the mountain and ski down. Smh, as soon as I got off the damn lift, I freakin slid and fell and ate sh*t again!
As I got up and slowly moved my way to the edge of the hill, my knees began to shake. I’m afraid of heights!!!
I sucked it up and went down. About ¹⁄₁₀ of the way, I fell and ended up sliding down the damn hill with no way of stopping because it was so slippery!!!
It was so embarrassing but the nice advanced skiers and snowboarders helped me out.
I stopped half way down and just slowly skied all the way down to base, going .01 mph… Guess how long that took!!! Like 45 minutes to go all the way down when it takes a normal snowboarder 5 minutes!!! Smfh. Never making a fool out of myself again!
Overall, I had one heck of a laugh and fun with everyone!
Very friendly indeed! Recommend this place for beginners! Just don’t be like me and be all confident (when not ready) to take the higher slope! Hah!

Pros: closest ski/​snowboarding resort to the 626 area (about an hour & a half drive), there’s a playground for pros to try out tricks and such, there are bunny slopes, intermediate, & the high slopes (beautiful), the amount of snow wasn’t bad at all when I went, lastly rental prices are cheap as they go for around $ 20 for boots & a board.
Cons: rude workers that aren’t very helpful, that burger place closes so early! while the rest of the food options are very overpriced, the whole getting off the lift system is pretty scary (I got hit in the head by an ongoing lift chair cause I didn’t get out of the way fast enough), OVERCROWDED, and the snow gets icy once the sun sets, so I would advise you to go earlier for that fresh snow. Also so that it doesn’t hurt as much when you fall on your butt. (inevitable for beginners)
TIPS: Watch out for your personal belongings. Bring snacks, hand warmers, extra socks, some beer hahah. Also get the clam chowder bread bowl, that was bomb.
But overall my first boarding experience was so fun! I already miss that adrenaline feeling & am awaiting the next time I go!

Mountain High Resort is great since it is the closest snow resort to L.A. (1.5 hour drive) that normally opens 7 days a week.
I went here last Monday on MLK day with my boyfriend and his friends for snowboarding and it was an amazing trip despite of the many falls I had to endure during my snowboarding lesson. When we arrived at around 8 AM (the resort opened at 8:30 AM), we could already see the snow from the slopes and were pretty excited about that. Parking wasn’t so bad, but be aware of your surroundings when you end up going back for your car later. The parking lot quickly became full after we arrived so there is a chance you can get lost.
The line to get the tickets wasn’t so bad since it kept moving in a quick fashion. The line to get the rentals, however, was very long and disorganized. We had to wait at least 30 minutes to get my snowboarding rental gear. There was a line for us to get to the computers first and input the information needed, and then there is another line to get our printed information and sign a waiver before heading to our rentals. It was a complete mess. I am glad the staff was friendly and resourceful during this busy time, but there has to be a way to make this more organized somehow.
After getting me gear, I had my beginning (Level 1) snowboarding lesson at 10 AM with Amanda and had a great time! She was very knowledgeable, helpful and patient with us as we learn how to stop, heel-​lift, toe-​lift, and use the ski lift. Despite falling a lot, the snow was soft enough so my body was not that sore the day of. FYI: be sure to do some stretches (especially neck rolls) before and after snowboarding. Your body will thank you for it later.
By the way, the line to the ski lift took about 15 – 20 minutes tops.
Overall, Mountain High Resort is pretty good at what it does as a snow resort closest to L.A.

An decent ski resort near Los Angeles.
Been coming here for the past 3 seasons and have always enjoyed my visit each time. However, the crowd is getting too big for my liking and there appears to be more novice snowboarders than ever before which makes navigating down the slopes difficult when there are bodies laying (literally) everywhere.
The restaurant at the base is actually fairly decent and the menu has improved. The public restroom is always filthy and the line to get lift tickets is always painfully slow. The parking is hit or miss depending on how early you get there. I’d say if you get there after 8am on a weekend, you might as well just park on East resort and hop on the shuttle. If you want to avoid the crowd, come after 3pm and you will see little to no lines. The only downside will be darker skies and slightly colder weather but the upside will be lots of practice runs in a short period of time.
May or may not return next year depending on the crowd the next 2 – 3 visits this year.

Came for night boarding on 1÷9÷16 right after El Niño dropped some snow into the mountains. It was a Saturday so it was crazy packed. Just getting to the parking lot took us 3.5−4 hours from Covina. We had to wait in the line for the day– goers to leave the lot so we could enter.
If you’re looking to rent anything, RENT SOMEWHERE ELSE! The lines are ridiculously long, you have to purchase the rental voucher at the ticket window, and get your lift passes there too. Then go to the rental location and enter your ID. Because it was crazy packed, there were so many new riders and experienced riders on the slope.
We are at the food court below and their cashiers took FOREVER to count the change. The food was mediocre for the price, but I’m not expecting a fancy 5 star dining experience either.
At 10pm they kick everyone out of the lodge by turning off the lights. No warning. I can tell you’re impatient with your customers, but we’re paying for your income too. Some audacity of a RESPECTFUL warning would be nice.

First timer and it was definitely a memorable experience. There was a lot of snow, which I enjoyed as it was my first time experiencing snow! I didn’t partake in any major snow activities, besides playing it in with my girls.
The staff I encountered inside both the east and west lodge were very helpful and friendly. The staff working the parking lots were very rude. I understand you’re dealing with annoying people all day long, but there is no need for attitude when asked a simple question… especially if there is no harshness on my end.
We went on a Sunday and it was super busy! We took the back roads there and the drive was nice and fast. We also took the same roads back and it was just as fast. We waited about an hour for my brother who took the main road back.

This is an easy park to access from anywhere in California. Conditions aren’t always great, it’s not a large park by any measure, but when conditions are good, it’s hard to beat. Of special note is Becca in the east base snowshoe saloon. Day after an epic snowstorm, with limited booze supplies, computer system crashing, equipment malfunctions, she kept calm cool collected demeanor and kept it pushing
Kudos for her perseverance and good spirits!!!

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE NORTH POLE TUBING PARK ONLY!!!
I see a lot of negative reviews about this place, but our experience on 12÷29÷15 was pretty good. Then again, we took all the necessary steps to make it a good day (thanks to experiences shared by other Unilocalers!).
We arrived up to the mountain early, at approx. 830a. There was not much traffic going up. By 9a I stood in line (approx 15min) to buy tix for the 10a-​12p tubing session. All staff was helpful and friendly!
At 950a, we got in line for the tubing. The session sold out to capacity, so in the two hour time block, we got only 3 runs in (approx. 30−40min wait for each run). Although it sucks to only be able to get 3 runs in a two hour block, it is because it was crowded, and the weather/​snow conditions were such that only 4 lanes were open.
It seems like this is why they get poor reviews, but if they reduced the crowds even more, then sessions would sell out hours in advance and you would have to spend all day there. And secondly, they can not control the weather so know the conditions and what to expect prior to scheduling your trip.
I was with a 6yr old and 3.5 yr old, and they both loved it. It was a great half day outing for us. We headed down the mountain at 1230p in order to beat the traffic…

Mountain High is a «local» ski resort and is one of the closest ski resorts to Los Angeles. It is only 1 ½ hour drive from Los Angeles. I came here to ski with my daughter a few days after Christmas. It was considered a «holiday» complete with holiday pricing for their lift tickets. They had 4 beginner and 3 intermediate trails open the day we skied. Both mother nature and Mountain High did a great job in making snow.
The lines to purchase lift tickets, lessons and equipment were long, but, the employees did their best in keeping the lines moving. The line for equipment rental was a total failure. It took an hour an half waiting in line before we got our equipment. Rent your equipment elsewhere if you come up during their holiday between Christmas and New Year. That hour and and a half wait could have been spent on the slopes.
The resort was crowded the day we skied. Snowboarders outnumbered skiers 4 to 1. Being a local resort makes it easy for people to get here. Unfortunately, I did not appreciate some of the local flavor that showed up. Too many rude people who don’t know the first thing about common courtesy. It seemed like there were lots of F bombs uttered by bad skiers and snowboarders after wiping out. The crowd seemed rougher than I am accustomed to on the slopes. There were a few families out there which was nice to see, but, we were outnumbered.
Watch out! It seemed like half the people up there were holding selfie sticks getting action shots of themselves wiping out. I’m sure a lot of f bombs were caught on video as these people wiped out or crashed into fellow snowboarders or skiers.
The lines for the ski lift was worse than a Disney line. Your lift ticket has an electronic sensor in it to open the gates for the lift line. Unfortunately, once inside the gates, there was no order with people cutting in front of you.
During a non holiday, this would probably be a good place to ski. They had lots of trails open. But, during the holidays, it is way too crowded.

Snow tubing was fantastic for kids of all ages. Be ready to return your tube and wait 20 – 30 mins for each run. Get there early! Each slot was sold out due to the Christmas break.

Saturday was my first time to Mountain High, and possibly for the first time in my life I am glad for holiday shopping! Why? Because I believe it kept a whole lot of people OFF the mountain and made the short but AWESOME runs at Mountain High a pleasure to ride. The lack of waiting in lines made this smaller resort seem a lot bigger as my co-​workers and I got a ton of fun runs on a very nice layer of soft snow. The mild temperature and clear skies made this Saturday perfect. So perfect that I even forgot to zip my jacket pocket where I kept my car keys, all the way up. And yes, they fell out somewhere on the mountain.
After a good meal at the BullWheel and then more riding, I finally realized that my keys were gone when I made my way to the car. I quickly hurried to guest services where they hadn’t found the keys… yet. I will say this, it was such a nice day, that even this didn’t ruin my day. Long story short, the new lift operator (her first day) had found them at the top of her lift, but didn’t turn them in until her shift was over. None-​the-​less I GOT MY KEYS back in a fairly timely manner and was able to drive home. THANK YOU GUEST SERVICES AND NOVICE LIFT OPERATOR.
We left some Monster Energy drinks for them and were on our way.
WILL BE BACK FOR SURE!

Mountain High was actually pretty alright coming there on the morning of Christmas day. The place was packed, if I were you, don’t take the lessons, it’s not worth the money. If you really, and I mean REALLY need lessons, go on ahead and pay for them. We tried the lessons at first, and it seemed like everyone just started dropping from the group along the way. With that in mind, start at the bottom of the slopes if you’re a beginner. If you’re pretty confident, go to the top of the mountain where it’s a lot more quiet compared to the bottom near the restaurants and stuff.
Whenever I started out, the bottom of the mountain was extremely crowded due to the large amounts of children and parents, it was insane. With lessons going on, and people randomly walking around while others take selfies on their phone, running into someone while snowboarding is pretty common if you’re just starting out. Meh, in fact, even if you’re more advanced, the crowds of people are something to just be avoided in general if you enjoy some good, quiet, hardcore snowboarding time with some friends. So, to conclude this review, I recommend heading up to the top of the mountain where you’ll have a lot more room to practice and earn some skills along the way.