California Ski Safari

Arrive into San Francisco airport, collect your car and drive 20 minutes to the city. The two-night stay gives you one and a half days to explore the city before heading up to Tahoe early afternoon. The more time you spend in the city, the more you'll be able to explore, though be aware San Francisco hotels are very expensive and generally more reasonable on Fri/Sat/Sun nights.

In the afternoon, drive three hours to Palisades Tahoe, featured on the Ikon Pass. Palisades has some great advanced tree skiing and steep chutes through the red-rock palisades, but plenty of groomers too, with easy runs from the top of the mountain. Cross over to Alpine on the Base to Base Gondola for the best views across Lake Tahoe and quieter runs at weekends.

We suggest skiing Lake Tahoe in the morning if you don't want to take a day off, then take the stunning three-hour drive down to Mammoth in the early afternoon. It's an easy drive with lots of scenic stops, but we always suggest checking the weather and road conditions before departing, as snow can increase the drive time. Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain are both on the Ikon Pass. Mammoth offers huge mountain ski terrain with a lot of above-tree-line powder bowls and miles of groomers. June Mountain is small and very pretty, being off the back of Yosemite National Park, so definitely worth at least a morning's skiing - even if it's just to avoid the crowds on Saturday mornings in Mammoth.

It's an attractive six-hour drive (including stops and traffic) to Los Angeles - with the Sierras on one side and White Mountains on the other, travelling through great Route 66-style towns, before driving through the Mojave Desert. Stay one night (or more) anywhere in Los Angeles, though you'll find Santa Monica is easy to find and a nice base to explore Beverly Hills and Hollywood before your evening flight the next day. Alternatively, you could drive to Death Valley and have your last night in Las Vegas.