California, United States

Capital City: Sacramento
Closest Airport: Los Angeles International
Population: 33,871,648
Resort Area: Northern California - Central California - Southern California - Lake Tahoe region
Snow Season: November/December - March/April (longer at some resorts)
Main Language: English
Currency: United States Dollar

Some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the US can be found in California. With over thirty resorts, half of those in the Lake Tahoe region, there's the terrain - and the conditions - to suit skiers and riders of all standards.

California shares the Lake Tahoe region with Nevada, which has a handful of resorts on its side of the border. Heavenly ski resort is the only one to straddle both states, though there's little practical difference as to which side you choose to base yourself, other than ease of access. Reno in Nevada is less than half an hour from the slopes.

Squaw Valley is often quoted as having the most challenging terrain in California, with plenty of steep, but the smaller Alpine Meadows is a strong contender.

For sheer size, Mammoth is hard to beat, with its 3,500 acres of skiable terrain and close to 1,000 metres (3,100 feet) of vertical. Other popular resorts include Big Bear Mountain, Kirkwood, Dodge Ridge and Northstar (which has a family-oriented focus).

Most of the resorts have decent terrain parks. There's also a huge network of cross country trails in the state.