In my last Going Further Afield story, I covered Dodge Ridge, a California ski resort that is part of the Cali Pass partnership. I continue my Cali Pass exploration in this story, where I visited Bear Valley Mountain Resort. Bear Valley is probably the most underrated member of the Cali Pass, and that’s exactly its appeal.
Located east of San Jose and south of Tahoe, it flies under the radar for destination skiers. It is only ten miles as the crow flies from the powder legend Kirkwood ski resort, and at 8,500 feet above sea level, is close to same elevation, so it gets the same storms — and the same cold.
It’s a classic local’s mountain: approachable base areas, solid intermediate terrain, and pockets of steeper skiing when conditions line up. It doesn’t try to be flashy, and it doesn’t need to be. On busy Tahoe weekends, Bear Valley feels like an alternate universe — calmer, friendlier, and far less frantic.
Bear Valley skis bigger than you’d expect. You’ll find legitimate steeps, a nice selection of cruisers, and some long, forgiving green runs. Beginners are smartly contained in the main bowl near the lodge, keeping traffic low and preventing novice skiers from getting stranded on upper-mountain terrain.
Intermediates tend to gravitate to the core runs straight off the main lift, while the more advanced and expert lines spill into the outer edges of the mountain, some of which are rarely skied.
The layout is interesting; it’s a slightly unconventional mountain. The primary base area sits in a bowl carved into the side of a broad ridgeline. From that bowl, the terrain fans out in multiple directions: across the ridge to additional pods, down the fall line into longer runs, and on one side a steep drop towards the village. On paper, the layout looks a little messy. On snow, it works surprisingly well.
The bowl at the heart of the mountain is served by the oddly named Mokelumne Express, a high-speed quad that efficiently moves skiers from the base bowl to the top, where most of the terrain options open up. From there, you can drop into nearly every part of the mountain.
Most skiers focus on the runs that cycle cleanly back to the main bowl, but in my opinion the better runs are on the backside of the mountain. The terrain there is a nice mix of wide blues with some steep black cut-offs. This area is also service by a high-speed quad — the Polar Express — which allows for some nice laps in this area.
Those looking for some more extreme terrain can venture into the Grizzly Bowl. These trails are black diamond and beyond. Mostly short pitches, steep chutes, and even a few cliffs! This area is heavily dependent on natural snowfall and normally only open after big dumps.
Oddly, there is even more extreme terrain off the front face. These trails lead down to Bear Valley Village through the Sunrise and Vista bowls. Those trails are mostly blacks descend aggressively but don’t have a return lift, making them essentially “one-and-done” unless you catch the shuttle back to the main base.
This “one and done” layout was not the original plan. Developed by Bruce Orvis and opening for the 1967/68 season, the ski area was originally called Mt. Reba Ski Area. The idea was to develop a “Sun Valley like” area with a village and ski area. Like most developments of the sixties and seventies, real estate was the driver. The village had up to 125 homes at one point, but the boom-and-bust saw demand come and go.
The area went through several owners, and the village eventually became separate from the ski area. The promised lift from the village to the top of the mountain lift never came to pass. In November 2023, Invision Capital purchased the resort and other village properties. They made serval improvements and incorporated it into the Cali Pass.
Overall, if there’s an undiscovered gem in the Cali Pass lineup, Bear Valley is it. Despite billing itself as the closest ski area to the Bay Area, Bear Valley sees far fewer crowds than Tahoe. Most Bay Area skiers point their cars toward Highway 50 or Interstate 80 and never make the turn, resulting in a mountain that often has good snow, plenty of space, and a relaxed feel. Add in a substantial Nordic center near the base and village, and Bear Valley becomes a quiet, well-rounded destination that’s hard to beat — if you’re willing to make the drive.
Another under-the-radar benefit of the Cali Pass is access to the Powder Alliance, a network of independently owned ski areas across the west. The pass even had overseas partners in Canada and New Zealand, but those faded for the 2025/2026 season.
Passholders typically receive three free days at partner resorts. I have used this benefit a California’s Sierra-at Tahoe, Montana’s Blacktail Mountain, and Oregon’s Timberline. It’s not unlimited skiing, but it meaningfully extends the value of the pass and aligns with the Cali Pass ethos: supporting smaller, independent mountains at home and being welcomed at similar resorts when you travel.
For me, the Cali Pass provides good value for where I am presently living and where I have access to ski. Its Powder Alliance benefits provide some motivation to try more distant areas. While I am not an Indy Pass holder, I understand it provides a similar value. As with everything skiing and riding, it’s all about what works for you, and the Cali Pass works for me.
Robbie Allen is an avid small hill skier. He has written several articles on the many small hills he has sought out.
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