Dodge Ridge
Located in Pinecrest just 30 miles east of Sonora up Highway 108 Dodge Ridge is also open during the summer. The earliest Dodge Ridge has opened for skiing is October 30, but it was as late as February 12 during the historically dry 2013-14 ski season. The top elevation is 8,200 feet and it is 6,600 feet at the parking lot/base, offering a 1,600-foot vertical drop.
During the summer go on Motherlode Chairlift 3 or enjoy an 18-hole disc golf course that is hiking and chairlift-accessed and enjoy summer games at the Creekside Lodge like Foosball, Darts, Ping-Pong, Shuffleboard, Cornhole, and more. Mountain biking opened as planned in August 2022 as detailed here. Dodge Ridge is the closest, most accessible, family-friendly winter sports area to the Central Valley and Bay Area.
The resort received over 223 inches of snowfall in the 2020-21 season, or just under 20 feet. Owners Frank and Sally Helm decided to retire in 2021 selling to California Mountain Resorts Company owned by Invision Capital. Dodge Ridge was founded by the Purdy family in 1950, and owned by the Helm family since 1976. California Mountain Resorts Company also bought Bear Valley in 2023.
Dodge Ridge Facts
- Open daily as snowfall permits and open in summer with bike trails, disc golf and more.
- 68 trails: 12 beginner, 24 intermediate, and 24 expert
- 12 lifts (one fixed grip quad, two triples, five doubles, conveyor 1 & 2 for lessons only, a surface lift and a newer T-bar)
- Bike trails: From Chairlift 3, five miles of Beginner/Lower-Intermediate Freeride rollers and banks. Intermediate Technical trail (opening Sep 2022) Intermediate Freeride trail (opening in fall 2022)
Children’s lessons are available in the Snowsports Center for 3-5 year olds or visit the Family Lodge and take them upstairs for a day of fun with the Preschool Snowplay Program.
For current conditions information, check our Daily Snow Report listing for Dodge Ridge.
For rentals and other costs: visit their web site or call (209) 965-3474. For 24-hour Snow Phone recording call (209) 536-5300
Dodge Ridge History
After 45 years of ownership, Frank and Sally Helm decided to retire, having operated the resort as one of the few remaining family-owned ski resorts in the country. The new buyers will be Invision Capital, owners of Mountain High Resort in California, and Karl Kapuscinski, President and CEO of Mountain High Resort.
Operating under a U.S. Forest Service Special Use Permit, which includes 862 skiable acres, with 1,600 vertical feet, 68 trails, and 12 lifts, along with the operation of the Pinecrest, Clark Fork, and Brightman Flat USFS campground complexes. Jenni Smith will remain as General Manager leading the team with new President and CEO Karl Kapuscinski. He brings over 30 years of ski area operations experience.
The Helm family owned and operated Dodge Ridge for 45 years of the resort’s 70-year history. In 2007 a $6 million base-area expansion included the addition of the 16,000 sq. ft. Family Lodge. A doppelmayar T-Bar was added in the summer of 2011. The Helms tripled the resort’s skiable acreage by making key lift installations and secured approval for a lift-accessed mountain biking plan, set to open mid-summer 2022.
More Places To Ski
The Sierra, with its high peaks and heavy snowfall, offers plenty of opportunities for skiing enthusiasts. Average snowfall for wintertime in Calaveras and Tuolumne county ski resorts is around 400 to 450 inches for the entire season. That makes for a great base for snowboarding, downhill and cross country skiing. Here we keep track of all 24 California ski resorts.
Related Links
If you want to stay in the Mother Lode take a look our list of places to stay.
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