Winter Van Life: China Peak Mountain Resort
Time of Our Visit: Early February 2023
China Peak is located about 70 miles from Fresno, California in the Sierra National Forest. Yosemite National Park resides north of the ski area and Sequoia National Park is south in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. China Peak is only about 50 miles from Mammoth Mountain as the crow flies. However, China Peak resides on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada while Mammoth is on the east side. Even though they are located close to one another, there is a 450-mile and 8-hour drive between the two.
What We Love About China Peak
Even though we grew up in California and lived in Tahoe for two decades in our adult lives, we never visited ski areas in Central California. I feel like we missed out! Our expectations were low on our way to China Peak and we left disappointed that they weren’t open 7 days a week.
China Peak has Tahoe-style terrain. Perfectly spaced trees, boulders, pillow lines, and mini cliff drops.
There were no crowds. We never waited in a lift line on two amazing powder days, a Sunday and Monday. There was still so much untouched powder to be had by the end of our visit. I couldn’t believe it was all just going to sit there when they are regularly closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
They allow overnight RV parking. I didn’t know RVing existed at any ski areas in California until we visited China Peak, Dodge Ridge, and Mt. Shasta.
Ample snow and classic California bluebird powder days. They get dumps measured in feet just like Lake Tahoe.
Plan Your RV/Van Life Road Trip to China Peak
skichinapeak.com
59265 Highway 168, LakeShore, CA 93634
(559) 233-2500
info@skichinapeak.com
Pass affiliations: Cali Pass 2023/24, Powder Alliance 2023/24, Indy Pass 2023/24
Operating hours: China Peak is not open 7 days a week. See their Operating Schedule.
Mountain Stats
- Skiable terrain: 1,400 acres
- Vertical: 1,679 feet
- Average snowfall: 325 inches
Driving to China Peak
It is a long drive from populous Fresno and the Central Valley of California on CA-168 to China Peak. Approximately 70 miles. You’ll start at about 300 feet above sea level and end at more than 7,000 feet. For most of the drive, you’ll be on a windy, two-lane highway. You’ll pass through farmland and green, rolling hills before you transition into a forested environment where you’ll get a glimpse of Shaver Lake and scars from the 2020 Creek Fire. I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing this drive in the dark or in a major snowstorm.
China Peak posts the open or closed status of CA Highway 168 on their home page in a banner across the top. They often provide more detail if you go to The Latest. You can also visit Caltrans for the most up-to-date information.
Parking at China Peak
There are a few different parking options. See China Peak’s Trail Map for a visual of the Base Area.
When you turn into the resort area from CA-168, the first parking area will appear on your right. When you enter the parking area, stay to the right if you’re in a vehicle longer than 21 feet. If you go left, the road dead ends at a low bridge. You won’t be able to turn around and you might not be able to back out if another vehicle comes up behind you.
If you skip the first parking lot, you’ll pass the The Inn at China Peak on your left and then there will be another parking area to your right. The second parking area is on the other side of the aforementioned low bridge. I would not recommend this lot for larger vehicles.
If you pass the second parking lot and follow the road to the end, there are two very large parking areas, one of which is used by overnight RVers. Even though our 20-foot rig fits in the other parking areas, the parking areas at the far end are closest to Guest Services where we had to pick up tickets with our Powder Alliance and Indy Passes. It’s also closest to Summit/Chair 1 which will take you to the top of the mountain. From the last two parking areas, you’ll walk a bridge over Big Creek to reach the base area.
The parking areas were very rutted when we were there with very large potholes that turned into mini ponds. I watched a sedan get submerged almost to its doors as the driver navigated a way out.
If you’re arriving in a large rig, definitely show up before the mountain opens and plan on being there until most visitors have gone home for the day.
Using Your 2022/23 Powder Alliance Benefits or Indy Pass at China Peak
We made the mistake of waiting in line at the Day Lodge closest to Canyon/Chair 6 to pick up our tickets using our Indy Pass. When we got to a ticket window, we were instructed to walk across the base area to Guest Services in the building in front of Summit/Chair 1 instead. Fortunately, there was no line there.
Be prepared to show your photo ID and your reciprocal partner pass if you’re using your Powder Alliance benefits. You’ll be given a scannable ticket with a wicket. You must return to Guest Services each day you intend to ski/ride using your Indy Pass or Powder Alliance benefits.
Tips on How to Ski/Ride China Peak
See China Peak’s trail map to follow along.
We were fortunate to have two powder days in a row when we visited China Peak. Coverage on the mountain was excellent, so we were able to experience the entire mountain.
Our favorite run was Buckhorn. The top of the run did not have a sign to mark it as Buckhorn, at least that we could find. Instead, you’ll know you’re there when you see a sign with a skull and crossbones that says “Danger Expert Only”. This steep run is littered with trees and boulders and is narrow. We would not recommend doing it if coverage is scarce.
We also really enjoyed The Face area. Take Canyon/Chair 6 and check out the terrain on your way up which will be underneath the chair and to your right. Head to Ridge Run and try dropping in at multiple points. Don’t worry too much about finding signs for actual runs, but do pay attention to those labeled “cliff”. There are a variety of lines with mini cliff drops, boulders, trees, and open powder.
The Face area is on the short side. To make a longer run, start in the trees from the top of Summit/Chair 1, then work your way to Ridge Run.
If you do Waterfall Bowl to Grouse Creek, Waterfall, or Rancheria, you might have to do some skating, especially on a powder day. Almost all snowboarders I saw were walking at the bottom. If you keep your speed, the easiest way out is Upper Toad’s. We never saw a sign, but on a powder day, it looks like an ungroomed cat track. If you go to Lower Toad’s, it might be groomed, but your traverse out will be on a steady uphill. Since not everyone wants to walk or skate, most people will choose runs closest to Summit/Chair 1 to minimize their effort. If you choose runs closest to the resort’s perimeter, the more untouched powder you will find. If you head into the trees, even better.
If you’re looking for views and ride at an intermediate level, head to Buckhorn/Chair 2 and Lakeview/Chair 7 for views of Huntington Lake.
If you’re looking for tree runs that are less steep, check around the blue runs accessible from Buckhorn/Chair 2 and Lakeview/Chair 7. There’s was a lot of powder hiding in this area.
Where to Sleep in Your Van/RV
China Peak offers overnight RV parking with electrical hookups for a fee and reservations are required. Visit their RV Parking page for more information and to make reservations.
Note: During heavy snowfall, RV parking might not be available as is currently the case due to record-breaking snowfall this 2022/23 season.
While you have to make a reservation for RV camping, the sites are first-come, first-served.
The RV parking page says “there are no shower facilities on site”. However, when we checked in and received our parking permit, the back of the permit stated:
“Hotel Shower Use – Registered R.V. guests may use the common showers in the hotel. Please be courteous to the hotel guests and take your showers between the hours of 8am & 4pm or 7pm & 9pm. We do not provide towels or sundries.”
I called the front desk at The Inn at China Peak and they confirmed that we could use the hotel’s common showers. They just requested that we stop by the front desk to check in, but also to direct us where to go. Showers were a perk that we weren’t expecting, so were happy to take advantage. The Inn at China Peak isn’t exactly close to the overnight RV parking, but we did the quarter-mile walk. There was a lot of water to walk through as we made our way there, so make sure you bring waterproof shoes. The showers were clean enough and the water was hot. There were two stalls in the women’s restroom for showering.
However, it was odd because one stall really wasn’t a stall as there was no privacy curtain. There was a door on the shower but nowhere private to take off or put on clothes.
AT&T cell service wasn’t very reliable at China Peak, so we set up our Starlink.
California SNO-Parks – There are 4 SNO-Parks near China Peak, including:
- Eastwood – 1.8 miles / 5 minutes in Lakeshore
- Huntington Lake – 2.6 miles / 10 minutes in Lakeshore
- Coyote – 7.6 miles / 15 minutes in Big Creek
- Tamarack – 8 miles / 15 minutes in Shaver Lake
Staying at a SNO-Park is more cost-effective than China Peak if you don’t need an electric hookup and aren’t looking to take a shower. Day permits are only $15 and season passes are $40 November 1, 2022 through May 30, 2023. You can learn more here. California SNO-Parks are also honored at SNO-Parks in Oregon and Idaho. However, during heavy snowfall, it’s possible these SNO-Parks might not be accessible. Make sure you have a backup plan!
Camp Edison – 18 miles / 30 minutes in Shaver Lake – We weren’t going to make it all the way to China Peak before dark the day we drove up from the Fresno area, so we decided to get a site here for the night. It was easy to walk in and pay at the entrance kiosk after we found an open site. All sites have an electric hookup. Since the Dogwood Loop is the only loop open during winter, there are no full hookup sites available. You can make online reservations if you want to ensure a spot.
The showers here operate by a card that you have to buy from Camp Edison. We arrived after the entrance kiosk closed at 4 pm, so the camp host was kind enough to sell us a card. He also gave us a hint that the restroom/shower building in the bottom half of the loop was warmer inside than the restroom/shower building at the top of the loop. Each restroom had one shower stall – one in the men’s and one in the women’s of each building.
You can pay for a $3 card or a $5 card. You get 24 minutes or 40 minutes of time respectively. This is pretty generous compared to most places if not all places we’ve been that charge based on time.
The shower card worked better for Kyle in the men’s restroom than it did for me in the women’s. When you insert the card, it’s supposed to tell you how much time you have remaining and then you can retract the card and start your shower. It automatically gives you 8 minutes. My machine wasn’t registering and it was hard to tell if it was accepting the card. It’s supposed to work like a credit card with a chip. (Note: If you leave the card in the machine while you are showering, it will keep deducting time from your card.) My shower stopped after what seemed like less than 8 minutes. I’m pretty good at taking a 5-minute shower even with a lot of hair. I was about to freak out when I couldn’t get the shower to restart and my body was completely soaped up. Fortunately, I eventually got it to work. I was glad the showers were at least clean and hot.
Camp Edison is situated right next to Shaver Lake. You can’t see it from most sites in the Dogwood Loop and it’s really only a peak view from the ones that can see it. There are a few parking spots and a short trail down to the water from within the Dogwood Loop. However, there was too much snow for us to take the walk and it also looked rather icy, so we parked in the Day Use area to check it out.
There are cross-country ski and snowshoe trails throughout the campground if you’re looking for other outdoor winter activities.
We decided to stay at Camp Edison a second night after leaving China Peak. A bit of snow fell since our first night. The camp roads were plowed but not the campsites. Most sites had a very hard berm including the one we chose so we had to shovel it out. A ranger noticed what we were doing and was kind enough to help us.
AT&T cell service worked great for texting, emailing, and streaming entertainment while we were at Camp Edison. They also offer free WiFi which we didn’t use.
Sightseeing Near China Peak
Shaver Lake – 18.7 miles / 35 minutes – We thought the Shaver Lake Marina and the adjacent Day Use Beach were the best places for access to the lake and the best views. If the sun’s out, it’s a great place for a picnic or some fishing if you happen to have poles with you. There were several people fishing the day we were there.
Closest Ski Areas To China Peak
- Badger Pass Ski Area – 100 miles / 3 hours in Yosemite National Park
- Dodge Ridge (Cali Pass 2023/24, Powder Alliance 2023/24, Indy Pass 2023/24) – 199 miles / 4 hours in Pinecrest
