Winter Van Life: Dodge Ridge

Time of Our Visit: February 2023

Dodge Ridge is located in California in the Stanislaus National Forest. If you’re looking at a map of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Dodge Ridge resides in the middle of Lake Tahoe to the north and Yosemite National Park to the south.

Dodge Ridge is part of a family of resorts that includes Mountain High in Wrightwood, California and China Peak Mountain Resort in the Sierra National Forest near Huntington Lake. You can get unlimited skiing and riding at all three resorts with the Cali Pass which is new for the 2023/24 season. The Cali Pass gives pass holders Powder Alliance benefits. Plus, all three mountains participate in Indy Pass.

What We Love About Dodge Ridge

After our first visit to China Peak, we were eager to find out what other Central California ski areas had to offer, including Dodge Ridge. Would it have the same amazing snow and terrain? While we didn’t time our visit to Dodge Ridge for freshies, we were there soon enough after a storm to explore the best parts of the mountain.

Dodge Ridge was similar to China Peak with a variety of terrain – boulders, mini cliffs, open bowls, bump runs, and tree skiing.

There were no lift lines or slope chaos. However, it should be noted that we were there on a Wednesday and Thursday. A woman I met on a chairlift at Sierra-at-Tahoe mentioned that weekend traffic at Dodge Ridge was worse than Tahoe traffic in her opinion. That’s saying something!

We appreciated the option to camp overnight in their parking lot. Most California ski areas don’t allow RVing, so we were happy to be within steps of the slopes.

And just like other California ski areas, Dodge Ridge serves up the same sunshine and warmer temperatures. I had to keep taking off my gloves as they were getting too sweaty. After Snow Valley, Mountain High, China Peak and Dodge Ridge, we were already developing strong goggle tans and it wasn’t even mid-February yet.

Plan Your RV/Van Life Road Trip to Dodge Ridge

dodgeridge.com
1 Dodge Ridge Road, Pinecrest, CA 95364
(209) 965-3474
info@dodgeridge.com

Pass affiliations: Cali Pass 2023/24, Powder Alliance 2023/24, Indy Pass 2023/24

Operating hours: Lifts spin 7 days a week, 9 am to 4 pm.

Mountain Stats

• Terrain: 862 acres
• Vertical drop: 1,600 feet
• Average snowfall range: 300-500 inches

During the 2010/11 season, Dodge Ridge received 643 inches of snow. During this 2022/23 season, they’ve had over 700 inches of snowfall and still counting!

Driving to Dodge Ridge

Dodge Ridge is located off CA-108, also known as Sonora Highway. Sonora Highway is closed during winter just past the Highway 108 SNO-Park which is about 8.5 miles east of the Dodge Ridge Road turnoff. You cannot travel the Sonora Highway from the Sonora Junction at Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra. Dodge Ridge is only accessible from the western slope of the Sierra Nevada.

From Sonora, the last full-service city on CA-108 going east, it’s a 50-minute drive to Dodge Ridge with good weather. It’s primarily a two-lane highway with passing lanes and only mildly windy.

If you need to stock up on groceries or other supplies, we recommend doing so in Sonora before you go to Dodge Ridge. You’ll have the most options here including a Safeway (Sanguinetti Rd), Walmart (Sonora Supercenter), Grocery Outlet (Sonora), and more.

For road conditions, check Dodge Ridge’s Snow Report. For the most up-to-date highway conditions, check Caltrans.

Parking at Dodge Ridge

As you enter the resort area on Dodge Ridge Road, the road becomes a one-way. You’ll notice parking on the left and right of the road with signs instructing you to park parallel or otherwise. While we never saw this area fill up during our visit, we can imagine the road becoming very tight with parked cars, pedestrians, and moving vehicle traffic.

When the ski area starts coming into view on your right, you’ll enter an actual parking lot. Parking in front of the first building is free. Once you pass the first building, you’ll notice paid parking in front of the Helm Family Lodge.

If you continue straight past the Helm Family Lodge, the road slopes upward and ends up at Chair 5. There is a combination of free and paid parking in this area. Chair 5 was not open when we were there, so this wouldn’t have been a good place for us to park. However, it seemed locals were parked slope side and enjoying some tailgating over there. If you really wanted to, you could technically park there and ski/ride down to the Helm Family Lodge for tickets without having to get on a chairlift.

If you don’t take the road to Chair 5, the one-way road takes a sharp left into a parking lot one level up from the Helm Family Lodge. Overnight RV parking is located here along the back berm. When there isn’t snow on the ground you can see the lines for very large spaces designated for buses and RVs. This lot is considered preferred/paid parking on high visitation days. Otherwise, it is free as it was on a Wednesday and Thursday during our visit in February (non-holiday week).

If you continue past the lot with overnight RV parking, there is another lot with complimentary parking. As Dodge Ridge Road continues one-way out of the resort area, you can park on either side of the road as designated.

See Dodge Ridge’s Winter Parking Pass Sale page for more information.

Using Your 2022/23 Powder Alliance Benefits or Indy Pass at Dodge Ridge

To use your Indy Pass or Powder Alliance benefits, you must go to Guest Services inside the Helm Family Lodge. Be ready to show your photo ID, plus your home mountain’s season pass if you’re using Powder Alliance benefits. You’ll be given a ticket with a wicket which must be attached to a place easily visible by lifties as it is not scannable. You must return to Guest Services each day you intend to ski/ride with your Indy Pass or Powder Alliance benefits.

Tips on How to Ski/Ride Dodge Ridge

If you’re a beginner or intermediate skier or rider, the majority of green and blue runs are located behind the Helm Family Lodge. Use Chairs 1-6. There are a few advanced/expert runs over here, but the ungroomed terrain was too firm during our visit. Otherwise, this side of the mountain seems dedicated to learning and progression.

For advanced/expert runs and the best views of the Sierra Nevada, head to Chair 8. We found the best snow conditions over there, including leftovers from the previous storm. We were pretty happy with every named trail (most were not groomed) and there were a lot of unmarked tree runs to explore. You can easily scope out some tree options from the chair.

Granite Bowl offers mini cliff drops and boulders if you feel like catching some air. The only area we didn’t make it to was Double Shot as the T-Shot lift was not open.

We tried some of the black runs around Chair 7, but it was too firm with the exception of Exhibition. If you caught Exhibition while the sun was high in the sky, the snow was a little more forgiving. Chair 7 looked like it could be a lot of fun on a powder or spring day.

Where to Sleep in Your Van/RV

Dodge Ridge allows overnight RV parking for a fee. We paid for our permit at Guest Services in the Helm Family Lodge. There is a maximum 4-night stay and there are no amenities. The restrooms in the base area were inaccessible outside of regular business hours. There were some very small trash cans that the crows were constantly raiding. I’d recommend packing it out.

Note: Overnight RV camping might become unavailable as it happened during the 2022/23 season due to record-breaking snowfall.

Pioneer Trail Campground – 2.8 miles / 10 minutes on Dodge Ridge Road – You’ll actually pass this campground on your way to Dodge Ridge on your left side. It’s tucked away in the trees and it was difficult for us to spot the entrance. Look out for a couple of vault toilets visible in the trees that are visible from the road to help guide you.

This campground is free during the winter if you don’t want to pay the high cost of sleeping overnight at Dodge Ridge. You still need to email info@dodgeridge.com to inform them of your arrival date. It does not offer any amenities aside from a couple of vault toilets. It’s very shaded so it’s also very icy. There are no actual sites to pick from, just two parking areas. Both were pretty unlevel but the left parking area was more doable.

Note: During times of significant snowfall, this campground might not be available. Be sure to check Dodge Ridge’s site or give them a call for more information. I personally wouldn’t want to stay there during an active snowstorm. It seemed like getting snowed in could be a possibility and you might have to shovel some of your way out.

Highway 108 SNO-Park – 12.9 miles / 25 minutes on CA-108 east of Dodge Ridge Road – This SNO-Park is located just before CA-108’s winter road closure. There are two parking areas – one on the south side of the highway and one on the north. Each have their own rules regarding your length of stay. Both are fairly level. There are vault toilets but they might not be open if there has been significant snowfall. You must pack out your trash.

Note: I would not choose to stay here during an active snowstorm. The highway and the SNO-Park might not be plowed in a timely manner. CA-108 gains some elevation on windy roads from Dodge Ridge Road and there are practically no services on the way to the SNO-Park from Dodge Ridge. Cell service is spotty or non-existent.

Black Oak RV Park – 31 miles / 50 minutes in Tuolumne – If you’re looking for some amenities, check out this RV park at the Black Oak Casino Resort which is owned and operated by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians. This is a very beautiful property tucked away in Gold Country. Its location gets very little snow and plenty of sunshine if you want to catch some warmth during your winter travels. The RV park has a heated pool and spa, catch and release fishing pond, dog park, shower and laundry house, and paved sites with full hookups (back-in or pull-through).

They also offer a 24-hour courtesy shuttle to the on-site casino which has gambling, obviously, plus live performances, restaurants and bars, a bowling center, and arcade. When we checked in, we were granted $5 of free play at the casino. Also at the Black Oak property is a fuel station with some of the cheapest fuel we saw in the area, including diesel #2. Feel like getting out of your RV? Book one of their hotel rooms instead. Looking for outdoor activity that doesn’t involve snow? Check out their Teleli Golf Club.

If you don’t feel like driving to Dodge Ridge, you might be able to catch the Tuolumne County Transit SkiBUS from the hotel. Go here for more information.

We didn’t book a site ahead of time, but there was plenty of availability when we arrived in February. It was very easy to pay for and select a site with the attendant at the RV park entrance kiosk. When you enter the casino resort property, follow the signs to the RV park. Otherwise, you can book a site online up to the date of your arrival. Their reservation system allows you to see at a glance which dates have availability and which are sold out in the upcoming 10-month period.

Sightseeing Near Dodge Ridge

Pinecrest Lake – 4.7 miles / 15 minutes in Pinecrest – The Day Use area at Pinecrest Lake might be buried, including the picnic tables. However, you can still enjoy the snowy beach for snowman building or sledding.

Yosemite National Park – 106 miles / 2.75 hours – When I used to live in Tahoe, it was an annual tradition to visit Yosemite Valley as soon as the east entrance at Tioga Road would open after its winter closure. But I have never been to Yosemite mid-winter even though it is accessible from the west slope of the Sierra Nevada year-round. It’s supposed to be a special treat to see it covered in white and Yosemite is one of three US National Parks that is home to a ski area – Badger Pass. If you’re not in a hurry to your next destination, dedicate a day to Yosemite. The Upper Pines Campground is open year round if you can snag a reservation.

Closest Ski Areas To Dodge Ridge

• Bear Valley Resort (Cali Pass 2023/24, Powder Alliance 2023/24) – 88.1 miles / 2.25 hours in Bear Valley
• Badger Pass Ski Area – 113 miles / 3 hours in Yosemite National Park
• Kirkwood (Epic Pass 2023/24) – 133 miles / 3.25 hours in Kirkwood
• China Peak Mountain Resort (Cali Pass 2023/24, Powder Alliance 2023/24, Indy Pass 2023/24) – 181 miles / 4.5 hours in LakeShore