Like the fog in Carl Sandburg's San Francisco, winter comes to Los Angeles on little cat feet, settling in so quietly you barely know it's there. Amid the palms and oleander only a few trees shake themselves bare, and the temperature drops just enough to make shorts and bare midriffs not the first choice.
This is the glory of life in Southern California. No snow tires or cinders or need to scrape the windshields; no trail of dripping boots and damp mittens in the foyer; no icy sidewalks or hazardous road conditions or mornings so cold your eyes tear and then the tears freeze.
But sometimes we yearn for winter, even those of us who never really experienced it firsthand. Sometimes it's just weird that you can run out barefoot to get the paper on Thanksgiving; that wool sweaters make you sweat and itch at noon in December; that give or take 5 degrees, the first day of Hanukkah could just as well be in April or even June.
Sometimes, we need a little winter. Real roses-in-your-cheeks, thigh-numbing, finger-tingling, lung-scouring, snow-filled-and-somnolent skies winter. The sort some of us actually remember and others of us have repeatedly read about.
Fortunately, we live in a state where just about anything is possible -- through topography, geography and that old Hollywood magic. You want real snow? We've got real snow. You want fake snow? We've got fake snow. You want snow that is sort of real and sort of fake? We've got that too.
Southern California offers ice skating, ice hockey, ice sculptures and the Ice Age. We've got reindeer and dog sleds and fireside, red-plaid coziness. It all depends on how far you are prepared to drive and how much you are prepared to spend.
Grab your skis or snowshoes or sleds and pick your drive time -- Yosemite is six hours away; Mammoth Lakes, five; Idyllwild, three; Big Bear and Arrowhead, a little over two; and Wrightwood just over an hour away.
The presence of ski mountains in most of these locations practically guarantees snow during the months of November through March or April. If it hasn't fallen, the folks at the ski resorts will make it, and although it might not be the same thing to purists, tobogganing down the fake stuff is just as fun (and frankly, it makes better snowballs).
Yosemite
Every Californian should visit Yosemite National Park at least once in the winter when its beauty and serenity -- no mobs of tourists, no lines at the communal showers -- defy description. For the hale of heart and limb, the park offers ranger-guided snowshoe and cross-country ski treks in the moonlight, as well as snow-tubing and skiing at Badger Pass ski area. (If you're planning to take a class, you should make advance reservations, but non-holiday weekends are usually not too crowded.) Or you can just stroll the paths and small trails open on the valley floor. When they're covered in ice and snow this can be cardio-adventure enough.
It's worth it to stay at one of the hotels or condos in the park so you don't have to do so much driving. Instead, spend your time watching the light and shadows chase each other through the trees, across the faces of Half Dome and El Capitan. Even if it gets really cold (temperatures can dip to the single digits at night), linger as the sun goes down and the mist rises lavender over the snow.
Although some of the valley businesses are closed in the winter, there are still plenty of places to eat -- from the five-star Ahwahnee Dining Room to Degnan's Deli. The General Store is open year-round and sells groceries and sundries among the tchotchkes. For weekends or holidays, even in the winter, book early and before you leave, call the park to check for any weather-related road or entrance closures.
Mammoth Lakes
In Mammoth Lakes, if you can tear yourself away from the pecan pull-away bread and coffee cake in Schat's Bakery, you can ride on a genuine dog sled, go snowmobiling, sledding, ice skating and, of course, skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain's three lodges: the Main Lodge, Canyon Lodge and Eagle Lodge. Even if you aren't into snow sports, riding the gondolas up to Canyon Lodge from Mammoth Village or to the top of Mammoth Mountain from the Adventure Center at the Main Lodge is worth it for the Alpine view.
You even might want to consider renting cross-country skis at the Ski Center next to the hotel and cabins of Tamarack Lodge and then have a gourmet dinner -- medallions of elk! Reputable wine cellar! Killer creme brulee! -- at the Lakefront Restaurant in the lodge (but book early -- like, weeks early -- even if you are staying in the lodge or its cabins).
Local mountains
