Amazing lessons for first time adult skiers! Decided to try to learn how to ski after all these years, the beginner group lesson at dodge was my 1st lesson, and since having taken more classes at other resorts, I can say it was the most informative lesson(and least expensive) I had. It gave me the confidence, tips and tricks to pick skiing up at my first lesson! I am not athletic by any means, but learning at dodge has now provided me with a hobby I have loved for 8 years now-I still repeat tricks they taught me, and have been enjoying skiing tremendously since my very 1st lesson there. For adults and children alike-it's the best place to learn for beginners, not too challenging and has amazing instructors. read more

Snowboard or ski, Dodge Ridge will not only lift you up the hill but your spirits will be as high as ever! Located just an hour or two away from the bay and Tahoe, Dodge Ridge was the perfect winter getaway for the family. Operating in a cellular service black hole, your focus will be solely on the slopes and the amazing village they've built up. Before you come, be sure to make your reservations for the lifts in addition to any lessons you plan on taking. As part of the package, you'll get your choice of skis and poles or snowboard (you can switch out during your stay if you want), helmets, and boots. We decided to skip the lessons this time around but based on our impression of the lessons we observed, the staff seem proficient in skill and patience for people of all ages. After making your way up the windy road, you'll come across some parking along the side of the road. You can park there, but it's kind of a hike so you may want to consider continuing your way up where there will be a lot with reserved parking, day parking ($40 at the time), and some free parking further up. We decided to pay for parking since we planned on snacking on food that we brought and wanted our gear closer (especially for the little ones). Hopefully you came early enough to snag some convenient spots and make the most of your day. As we made our way to the lodge buildings, we first made a visit to the ticket office to redeem our lift tickets (that were reserved online). This is also where you could buy day of tickets as well but there's always a chance they get sold out depending on the season. They do have a nice bistro upstairs and restrooms in this office. Then we walked across the aisle to the equipment building where we were fitted with our gear. They lent out snowboard/ski boots and helmets (recommended) as well as did a quick measurement and adjusted bindings for our snowboards/skis. Once suited up, we ventured out to the lifts! On the far left and right were the beginner slopes where we stayed for the whole day. The lift lines were makeshift with some tape and cones to keep some order and as you made your way to the front of the line, you scan your lift tickets to open the gates to allow you to enter the lifts. During our day in the snow, the last building was a great place to recluse and recover. Inside and outside, there were plenty of seats and tables for meals which are served here at the cafe in addition to the bistro in the ticket office. For those looking to cozy up, they also have a fire pit for getting nice and toasty. Although we didn't get a taste, the food looked spectacular and reasonably priced for where you are. Throughout the establishment, the staff were super friendly and welcoming. When we had called earlier to inquire about their lessons and prices, the staff were very upfront and helpful. When we got here, we noticed they had a good number of folks working all the different stations and from what I could tell, they were constantly busy. Kudos to the training staff for preparing everyone for those mad rushes at open and close and everything in between! Overall, Dodge Ridge is a fantastic stop for those looking for the thrill of the snowy slopes! The amenities, the quality of equipment, availability of staff, and price makes this place a family favorite for us and we can't wait to come back! read more

I have always skied at Northstar or Heavenly, but I really like this hidden gem. Parking can be tricky if you arrive late but they do offer paid parking that is closer if space is available. Lift operators and mountain hosts were friendly and helpful (slowing lifts down, helping people up, providing info). It got pretty warm during the day, so it got slushy at the bottom. Hazards, slow zones, and closed areas are clearly marked and I feel this is especially important for beginners. read more

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Great place for beginners and those who want to come for a day trip or short trip from the Bay Area! Two of our kids in our group took their first snowboarding lessons and actually had the best time learning! After lunch they took a few more practice runs on the beginner slope and then were willing to go up the clementine ski lift to try the green slopes!! Shout out to the friendly teachers and staff promoting kids learning! The lodge is small but nice and cozy for those not participating. It was a wonderful day and a great first experience for the kids. We will be back! read more

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We signed our son up for the toddler all day ski lesson (6-10 year olds) with two of his friends. It was great - the kids had such a fun time and the lesson was well worth the $400 - even though they told us the class would be roughly 5:1 ratio it seemed like there were times where it was closer to 1:1. Instructors seemed really patient - special shout out to Cameron, the main instructor for our kids' group. The lesson came with lunch and a snack. Good option for kids. Other: No traffic, easy parking (we came at around 840am for a 9-2:45 all day lesson), onsite restaurant and cafe, outdoor and indoor seating. read more

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Nice facility that is an easy drive from the Bay Area. Concessions were good and they were even coming around with a free cookie for someone's birthday! To redeem an online reservation, you have to go to several lines before ending up in the pick up line. There was a lot of confusion as there wasn't much signage or direction about that until you got to the front of the wrong line. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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I have been coming to Dodge ridge for 38 years. First on elementary school field trips, then to hang with friends and now I bring my son and friends. I love this place. The mountain has runs for all ski levels. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The food is affordable and you don't have to break the bank to come. We had another great day on the mountain. read more

One of the closest ski resorts to the Bay Area, so one can easily do a day trip (leave at 6:30 to get there when the lifts open at 9, return after they close at 4 and still get home in time for dinner). We found parking easily when we arrived around 8:30 am, and I snagged a couple of chairs for us near a fire pit while the skiers and snowboarders in our party put on sunscreen and headed up the mountain. The slopes are easily accessible. Our family members did over a dozen runs each, so all in all it was a good day inspite of slightly slushy snow. There are clean bathrooms and a couple of cafeterias (reviewed separately). Pro Tip: Buy your lift ticket the night before and use a kiosk to get it using the QR code. Will be back. read more

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Came here on Christmas Day ! It's about 2.5 hrs from the East Bay! Perfect resort for a day trip. We got there around 9:30am. We didn't do the online waiver but it was easy and quick. The line to get lift tickets were quick too! Rental line was long. The wait was about 20-30 min. Good thing we rented snowboarding gears which the line was shorter than ski rental. We finally could hit the slope shortly before 11am! Had lunch at the cafe around 12 ish. The resort closes at 4pm but a lot of ppl left around 2ish. Overall, we liked it a lot for a day trip. Not a lot of ppl maybe since it was Christmas Day. The resort is not big but good enough for us having snowboard beginners in our family. There were fire pits around the lounging area where people who don't ski or snowboard can hang out there ! read more

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Amazing staff, well groomed (and fun) slopes, and great lodge with food drink and tons of seating. Loved taking lessons here and chilling by the fire aprèski. Cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed the staff. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

I like the place but the food area is completely unorganized, it was better before it was changed and there are never enough places to sit, the building needs to be expanded for more tables. read more

I had a great experience at this location. It was perfect with multiple kids and newbies on the lower run and those more experience being able to do all the other runs. Definitely would go again. read more

Shoutout to Gideon, hope I spelled his name right! My daughter was so nervous to go on her school field trip because she had never been snowboarding before, but she signed up for a lesson anyway. When she came home, she couldn't stop talking about her instructors, especially Gideon, the main one. She said he was amazing at his job. He was so patient, kind, and encouraging. She didn't do too hot this time (maybe she'll need a couple more lessons ), but she came back fearless and excited to go again. Thank you for giving her the confidence she needed! read more

Lovely site and staff! This was our first visit and one free ride up to the peak was offered as a summer promotion to spread the news about the mountain hiking programs offered in the summer season. (We were a party of two and paid for one ticket but the price $25 was very affordable. Especially when you consider the prices of other ski areas) The staff were very engaged but not overbearing. It was quite nice to have a chance to just walk around and explore. If I become more of the adventurous type, I'd love another visit during the winter. read more

Dodge Ridge - Nice physical cards to commemorate our mini trip. The artwork is particularly good touch! - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Classic Sierra ski hill. Small mountain resort feel especially compared to the mega-corporate resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. Fewer pretentious Bay Area elites than North Star. Less Teslas in the parking lot. Less drunk tourists than Heavenly. Less table hoarding Tiger moms than Diamond Peak. Now the drawbacks. Less dining options. Not a lot of runs. Limited expert terrain. Slow chairs. At least the grooming has improved over the years. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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Great place. The snow, the people, the experience! Dodge is where I learned to ski as a kid. Dodge has invested a lot of money in upgrading the ski experience. read more

Dodge Ridge has taken over camping areas in Stanislaus forest. They suck. First off rates are up and bathrooms are dirty. At the Eureka Valley campgrounds the bathrooms had so many flies and was like a horror movie. They won't allow you to set up until 2 pm. I would understand it if they cleaned up the campsites but they don't. So if you do arrive before two be prepared to pay for the night before. No more than 2 licensed vehicles per site. They've taken the fun outta camping. read more

Customer service is terrible. My sons board was stolen and the manager could care less and refused to check the cameras. Keep your stuff with you at all times at this place. read more

I'm from Merced and Dodge Ridge is the closest Snow Resort to me. COME EARLY! If you're gonna find any kind of good parking, make sure you come early. I came early on a Saturday with my family and it was still hard to find parking. Prices are good. Purchase your stuff online first and your life will be way easier. Additionally, the lodge itself is cozy and full of life, plus comes with a full bar with tap beers and spirits! There are multiple slopes for folks of different skill levels, and the views are really good. There's also a small area for newbies and kids to practice to improve their skills. Go try it out! The indoor staff (bartenders, cafe staff, people helping you check in, etc) were absolutely amazing! The staff on the snow (lift operators, guys on snowmobiles, etc) clearly need a couple of lessons on providing better quality customer service. Not sure if I'd come back to Dodge Ridge, because the park is relatively cheap but it also brings a huge crowd and low-quality snow staff. I desperately want next time to be better but am hesitant to come back. read more

We celebrated New Years at the Dodge Ridge Ski Resort - and it couldn't have been a lovelier time. Snow kissed families and friends bundled up in their snow ware come in and out of the lodge with big grins. Dodge Ridge is a fantastic family friendly spot. People come from all over to enjoy this ski/snowboarding spot. If you're not an an experienced skier or snowboarder - like myself - the lodge is still a fun place to kick back. They have a friendly bar - that serves up snacks and drinks. If you're missing any gear for your outdoor adventures - they have a solid store, that sells everything from hip hats, snowpants, gloves, shirts, etc. They also offer rentals -when it comes to ski and snow needs and have a well maintained bathroom and locker area. The New Years show was early - from 3pm-6pm. Kids and adults alike were dancing. The Dodge Ridge staff even offered up some fun raffle prizes and later in the evening passed out some festive styraofoam light-up wands, before their dazzling early evening fireworks show. It was amazing listening to live music, while watching people descend down the majestic skip slope - from the big moon-lit windows behind the band. If you are looking for a fun family spot to enjoy the winter weather - I highly recommend checking out Dodge Ridge. They can def get busy - so be sure that you arrive early and/or be prepared to wait in a line of cars . Trust. read more

I like that this place is small. Super friendly customer service. There was minimal snow (very abnormal for the time of yr), but they were making it work by bringing snow in. We didn't ski that day, but the beginner/ lessons area was nuts. I don't think it would have been a good place for the kids to learn. read more

TLDR - 2.5 hour drive from livermore, smooth drive not windy except for very last part, less overwhelming than tahoe ski resorts, $90-$100 lift ticket for adults THE DRIVE * left livermore at 615am, arrived at dodge ridge at 845am (2.5 hours) * drive is very easy, pretty much a straight shot east on 580 to 205 (through tracy) to 120 (through manteca, oakdale) to 108 (climb begins at sonora through mi-wuk). then you turn right toward dodge ridge and drive ~4 miles to the resort. in march, they plowed the road to the resort so no chains required. but i think sometimes this can be snowy/icy and they'd required chains * redeemed online lift ticket at window, got on the ski lift when they started at 9am * skied til 1:50pm * left dodge ridge at 2pm, arrived in livermore at 330pm (2.5 hours) * easy peasy lemon squeezey PARKING * parking lot is small. there is an overflow upper parking lot with a flight of stairs * there are parking attendants who designate, with a sign, where permit/paid parking is required. the attendant told me they determine based on the day, and based on how busy it is * if you park BEFORE the sign, parking is free * it seems like people park anywhere (parallel, perpendicular). just no double parking. attendant told me there is always a spot to park, they will 'make space' for everyone. LODGE / MAIN DINING AREA * decent food, they had a grill (burgers, dogs), soup counter (chili, clam chowder with bread bowls), snacks, candy bars, drinks, coffee * FREE WIFI * bathrooms upstairs and downstairs * cell phone signal: 1 bar at lodge, 2 bars mid mountain, 3 bars at summit, although sometimes there's no signal on the backside of the mountain FAVORITE RUNS * i'm an intermediate skiier, so i'm all about BLUE * Ry's Run (Chair 3). Medium length run but a lot of fun. * Gold Nugget Bowl (single black, short) to Gold Nugget to Lower Gold Nugget (Chair 5) * Graceland to Amazing Grace (Chair 8). It's probably one of the longest runs top to bottom, so it can get tiring if your endurance sucks like mine * How to get from Chair 3 to Chair 7: High Road (blue). It traverses in a southwest direction COST * $10 off if you buy online. $99-110 for adults. $39 for youth (6-12). * season passes about ~$600 (pays for itself after 5-6 days) * they sometimes offer 3-day packs for ~$270 (~$89 each day) read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

We had fun at dodge ridge ski resort and all the staff was nice and helpful our only HUGE complaint was parking was horrible and unorganized To say the least and our only huge suggestion is get there EARLY I mean before 8am (opens at 9-4) otherwise you may not find parking AT ALL ! also if tubing they sell out quickly the day we arrive sold out before 11:30am for the day ! and getting out was also bad as only one lane in/out . read more

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Had a fun day out on the mountain until one of the employees crashed right into me. It looked like his fall was harder than mine. he tumbled thirty feet past me. I felt bad for him until he started blaming me. He said to look uphill, but I was stationary so yeah whatever dude. Hope you're feeling better. The soft serve at the cafe was the perfect treat to end the day. read more

As a "Never Ever" ....meaning I have never skied in my life. This is my first true season on the mountain and I cannot rave enough about how beautifully they maintain the resort, ALL the staff is so friendly and helpful, the food and bar area is fun after a long day on the slopes. Cannot rave enough about how in love I am with my home mountain. 10/10 !! read more

Dodge Ridge - Top of Chair 1 - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Prior to coming in a called I ran into an issue with my reservation staff were able to help and sent confirmation email On the day of every staff person we interacted with was kind and polite. We engaged in the level one ski lesson with jacob . I highly recommend coming during off season or midweek. I definitely can say we got our monies worth we were the only 2 in the class. By the end we were exhausted.. I recommend off season when it is warmer because you need less gear and can move a little easier. Always bring gloves because falling in snow no matter how warm it is is not fun From black oak casino mid week the drive was only about 35-40 minutes parking was easy and there were no lines I would definitely come again read more

Dodge Ridge - Multiple slopes - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Super rude crew. Yelled at young kids as they moved slowly and could not help sliding into those ski school lines, which they claim are reserved for ski schools kids. So disappointing as I heard this is a family run business but in fact they only care about money not the children themselves. How will those children return when they grow up with their own kids. Short-sighted. read more

I've been here and handful of times, so I know enough to say plenty about the entire resort, but I'll save that for another time. This review is strictly about my experience at the lodge. The team on the rentals side seemed competent and friendly enough, but I'm giving two stars based on my experience with the staffs at the ticket counter and the children's lessons check-in. Everyone I dealt with on my most recent visit there was aloof, borderline incompetent and seemed uninterested in providing any sort of customer service. The line for lift tickets was long and getting longer, but no one had any sense of urgency. Once we finally go our passes, we were then told to go to the incorrect area for lessons. I hope you're picking up that it was a frustrating morning. Maybe more training is needed, but you can't train an employee to care - they have to want to do that on their own! read more

Went here with a group of 8 in 01/2024. 5 of us were complete beginners at snow boarding so we took the 2 hour beginners lesson they offer and the gear rental. That had us covered for a day on the slopes and by the end of the day we all had the hang of it. For 140$ I would say we well got our moneys worth. Staff is helpful and friendly and answered questions we had. A lot of people but crowds were not an issue. Could not of asked for much more out of a snow resort. They have an upstairs area for food and plenty of warm places in doors to catch your breath. Also have great free water stations to stay hydrated. read more

Dodge Ridge - Board rental - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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I love Dodge. Yes it's small and the lifts are slow, but the mountain is quiet compared to Tahoe; the snow is great; the mountain operations team does an outstanding job with grooming and providing ample access to board able acres. I was here the day after Christmas and folks were telling me how crazy packed it was--I never waited more than a minute or so to catch a lift... so i never felt crowded. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

I want to update my review since 2019, I've been still pushing myself to get out on the snow at least 3 times in the winter. Yeah, I'm not the best snowboarder, but have come a ways away. Purchased my own equipment over the years, to avoid the rentals and even a season pass at the early bird rate of $399. Pushed me to go out and try and get my values worth. My review is about a specific lesson instructor, Chris. He was so much better compared to my first instructor at Dodge Ridge. I want to give him all the stars. He was patient, kind, understanding and funny. I don't know if you get to pick your person, but if you get him, enjoy! I left my lesson feeling good, even though I'm still a not so great boarder, it's a slow progress. Need to keep practicing. Notes for the park. If you go during the weekend, get there EARLY!!!!! The parking lot fills up fast, I'm not joking. If you're coming from the Bay Area, it's about a 3.5 hour drive. Either grab a room the night before to avoid waking up at 4 a.m. The key is you want to have fun and not be tired. Bring snacks, or buy items at the cafeteria. Good luck to all my new learners out there, keep it up and have fun. read more

Perfect day to go today. No traffic. Parking was easy. (Paid parking is pretty close to the lodge cost $40 cash - no credit cards) We paid for lift tickets online and rented snow boards / skis here. Prices are what you wld expect. All lifts are open. Powder is lil packed but still nice and fluffy. We brought our own healthy snacks and camped out by a fire pit outside. No umbrellas and the occassional gust of wind and you get sunburned and a auick chill go down the back of your spine. Sooo, we went iInside has some stores open for snacks and drinks, we used a large table facing the slopes - Perfecto!! Not alot of people no crowds today. Best spot was inside for a 49 yr old dude. The kids are out getting tired and I'm siping hot tea w some snacks. I love it. read more

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We had a great week skiing at Dodge Ridge. Their customer service is top notch. They have a great mix of beginner, intermediate and advanced terrain. There are plenty of groomed runs. The lines are relatively short compared to other resorts in CA. Tip: the upper lodge is awesome, but only open on weekends. read more

Just had an awesome day at Dodge Ridge. In spite of the lack of snow and no snow making they harvested snow from other spots and put it on the slopes and skiing was excellent. I'm 75 so I have a free season pass now and been going to Dodge Ridge for 65 years. Closest and cheapest spot since I'm from San jose. read more

I skied at dodge ridge with my family growing up and visited today for the first time in years and was quite disappointed. First off, they are way overpriced. A lift ticket was 120 and parking is 40. Spend your money at a nice Tahoe resort or buy tickets online to get a slightly better deal. Bathrooms were not well maintained and had bathroom trash trailing into the locker room. Lifts were extremely slow and stopped so many times. Most of our day was on the lift. They did not shovel under the lift properly so people kept falling when trying to get on the lift or had their tips get caught. Finally some of the employees were very unpleasant. I will not be back. read more

I've been coming to Dodge Ridge off and on for years now. Last trip I got to take my son up with some friends on MLK day for a day trip. I got my son an all day lesson and it was a blast for him to try snowboarding for the 1st time. You can actually get a season pass for a kid for $250 right now, which is insanely cheap rate. Adults are about $1000, which is steep unless you're going to come up over 8-10 times, which for me is almost impossible to do. What I like about Dodge is it's close proximity to the bay area compared to the other resorts, it also has nice long runs in my opinion too. The lunch bar is a rip, but all resorts are like that. I'd for sure like to come up again to get my kid a few more lessons on the snowboarding. If you get a weekday off in the snow season and you can come here when it's not packed like most resorts on the weekends are, it's really a great deal and a fun time. read more

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Recently tried Dodge Ridge instead of going to Tahoe and overall felt it was a good value. The one-day tickets were among the lowest cost in the Sierras, snow quality and grooming was very good, and the facilities felt clean and not overly crowded compared to many of larger resorts. The mountain is small but still has enough to fill a day without feeling repetitive. The major downsides we experienced were a very slow rental shop and slow lifts. You can mitigate the first by bringing your own equipment or renting elsewhere. The second is unavoidable, but given Dodge's comparatively lower costs, seems a reasonable tradeoff. Food and drink were a mixed bag (good soup, small but well-stocked bar, definitely skip the pizza). One other note, if you're coming from the Central Valley or Bay Area, this location is slightly closer and seems less susceptible to the traffic that plagues the trip to the Tahoe area. But the road up is not in great condition so plan accordingly if the weather looks at all questionable. read more

I went here Jan. 6 and on the first lift chair three, I was thrown off and had my arm mangled. The lift operation had it going easy to fast and I wasn't the only one. I went to the medic and they checked me out advised me to go to the hospital. Then I tried to get my money back for the day since I was injured because of there lift, but they just gave me credit for a different day. They said they would investigate it that day and have never got back to me and will not answer my emails. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Super fun day - easy process for tickets, rentals, etc. Not very crowded and good mix of slopes for the beginners in our family. The cost was good too for a full day. We'll be back! read more

Dodge Ridge - Practice slope area with the view - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

Dodge Ridge is great for intermediate to advanced skiers. However, they have limited options for beginners and kids. The great thing about Dodge Ridge is that they're situated a short drive from the Bay Area. When considering the drive, it's a choice between Bear Valley and Dodge Ridge, so it boils down to personal goals and what you're looking for in a ski resort. My family and I skied Dodge Ridge for 2 days. I was able to teach my older son to ski by using the rope tow lift, and he was able to progress to Blue runs on his 2nd day (3rd time skiing). Such a proud moment! However, it was challenging to teach my younger son because Dodge Ridge did not allow us access to their magic carpet escalator unless we enrolled in a class, unlike Bear Valley where they do allow access. So the only way I got him up the hill was by going to the rope lift and holding the rope lift with one hand and him in the other hand. The rope lift's hill is also too steep and advanced for a young child to progress. The Green lift, which is situated on the opposite side of the resort, is a challenge to access. It's a hike up to get to the chair lift, and the hike up should be rated a black diamond ; ). The Green lift itself is excellent, slow and friendly--the operators take it easy when someone falls. And the Green slope is gradual, long and great for beginners learning. The pricing offers good value for a well groomed mountain with friendly staff. Close proximity to the Bay Area makes it easy for a weekend ski run with the family. read more

Dodge Ridge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Pinecrest, California

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