Fresh Tracks in the Kern River Sierra
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| The Kern Plateau in the Southern Sierras. |
Winter recreation is almost unlimited in the Southern Sierra. Its one of the only places in the entire world where you can ski powder, kayak waterfalls, mountain bike epic singletrack, rock climb, and even kiteboard on the same day.
The closest lift-accessed snow is only 10 miles from the Lake. The family friendly Alta Sierra Ski Resort, in the Greenhorn Mountains above Wofford Heights, caters primarily to beginner and intermediate skiers and snowboarders.
Nearby, backcountry skiers and snowboarders seek out the powder stashes, while cross country skiers and snowshoers explore the mountains. Read below for more detail!
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| Carving ultra light powder at 8500 feet. |
A Greenhorn sunset at Alta Sierra Ski Resort. |
Backcountry Skiing and snowboarding
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| Earning turns. |
The Greenhorns have some of the closest powder to the Kern River Valley and west side foothill towns.
You'll want to get it quick before the sun hits it! The area near Alta Sierra and Greenhorn Summit has some nice tree skiing, while further north towards Sunday Peak sometimes has double the snow.
Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are very popular at Greenhorn Summit, where the nearby roads are sometimes groomed for recreation.
Snowmobilers access the area via Hwy 155 and take the sometimes-groomed Portuguese Pass Road. Call the USFS - Kern River District for conditions.
Commencing at the Sand Shed at Greenhorn Pass, this route cuts across the Greenhorns north to Johnsondale, and continues to Ponderosa and Quaking Aspen.
Another access point is near Sugarloaf on the west side, above Posey.
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| Groomed XC ski runs at Greenhorn Summit. |
Off the beaten track. |
Check Sequoia National Forest Facebook page for updates on grooming.
Kern Plateau - Sherman Pass & Kennedy Meadows areas
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| Getting ready to splitboard down over 2,500 vertical feet of corn snow on a big snow year. |
At 8,000 - 10,000 feet in elevation, the Sherman Pass Area can get a lot of powder. In peak winter months, one can ski above 7-8,000 feet, especially if you have a snowmobile.
Sherman Pass, and the Kern Plateau, is accessed from the East near Kennedy Meadows, or from Kernville on the west side via Sherman Pass Road.
If driving from Kernville, take Sierra Way/Mtn Hwy 99 north 19 miles, turn right and drive up Sherman Pass Road until you hit snow. The lower portion of the road is sometimes plowed, while the higher section is sometimes groomed. It may be best to call the USFS Kernville office to get an update on the road conditions and grooming activity.
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| Too much fun! |
Sequoia National Monument
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| Loving fresh snow! |
Another great source of powder is near Jordan Peak, out of the Camp Nelson and Springville area. Many of the roads are groomed for OSV vehicles.
The Ponderosa area is also popular with snowmobilers and recieves a ton of snow! With numerous roads in the area, there are many options for recreation. See the Kern River Sierra map for help in planning your adventure!
And there's always the Piute Mountains too, although access is very difficult.
Write-ups on some of the backcountry options are on Sierra Sojourner blog, and Southern Sierra Outdoors blog.
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| Summiting in Sequoia National Forest. |
Powder destruction. |
Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
The best way to experience the Trail of 100 Giants. Spring xc skiing in the Giant Sequoias. |
XC Skiing on Sherman Pass Road. |
In the Greenhorns, one of the most popular spots to cross country ski is from the Sand Shed at Greenhorn Summit. Portuguese Pass Road and the dirt roads around Unal Trail are also excellent options. If you are coming from the west-side, the Sugarloaf area has good access.
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| An afternoon ski near Greenhorn Summit. |
Further north, Sherman Pass Pass Road provides a scenic workout. It is usually plowed past Cherry Hill Road to the parking area at Sherman Pass 4x4 Road, or beyond. In 2023, the USFS has been grooming all the snowmobile trails on the Kern Plateau!
Another wonderful spot to explore is Johnsondale. The road is closed and unplowed just beyond R Ranch.
If you are coming from the Northwest, there is excellent skiing access and groomed roads near Ponderosa and Quaking Aspen.
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| A rare snowy day on the Whiskey Flat Trail. |
Skiing the groomed Portuguese Pass Rd. |
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