Friends In High Places

Alpine ski racer and Olympic Gold Medalist Julia Mancuso joined us 8,200 feet up at the swimming lagoon at Squaw Valley's High Camp . We shot this scene in May, which is an amazing time to soak in the spring sunshine while the surrounding Sierra's are still covered with snow.

FACT: After Julia won her Olympic Gold, Squaw Valley named a run in her honor - Julia's Gold.

Did you know? You don't have to ski or snowboard to enjoy California snow. The Squaw Valley Creek Nordic Center has 18 km of groomed, meadowland tracks for horse-drawn sleigh rides, dog sledding adventures, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Skiing off a cornice in Squaw Valley may not be for everyone, but Californians have always been known to push the boundaries of what's possible. Needless to say, there are endless powdery adventures to be had for the adrenaline junkie. Get guided back-country access to Mt. Shasta, Sequoia National Park and the Sierras , or ease your way into the backcountry experience with Sugar Bowl's "Side Country" tours . Take a go on Mammoth Mountain's 600-foot-long, 22-foot-tall Super Duper Pipe, or take a 2-day intensive ice climbing course with the American Alpine Institute.

FACT: Some of the most hardcore skiing in Tahoe can be found at the Mt. Rose Ski Resort . The Chutes is 200+ acres of advanced and expert terrain featuring 1500 vertical feet of some of the driest snow in Tahoe.

Did you know? California's mountains aren't just for winter. Amazing scenery and charming mountain towns offer great getaways for nature enthusiasts. Summer music festivals are a great reason to visit too - like the Wanderlust Festival and The Blue Sky Music Festival .

Want to find this view? Then get yourself a lift ticket to Heavenly Resort , where powdery runs offer unbelievable views of the brilliant blue waters of Lake Tahoe, far below.

FACT: Snowboarding and surfing in the same day? It's the ultimate California badge of honor. Visitors to Southern California can Surf Tressels in San Diego in the morning, ski Big Bear or Snow Summit - Southern California's favorite local ski resorts - by the afternoon.

Click to check out this trip idea for a Northern California surf to Squaw Valley ski day.

Did you know? Heavenly has some of the best tree skiing on the planet. Venture off the groomed trails and discover the "Hidden Heavenly." Find all the local secrets here .

When it comes to progressive Terrain and Adventure Parks, Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort knows how to deliver the goods. Check out The Stash , a run developed by Jake Burton featuring tree runs, road jumps and jibs constructed from natural materials. Or the 420-foot Superpipe, which ranks in the top ten pipes in North America. And that's just barely scratching the snow-covered surface.

FACT: The Chocolate Bar in Northstar's Village specializes in the highest quality chocolate creations, as well as appetizers, social plates, desserts, wines, spirits, and their very own chocolate bar cocktails.

Did you know? You can participate in a "high tech treasure hunt" with Northstar's uniqe Geocache Adventure Package. Strap on your snowshoes, grab a portable GPS and use your noggin to find over 430,000 caches hidden along the trails.

At the intersection of alpine and cross-country skiing is telemark skiing. A popular sport in Northern California, and the open backcountry areas of Mount Shasta , Mount Lassen and the Siskiyous.

FACT: Avalanche Gulch on the south side of Mount Shasta is the classic climbing and skiing route to the summit, offering a continuous crevasse-free ski run of over 7000 vertical feet.

We only had one chance to get this shot and our talent, director and cameraman nailed it! You too can get a new perspective on winter in California while experiencing the 525ft vertical drop on the Heavenly Flyer Zip Rider .

FACT: At 3,100 feet, the Heavenly Flyer is the longest Zip Rider in the lower 48.

Did you know? The whole family can test the limits of gravity in a whole new way at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort's Apex Bungy trampoline.

With 300 sunny days a year and over 400 inches of snow, the aptly named Mammoth Mountain features 28 lifts to whisk skiers to 150 different runs.

FACT: High Sierra weather means Mammoth can keep skiers in snow all the way up to 4th of July weekend. Yeah, you read that right, ski on 4th of July weekend!

Did you know? Known for its rustic charm, Mammoth Mountain has recently undergone an amazing revitalization adding numerous luxury hotels, upscale dining options, spas and world-class shopping to it's expanded village. A new airport offers direct flights from LAX to the Mammoth Lakes area.

Just ask the guys and gals catching air on Heavenly's High Roller terrain park: action sports and great music go together like hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps. That's why Heavenly has created Tahoe South Winter Snow Blast Weekends with monthly world-class concerts on the stages at Tamarack Lodge .

FACT: The folks at Alpine Meadows ski resort have engineered the ultimate mobile mountain entertainment machine dubbed "The Bandwagon" . It's one part grooming machine, two parts sound system and it rocks - that's a fact.

Shannon Bahrke showed up on location in Squaw Valley with her trademark shocking pink locks, but left her Olympic medals safe at home. Skiing since the age of three, when Shannon was 13, she was recruited to ski moguls for the Squaw Valley Ski Team. The rest is Olympic (and California) history.

FACT: Squaw Valley is one of the largest ski areas in the U.S.

Click for Shannon's 5 favorite things to do in Tahoe when she's not on the slopes.

From the beginner-friendly Badger Pass, accessible by free shuttle from Yosemite National Park, to the black diamonds of Kirkwood there is a perfect winter playground for all in the Golden State. Get a complete breakdown and comparison of 24 of the best-loved resorts here , then start planning your California winter getaway here .