Recommended riding areas in the Sierras?

[wiley75]

Hello All,
My girlfriend and I are avid snowmobilers in Washington State and are interesting in taking a trip to California to see what you've got to offer. We are planning on taking a couple of weeks in early March to head for the Sierras. We have friends in Mammoth Lakes, but they are not snowmobilers and don't really know what the area has to offer for sledders.

I'm looking for recommendations on areas to ride. We enjoy a mix of boondocking in the trees, carving up some open areas, and some hill climbing too. I hear about areas like Shasta, Tahoe, and Sonora but I don't really know much about them. (Like what sno parks to use, what trails to take, etc.)

Any recommendations would be most appreciated!!
thanks
Wiley

 

[Zrider]

Wiley:

Keep us posted on when you're coming down and whether or not you will be staying in Mammoth. Lots of folks on this site live between Reno and Mammoth(160 miles apart) and would most likely like to show you around. Lots of places to ride, just depends on where you will be beddin' down. Sonora is a definite must, especially if you stay in Mammoth.

Let us know.

z

 

[neilson]

Mammoth local here, hit me up closer to the date. More than happy to show you guys around. We've just had 10 feet over the last week so the base should last out the season.

Neil.

 

[donbrown]

All these clubs are available for a ride

http://www.cnsa.net/

Mammoth trails

 

[wiley75]

All these clubs are available for a ride

http://www.cnsa.net/

Mammoth trails

very useful. thanks

 

[DavelikeRMk]

Tahoe and Truckee area maps

Here are some links to riding areas near Tahoe.

http://www.tahoesierrasnowmobiling.org/10/LTS-TNF-East-Trails.pdf

http://www.laketahoesnowmobilingtours.com/images/Maps/SnowmobilingTourArea.gif

Lots of nice places to ride in this area.

 

[Lorduss]

Im a south lake tahoe resident, And i can give you a little headsup on riding around here.
Bluelakes/hopevalley is a very popular and mostly back country area about 10-15 min drive south of center of town south lake tahoe.
probbly 30 miles in trails is all but fairly large and has the famous polaris bowl. lakes at 8K and allmost 9K feet and some amazing natural terrain.
as far as riding around the lake/town area, virtually no trail system and its hard to get around without a gps and knowing where your going, no grooming but we blaze many trails around the south lake.
around the lake of notible mention is also little truckee summit, mt rose areas, those are about 1-1 1/2 hours north of south lake casino area.
ive heard the LTS is about the biggest and most popular area around, have not been there my self.
Going south from South lake tahoe, highway 4 is closed all winter and is a OK riding area, blue lakes is still genrally much bigger and better, highway 4 is just fun and long (takes you to the city of bear valley about 30 miles)
about 2 hours south of south lake tahoe is sonorra pass, 11K foot peaks you can get your sled to, often times the best late seasion riding, and some bigger, big mountain riding than most other areas around here.
going about 3+ hours south of south lake tahoe is the mammoth riding areas, alot of acres and trails to take. about 80-90 miles in trails
between mammoth, to sonorra to tahoe, pretty much everything is off limits except for those riding areas.
mammoth is self is vast with riding, tahoe in the big picture is vast but our riding areas are seperated by this huge lake and borders that dont help us tranisition riding area to riding area.
sonorra is great for a single day, if you realy want to get way the hell up there that is.
usually im just fine at 7-9K feet at a place like blue lakes, we have about 2-3 feet in the parking lot right now and 7+ towards the lakes at 8K feet.
i would put mammoth, blue lakes and little truckee summit at the top of the list,