Sure, a Tahoe winter weekend is great, but sometimes it’s refreshing to blaze a trail away from the crowds. Here’s our guide to three awesome alternatives.

Yosemite in January is a world apart: it’s so quiet and uncrowded you can practically hear the snow fall. The park offers a clutch of fantastic winter sports: ice-skating in the heart of Yosemite Valley at Curry Village, getting in some runs at nearby (and beginner-friendly) Badger Pass ski area, or snowshoeing to the giant sequoias at Mariposa Grove. And you can stay right in the park. One of the best-kept secrets is the Redwoods: a collection of over 100 privately owned, completely furnished cabins at the southern end of Yosemite. Staying here is like having the park as your backyard. But remember, you didn’t hear it from us.

The Redwoods, 8038 Chilnualna Falls Rd., Yosemite National Park; (209) 375-6666. Rates vary from $114-$450 per night.

Badger Pass ski area, (209) 372-8430.

Start a new winter tradition at the regally retro Montecito Sequoia Lodge. Situated at 7,500 feet right on Highway 180 between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, this family-friendly outpost features an amazing range of winter activities that literally begin at your doorstep: kids can enjoy supervised sledding or snow tubing while parents go backcountry snowboarding or indulge in 50 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails. And don’t miss the chance to try extreme snow biking. That’s right, the lodge introduced this BMX bike-snowboard combo last year and it was such a hit they’ve brought it back. The Montecito offers 13 cozy cabins and 36 lodge rooms; all meals are included in the package. At night, warmed by a bonfire, you can swap tales and gaze down at the snowy woods. This could be the beginning of a beautiful tradition.

Montecito Sequoia Lodge, 8000 Generals Hwy., Kings Canyon National Park; (800) 227-9900 for reservations, (800) 843-8677 for park and road conditions.

The phrase “small is beautiful” applies to ski resorts, too: underrated Dodge Ridge in Pinecrest may not be huge, but oh man, it packs big fun. There’s terrain for all abilities, with the mountain’s backside boasting sweet steeps, tall trees, and big bumps—and all for a $48 lift ticket. Stay right on the Stanislaus River in the Cabins at Strawberry, only ten minutes from the slopes. All 8 cabins have 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, vaulted ceilings, fireplaces and kitchens, so you can even rustle up your own fondue. Celebrate your good fortune with beers at the Steam Donkey Restaurant up the road. Clearly, good times come in small packages too.

Cabins at Strawberry, 31888 Hwy. 108, Strawberry; (209) 965-0885.
Dodge Ridge, 1 Dodge Ridge Rd., Pinecrest; (209) 965-3474 for office, (209) 536-5300 for conditions.
Steam Donkey Restaurant (in Pinecrest Lake Resort), 421 Pinecrest Lake Rd., Pinecrest; (209) 965-3117.