Check out British Columbia’s Powder Highway, where the Purcell, Selkirk, Monashee and Rocky mountains have a lot to offer.

This highway in the mountainous southeastern corner of the province leads the way to eight full-service alpine resorts, 10 Nordic ski clubs, 24 snowcat and heli-ski operators, plus a complement of 22 backcountry lodges.

Clustered together amid a wintry setting, “powder providers” in the Kootenay Rockies run the gamut: you can feel the vertical rush at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort; celebrate family togetherness at Kimberley Alpine Resort; take on fresh fall lines at Panorama Mountain Village; find your groove at Fernie Alpine Resort; play in the champagne powder at Revelstoke Mountain Resort; bond with the locals at Whitewater Ski Resort; or whoop it up on new terrain at RED Mountain Resort.

The best part? These resorts are an easy day’s drive of each other, and all warrant a multi-day, if not season-long, stay. Time for a winter road trip. www.powderhighway.com

Visitors at Tunnel View (AP Photo by Gary Kazanjian)

By Staff Writer Steve Scauzillo

Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan, who wrote the script for “Yosemite: A Gathering Of Spirit,” spoke recently about spreading the gospel of Yosemite and America’s national parks to an audience of donors from the Yosemite Conservancy, a group that raised $10.8 million for the park in 2013.

The pair said the movie is relevant to today’s struggles for preserving open space by keeping out oil and gas development, as well as preventing devastating wildfires such as the Rim Fire, which consumed 257,000 acres in and around the park last year.

By presenting a historical look at how Yosemite National Park came to be, Burns and Duncan are emphasizing the economic, aesthetic and spiritual roles played by our national parks and forests.

“We are not to look at a river and think dam. Or look at a canyon and think minerals. We were looking for something long range,” Burns told the audience. “And we did that. We said no to that impulse.”

AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

What: Winter Family Sleepover.

When: 5 p.m.-7 a.m. Dec. 29.

Where: 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach.

Tickets: $70 ages 5 and up, includes pizza dinner, snack, cereal breakfast and T-shirt. Reservations required.

Information: 562-951-1630, www.aquariumofthepacific.org

J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM

What: Illuminate the Holidays stained glass windows, lighting and cider.

When: 5:30-9 p.m. Saturdays through Jan. 4.

Where: 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles.

Tickets: Free, parking $10.

Information: 310-440-7300, www.getty.edu

KIDSPACE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

What: Snow Days, learn about and play in snow.

When: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, Dec. 26-30.

Where: 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena.

Tickets: $10.

Information: 626-449-9144, www.kidspacemuseum.org

MUCKENTHALER CULTURAL CENTER

What: Holiday Festival with tours, performances, craft fair, kids activities and Santa.

When: Noon-4 p.m. Dec. 22.

Where: 1201 W. Malvern Ave., Fullerton.

Tickets: Free.

Information: 714-738-6595, www.themuck.org

PETERSEN AUTO MUSEUM

What: Santa Photo Op in a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible.

When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 7-22.

Where: 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

Tickets: $15-$25.

Information: 323-930-2277, www.petersen.org

ZIMMER CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

What: Winter Wonderland, seasonally themed programs.

When: Dec. 22-Jan. 3, check website for schedule.

Where: 6505 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles.

Tickets: Free with admission, $8 adults, $5 children ages 1-17, and free for children under 1.

Information: 323-761-8984, www.zimmermuseum.org

Halfdome Photo by Staff Photographer Walt Manciini

By Staff Writer Steve Scauzillo

Ken Burns didn’t build a career spanning four decades as America’s documentarian with a thin skin. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the attention. After all, he was in town on Dec. 8 for the premiere of his movie, “Yosemite: A Gathering Of Spirit,” a 26-minute documentary on the national park he called “the most beautiful place on the planet.”

But despite revealing a lighter side, the moppy-haired documentarian would get serious, even emotional, about the movie’s theme of conservation and liberty, two deeply American principles joined at the hip.

The movie, an epilogue if you will to his 2009 PBS series “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” purports that setting aside Yosemite for perpetuity was a first for the nation and the world.

The idea of preserving wildlands started June 30, 1864 during the Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant. That seed sprouted into 401 national parks and hundreds more preserves located in countries spanning the globe.

“This couldn’t have happened any place else. It is the Declaration of Independence applied to the landscape; the full expression of the democratic experience,” Burns said.

“Up until the Yosemite Grant, all lands were owned by nobleman, kings and the very, very wealthy. Now, suddenly, land was owned in common by everyone in the country,” he explained.

Holiday water show at California Adventure

By Staff Writer Michelle Mills

Disney California Adventure has finally come of age and offers some stiff competition to Disneyland with a good assortment of winter treats. Cars Land and A Bug’s Land are decorated in holiday splendor according to their themes.

The walk down Buena Vista Street is a delightful stroll through a 1920s American holiday, with decorated store windows and a 50-foot tree boasting vintage ornaments. These spots are fun to explore, but there are new adventures, too.

Disney Viva Navidad! at Paradise Gardens toasts Latino culture and traditions. There is a street party with marvelous folklorico and samba dancers as well as appearances by the Three Caballeros.

Park visitors can enjoy tasty Mexican cuisine while listening to an array of bands playing mariachi, norteno and other music. There are storytimes and arts and crafts areas for children.

If that’s not enough, Phineas and Ferb from the Disney Channel cruise through the park with a dance party, and there’s a Mad T Party rocking in Hollywood Land.

Don’t go home early because the best event in the entire Disney Resort is the new World of Color show, “Winter Dreams.” As darkness falls over Paradise Pier, the buzz grows and the crowd gathers for one of the most amazing shows of the year.

“Winter Dreams” is hosted by Olaf, the snowman from “Frozen,” and begins with composer Eric Whitacre’s holiday song “Glow,” performed by the World of Color Virtual Honor Choir, which was created from online submissions by 150 vocalists around the globe.

The show continues with a ballet featuring the Little Green Men and Rex from “A Toy Story” and the heartwarming scene from “Bambi” when Thumper teaches the young deer how to ice skate.

Then Elsa of “Frozen” sings about being the Snow Queen, and finally Olaf’s star quality shines as he muses about what it would be like to be a snowman in summer.

Adding to the video shown on a mist-made screen are water fountains in various patterns and colors and Mickey’s Fun Wheel and California Screamin’ sparkling with hundreds of lights.

Small World decorated with thousands of lights

By Staff Writer Michelle Mills

Many people in Southern California lament that there is no distinct change of seasons and that winter holidays are lacking because there isn’t any snow.

But area theme parks have everything to get even the “bah, humbug!” types in a festive mood.

For starters, there’s Disneyland, “The Happiest Place on Earth,” from its tall ornament-bedecked tree at the beginning of Main Street U.S.A. to the sparkling icicles on Sleeping Beauty Castle.

Here, the Christmas season extends through Jan. 6. Start out with a visit with Anna and Elsa from the film “Frozen” in Fantasyland. Next, stop in at the “Jingle Jangle Jamboree” at Big Thunder Ranch for games, music, crafts and some time with Santa Claus.

Ride fans will enjoy the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday, where Jack Skellington and his “A Nightmare Before Christmas” family have taken over. There are a few new surprises here, as well as some updated decor.

Disneyland also has brought the holidays to the Jungle Cruise, now called the Jingle Cruise. The ornaments in the boathouse are wild — literally — including a snake-entwined garland. The ride itself remains the same, but the skipper’s corny jokes are spiced with seasonal barbs.

One of the best times at the park is twilight, when the holiday joy of It’s a Small World is illuminated in a gorgeous array of more than 50,000 lights on the ride’s facade.

This also indicates that “A Christmas Fantasy” parade is only a few moments away. This time of year is almost incomplete until the marching wooden soldiers, skating snowflakes and dancing reindeer take over the park’s streets.

The Village at Mammoth Mountain

By Staff Writer Jerry Rice

More recently, Mammoth’s  transformation included the 2003 opening of a four-story, pedestrian-oriented shopping and condominium complex, the Village at Mammoth, and then founder Dave McCoy’s decision in 2005 to sell his controlling interest in the company to Starwood Capital Group for $365 million — one of the highest prices ever paid for a ski resort at that time.

What makes Mammoth such a special place? Ask McCoy, and his answer is simple and direct: “The snow and the mountain.”

For many, if not most, of the 1.3 million skiers and snowboarders who frequent the resort every winter, that truly is the long and short of it.

Others may point to the fact that Mammoth Lakes is essentially a 4.5-square-mile island in the middle of hundreds of thousands of acres of undeveloped public lands. That’s a big part of the appeal for Jack Copeland, president of the Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce.

“There’s no urban or suburban sprawl here,” he said. “We don’t have a cute little 19th century mining town because the ones we did have burned down in the 19th century. What we have now is close proximity to unspoiled wilderness and fabulous weather — great for summer and for winter.”

It likely will remain that way since much of the region is national forests, national parks and property overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. The DWP also is a huge player, after it bought up nearly all of the land in the Owens Basin and the accompanying water rights that stretch essentially to the foot of Mammoth Mountain.

So, in effect, one outcome of the California water wars of the early 1900s is that the region around Mammoth Lakes will never get built up like many other winter destination communities, such as the ones along Interstate 70 in Colorado or those in the vicinity of Park City, Utah.

That, Copeland adds, is a good thing.

“I know a lot of people who like Park City, but the main attraction at a lot of those other big resorts is not about skiing, it’s about retail, frankly,” he said. “We really specialize in outdoor wilderness and mountain experiences. That’s who Mammoth is for — people who want to be close to the mountains and either actively participate in recreational activities or want to relax and enjoy the view.”

It’s the same outdoors, and the same mountain, that Dave McCoy embraced all those years ago.

Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows  both opened top to bottom Friday. At Alpine Meadows, it will be the resort’s opening day for the season.

There were five lifts and seven groomed trails open at Alpine, where skiers and riders can purchase reduced-priced lift tickets for $59. All proceeds from lift ticket sales benefitted the Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Foundation as part of Alpine’s Ski Team Scholarship Day.

Squaw Valley, Alpine’s sister resort near Lake Tahoe, is open top to bottom with 10 lifts and 21 runs, including Mountain Run, the longest run at Squaw. This weekend, both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows will roll out the Learn to Ski and Ride Special. Beginner skiers and riders at both mountains can purchase a beginner lift ticket, equipment rentals, and a half-day lesson for $49.

“We are so excited to offer skiers and riders top-to-bottom access at both of our legendary resorts,” said Cara Whitley, chief marketing officer for Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. “From first-timers to those simply looking to support a good cause, Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows have a great weekend on tap for those of every ability level.”

Mammoth Mountain

By Staff Writer Jerry Rice

Mammoth. The name says everything a skier or snowboarder needs to know about a resort with some of the country’s most desirable terrain, spread across 3,500 acres and reaching an elevation of 11,053 feet.

But for many veterans of this place, it’s more affectionately known as “Dave’s Mountain.” That’s in deference to Dave McCoy, the legendary founder of the ski area that this winter is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

McCoy, who was born in 1915 in El Segundo, has been in the area since 1935 when the freshly minted high school grad landed in the nearby hamlet of Independence. He started earning money as a soda jerk — the same job he was working when he met his future wife, Roma Carriere — and saved up to buy his first Harley-Davidson.

In 1937, McCoy wanted to set up a rope tow on McGee Mountain, just off Highway 395 south of Mammoth. He used his motorcycle as collateral for an $85 loan to get parts for the device, which was powered by the motor from a Ford Model A truck. Eager skiers paid 50 cents to be pulled up the hill, and a business was born.

Soon, McCoy found work as a hydrographer for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, sometimes in the winter skiing 50 miles a day to measure snow depths so officials could predict how much water would be available in the spring and summer.

“I enjoyed being outdoors all the time,” said the 98-year-old in a recent phone interview. “You enjoy life a lot more if you’re doing what you want to do.”

When the Forest Service sought bids to build a full-fledged resort in the area, McCoy used his knowledge of snowfall and snowpack trends and picked what he thought would be a prime location. In 1953, he was awarded a permanent permit to operate Mammoth Mountain. He built a warming hut that summer, and by November, shortly after the birth of their sixth child, McCoy told Roma he was quitting his job to put all of his energies into building the ski area.

Much of McCoy’s story — which is intertwined with that of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and the town of Mammoth Lakes — is documented in “Tracks of Passion,” written by local historian Robin Morning. In snippets of text and lots of vintage photos and illustrations, it captures the challenges McCoy et al. needed to overcome to turn a stunning mountain in a remote area into what has become a world-class destination.

California’s ski and snowboard resorts invested big during the off-season. Here are the highlights, as compiled by Jerry Rice.

LAKE TAHOE AREA

Alpine Meadows

What’s new: During the off-season, more than $2 million was invested in a new snow-making system and grooming fleet at Alpine and its adjacent sister resort, Squaw Valley. In addition, there will be new terrain park features for every ability level.
Address, phone, website: 2600 Alpine Meadows Road, Tahoe City; 800-403-0206, www.skialpine.com
Social connections: @skialpine, www.facebook.com/AlpineMeadowsSkiResort

Heavenly

What’s new: With an on-mountain experience that already includes spectacular views and a wealth of terrain, we’re not sure exactly where this fits in: a mobile DJ snowcat will pipe music to boost the energy at the lifts and other locales. Three blocks away from Heavenly Village and the gondola is a new 88-room resort and spa, The Landing.
Address, phone, website: 3860 Saddle Road, South Lake Tahoe; 800-432-8365, www.skiheavenly.com
Social connections: @skiheavenly, www.facebook.com/skiheavenly, www.youtube.com/user/HeavenlyMtnResort

Kirkwood

What’s new: The Cornice Grill, a popular apres ski place, has been remodeled. Also, fresh skis and boards have been added to the rental and demo fleet.
Address, phone, website: 1501 Kirkwood Meadows Drive, Kirkwood; 209-258-6000, http://winter.kirkwood.com
Social connections: @KirkwoodMtn, www.facebook.com/KirkwoodMtn, www.youtube.com/user/KirkwoodMountainTV

Mt. Rose-Ski Tahoe

What’s new: The Mountain View Dining Room has been expanded and refreshed.
Address, phone, website: 22222 Mt. Rose Highway, Reno, Nev.; 775-849-0704, http://skirose.com
Social connections: @MtRoseSkiTahoe, www.facebook.com/MountRoseSkiTahoe

Northstar

What’s new: Boasting a more comfortable ride, the Big Springs Gondola will take guests to mid-mountain cabins that have been refurbished inside and out. A trail-widening and tree-thinning effort in the Promised Land ski area will improve access to some of the resort’s most popular tree skiing and riding. Some of the nation’s top Olympic-bound athletes will compete in the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding & Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix on Jan. 9-12.
Address phone, website: 5001 Northstar Drive, Truckee; 530-562-1010, www.northstarattahoe.com
Social connections: @SkiNorthstar, www.facebook.com/northstar, www.youtube.com/user/northstarattahoe

Sierra-at-Tahoe

What’s new: A base-lodge plaza, restaurant and retail center are the highlights of a $5 million investment to improve the overall guest experience.
Address, phone, website: 1111 Sierra at Tahoe Road, Twin Bridges; 530-659-7453, www.sierraattahoe.com
Social connections: @Sierra_at_Tahoe, www.facebook.com/SierraAtTahoe, www.youtube.com/user/sierraattahoeresort

Squaw Valley

What’s new: Condos at the Village at Squaw Valley underwent a $1.2 million makeover, which included new furniture, carpet, bedding and flat-screen TVs. This summer, four electric vehicle chargers were installed and will be available for resort guests to use. Two new food trucks, dubbed Mtn Roots, will serve an eclectic mix of locally sourced food at both Squaw and its sister resort next door, Alpine Meadows.
Address, phone, website: 1960 Squaw Valley Road, Squaw Valley, CA; 800-403-0206, www.squaw.com
Social connections: @SquawValley, www.facebook.com/squawvalley, www.youtube.com/user/SquawValley1960