Design for leaving
Six strategies for getting out of town this winter.

By Starla Estrada

THE OTHER DAY , in the San Francisco bar where I work, a guy who frequents the place laughingly told me he hadn't left town in nine months. It was more depressing than funny. Granted, there's plenty to do here. But I tend to think it's only New Yorkers, or other such people, in other cities, who become so involved in the rush of urban life that they get sucked into the cement vortex and perma-pollution of noise and light, remaining precariously stretched thin in their unnatural zone. After all, we live in the Bay Area, not to mention the Golden State. And within 30 minutes or seven hours we can be nestled in alpine cabins, soaking in bubbling, earthy water, stargazing in the quiet, black desert, or lounging on local islands. We're lucky to have all that in our own backyard, or down the block, or in the next town.

The rainy season is upon us, and the holidays too, a perfect time to consider expanding the horizon a bit. The following whirlwind of excursions – spanning from the icy heights of Mount Shasta to the clear, coastal depths of Catalina Island and moving through several seasons' worth of weather – should offer some inspiration and get the blood flowing. Note: all accommodation fees are nightly unless otherwise noted.

The moon by night

Whether you had an Ansel Adams poster on your wall in college or just knew someone who did, Yosemite National Park's sheer granite formations are probably instantly recognizable. But to experience its expansive beauty in person is at once humbling, uplifting, and breathtaking. Unfortunately, Yosemite Valley is also a human zoo during the summer months, complete with Disneyland-esque people movers and food courts. Which is precisely why a winter trip to Yosemite makes so much sense.

It's emptier. It's quieter. And the pressure to hike Half Dome in a single day is off. No crowds to contend with means wildlife is easier to spot: coyotes, mule deer, and raccoons roam the terrain, and bears (which don't necessarily hibernate comatose for a solid six months) are more visible when there's less foliage. Winter temperatures are relatively mild at 4,000 feet, and the romantic, wildly dramatic light Adams caught on film is even more intense. In the evening it shimmers off the granite faces like a gold reflection of the nearby Motherlode foothills, the white snow casting another layer of golden-hued prism pastels.

If the free scenery (leaving aside the $20 park entrance fee) isn't mesmerizing enough and you're there at the right time of the month, join a free two-hour full-moon snowshoe walk led by a National Park Service naturalist, who will offer instruction on such topics as snow dynamics and plant and wildlife adaptations to winter. Participants tromp along on rented snowshoes, admiring El Capitan and Sentinel and Half Dome under the glow of the pregnant moon, the surrounding forest and cliffs a quiet, sturdy presence.

During the winter months, rooms at the Awahnee Hotel and the Yosemite Lodge are easier to come by, and the rates are reduced. The low-country campgrounds remain open, as do the budget tent cabins in Curry Village, some of which are heated.

An outdoor ice-skating rink at Curry Village is open mid-November through late March, and after a spin you can fuel your admiration for the evening's scenic display with a splurgey, chest-warming bourbon flight ($18, four small shots) at the Awahnee Bar, then move on to the real bar scene, holding court in the Yosemite Lodge's Mountain Room Lounge. The lodge and the Awahnee's restaurants are outrageously expensive; other dining options amount to pizza, burgers, and sandwiches at various food courts in Yosemite Village. Consider stocking up on groceries and snacks before leaving the Bay Area to avoid inflated prices.

General information (209) 372-0200, www.nps.gov/yose. Lodging and reservations: (559) 252-4848, www.yosemitepark.com. Full-moon snowshoe walks Walks occur during the full moon and the three or four evenings leading up to it, if clear, Feb.-April, 6:30 p.m.; book a tour at the Yosemite Lodge Tour Desk. Curry Village ice-skating rink Mon.-Fri., two-and-a-half-hour session, 3:30 and 7 p.m.; additional 8:30 a.m. and noon sessions weekends. (209) 372-8341.

The other side of the mountain

The sparkling gem of northern California's Siskiyou County, Mount Shasta stands alone in majestic, volcanic repose, transfixing approaching travelers. The looming natural landmark also lends a sense of stability to offset certain stereotypes of a flighty, New Age-y populace. (Consider picking up a souvenir T-shirt from nearby Weed.)

You could ski or snowboard at Shasta, or you could save that for Tahoe and strap on some crampons, defying your city-livin' trepidation and trusting in Shasta's mountain guides to show you the ropes – or rather, axes – of ice climbing and mountaineering.

Winter sports outfitter Alpine Skills International offers a full spectrum of thrilling courses on backcountry climbing and mountaineering (including avalanche safety), as well as skiing and snowboarding. While beginners can generally be accommodated, basic rock- or mountain-climbing skills are required for many workshops.

ASI offers courses in other parts of California, as well as around the world. For instance, in Lee Vining Canyon, east of Yosemite, waterfalls near June Lake freeze solid, making it an ideal location for ice climbing. During the two-day "Winter Frozen Waterfall Ice Climbing" seminar ($306), beginners and old hands use a variety of tools to pull their way up the crystal blue falls frozen in midair.

In the Shasta area, at ASI's two-day "First the Ice Axe" seminar ($265), participants learn to use the essential and versatile axe for self-belay and -arrest, manage kick steps efficiently, and begin cramponing. Avid trail hikers can extend their season through the fall with the solid foundations learned in this course. The four-day "Glacial Ice Seminar" ($612) will transform you from vicarious Touching the Void armchair mountaineer into the real deal. Practice glacier travel and big-mountain climbing techniques while ascending Mount Shasta.

After you come down off the mountain, the Alpenrose Cottage Guest House at the base of Shasta offers a cozy place to repose, with kitchen and dining areas open to guests. Or, if New Age is your style, there's ShasTao Philosophical Hermitage B&B, a rustic oasis for lovers of the good, the beautiful, and the true, with a spiritual and transpersonal library, massage and yoga equipment, and veggie and vegan fare. For good international cuisine that makes use of local produce and meats, as well as a fine selection of microbrews, try the Trinity Café.

Alpine Skills International www.alpineskills.com. Alpenrose Cottage Guest House 204 E. Hinckley. $35 single, $60 double. (530) 926-6724, www.snowcrest.net/alpenrose. ShasTao Philosophical Hermitage 3609 North Old Stage Rd. $75 single, $125 double. (530) 926-4154, www.shastao.com. Trinity Café 622 N. Mt. Shasta Blvd. (530) 926-6200.

Braving the pass

For many, a Bay Area winter isn't complete without a weekend or so spent skiing or snowboarding (or drinking and gambling) at Lake Tahoe. If you aim to tear up the slopes, skip the resort mayhem and treat yourself to backcountry splendor. ASI turns up again here, with a wildly fun (yet perfectly safe) excursion: Near ASI's home base, natural playground Donner Pass has more to offer than unsavory history, like untouched powder and untracked runs for all levels. ASI organizes multiday backcountry trips and tailors private instructional seminars. Several of Tahoe's mountain resorts also offer guided tours of their respective backcountry terrain. Call the one on your favorite mountain to find out when and where you can safely roam.

If falling often and hard doesn't sound rewarding, head to South Lake Tahoe for the region's only lake-view snowmobile tours, including sunset and full-moon rides, when the forests come alive with nocturnal critters. Children five and up can ride with their parents; single riders must be at least 15 years old.

Get toasty at the Truckee Hotel, a quaint, 125-year-old mining-era building that exudes the charm of Old Town Truckee, or, if you do head south, the Lakeside Inn and Casino, which has two-for-one happy hour cocktails, 24-hour gaming, lake views, and the most reasonable casino rates in South Lake.

For sustenance try Mott's Canyon Tavern and Grill, which has the highest-payout video poker games (you can often win enough to pay for the meal) and is just enough off the main road to be off the tourist path.

In hot water

If you've had enough of snow, ice, and altitude, head south to Big Sur for a breath of coastal air and a dip in warm waters. While Esalen and Tassajara are the more famous hot springs watering-hole retreats, the more remote Sykes Hot Springs offers simplicity, fewer rules, and more nature for those willing to do the work.

A moderately difficult 10-plus-mile hike leads from a trailhead at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to Sykes's earthy, stone tubs, which are approximately a body length and a half across and knee deep, fitting about four adults. The water is generally near 100 degrees, although it can be much cooler. Surprisingly, one of the best times to go is after the first couple big fall or winter storms. The springs fill up, and there are fewer people on the trail. The downside is it's possible for the springs to wash out during intense storms, so call ahead to obtain the latest trail information (U.S. Forest Service Monterey Ranger District, 831-385-5434). An overnight trip can enhance the experience, or at least make it less strenuous. The camping area is situated at the end of the trail, and the tubs are further on. Check in at the Big Sur Ranger Station to get a campfire permit, required in the Ventana Wilderness. Both the permit and camping are free; parking is $4 a night.

In accommodations outside the park, you can get as offbeat, as earthy, or as luxe as you want. Deetjens Big Sur Inn and Restaurant boasts funky little cabins like Chateau Fiasco and the Van Gogh, designed by Grandpa Deetjens in the '30s. There are no phones, TVs, stereos, or cell service, and the doors only lock from the inside. The Treebones Resort, set to open this month, offers cozy yurts "perched lightly on the edge of the world." And if you're blessed with zero budget concerns, rendezvous at the über-luxury eco-hotel Post Ranch Inn (or at least check out the Web site), 30 miles south of Carmel.

Cruise by the nearby Ventana Inn for cocktails and endless Pacific Ocean views, and for eats, there's Habanero Burrito Bar at the Big Sur River Inn.

Sykes Hot Springs www.bigsurcalifornia.org/hotsprings.html. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park www.parks.ca.gov. Deetjens Big Sur Inn and Restaurant 48865 Hwy. 1. $75 shared bath, $195 private bath and fireplace. (831) 667-2377, www.deetjens.com. Treebones Resort For more information call 1-877-4-BIG-SUR or go to www.treebonesresort.com. Post Ranch Inn Hwy. 1. $495-$2,000. 1-800-527-2200, www.postranchinn.com. Ventana Inn 48123 Hwy. 1. Rooms $429-$579, suites $649-$1,100. 1-800-628-6500, www.ventanainn.com. Big Sur River Inn Hwy. 1 at Pheneger Creek. Rooms $85-$140, suites $170-$225. 1-800-548-3610, www.bigsurriverinn.com.

South for the winter

When it comes to weather, the Bay Area is the wild card of the draw and a melting pot of seasons: yesterday, fresh spring warmth; today, crisp fall air; tonight, winter rain; and tomorrow, dry summer heat. San Francisco fog aside, it's what southern California people generally mean when they speak admiringly of our weather. Join them by heading down the coast for winter warmth and adventure.

On the eastern side of San Diego County, about two hours from San Diego, Riverside, and Palm Springs, Anza-Borrego Desert is the largest state park outside Alaska, yet it seems to be one of California's least visited. Once you're inside the 600,000-acre territory, though, the primitive and eerie charm of the desert takes hold.

Five hundred miles of dirt roads, 110 miles of riding and hiking trails, and two exceptional wilderness areas provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience its rugged wonders. The eye can hardly process the countless washes, wildflowers, palm groves, and cacti. During the winter months, temperatures are manageable, and plant life bursts into bloom, especially January through March. And lucky visitors will likely glimpse iguanas, chuckwallas, roadrunners, golden eagles, kit foxes, mule deer, and bighorn sheep (borrego is the Spanish word for these stately creatures). Keep your eyes peeled for the desert's four species of rattlesnakes camo-ed and cooling under rocks.

One of Anza-Borrego's most rewarding sites is its "badlands." Regions of the desert terrain mimic a jagged sci-fi moonscape, where long plains devoid of vegetation sprout endless salt shoots, creating a vista of layered alluvial bandings. At sunset the colors of the rainbow shift across the sky and slip around the earth's sphere, in a prelude to the seamless, starry blanket soon to drape overhead.

Elsewhere visitors giggle over the discovery of the park's veritable oasis, which comes complete with palm trees and a waterfall that spills into a swimming hole. At the end of a short, dry hike down the Borrego Palm Trail (three miles, 350-foot descent), the oasis is one of the largest in the country. A narrow, gurgling stream is flanked by densely packed California fan palms (the only ones native to the western United States). Hammocks and coconut-hull cocktails are the only ingredients missing in a scene from some tropical locale.

Once you've managed to drag yourself away, lodging possibilities include camping at Borrego Palm Canyon ($13, $19 hookups) and Tamarisk Grove ($13) or, for relaxing (no phones), kitschy digs, the Palms at Indian Head, where the memories of Marlon, Marilyn, Clark, and Bing come alive.

Anza-Borrego Desert www.anzaborrego.statepark.org, (760) 767-5311. To plan your trip around optimum flower viewing, send a self-addressed postcard to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 200 Palm Canyon Dr., Borrego Springs, CA 92004. It will be returned a couple of weeks prior to the year's expected bloom peak. For an up-to-date wildflower recording, call (760) 767-4684. Camping Call Reserve America at 1-800-444-7275. The Palms P.O. Box 525, Borrego Springs. 1-800-519-2624, www.thepalmsatindianhead.com.

Offshore

For another dose of local tropics to beat the Bay Area's winter gray, set your sights on Santa Catalina Island, 26 miles off the coast of Orange County. The charming "port" town of Avalon has a Mediterranean-villa flair, while the interior is more rugged, and you can experience it all in a few days' jaunt and feel far, far from home.

Having undergone colonization, habitation by pirates, and wholesale purchase by a Wrigley heir in 1919, Catalina now aims for versatility, offering the ultimate in pampering with four-star digs and spa treatments as well as more adventuresome activities.

Descanso Beach Ocean Sports tour company will drive you through the interior and drop you at the west end of the island. From there, you can take two to three days to kayak down the coast, stopping at the established primitive camping sites. While on land, you'll likely see buffalo and perhaps, if you're lucky, a fox or a bald eagle. While in the calm, warm water, you'll experience spectacular snorkeling and diving, with visibility up to 100 feet. Garibaldi, bat rays, and tiger sharks are especially prevalent.

In terms of noncamping accommodations, the quaint, clean rooms at Hermosa Hotel and Catalina Cottages, in the heart of the village, are the closest you'll get to "budget" in Avalon. On the opposite end is the superposh Wrigley mansion, the Inn on Mt. Ada, perched above the harbor and offering 180-degree views.

Descanso Beach Ocean Sports Descanso Beach. (310) 510-1226, www.kayakcatalinaisland.com. Ask about kayaking tours and campground information. Hermosa Hotel and Catalina Cottages 131 Metropole, Avalon. $25-$95 off-season. 1-877-453-1313, www.hermosahotel.com. Inn on Mt. Ada 398 Wrigley Road, Avalon. $320-$560 off-season, including golf carts to tour the pint-size village. (310) 510-2030, www.catalina.com/mtada. Getting there Island Express offers 15-minute helicopter flights. $136 round-trip. 1-800-2-AVALON, www.islandexpress.com. Catalina Express offers a one-hour boat ride. About $50 round-trip. 1-800-481-3470, www.catalinaexpress.com.