It's time to head to the snow for that fresh pow. Dust off your snowboard and skis, we've curated a list of three snowboarding and skiing spots you won't want to miss this season and included a breakdown of each to help you plan the best trip!

Mammoth Mountain is located six hours east of San Francisco and a five and a half hour drive north of Los Angeles. It is 11,053 feet above sea level and was once an active volcano, erupting just over 100,000 years ago. In the 1800s, Mammoth received its name from the mining culture at the time. The name was used as a marketing scheme to get people to come see the abundance of 'mammoth riches'. As many believe, Mammoth is not named after the wooly mammoth.

Dave McCoy was the first to recognize the area of Mammoth as sufficient for skiing. He was officially permitted to open the area for skiing in 1953 and built the first ski lift in 1955. Fast forward to 68 years later, and Mammoth is now California's highest lift-served resort, getting over 1 million snowboarders and skiers a season.

The Ski Lift prices vary day to day, and month to month. There are different prices depending on the age of the skier or snowboarder, and how many days you plan to be out on the mountain. From the youngest rider to the oldest a ticket can vary between $114-$300. For a more precise price we recommend going to their website.

Heavenly is a mountain resort based in South Lake Tahoe. It is the highest mountain resort in Tahoe and spans across California and Nevada. The California side opened in 1955, and the Nevada side opened in 1968. It was founded by Chris Kuraisa in partnership with Rudy and Trudy Gersick. The name Heavenly stems from historical documents that listed the area as Heavenly Valley due to the luscious landscape. Today Heavenly is still known for it's scenic slopes, and robust snowmaking.

Lift ticket pricing will vary day to day, by age and if you are purchasing a single, double or multiple day ticket. From the youngest rider to the oldest a single day ticket can vary between $117-$260. For a more precise price we recommend going to their website.

Big Bear is located in Southern California and is a three hour drive from Los Angeles and a four hour drive from San Diego. The name 'Big Bear' stems from the immense amount of grizzly bears that used to be prevalent in the area. Due to the grizzly bear's mass extinction in Southern California, there are now only black bears in Big Bear.

People began making their way up Big Bear mountain to ski in the 1940's and through the years various skiing companies operated in Big Bear. Big Bear Mountain resort was officially established in 2002 and has grown since. Today Big Bear is known for being a year round recreational oasis, and having the highest lift-served peak in Southern California.

Big Bear offers decently priced lift tickets. Similar to other resorts, pricing varies day to day, and by age. You can purchase a lift ticket anywhere from $99-$169. For the best pricing estimate we recommend going to their website.

There is also an option to purchase a full day ticket, second session ticket (valid noon-6PM on select dates) or a night session ticket (valid 3:30-8:30PM on select dates).

Each spot has it's pros and cons and each skier or snowboarder may prefer one over the other. Mammoth, Heavenly and Bear Mountain majorly defer in the amount of runs and levels they offer. But, if there is one thing each spot has in common, it's that you will have a great time!

*The diagram below gives a breakdown of each spot.