looks like I'll be in LA/San Diego area for work early next year. probably there over a weekend.

are there any decent resorts close enough to get a day or two of boarding? any idea of costs for board hire/lift pass?

I skied in Mammoth mountain over long weekend years ago. It's a bit of a trek, but as you will be awake at 2am anyway you can just get on the road and be there to start skiing that morning 😉

Yep – Mammoth, or if you want the place to yourself June Lake, it's part of the same park, but in a wee village (with a pretty decent pub).

It's where I learned to snowboard 😉

big bear is a bit closer (esp from s of LA)

not massive area though – smaller than mammoth ?