FAQ’s
Welcome to California Ski Ranch
It is time to experience the ultimate waterski vacation. At CSR we offer water skiing and coaching on our private world class ski lake in the beautiful Sierra Foothills. We are conveniently located just 25 minutes from the Sacramento International Airport.
Lessons
You can do what you are comfortable with depending on your ability and preference. We have a competition-level slalom course that’s ideal for folks who want to practice or improve that skill. However, many of our guests have never skied a course before, so free skiing is totally acceptable. (If you think you’d like to try it, our coaches are very good at evaluating whether you are ready for this demanding but thrilling kind of run.) All your sets will be coached either way you decide to ski.
We teach all skill levels, from beginners who have never skied before to advanced short-line skiers. We’ll evaluate your skill level and plan your ski-sets according to your specific needs.
Depending on your Stay/Ski package, you will have lessons spread out among your scheduled days. On full days, you will have up to 3 ski-sets per day, and on half-days (arrival and departure days) you will have 1 ski-set per day. We have a schedule with morning and afternoon sessions. We recommend getting as much rest in between rides as possible. This type of skiing can be exhausting work. Stay and Ski guests can purchase additional rides if desired for $85 each.
We tailor your lessons to your fitness level, ability, and goals. In general, each lesson is 12 to 18 minutes long, which gives you several runs with one-on-one coaching. Your time on the water typically includes 6 passes up and down our ski lake. Or 8-passes for our hard-core program. However, your time may be dictated by how long your coach deems that you are productive and not too pooped to follow instructions (believe us, it happens quite often).We do not split lessons into multiple parts (that is, no “half-lesson” sessions).
In most cases yes. We deliberately limit the number of skiing guests to 10 during any stay. This max ensures everyone gets plenty of skiing time every day. Chances are good there will be a mix of you, other guests and our members which gives you lots of opportunities to meet new people, swap ski stories, and ogle each other’s ski gear.
Once each stay is filled to capacity (10) we do not offer drop-in skiers. We want to be sure each guest gets our undivided attention and water time.
We want the best possible skiing conditions and coaching focus for each skier. We believe each skier deserves the full attention of the driver and the coach during ski rides. So, no we don’t allow guests to ride along. However, we strongly encourage cheering and general merriment from our dock at all times.
Ski Equipment
Yes, we have everything you need in our Ski Barn Pro Shop for rental or sale.
Bring your ski, bindings, life vest, gloves, (wetsuits or wetsuit top depending on time of season) and your handle.
We do offer high-end demo bindings and skis. For the best results we strongly recommend bringing at a minimum your own bindings. These can be safely packed in with your luggage. This removes a big variable. You can also buy items at our onsite Ski BarnPro Shop.
We rent life vests and skis with bindings to use while you are here. We do not rent gloves, but we do sell them and can advise you on which model may be best for you.
Important:If you will be renting equipment or intend to buy gloves, please let us know when you book your stay so we can be sure to have your sizes on hand.
* Standard setup: life vest, recreational ski or double skis, bindings. Cost: $15 for each day you use the equipment.
*Competition-level setup: life vest, HO or Connelly slalom ski suited to your ability with bindings. Cost: $25 for each day you use the equipment.
You are welcome to try out a new ski as a Demo for a few rides at no charge. If you choose to purchase and ride the new ski the rest of your stay special guest discounts are available.
Gloves are so vital to a good skiing experience and are so personal to fit, style, and preference that rentals and loaners are not suitable. Our Ski Barn Pro Shop carries a wide variety of sizes, styles and prices. (If you’re a beginner with no equipment, we recommend that you wait to buy gloves until you arrive here—we can advise on ones that work well at guest discount.
Sorry, no we no longer offer communication helmets.
Our Lake
How about near-perfect skiing conditions from morning to night, nearly all season long, Our lake is built solely for waterskiing and designed to achieve calm, smooth water on every pass. It is about 2,800 feet long, 650 feet wide, and 5-1/2 feet deep.
Northern California skiing features:
*No boat rollers
*Little to no wind
*Comfortable average water temperatures
*Comfortable air temperatures, low humidity
*No pesky water reptiles
Our boat is the only one that’s ever on the lake, and we created islands on both ends to enable us to turn around without crossing our wake, eliminating boat rollers altogether
Most days, ski conditions are pretty much perfect from morning to evening. Lake winds and wind chop are extremely rare because rows of 50-foot-tall Redwood trees block the prevailing winds. On those rare occasions when an odd weather pattern changes the wind direction and creates less-than-perfect conditions, we will warn you and plan your skiing schedule to get the best possible water.
Our season of April to October typically sees water temps ranging from 70 to 90 degrees F. The actual lake temperature is close to the median air temperature for the current day/week. Because our lake is fairly shallow compared to most natural lakes and reservoirs, our water temperature can change very rapidly during a hot spell or rapid cool-down. That said, it’s rare for our water to drop below 65 degrees during the ski season.
It really depends on your preference. What seems too chilly for us sun-drenched Californians can be downright balmy to a snow-loving Canadian. If you’re happy skiing in an insulated top or short wetsuit, our shoulder months of April or October are a great choice. If you prefer skiing in only a swimsuit and life vest, book a mid- to late-summer stay.
Our lake is designed for slalom skiing and our Mastercraft Pro Star provides the smallest wakes possible. We do not offer wake boarding or wake surfing on our lake.
We have a designated swim area that you may use any time the ski boat is out of the water on the lift. For safety reasons, no swimming is allowed any time the boat is in the water.
ON-SITE
Leave all your ski gear in the racks towards the backside of the dock. It is safe there throughout your stay.
Absolutely, as long as they are accompaniedby a paid skiing guest.
We wish that could work out but, sorry, no guest-pets are allowed, even if they can ski.
Yes. There is a restroom near the dock specifically for lake guests.
Reservations and logistics
Send us an email at paul@californiaskiranch.com
or give us a call (408) 483-0559. Let us know thedates you are looking for and we can help book your stay.
You pay in two parts: a 50% deposit is due at time of booking, and the balance is due before you check out. We accept all major credit cards, cashier’s checks, U.S. checks, and cash.
Yes. No signed waiver, no skiing, no exceptions. You may not begin ski lessons until we have a signed waiver on file. And yes, non-skiers staying with us will also need to sign our waiver. Our Smart-waiver link will be sent to you via e-mail with your check-in instructions a week before your stay.
Sorry, no. While our micro-climate provides great skiing for the majority of the season, and we try very hard to flex our schedule so you can enjoy the most awesome conditions possible when things aren’t perfect, every now and again some really crazy weather happens, and we have to park the boat for the safety of our guests. It’s just one of the facts of skiing life. Similarly, experiencing a skiing injury that sidelines your lessons can really be a bummer. However, injury is a risk that all skiers take and is a byproduct of sport in general. You can reduce your risk of being sidelined by knowing and respecting your own limits and stopping before you’re too tired for “just one more run,” a situation when most injuries occur.
Life happens, and sometimes you may wish to cancel a vacation trip, even one to such a great place as this. We provide a full refund up to 30 days for cancellations made before your arrival date. However, if you cancel less than 30 days before your arrival date, you forfeit all moneys paid.
Got more Questions?
Call us at (408) 483-0559 or send us an email at paul@californiaskiranch.com