SUNDAY DRIVE:

Sugar Bowl

What you see: Winter finally arrived at Sugar Bowl and the Sierra Nevada, with 70 inches of snow arriving in a seven-day period through Saturday. The big snow dump has revived skiing, boarding and snow sports for early March. One of the region’s natural snow scoops is at Sugar Bowl, with a curving back wall that acts as a natural catchment during big snow events.

Location: Sugar Bowl is off Donner Pass Road, which goes from Soda Springs (off Interstate 80) through Norden to Truckee, with access to ski areas at Norden, the landmark view from Donner Summit Bridge, and Donner Lake.

Sugar Bowl: As the week ended, the snowpack measured 37 inches at the lower base staging area (6,883 feet) and 91 inches on top (8,383 feet). Sugar Bowl was operating 11 of 13 lifts with access to 40 groomed runs and another 41 runs that were not groomed. As with all ski areas this winter, surface conditions have varied in short-term swings due to temperatures, fresh snow and periods with no snow.

Snowfall: To date, Sugar Bowl has received 187 inches (on top), among the highest snowfall

totals reported this winter from ski areas. Even with the past week’s deluge, the numbers put last winter’s epic season total of more than 800 inches in a special perspective.

Hours/costs: Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1-day adult lift ticket $115.

Other destinations off old

U.S. 40: Soda Springs (“Planet Kids”), Donner Ski Ranch (six lifts, tubing hill), Donner Summit Bridge (view), Donner Lake (boating, fishing), Donner Memorial State Park (snow treks).

Donner Summit Bridge: On Donner Pass Road, if you continue past Norden, you will top the true Donner Pass. The road then descends to Summit Bridge, where, just past the bridge on the left, there is a parking area and lookout. You get a panorama across Donner Lake and miles of snow-topped forest and ridges.

Donner Lake: From the bridge, the road feeds to the foot of Donner Lake and runs alongside the shore, just off to your right.

Contacts: Sugar Bowl, (530) 426-1111, www.sugarbowl.com; Donner Memorial State Park, (530) 582-7892, www.parks.ca.gov; Donner Summit Historical Society, http://donner summithistoricalsociety.org.