I've been to Sugar Bowl once, seems there is a xc ski area, where they have laid down a track for folks. I imagine you could get some shoes to rent somewhere and give it a shot. It is slow, tough going mostly, so your enthusiasm will decrease if proportion to have far back it is to the start.:) As Jim mentioned, stay out of the ski tracks no matter where you are as a courtesy, walk along side as much as possible. Boreal has some gentle terrain to head out on where you can avoid most skiers, then you can get a bite there also. The better terrain is on the east side where you will get into the lesser used runs. Call around to see if you can rent some shoes, REI in Sac? You would need to get back by closing or the next morning some places to avoid an additional day. Make an adventure, bring your bp stove, soup or whatever and have a meal out on the snow, bring a sit pad. Rambling here, if you go to a ski area, you won't need to worry about getting lost, if on fresh snow, follow your tracks back, check to see if you can use the area. If on fairly hard snow, pay attention, the sun will melt the evidence from where you came. A good time to go if the cold bothers you, is March-April when things get warmer, the snow should be firmer by then in the morning, so you will need to pay attention to where you came from. The roads will be in good shape, so you could drive up yourself. Lassen Park is a good spot, however, going in from the southwest entrance will involve staying on the unplowed road and you might get tired of the view or if you haven't been there, it might be neat watching the steam from mud pots etc., plus you wouldn't get lost. If you wanted to avoid the $10 entrance fee, about a mile or more after you turn off of 36, headed to the Park, there is a wide, plowed area you should easily see, park there, and shoe in on the unplowed road, weekend recreationists play there, so after a few hundred yards you will get a way from any used snow.? Some of us from another small forum go on trips through out the year. At least one trip planned in another month or so to Lassen for a snow camp trip.