SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Grab your favorite Snuggie, pour yourself a warm cup of hot chocolate, and ride along with John as he hits the road to visit some of his favorite winter and holiday destinations across Northern California. Watch just the ones catching your eye in the list below, or sit back and watch the whole special in the window at the top of the page.
Happy holidays from John and the Backroads team!
When the snow is too deep to plow, residents in this Northern California ski town fire up their snowmobiles to get around.
The only thing better than the view is meeting Duke, the muscle behind this one horse open sleigh journey.
Hike one of California's most unique trails and experience an engineering marvel near Truckee.
Scientists brave extreme conditions studying the snow pack at the Central Sierra Snow Laboratory to help predict drought.
Come for the wallet-friendly day passes and try your hand at mastering California's oldest gas-powered rope tow.
TAKE A TRIP ON BARTELL'S BACKROADS:
► See an interactive map of everywhere John has visited on the backroads
► Watch all of the Backroads videos
► Follow John on Facebook
The races started during the gold rush era in the early 1860s. Miners built long wooden skis out of vertical-grained Douglas fir to get around in the snow.
Suisun City decorators go all out on eye-popping display that is a labor of love and the result of a dare.
Twelve days after Christmas, Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread, is eaten to celebrate Día de Los Reyes, known as Three Kings' Day.
WATCH MORE: What's at the top of California's highest road? | Bartell's Backroads
