I used to live around there, and recall that there was generallly a big snow fall predictably around Thanksgiving, and then again around the second or third week of January. I always loved the area around Markleeville, Carson Pass, and, of course, the Grover Hot Springs afterward! I plan to get over there to visit and get in some x country skiing--the eastern Sierra still feels a lot like home to me. Over here on the coast the snow stays on the hills (and Shasta and Lassen are not far away) and we just get the rain.