I do not advance schedule ski trips before New Years, but California's volatility works both ways so sometimes there is quality skiing available within drive distance. This year and last year are among the good ones.
Nonetheless quality skiing at home is sufficiently rare that Liz and regularly schedule other travel in November/December:
2011: Antarctica/Patagonia Sur
2012: Australia eclipse/New Zealand
2013: Bermuda eclipse flight/Florida/Caribbean cruise
2014: Yap/Guam/Truk
2015: New York
2016: Thailand/Laos/Cambodia
2017: Chile/Patagonia
2018: New York/New England
2020: Argentina eclipse
2021: Chile and eclipse flight