I went to Santa Barbara for school.  My last two years I took winters off and lived in Tahoe, but the first 3 I managed to get 30+ days a year, mostly at Mammoth.  Santa Barbara had a ski team thing where you could pay about 200 at the begining of the year and have a cabin to crash at all winter.  Some weekends there might be 25 people there, but it was still a great deal.  I always bought the early bird Mammoth season pass, so I got to ski for not too much money.  In the winter I would take tues-thurs classes, and usually get at least 3 3-4 day ski weekends a month.  I had afew other buddies who were on the same program, so that divided driving duties.  It was ALOT of driving, 5-6 hours each way, but it was worth it.  If you are looking for a place within an hour or two of GOOD skiing and with surf that will be hard to find.  Maybe Oregon?  I had a great time.  It is not the same as skiing everyday, but you can ski mammoth 30+ days a year if you buy an MVP pass and find a good network.  I have moved out of Tahoe, and now live back down in Newport Beach, going to UCI for grad school.  This winter I had tues-thurs classes, and I have 30-35 days so far, with at least 8-10 more to come.  It is not as great as skiing 100 days a year, and I wish it was not a 5-6 hour drive, but I have managed to have a fun season while living in socal.  I should add that my grad program consists of lots of computer work, which I can do on a laptop from anywhere.  If I had to be on campus more often I would not have gotten as many days.  If only mt. baldy got consistent snow so I could get a day or two a weekend at a mountain with good steeps on the weekends I am not at Mammoth....