Routes below/near the snow line for winter backpacking

Trouble is that the snow line is constantly changing (well, it is in a normal winter..). what I would be looking at are coast range areas, especially Ventana Wilderness and points south. Unless you want to go soon, in which case there are a lot of areas with little enough snow that you can still get around easily without skis or snowshoes.

I respectfully disagree with your comment “The options for winter backpacking in the bay area are somewhat lame.” I think winter is a fabulous time to backpack in the Bay Area. Different strokes for different folks :)

A few Bay Area routes I would propose, in case you haven’t already considered them:

SF to Monterey via the coast. Part 1, and Part 2.

Circumambulation of the Point Reyes peninsula.

Many routes in Ventana. Have you already hiked in the Silver Creek Wilderness area? I assume you’ve spent a night on top of Junipero Serra already? (I have no trip report, as we still weren’t carrying a camera the last time we were there.)

A non-standard route to the east side of Coe.

So many routes through Marin, hard to recommend any particular one. This one was our most recent. Or this nice loop from the city has a lot going for it.