MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — After a successful first winter season, Horizon Air is expanding air service to the Mammoth Mountain resort for the upcoming snow season. In addition to adding a second daily nonstop from Los Angeles, Horizon will offer new daily nonstop service from San Jose and Reno and direct (same-plane, one-stop) service from Seattle and Portland.

We caught up with Oren Tanzer, director of everything cool at Mammoth (parks, youth marketing, film shoots) and this is what he had to say.

“We are so excited about all the new flight into Mammoth. This new service from LA, San Jose, Portland, Seattle and Reno really opens the door to new guests that have never been able to make it to Mammoth before. Now so many more people will be able to enjoy this amazing place and all it has to offer.”

The Mammoth Mountain resort area is just 15 minutes from the Mammoth Lakes Yosemite airport. Plus it’s a small airport, which means in 5 minutes you are off the plane with bags in hand. So its possible to be on the snow 30 minutes after the plane lands. Sweetness.

Horizon is offering special low fares for flights on select days between Mammoth and each city. Fares start at $49 each way from Reno, $69 from San Jose or Los Angeles, $144 from Portland, and $149 from Seattle.

The Mammoth winter season flight schedule shown below will run from Dec. 17, 2009, through April 11, 2010, and is available for sale now at www.horizonair.com or by calling 800-547-9308 (TTY at 800-682-2221).