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Driving into Mammoth Lakes earlier this week was weird. Everything looked different. Shops along the street were mere roofs behind towering walls of white and all of the normal landmarks I knew to look for were gone. Somehow, the quaint mountain town that I once called home had been transformed into a giant igloo. I guess you can blame the 20 feet of snow that fell in January—officially marking it the snowiest month on record for the resort.
Everyone I met, locals and visitors alike, couldn’t stop talking about it. I heard stories of people getting stuck in their homes due to snow, cars that needed to be dug out after two hours in the resort parking lot and even the main entrance to the only grocery store in town being forced to close due to too much snow on the roof.
I met a local at the bus station and the first words out of his mouth were, “I’m going to Hawaii tomorrow.” Sounds like a silly decision to me.
Locals are tired of shoveling and gray skies but, even more than that, they are excited about what this snow means. People are skiing parts of the mountain than haven’t been skiable in years—such as Huevos Grande, Top of the World and more—that are all legendary big-mountain Mammoth lines. Hangman’s Hollow, a narrow chute that typically only allows for a few turns, is completely filled with snow. The snowpack will also make a huge impact towards reversing the drought that California has been in for years. In other words, this season is absolutely incredible for unlimited reasons, and the most insane thing of all is that it’s not even close to over.
Mammoth already announced last week that it will be open for skiing on the Fourth of July and, from now until then, there will be plenty of time to shatter the mountain’s average annual snowfall of 400 inches. With 349.5 inches already and more snow falling right now, I’d say it will happen sooner than later.
If you have any intention of visiting Mammoth in the near future, this season is the one. Keep reading to make it happen the right way.
How to do a trip to Mammoth Mountain
1. Best Place to Ski on a Pow Day
Cloud Nine Express — Cloud Nine Express provides some of the best terrain to ski on a powder day, with plenty of glades to explore. A long traverse skiers’ right will take you to Wazoo where powdery double black tree runs are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
2. Best Lift to Lap on a Storm Day
Chair 22 — Oftentimes, when it’s dumping at Mammoth, the top of the mountain will be closed. This is when Chair 22 is at its best. Come here for free refills with ample tree coverage.
3. Best On-Mountain Food Spot
The Mill — Drink Bloody Marys and eat pulled pork nachos while laying out on a lawn chair at The Mill between laps for a perfect spring day.
4. Best Park
Main Park — This is Mammoth’s expert park. At its peak, Main Park is fully loaded with three competition-sized jumps, jibs for days, a 22-foot superpipe and more. Take a couple of warmup laps in the neighboring intermediate park, Forest Trail.
5. Best On-Mountain Après Spot/Lodge
Tusks Bar Sundeck / Main Lodge — Grab a drink and soak up some California rays on the sundeck—all while watching the pros throw down in Main Park. Less crowded than Canyon during the holiday season, Main Lodge provides access to the Panorama Gondola and some of the best terrain on the mountain.
6. Best Groomer Run
Cornice — Take Chair 23 or the Panorama Gondola to the top of the mountain to access Cornice Bowl. From there, race your friends all the way into Gremlin’s Gultch. The run will eventually spit you out at the bottom of the gondola. Rinse and repeat.
7. Best Lift to Lap
Chair 23 — Chair 23 provides an easy way to lap some of the gnarliest terrain on the mountain. Drop into the Dropout or Wipeout Chutes, carve turns down Scotty’s or have some fun down Cornice Bowl. Nothing but diamonds to ski here, folks.
8. Best Gnarly Terrain
Philippe’s — Accessible from the top of Chair 14, skate or hike your way up the ridge to the Paranoids and then go as far as you can, skiers’ left. Ski across the top of the spine and then drop into a steep entrance that eventually opens up for wider turns. Awesome on a powder day, but definitely for experts only.
9. Best Tree Run
Outpost Glades — The backside of Mammoth offers some of the best tree runs on the mountain. Take Road Runner from the top of Chair 14 and stay on it until you pass beneath the chair. From there, drop in and find your own line all the way to the bottom, where you’ll wind up at Chair 13 and 14 to do it all over again.
10. Best Place to Stay On-Mountain
Mammoth Mountain Inn — Located right next to Discovery Chair, Mammoth Mountain Inn provides a stunning view of the mountain as well as easy access to the slopes.
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