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• Resort Guide

Resort Height: 2469m

One of the world’s legendary ski areas, Mammoth is a true skier’s mountain having grown up organically over the decades from its simple beginnings with a single primitive tow operated in the early 1940s by Dave McCoy, long time owner of the ski area. Today Mammoth Mountain is one of the world’s biggest and best ski areas covering more than 3,500 acres with a large high speed lift network able to lift more than 50,000 skiers per hour.

Mammoth’s base options are still expanding and changing under new corporate ownership and you can opt to stay at various different bases on the mountain or down below in the original town of Mammoth Lakes. All are linked together by gondola lifts and shuttle buses.

The closest large resort to Los Angeles and Southern California there’s a definite relaxed Californian vibe to the place. This proximity to Hollywood means Mammoth has always been a winter playground for the stars who can fly in to the private Mammoth/Yosemite Airport nearby. Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz have been spotted on the slopes, Pink and Carey Hart got engaged at the Mammoth Motocross, Virgin Boss Richard Branson has named Mammoth his favourite ski resort and even California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a frequent Mammoth visitor.

Mammoth is also famous for its abundant snowfall, averaging more than 400 inches (over 10 metres), which helps it to be one of the first resorts to open each winter (typically in early November) and last to close – often not until June.

Beginners

As you would expect, Mammoth is an excellent choice for destination for beginners with a highly professional ski school dedicated to your success on the slopes and your enjoyment, great beginner-friendly terrain at the base of the mountain that is snowsure all season long, easy to ride lifts serving these nursery slopes and convenient rental – ski school – lift access. In other words it’s pretty much the best you can get before you reach the private dresser/limo-to-the-slopes stage. First timer packages for one to three days are available (minimum two days advance booking required so you may wish to book before leaving home). This includes rentals, tuition and lift ticket at a much lower cost than buying these separately. Private lessons for one to five people are also available though it is advised that if taken, the participants should be of similar ability.

Intermediates

Mammoth is a superb destination for intermediate skiers who have a huge choice of easy and intermediate runs all on the one big mountain, with high speed chairs and gondolas in abundance to whizz back up, as well as down. The ski area’s size is such that it’s well worth signing up for a mountain familiarisation tour with a knowledgeable Mountain Host on your first day. Tours start daily at 10:15am at the Main and Canyon Lodge Super Signs. The two and a half hour tour familiarizes skiers with Mammoth’s legendary terrain.

Advanced

Mammoth’s terrain gets progressively steeper as you get higher up the mountain and ridge traverses from the summit open up vast powder bowls with steep marked and off piste, but in-bounds, terrain.

Advanced adult workshops have been introduced by the ski school with varying programmes according to current conditions. However they are likely to include bumps, steeps, powder and similar. These are led by the ski school’s most experienced teachers and range from half day to three day courses. Longer courses include breakfast and/or lunch (group chooses the venue), video analysis and the chance to test out the latest demo gear.

Snowboarding

Boarding and terrain parks are big at Mammoth. The resort’s Unbound Terrain Parks cover 90 acres of terrain is one of the world’s best and thanks to Mammoth’s long season, one of the first to open each autumn and last to close each spring. Three parks and pipes range in level from beginner to expert. The Unbound delivers 64 jibs, from low-to-the-snow box tops to 40-foot battleships, and 50 jumps, from baby rollers to huge 80-footers . By Main Lodge there’s Mammoth’s second park, Disco as well as Forest Trail, Main Park, the Super Pipe and the Super-Duper Pipe. In South Park riders will find the famous jump lines, as well as popular jib features such as the sideways lift towers and Bull Ride. South Park also includes a boarder cross course and the jibs Galore rail run with 2-foot, 4.5-foot and 8-foot bonk barrels crafted out of lift tower sections. There’s also a Family Fun Terrain Park named Wonderland Park at Canyon Lodge under Chair 7, on runs Hansel and Gretel. The park is focused on freestyle development and includes box tops that sit on the snow, short rail slides, banked turns, rollers, jumps and a 120m/375-foot-long mini half pipe.

Other Activities and Facilities

Alternative sports activities available include a cross-country ski centre, hot air ballooning, sleigh rides, snowmobile rentals, ice skating, sledding, dog sled rides and snowshoeing.

Skiers and snowboarders interested in learning about local geology, history, flora and fauna can join U.S. Forest Service and Ski Area naturalists for a relaxed guided tour of the mountain. Naturalist Tours are offered at 10:30am from the base of Stump Alley Express at Mammoth Mountain on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday Sundays.

Another option is to take the Panorama Gondola to Mammoth’s summit where the new Top of the Sierra Interpretive Centre is located. This educates visitors about the surrounding area and the dynamic nature of the Eastern Sierra. The centre features five interactive displays with facts about local geology, hydrology and the volcanic history of the area.

Other facilities include a grocery store, post office, churches, athletic clubs, cinema, shopping centres and a hospital.

Après Ski and Dining Out

There are more than 60 bars and restaurants at the mountain base and down in the town of Mammoth Lakes below. These provide a good range from the often lively Clocktower Cellar Bar at the Alpenhof to something more upscale like Talon’s restaurant at the Juniper Springs Lodge.

Snowcat dinners are a popular option on Friday and Saturday nights when you can take in the scenery of the slopes on a unique snowcat outing followed by a four course dinner at the Parallax restaurant, located mid-mountain at McCoy Station.

Families

Mammoth Kids program offers ski or board instruction and non-ski childcare or a combination of both. Childcare is located in the Mammoth Mountain Inn at Main Lodge, Small World Child Care offers daily and weekly programs, including ski/snowboard lessons and infant and child care for children up to age eight. On the snow Mammoth has three ‘learning centres’ where instructors specialise in working with children. These are the main Woollywood facility at Main Lodge, Canyon Kids at Canyon Lodge and Eagle Lodge Ski and Snowboard School.

Ski/Board Suitability Guide

Suitable for families:	[No]
Suitable for beginners:	[4]
Suitable for intermediate skiers:	[5]
Suitable for advanced skiers:	[4]
Suitable for boarders skiers:	[4]

Piste Map for Mammoth mountain

Accommodation in Mammoth mountain

• Alpenhof Lodge - 3 star, room only
• Juniper Springs Lodge - 4 star, self catering
• Mammoth Mountain Inn - 4 star, room only
• The Village At Mammoth - 3 star, self catering
• Westin Monache - 3 star, self catering
• Westin Monache - 3 star, self catering

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