Living There
If you decide to take a trip to California and you’re looking for a great place to ski or snowboard, treat yourself with a experience at Mammoth Lakes California. Mammoth Mountain, which is nested below Yosemite, takes to the high altitude of just over 11,000 ft. and has the tallest ski lift west of Colorado. Basically this means; beautiful scenic terrain and the best powder you will find in California. Now Mammoth Lakes has not always screamed “snowboard haven” for the avid and traditional snowboarder/skier, however with the recent construction of the Village at Mammoth Lakes, it has definitely given it a boost in ski travel enthusiast. With so many Mammoth Lakes vacation rentals, bars, restaurants, and lifts that practically drop you from destination to destination, you’re surely prospect for a one of a kind vacation. With a nearby airport that was recently expanded to host travel flights from San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, it is a simple yet exhilarating snow/ ski trip destination.
Year round travel. Yes that’s right. With over 300 inches of annual snowfall and 300 sunshine days you can snowboard/ ski well into May-June. This is the longest ski seasons in California, and one of the longest seasons in the country! Because of the long season you are sure to find the most open terrain during the week Monday-Friday. Locals agree that the weekends can get crowded so if you’re one to avoid crowds, plan ahead for a mid week travel. Make a week out of this trip and visit the nearby Yosemite Caves as well as the rivers that run throughout Mammoth Lakes.
The mountain itself, which has a front and a back side to ski on with over 3500 acres, over 100 trails to choose from, 28 gondolas (more than half are express lifts), and a variety of trails for the beginner to the expert, you are sure to have a multitude of trails to choose from. Double black diamonds for the pros and top ski instructors for the little ones on the lower mountain near the lodges. This mountain has so much to offer there’s no way you will see the whole mountain on one trip.
For the avid snowboarder there are nine freestyle terrain parks to choose from. Including two huge half-pipes that range in height from 18-22 feet and over 500 feet long! Pro’s from California frequent the park so if you keep your eye’s open you may just spot a few. The Sprint grand prix is held here annually during the first week of December so if you are on the hunt to spot some pros in action, start planning your trip 6-12 months in advance.
