MAMMOTH 23/24 - WE ARE READY FOR THE SNOW NOW

The last weekend in March was great at Mammoth.

I arrived in time to ski Friday afternoon. The snow was starting to fill-in, and I ended up hiking into avi 1 (the furthest skier's left, is that avi 1 or avi 3? I always forget) for a bunch of laps. It was really starting to fill-in well, and it ended up being lots of fun.

The expectation was that Saturday would be a storm day, but that was not the case. Instead we woke up to about 2 feet of fresh.....and lots of people. I started at Rollercoaster, then skied the area under chair 22 to get to 22. It was fun, deep and a bit thick, the storm came in warmer than what was assumed. Chair 22 had a long line, but not too bad all things considered. The hike-in avi line was great, as was the ridge between chair 22 and chair 25.

The lines were long, but the snow was fun, and leg battering. I eventually made it over to chair 12, which was nice, but could have used a bit more steepness given how thick the snow was. I saw some of our ski lease crew and we headed to the lower gondi....where we got very lucky. We got on just as they were allowing people to the top. I got Climax with only a few tracks through it. While some was a bit wind affected, as to be expected, some of the snow was actually much lighter than I anticipated. I got one particularly long faceshot, which was really nice. The lines for the upper gondi were long, and chair 23 was not turning, but I braved the line and got in a nice P1 lap before calling it.

Saturday night had several fresh inches and a bit of wind, so the top was almost like a new pow day. It was a bit thick but still awesome. The lines for chair 23 were not bad. I got in a Climax lap, a Hanger's lap, and two P1 laps before they shut things down due to visibility.

I thought the weekend would be more storm day skiing, but I'll take it. The base is awesome right now. I was hoping to go into Philippe's, which some people did, but I didn't get the chance. I was actually happy that they kept the top open as long as they did on Sunday, given how white out it was becoming.

I hope some of you are up today. It has been a great start to spring.

https://vimeo.com/931192823?share=copy

Busted out of town today but had a blast all week in wildly varying conditions, all good to me. Ott that's great your son hit up hangman's it was great this week. How old is he? My oldest is seven I can't picture it but he got to rip some pow this week so he's stoked.

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^^^ Kid is 12, so quite a big difference from 7. They might have hit it earlier, but we were in Singapore last season and prior to that, the run was pretty tight whenever we visited. It's pretty fat right now. I sent them in first, and when we reconnected below in the apron I commented that it might have been the hardest line they have yet to ski. My kid looked up and just said, "oh". It is crazy, because my wife would stand at the top of that line and just cry (like the kid behind us, who's dad was trying to convince her to drop as she was furiously side stepping up hill crying "no, no. no...") I don't think my kid is sketched by the exposure. While their form still needs a lot of work, they are very capable on skis and are not likely to start falling out of control. The sluff did not seem to bother them as well. It was rated as the run of the day, and the snow in there was by far the best on the hill on Tuesday.

What an amazing week for spring break. Loved arriving Monday to a pseudo powder day transitioning to spring only to find winter's return on Thursday. We got our first lift out of Eagle around 9:50 and hit the tres to the left of Blue Jay and it was boot deep, untracked and skied so fucking nicely. Blasted down Wall Street and up Stump. Fresh tracks down Terry's. Up the Gondi to warm up and a quick stop at mid station for hot cocoa and snacks from the backpack. Too cold to snack outside. Hot laps through Center Bowl "buff" and then ski by brail down Saddle Bowl (they had blue/ fluorescent green bamboo markers every 10 meters which worked great to fresh tracks left of Andy's Double Gold. Back up to mid station. A few more laps on 3, then traverse to Sliver for the best run of the day in shin deep untracked all the way down to base of 5. Back up and then traverse to Quicksilver, and skied the trees left of Haven't the Foggiest all the way down to the cat tracks. My kid was frozen by 2pm, so they headed in. I started to work my way back to Main, and everything shut down just as I was about to be the next chair on Stump Alley. Spent the rest of the afternoon poking around Chair 8.

Friday we had to get home to Santa Cruz, so we lined up at Eagle at 8:15 and got 10th chair, Seriously, how the fuck does that happen? We skied until 11 and never had a lift line. Blue Jay trees we deep. Canyon was literally ski right on. The trees to the right of Wall Street were even deeper, and as we emerged from the woods down int he flats, my kid claimed the best run of the week. It was literally tits deep for them. Up Gold Rush, and we were planning on Back For More, but I say the Chair 9 Closed sign from a distance and though ut was saying the zone was closed, so we wrapped under the Avi Chutes and down to 22. Fun, but semi tracked. Skied right on to 22, as it had just opened, and emptied the corral. Could not have timed it better. Started down Grizzly area, but my kid, again, was cold, so we shifted just a bit right and found untracked all the way to Repeat 22. I skied them in, and then took one more on 22. Ended up around Face/Sunshine, and it was good, but wish I had chosen one of the steeper faces for that final run in. Oh well.

Every time I leave this place, I am shocked that Mammoth is not considered a top ten resort. I guess it gets crowded enough, but this is a place I would want to travel to for vacation (I guess I do, but I mean in the pre kids fly to go ski somewhere days of my life), I find it to be as much fun at a place like Snowbird. It actually feels more varied to me. Tho I chatted with a couple or regulars who were just back from Banff and they talked about how long the runs are there, so maybe another place for me to consider.

I've heard like five different people bring up Banff this year it's like the Portugal of resorts rt now!

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Had a good week out at Mammoth last week. We left contented.

Trip Report here

Pond Skim weekend bump, anyone sending it?

What’s backcountry coverage looking like this year? My impression from Instagram is that Mammoth area and north is fairly filled in but farther south is pretty thin?

Based only on driving between Gardnerville and Mammoth Lakes and back, on otherwise active weather days - when I did get any view of the mountains - they looked caked. I'm already organizing my May days hoping to get out around Tioga.

Random question after looking at the number of views of different threads. Does anyone know why this thread is so much more dead than many of the other location threads? Are SoCal people anti TGR or what’s going on?


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^^^^ Cause, we are basically a bunch of old farts on this thread complaining about shit. Occasionally someone steps up and posts some stoke. I just downloaded Tapatalk and can post again. I actually was having problems before the general problems. So I hope to contribute more cell phone shots.

Its absolutely dumping at Mammoth right now. Thick fat flake and over an inch of fluff at Eagle Base, beset on the footprints being left as people walk around it in. Some light snow falling right now at Kirkwood, but it looks very much like a dusting at most, and barely snowing, Clouds at Palisades, but nothing that looks like a flake.

This storm is diving south for sure. Lots of blue in Santa Cruz, though we are forecast for a second wave tonight.

EDIT - oh shit, thought this was the Tahoe thread when I was talking about grumpy old men. No idea why this thread gets way less traffic. I come to this thread regularly to get stoke and check on conditions. The maggots from SoCal are posting less these days. I recall a bunch of people who used to ski Mammoth, but never see them in these threads.

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Originally Posted by GKWood

Random question after looking at the number of views of different threads. Does anyone know why this thread is so much more dead than many of the other location threads?

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Usual answer is 'cos we are out skiing...

^^^^Yeah, but that is not accurate.

Its not like the typically Mammoth thread poster skis more often than posters in other regional threads.

Mammoth is not often seen a destination, so fewer views from people outside the region.

Mammoth basically covers one resort and one ski hill, where most other regions span across more resorts and small hills

A lot of the people who would used to post all the time about Mammoth are no longer in the region, and/or no longer posting on TGR.

TWINS and hutch I see from time to time. Steven S Dallas, V, Mach Looney, Yoga Chick, LegoSkier, Divegirl, bklyn, Piggity, hoar-hey.... there are a bunch of folks I don't see posting often (or moved someplace else) who used to ski Mammoth often or post up in the Mini thread.

And there is no longer a Mammoth Mini. Used to happen every spring in early May. Usually around Mother's Dat, which knocked me out when my wife became a mother.

But I don't think it is just people who would otherwise view or post in this thread are out skiing.

I sure wish I was out skiing.

Pretty epic sleeper pow day followed by pond skim on Sunday. Great weekend with all conditions represented.

^^^ They only reported 1-2". Maybe that helped keep folks at home. When I looked at the Eagle Cam Friday evening it looked like that down thee. I'm guessing Saturday was a bit deeper than @" on crust.

Searched but couldn't find any info. Any sneaky beta to get a little money off the ticket window price. Coming in for just a day of skiing, psyched to ski some corn!

^^^ Ikon Friends and Family is 25% off. I have not used any, so can for sure share. PM me you name and email, how many you want and I can send them off to you. I think you basically get a code to purchase a discounted day ticket and must do it at least 24 hours in advance.

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Originally Posted by Bronic

Searched but couldn't find any info. Any sneaky beta to get a little money off the ticket window price. Coming in for just a day of skiing, psyched to ski some corn!

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Maybe 1-2" at base of Canyon; mid-upper mountain was the deepest 1-2" I've ever experienced.

I see they are replacing Main lodge chair 1 with a 6 pack. How did the 6pack at Canyon work out this year? Did the old quad get moved to another location?

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Originally Posted by Ottime

^^^ Ikon Friends and Family is 25% off. I have not used any, so can for sure share. PM me you name and email, how many you want and I can send them off to you. I think you basically get a code to purchase a discounted day ticket and must do it at least 24 hours in advance.

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Thanks so much Ottime! PM incoming

So Friday the 5th was the best day of the season (Day 70+/-) for me. It was the lightest driest blower pow Mammoth gets. I think temp was 4 degrees at the top, and amazingly, the wind hadn't nuked all night!

Got 2nd chair up 4, Mini Comish and I were the first down the lower part under 22. We were choking on the snow. Legit over the head face shots. Think Utah, but at Mammoth. We get maybe 7th chair up 22 and blow by a few chair loads of boarders strapping in. There are a few tracks down Viva, but damn! Top 2 runs down Lincoln in my career. Every turn was over the head face shots where you were choking on the snow! Get back on 22 and Mini Comish (15 now and not so mini) looks at me just giggling hysterically and says, "Now I understand why you like pow so much!" Best pow day of his life! Good one to end his Mammoth career on as he moves back to New Hampshire next year for some stick chasing and ice! What a day!

I got lucky on this one too. I was supposed to be at Sugar Bowl with my U14's for Championships and I audibled to stay in Mammoth and skip SG since both of them have knee issues and aren't super strong right now and I thought there was a 50/50 chance of that getting cancelled. Well the storm went south and we scored!

I typically say Mammoth is a 5 to 7 everyday on a 10 point scale. It's rarely bad, but it's rarely this good. That was a 10! It was better than Jackson Hole on the week they got their dump and couldn't open that Saturday when I chased that way. Ahh.

Now back to your regularly scheduled amazing spring CA weather and some SG racing this weekend!

I also have a bunch of F&F codes left from this years Ikon pass if anyone needs them.

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Originally Posted by comish

So Friday the 5th was the best day of the season (Day 70+/-) for me. It was the lightest driest blower pow Mammoth gets. I think temp was 4 degrees at the top, and amazingly, the wind hadn't nuked all night!

Got 2nd chair up 4, Mini Comish and I were the first down the lower part under 22. We were choking on the snow. Legit over the head face shots. Think Utah, but at Mammoth. We get maybe 7th chair up 22 and blow by a few chair loads of boarders strapping in. There are a few tracks down Viva, but damn! Top 2 runs down Lincoln in my career. Every turn was over the head face shots where you were choking on the snow! Get back on 22 and Mini Comish (15 now and not so mini) looks at me just giggling hysterically and says, "Now I understand why you like pow so much!" Best pow day of his life! Good one to end his Mammoth career on as he moves back to New Hampshire next year for some stick chasing and ice! What a day!

I got lucky on this one too. I was supposed to be at Sugar Bowl with my U14's for Championships and I audibled to stay in Mammoth and skip SG since both of them have knee issues and aren't super strong right now and I thought there was a 50/50 chance of that getting cancelled. Well the storm went south and we scored!

I typically say Mammoth is a 5 to 7 everyday on a 10 point scale. It's rarely bad, but it's rarely this good. That was a 10! It was better than Jackson Hole on the week they got their dump and couldn't open that Saturday when I chased that way. Ahh.

Now back to your regularly scheduled amazing spring CA weather and some SG racing this weekend!

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Glad to know were there on a deepest ever kind of day. We rode up 22 just as the corral emptied so had the show of the first groups down the lift line and for sure I saw turns being made that were overhead deep. It was insane. Only wish we did not have to hit the road at 10:30. That was a super fun morning. Thursday also skied exceptionally well from 10am on.

Ott,

Awesome to see your boy got Hangers!!

I was definitely not doing that at his age. When I was 12 I had graduated to the steepest runs at Belleayre and Whyndam, occasionally attacking the bumps on the wet face of Hunter, the snowmaking capital of the world. I had certainly never seen a line like Hangman's, let alone skied one. My first time out west was when I was 13 in Sun Valley. That was great, and eye opening, but they didn't have any terrain like Hangman's (that I saw, at least) and I certainlly wouldn't have been skiing it even if I found it. I was in heaven skiing huge bowls full of bumps. As an east coast kid that's what I dreamed of.

This thread doesn't seem as active as in years past. I've had some days that I haven't posted about. Sometimes that's just the way it goes. I was up a bit more last year, I think I got 48 days last year and I'll finish this season with close to 40, but the dip in ski time is not all that significant. Last season was epic, and my wife and I were able to do a couple more long Mammoth trips where we could get work done and ski from 12-4. A season with 48 days is a ton for me, I usually hit 35-40.

I haven't been up since the last weekend in March, which was awesome. My wife unfortunately got a concussion in mid-March, and while it was minor the neurologist adivsed not skiing again this year. I would have had a trip in April, but we did a tenth anniversary trip to St. Barts for some surfing and beach vibes. The island is amazing and the surf was fun, although not epic. My wife got some lessons, and loved the 80 degree water. We are wondering how to get her in the water in socal, despite having grown up in Huntington she hates cold water, she has wake boarded in the Dana Point harbor area in a 4/3, so I don't see how we're going to get her surfing here unless it is July through September, and maybe not even then. The island is awesome as an all around (albeit expensive) trip, although the waves there tend to be more fun than epic.

Anyone around Mammoth right now? How is the snow up high? Has the top softened in areas like the noids, hangers and Climax, or is it still wintery up there. I would expect mid-mountain and below full-on spring, and I could see it getting slushy in P3, or other upper mountain areas with exposure, but I'm curious as to whether the whole top got slushy or if it's still winter mode. I'm going up this weekend, and with the cold weather and (probably) limited snowfall from this storm it won't be great if the top went full spring. This might be my last trip, although I could get in another one mid-May. Let's hope this storm swings back in the direction of more precip. Last year my last trip was in early May, and with 4-8 inches of snow and wind creating some amazing, velvet wind buff I had probably my best Hangman's of the year and maybe ever. The next couple of days the wind shifted and the Wipeouts were all-time. I'm hoping against hope that this is what happens with the storm coming up.

Here is a video from that May trip, last year. A couple of Hangman's lines, a Varmit's, which doesn't look like it's in the cards for this weekend, and some Wipeouts. This storm didn't have a ton of snow, but the wind made for dreamy conditions. Let's call in some luck for a repeat.
https://vimeo.com/827133142?share=copy

It was full spring this past weekend. It was 41 degrees at 715am at Main when dropping the kids off for the SG races. Wipe's and Drop's softened around 11 +/-. The gondi line at Main was a nightmare after the early morning quiet period since 1 is done. So we just lapped ch23, plus we were staying around the race course which ran down gremlins to St. Anton.

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Originally Posted by comish

It was full spring this past weekend. It was 41 degrees at 715am at Main when dropping the kids off for the SG races. Wipe's and Drop's softened around 11 +/-. The gondi line at Main was a nightmare after the early morning quiet period since 1 is done. So we just lapped ch23, plus we were staying around the race course which ran down gremlins to St. Anton.

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Much appreciated!!

Hearing this, I really hope the storm comes in stronger than expected. It appears it's going to be cold this weekend and early next week. We will see.

I’m heading down Friday and Saturday. TBH, I don’t really want to as the skiing will be hideous no doubt.

Friday looks meh indeed but Saturday should be warm enough to soften things up?


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I posted in tech talk but am gonna check here too. Anyone comfortable with binding insert installs that would be willing to help out?

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...inding-Inserts

^^^ Are you looking for tools/ tutorial or a shop?

Just got off the phone with Mammoth and can confirm there will be no skiing after Memorial Day this year due to work on Broadway. Basically it sounds like w/o Broadway, there is not a good set up for race teams and therefore, all will shut down.

Bummer, as my kid and I have a traditional of skiing and biking in Mammoth the first week after school gets out, snow permitting.

Bigger bummer is we might end up at Universal Studios instead, as we have a few free tickets.

Might need to make the trek out there for Memorial Day weekend...

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Originally Posted by Ottime

^^^ Are you looking for tools/ tutorial or a shop?

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Right now anyone who is experienced and willing to help (shop or otherwise), but if not then I am willing to gear up and give it a try

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ottime

^^^ Are you looking for tools/ tutorial or a shop?

Just got off the phone with Mammoth and can confirm there will be no skiing after Memorial Day this year due to work on Broadway. Basically it sounds like w/o Broadway, there is not a good set up for race teams and therefore, all will shut down.

Bummer, as my kid and I have a traditional of skiing and biking in Mammoth the first week after school gets out, snow permitting.

Bigger bummer is we might end up at Universal Studios instead, as we have a few free tickets.

Might need to make the trek out there for Memorial Day weekend...

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I wonder if it might impact early season opening as well if they inevitably fall behind construction schedules. That would doubly suck

Vibes on Universal at least it’s not Disney. Even if it’s optimized to extract cash even if you have free tix

Cool temps on Wednesday and a hard freeze the night before made for a great all day corn cycle. The snow got soft but never sticky and the groomers were skiing well until 4:00.

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Snow was smooth & carvy.

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Wall Street.

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Stump Alley had fun corn laps all day.

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Afternoon Cornice.

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All of the race courses had really good snow all day.

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The course down Gremlins to St Anton’s. Fun day to ski fast with opens slopes.

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Upper Mtn is still holding lots of snow.

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I finished the day with a hike up to the top of Ch 22.

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Looking down Avi 1 which skied really well at 4:00 pm. Skiers right was soft top to bottom.

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Looking back up Avy 1. Pretty good skiing for May 1st.

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After ski MTB ride out to Sherwin Creek Rd.


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Thanks for the update C. Looks like a blast out there. Any 1 almost looks like there are no bumps. Trying to figure out how to get back there before closing.

Potential for 8-10" this weekend. The season that started late, but now will now not give up.

This is being built at the bottom of ch 2.
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It’s for the world 1/4 pipe championships coming up.

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That thing is massive.


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Thanks ESS!!

I'm heading up this weekend, for the last time this year. Our ski lease ends May 15th, but I only have one more trip in me.

This will be a Sunday AM through mid-week. Sunday is looking like it might be nice, and I'm hoping Monday and Tuesday get some good winds for a nice buff. My last trip last year was around the same time and the wind turned the roughly 8 inches of snow that fell into an absolutely epic few days, possibly my best Hangman's turns all year, and that says something because I got lots of good hangers laps last season.

Thanks ESS!!

I'm heading up this weekend, for the last time this year. Our ski lease ends May 15th, but I only have one more trip in me.

This will be a Sunday AM through mid-week. Sunday is looking like it might be nice, and I'm hoping Monday and Tuesday get some good winds for a nice buff. My last trip last year was around the same time and the wind turned the roughly 8 inches of snow that fell into an absolutely epic few days, possibly my best Hangman's turns all year, and that says something because I got lots of good hangers laps last season.

It was another fun day out on the hill. Today (Thurs) was just a bit warmer so the snow got softer earlier. Crowds continued to be little to none.

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Judging from the height of the sign at the top the snowpack looks healthy.

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10:00 a.m. at ch 5 and the snow was prime corn.

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Chair 3 at 10:45 a.m.

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Did the afternoon hike to the top of chair 22 again today with Avy 2 being the call.

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Looking down Avy 2 from just above the choke. Good coverage and the snow on the skiers right was smooth and soft.

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This line skied well. Go left after the throat and ski the lookers left side of the bowl.

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View from the Stump Alley parking lot at the end of the day.

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I pedaled thru the Stump Alley parking lot after skiing just to check out all the different rigs. Everything from this bus with Oregon plates to…..

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This lifted, beefy looking Sprinter with lots of
Sports mobile mods on it.
Very nice.

Looks like one more day of fair weather before it changes this weekend.


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'Tis the Sweet Season. Looking forward to next week, although it looks like it will a little cooler than normal after the front moves through.

Good stuff!