Mammoth....

[ak_powder_monkey]

Need some info on mammoth, driving over from vegas for a day or two thursday night, because we are degenerate skiers who will drive 10 hours to ski ribbons of death.

Questions:
Lodging? Hostel? AirBnB? Any recommendations? Looking to go as cheap as possible.

Ski rentals: We are gonna bring boots, because when flying into Vegas, why not fly with ski boots? But we are gonna need skis. Good skis... Not normal rental skis... Again with frugality in mind, where should we rent gear from?

Other considerations: Food? Watering Holes? Etc.

Help will be paid back in kind when you roll into AK

Thanks!

[powdork]

You're going to be disappointed as there will be no WROD. It will just be skiing, top to bottom, side to side

[smallies]

Christmas trees are blowin' http://www.mammothmountain.com/winte...lage-lodge-cam

[liv2ski]

Should be pretty good early season conditions for you. As far as cheap, google or search is likely your friend. I have got rooms up there for about $80 mid week, so divided by 2, that isn't bad. Ski rentals, I have no clue, so search. Have a great time.

[TahoeJ]

Sometimes the Sierra Nevada lodge on Old Mammoth Road has some great early season deals for like $100 / night (not bad when split). Showed up there in early December last season and the place was half empty so they upgraded me to a suite for free.

Footloose Sports (also on Old Mammoth Road in the shopping center just off the main drag) is a great ski shop. I've never rented from them but if I were so inclined that's where I'd go.

[hutash]

Demos are available at footloose and Littering in town. Full range of real skis. The Demo shops on the mountain, actually only main lodge will be open, rent demos, but are limited to tourist type demos so you may not find what you want.

Rooms in town are rarely cheap, but after several bad years they might be better. I haven't book a room in years, so no recent beta, but Motel 6 is usually cheapest, but way over priced. Staying in Bishop at least the first night will save so coin, cheap motels are around $50. The is a hostel, Davidson Street Guest House if I recall. not cheap and often booked. Airbnb seems reasonable, but there is a fight going in town because city ordinance does not allow it, so some maybe laying low.

Food...Toomey is my favorite place, get lobster taquitos. Oven fired pizza at Compo is tits, but their wine is too expensive and limited. Plenty of run of the mill cheap pizza joints. Chart House for fish and steak if you want a nice (spendy) meal. The only grocery store is Vons. Go on off times as it gets incredibly crowded. I don't hang out in bars, so no recs on that front, but now the Mammoth brewing has expanded I suspect it is an option. I just drink there in the afternoons. Sidedoor cafe is nice for quality wine,but a little pricey.

The whole mountain won't be open, but it is open top to bottom and a new storm is coming. Becareful, Mammoth early season can be dangerous due to rocks. We need a good storm or two to solidify the base and fill in between the rocks. Once the first storms settle it becomes easier to rip.

[nickwm21]

Mammoth brewery for beer. Mammoth tavern for cocktails. Pitapit or nick and willies for cheap grub. Hit the hot springs behind the airport for a classic mammoth experience.

[TahoeJ]

+1 on Mammoth Brew Co (I think they serve food now also) and Mammoth Tavern (right next to the Sierra Nevada Lodge). Roberto's Mexican Cafe across the street is good too.

Chart House is good but damn expensive, although there is some good stuff on their happy hour menu.

[comish]

Fill up with gas when you leave Vegas as there is next to nothing between Vegas and Mammoth.

Go eat//drink during Happy Hour for cheap eats./drinks. Our place is near the village so that is where we hang, but your can eat/drink any place there quite reasonably (for a ski town) during Happy Hour with the exception of Campo. Gomez has cheapish taco's/margs(not the best, Roberto's in town mo-better), Lakanuki for good drinks and reasonable happy hour bar menu, Place across for Lakanuki also has a good happy hour in the bar.

Motel 6 or staying in Bishop is prolly your best bet for lodging.

I think Kitteridge might be cheaper than Footloose, but honestly not sure. Footloose isn't actually all that great for people that want to ski a >90mm underfoot ski. Mammoth pretty much sucks for demo's, but you will be able to find something to ride that is decent, just not that great a variety of fatish skis given the mtn/snow we get. Main Lodge will have something Mantraesque, but more expensive than either Footloose or Kitteridge. P3 across Main St. from Kitteridge for flippy-spinny skis.

[LightRanger]

Make sure you don't accidentally bump one of the light fixtures downstairs at Mammoth Brewing. You might knock the glass shade loose and have it break all over your table, missing your toddlers' heads by inches, and then have the staff act like morons and not jump to helping you clean it up. SMH.

Good beer though.

[El Chupacabra]

Is the June Lake area worth looking at for lodging? Is it less expensive than in Mammoth proper?

Just curious, since with Godzilla Nino here, I might head to Mammoth sometime this winter too. The only times I've skied at Mammoth were in spring, and I camped out on the scenic loop -- which isn't going to work so well during a real winter.

[boarddad]

Fill up with gas when you leave Vegas as there is next to nothing between Vegas and BISHOP.

FIFY - than gas up in Bishop as it will save you a couple of bucks over getting gas in Mammoth. Both the Casino and Vons have good prices on gas. Get any groceries you might want @ the Vons in Bishop also. I also recommend staying in Bishop to save big on the hotel. It is 45 mins down the hill though. I prefer the food options in Bishop but that's not saying much.

[Boomer28]

They over-build the shit out of Mammoth during the last housing bubble.....I've always had great luck doing Air B&B there in condos and houses. Early season should have a LOT to offer in a wide range of prices.

[comish]

FIFY - than gas up in Bishop as it will save you a couple of bucks over getting gas in Mammoth. Both the Casino and Vons have good prices on gas. Get any groceries you might want @ the Vons in Bishop also. I also recommend staying in Bishop to save big on the hotel. It is 45 mins down the hill though. I prefer the food options in Bishop but that's not saying much.

Agree with all that. Never gas up in Mammoth.

[Rodneyyee]

Stellar Brew on Main St. for quick, pre-made, breakfast burritos ... you're welcome.
Toomey's in The Village is good (and with an interesting history involving a gas station), Gomez is terrible, Mammoth Brewing is good for beer and the food offerings there are improving. And I, for one, have encountered some good deals at Campo and it has the best (and most expensive) food in The Village, along with Toomey's.


Why aren't you skiing Mount Charleston

+10000000000 on Gomez's ( well and just about every other place in village ) shithouse/smokehouse whatever had a brief run of edible food. The streak has ended. Same for Angels-What happened to that place?
Toomeys/Black Label Coffee for java/Breakfast Burritos ( some actual thin babes ) @ Stellar. Only happy hour we still go to is chart house. Mountain is skiing "well". Well meaning early season no base, no reason to ski off groomers unless you want to get cracked up and miss the EL NO NO of epic proportions !!

[TEXASS]

The Stove is a great place to eat. After a day of skinning two fried chicken dinners hits the spot. Be careful of eating to much pie

[boarddad]

For me, a trip to Mammoth really isn't complete unless I've made a trip to Pita Pit.

[yogachik]

Are you on Facebook? Mammoth Snowman has a link on his page with discounted tickets, although I think tickets are still only $50/day right now. Liftopia has deals, too. Snowman also has coupons for rentals at Footloose, which is where to rent, or Kittredge. He has a website, too http://mammothsnowman.com

But if flying Southwest, then you can check skis for free.

For lodging, contact moresnowplease and he might be able to hook you up with a Sierra Nevada Resort discount. Otherwise, the cheapest would be checking kayak.com which shows some places at $54/night, like TraveLodge and Quality Inn

[ak_powder_monkey]

Thanks for all the info everyone! We are mostly hoping to go on an adventure and start getting our ski legs under us on good groomers (alyeska won't open until maybe thanksgiving, maybe)

Should be fun!

[wannabe]

Rent a car from Sixt in Vegas, they have sweet cars at great prices.

[Big Tim]

Thanks for all the info everyone! We are mostly hoping to go on an adventure and start getting our ski legs under us on good groomers (alyeska won't open until maybe thanksgiving, maybe)

Should be fun!

Just got back. Powder day today. It's filling in. More should open soon. Heading back up Thursday night. Ski bum food equals all the happy hours, stellar brew, pita pit, salsas and fast food.

[otto06]

Check Campos - they have a Thursday pasta deal for two that is pretty good and will over pour the beer and wine early season

Just got back. Powder day today. It's filling in. More should open soon. Heading back up Thursday night. Ski bum food equals all the happy hours, stellar brew, pita pit, salsas and fast food.

[ak_powder_monkey]

I'm pretty excited, after missing the season last year due to injury, mammoth will be a good way to start 2015/16

[-Devin-]

Just posted this in another thread. For those looking for food in Bishop, try the Mountain Rambler Brewery. Very good food and beer. http://www.mountainramblerbrewery.com/home#welcome

It is across the street from La Casita at the south end of town.

[hutash]

Check road conditions before you go. Not sure what route you plan to drive,but the Oct rains trashed a lot of desert roads, many of which are still closed.