Mammoth 2018/19 - Queen of the Eastern Sierra

[liv2ski]

Awesome mammoth thread even tho it was started by some noob who doesn't even ski. A true internet skier.

Cool alias. Next trip is in January. Maybe you could show me around?

[TurxSki]

Amazingly uncrowded yesterday

...erm you ever hear of blackout days? 12/26 -12/31 on base pass.
I expect.



Sent from my SM-G930P using TGR Forums mobile app

[bodywhomper]

Attachment 260988

somebody post pictures of the snowcat honey truck!

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

...erm you ever hear of blackout days? 12/26 -12/31 on base pass.
I expect.

Yes, as an IKON pass holder I have heard of blackout days. But after seeing todays (Thurs) crowds which I'm guessing were at least double that of Wednesday, on a day with wind chill hovering near 0 deg and the top not open, there must be plenty of people with the full IKON pass or willing to pay the walkup price of $179. Listed below is the occupancy rate for the 25th-28th.
Tue Dec 25 2018 77%
Wed Dec 26 2018 85%
Thu Dec 27 2018 90%
Fri Dec 28 2018 94%

Definitely busier as the week goes on, and if today was any indicator, blackout or no blackout, it will be packed as usual.

[liv2ski]

https://www.mammothmountain.com/video-of-the-month

[liv2ski]

Mind-boggling that they're packed at those rates. Way too much money to stand in line, no thanks.

Not only lift prices but your paying a big premium for lodging. The people up there can have it.

[hutash]

Screw that, I'm going to Aspen, or Beaver Creek or Park City. Anywhere must be cheaper then Mammoth, right?

[TurxSki]

...one day last year...

Nice blog, brah


Sent from my SM-G930P using TGR Forums mobile app

[Eastern Sierra Skier]

Mind and body numbing temps the last two days on the upper mtn. North East winds of 60+ mph combined with the cold air to bring the wind chill down to -30 on Monday at the top. Did one run off of 23 down to Scotty's and had to go in as finger tips and toes were rapidly going past the burning stage to totally numb. Not a lot of fun. I don't know how people in Montana do it? I know it's a winter sport, but this sucks. Snow's starting to get thin in spots, especially towards the chair 9 and chair 25 area's. Rumours of a change in the pattern sound promising.

[Best Mexican Skier from Da South]

Mind and body numbing temps the last two days on the upper mtn. North East winds of 60+ mph combined with the cold air to bring the wind chill down to -30 on Monday at the top. Did one run off of 23 down to Scotty's and had to go in as finger tips and toes were rapidly going past the burning stage to totally numb. Not a lot of fun. I don't know how people in Montana do it? I know it's a winter sport, but this sucks. Snow's starting to get thin in spots, especially towards the chair 9 and chair 25 area's. Rumours of a change in the pattern sound promising.

Gear is the key. A ski suit onesie is the best for cold days. It essentially shares the heat produced by your legs with your core.

I got a Straffe SickBird suit in Mammoth last July on sale just for those bone chilling days out. It worked great during the last big, cold storm cycle even without using thick base layers. Due to staying warm, I was able to get all the goods on that storm. Barren runs were incredible as the crowds stayed in the lodge or stuck to main runs (visibility).

Yeehaw! I love me some storm riding, and getting cold kills that stoke for sure. Boot Glove + SickBird is dang good for cold temps.

[TWINS]

Screw that, I'm going to Aspen, or Beaver Creek or Park City. Anywhere must be cheaper then Mammoth, right?

You left out Deer Valley.
It's for skiers!

Sent from my SM-N960U using TGR Forums mobile app

[mmmm...pow!]

Trying to get an idea of how things go in these parts when it snows. Thinking of heading down for the weekend, assuming the storm is gonna hold together for a decent dump. Want to hit June and Mammoth, not sure which day will be better for each. Guessing June is better while it's snowing? Or is the storm skiing at Mammoth worth it?

[4matic]

Trying to get an idea of how things go in these parts when it snows. Thinking of heading down for the weekend, assuming the storm is gonna hold together for a decent dump. Want to hit June and Mammoth, not sure which day will be better for each. Guessing June is better while it's snowing? Or is the storm skiing at Mammoth worth it?

395 can be a long slow slog from Reno if it's chains/awd most of the way.

[hutash]

Generally speaking June is better for storm days. I have had my best powder days there, especially if the road is closed so it is just the handful of people in June. It is small with little steep terrain. but can be super fun on a pow day. That said, I doubt the face is filled in enough to ski, so that is a major issue.

[nickwm21]

Storm skiing at Mammoth: they will close the top of the mountain and often of the mid mountain depending on how bad the visibility and wind is. If that middle zone is open and you can brave the wind driven snow, the skiing will be awesome, and you will be the only one out there. If only the bottom of the mountain is open, it is pretty tame but still a good time in fresh snow.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[nickwm21]

I’ll add.... If it’s a Thursday or Friday storm they seem less likely to open upper terrain and save it for the big money show on Saturday.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[meter-man]

Storm skiing at Mammoth: they will close the top of the mountain and often of the mid mountain depending on how bad the visibility and wind is. If that middle zone is open and you can brave the wind driven snow, the skiing will be awesome, and you will be the only one out there. If only the bottom of the mountain is open, it is pretty tame but still a good time in fresh snow.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

Trying to get an idea of how things go in these parts when it snows. Thinking of heading down for the weekend, assuming the storm is gonna hold together for a decent dump. Want to hit June and Mammoth, not sure which day will be better for each. Guessing June is better while it's snowing? Or is the storm skiing at Mammoth worth it?

June is great but only if the Face is open, and it's not open for the season yet. Takes a while to fill in. The upper mountain is Northstar-esque groomers and parks (I'm not mentioning the uh sidecountry...)

Mam: 22 and 25 often are open during storms and offer some of the best storm skiing anywhere. Lap 22 when it's windy enough to move snow, and spend your day in the avy chutes mowing down endless refills. I especially like 22 after noon, when the powder fever has subsided and everyone has left or tired out. That's when the 22 wind machine refill magic starts churning.... 1, 3, and 5 are also sometimes open during storms, and have some really fun laps. There's other good terrain with fun nooks and crannies spread all over. As noted, most of the upper mountain stuff (9, gondola, 23, 12/14/backside) closes, but the mid/lower has some fun stuff for sure. Definitely worth the drive!

[tony3]

It's a long way to go when there are mountains close by but when you time Mammoth right it is pretty fun.
During big storms there is so much wind that everything shuts down. (Tele bowls...)
During medium storms it's tricky... As stated above when 22 stays open the real-time cross loading in the Avys will make you a believer.

In an above average snowpack year (not this year yet) storm skiing The Face at June is often great while Mammoth is shut down. Check out the terrain on google earth. June is east of the crest and not nearly as windy. Mammoth is at the head of the San Joaquin drainage (funnel).
Check out the patrol website http://patrol.mammothmountain.com/Home.aspx during a big storm and look at the 24 hour chart of wind speeds at the summit. Using that with the main MammothMountain website for lifts and webcams and NWS you can get a good picture. During medium storms 395 is often shadowed out and pretty manageable. During big storms it can take a while but look at going out into Nevada...

[muted]

When would a good time to go to Mammoth in the spring/early summer that has good lift-serviced skiing (not novelty runs) and some mtn biking (not lift serviced necessarily) too? Early June?

Seems like the bike park opens around June 1st, is the lift serviced skiing way above that or what?

[hutash]

It all depends on snow levels and amounts. Some years Mammoth is burnt by June, others we are skiing into July with too much snow for biking. But, playing the averages June is a good time to go most years. Some years they are plowing bike trials to get them open mid June. There is always good biking outside town and towards Rock Creek, but you may not get the high alpine trials until later in the season on big years. Non-lift served skiing can easily go well into August .

[Ottime]

They had the lower mountain bike trails and shuttles, as well as lifts 1,2,3,5, 23 & Gondola open for skiing last Memorial Day. For reference. Seemed like a perfect time for dual sport.

[liv2ski]

Looks like a nice storm cycle for the next 8-10 days. Anyone beside me headed up next week? I am thinking Wednesday thru ?

[meter-man]

June is great but only if the Face is open, and it's not open for the season yet. Takes a while to fill in. The upper mountain is Northstar-esque groomers and parks (I'm not mentioning the uh sidecountry...)

Mam: 22 and 25 often are open during storms and offer some of the best storm skiing anywhere. Lap 22 when it's windy enough to move snow, and spend your day in the avy chutes mowing down endless refills. I especially like 22 after noon, when the powder fever has subsided and everyone has left or tired out. That's when the 22 wind machine refill magic starts churning.... 1, 3, and 5 are also sometimes open during storms, and have some really fun laps. There's other good terrain with fun nooks and crannies spread all over. As noted, most of the upper mountain stuff (9, gondola, 23, 12/14/backside) closes, but the mid/lower has some fun stuff for sure. Definitely worth the drive!

For example, today - 22 opened at 11:40, winds are high, it's dumping - I bet those chutes are loaded AF,,,

[bodywhomper]

And then it went on hold when there was actually some high wind :P

[hutash]

22 was open part of the the day today. All three Avis slid. It closed mid afternoon, so we walked last run of the day. It was deep and wonderful. Vis was bad, heavy clouds, snowing g, snow blowing g ot rhe 25 side, almost dark, but damn was it fun.

Great day of storm skiing. One was closed so we hiked in from 2 and got some great deep pow. Then the opened one late, so we lapped it a few more time without the hike...amazing.