Truckee vs Mammoth Winter Touring Ops

**jacob_dbu** · 11-02-2020, 02:24 PM

So I'm looking into spending the winter in Truckee or Mammoth to ski. Mostly interested in touring terrain in the winter through spring (end of May).

I know that the 395 corridor has epic spring ski mountaineering which is really enticing to me, but I'm curious how Truckee and Mammoth compare in the winter. I'll have an Ikon pass, but I'm not banking on that happening in any reasonable way. I know Alpine Meadows has an open gate policy that Mammoth mountain does not. But Mammoth is probably going to be a hair less crowded this winter.

How are the touring ops out of both places in the winter? Can I easily dawn patrol out of either of them?

**AKbruin** · 11-02-2020, 05:21 PM

Mammoth has better ski touring in both the winter and spring. Dawn patrols are very possible in both places, but I'd again give a significant edge to Mammoth. I wouldn't make your decision based on either region's sidecountry options, but if it's important to you, I reckon June Mountain's sidecountry is better than anything in Tahoe except maybe Kirkwood. (I'd say the two are comparable.) On the other hand, I find Truckee to be much more charming and less isolated than Mammoth Lakes. (FWIW, I think both are great.)

**bodywhomper** · 11-02-2020, 06:29 PM

Depending on where you live in mammoth, you may not need to get in your car for a dawn patrol.

**blackalps** · 11-02-2020, 07:04 PM

following. I've been looking in Mammoth/June area and can't find anything even remotely reasonable to rent.

also trying to look into the crystal ball and guess what the snow's gonna be like. All these early season photos from MT are making me second guess my decision not to move up there.

**raisingarizona13** · 11-02-2020, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by blackalps

following. I've been looking in Mammoth/June area and can't find anything even remotely reasonable to rent.

also trying to look into the crystal ball and guess what the snow's gonna be like. All these early season photos from MT are making me second guess my decision not to move up there.

Not even in June?

**GoSlowGoFar** · 11-02-2020, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by blackalps

following. I've been looking in Mammoth/June area and can't find anything even remotely reasonable to rent.

also trying to look into the crystal ball and guess what the snow's gonna be like. All these early season photos from MT are making me second guess my decision not to move up there.

Early season in the Sierra is just a plus, not something to hang your hat on. Also, if you're looking for affordable neither Truckee or Mammoth would be on my list. SLT is definitely the most affordable when it comes to the 3 big sierra ski towns.

**wasatch_carpetbagger** · 11-02-2020, 07:54 PM

Slightly off topic, but can someone clarify what the status of Squaws sidecounty options are? I saw some articles back from 2012 saying that they're finally opening up the BC gates, but it seems like a touring outfit is claiming they have exclusive rights to Squaw sidecountry?

**gimpy** · 11-02-2020, 08:08 PM

^^^^ yup
alpenglow expeditions (adrian ballinger) has exclusive rights to tour outside squaw ropes and the general pop is not allowed to do it on their own

**rod9301** · 11-02-2020, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by gimpy

^^^^ yup
alpenglow expeditions (adrian ballinger) has exclusive rights to tour outside squaw ropes and the general pop is not allowed to do it on their own

That is so fucked up. Including the via ferrata, access only thru them.

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**blackalps** · 11-02-2020, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by raisingarizona13

Not even in June?

where I know to look online, there's literally nothing.

**hutash** · 11-02-2020, 09:13 PM

While Mammoth doesn't have gates, there is no real boundary policy that I have ever seen. Just a rope saying you are leaving the resort. Not a whole lot of easy side country, but you can ski down to Reds Meadow and skin out if you want, or drop into the lakes basin from the back side of the dragon.

A lifetime of touring options on the east side winter or spring depending on how ambitious you are. Plenty of day options or multi day expeditions.

As for housing try the Mammoth forums for some shared housing.

**Westmeister** · 11-02-2020, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Mammoth has better ski touring in both the winter and spring. Dawn patrols are very possible in both places, but I'd again give a significant edge to Mammoth. I wouldn't make your decision based on either region's sidecountry options, but if it's important to you, I reckon June Mountain's sidecountry is better than anything in Tahoe except maybe Kirkwood. (I'd say the two are comparable.) On the other hand, I find Truckee to be much more charming and less isolated than Mammoth Lakes. (FWIW, I think both are great.)

Been to Truckee lately? Charming with money and self entitlement, aggressive driving habits and turn signals don't exist once you get into Nevada County. Go spend 5 minutes @ the hardware store and you'll get it. Reno sucks cause the rent is so high these days and is at odds with the pay scale. I'm thinking of saying screw this shit and moving somewhere to enjoy the whole enchilada of life. Just being a skier gets old after a while, no matter how much passion, it just gets old.

**gaijin** · 11-03-2020, 03:33 AM

^^^that attitude among other younger, and new implants is spreading to Reno, too.

My parents hate it.

“Everyday we now encounter some young adult just flicking people off as they drive by with their mountain gear.”

Sad. I’m a mountain gear boy. Kind of stuck between two generations.

Being generation X watching millennials and boomers fight is quite the podium-of-observation for what can best be described as a severe culture gap.

All that said— I would choose Mammoth or Kirkwood for a mountain/ski lifestyle. Truckee has a lot of terrain but just too much baggage— so many hustlers scoring your own hustle before you.

South shore is cheaper, but has other baggage— dirty addicts.

Kirkwood and south still has a lot of highway skiing. While the wood itself is becoming more Hollywood year by year, it’s still way behind truckee. Mammoth is quite the shit show itself but is just so big it’s a bit easier to find your own path.

**Westmeister** · 11-03-2020, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by gaijin

^^^that attitude among other younger, and new implants is spreading to Reno, too.

My parents hate it.

“Everyday we now encounter some young adult just flicking people off as they drive by with their mountain gear.”

Sad. I’m a mountain gear boy. Kind of stuck between two generations.

Being generation X watching millennials and boomers fight is quite the podium-of-observation for what can best be described as a severe culture gap.

I'm 49

**gaijin** · 11-03-2020, 05:15 AM

I'm 45.

**spanghew** · 11-03-2020, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by hutash

As for housing try the Mammoth forums for some shared housing.

The Mammoth forum seems to have been off-line for the past few weeks, unless they've found some clever way to keep just me from opening the page.

**powdork** · 11-03-2020, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by gaijin

“Everyday we now encounter some young adult just flicking people off as they drive by with their mountain gear.”

Sad. I’m a mountain gear boy. Kind of stuck between two generations.

Trump/Pence sticker on your parents' car?

Seriously while it may be getting worse I wouldn't put any stock in a 65+ year old bitching about the changes they're seeing.

**TahoeJ** · 11-03-2020, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by AKbruin

Mammoth has better ski touring in both the winter and spring. Dawn patrols are very possible in both places, but I'd again give a significant edge to Mammoth. I wouldn't make your decision based on either region's sidecountry options, but if it's important to you, I reckon June Mountain's sidecountry is better than anything in Tahoe except maybe Kirkwood. (I'd say the two are comparable.) On the other hand, I find Truckee to be much more charming and less isolated than Mammoth Lakes. (FWIW, I think both are great.)

This x2.

And yeah, some of the local population and vibe has changed in Truckee with the pandemic but I think we will see things settle back into something closer to normalcy at some point. People are also just on edge and extra dickish right now due to 2020 being 2020. Worth noting, there was plenty of shit-head behavior going back many years on popular weekends in the winter - that's nothing new.

**snophoto** · 11-03-2020, 09:46 AM

Facebook buy/sell/trade and other groups are the only way you are going to find housing in Mammoth, unless you know people in town. Finding a place or even a room is pretty hard.

**bodywhomper** · 11-03-2020, 09:47 AM

I’ve heard that homeowners in SLT are loosing their home insurance due to wildfire stuff and having to get insured thru the expensive CA Fair Plan coverage. How that affecting rental costs? It’s gotta be making it more costly. This will be a growing issue in all of the mountain towns of CA.

**rod9301** · 11-03-2020, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by bodywhomper

I’ve heard that homeowners in SLT are loosing their home insurance due to wildfire stuff and having to get insured thru the expensive CA Fair Plan coverage. How that affecting rental costs? It’s gotta be making it more costly. This will be a growing issue in all of the mountain towns of CA.

Yeah, i Lost my insurance in squaw and had to get to ca fair, 50% more expensive

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**bodywhomper** · 11-03-2020, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by rod9301

Yeah, i Lost my insurance in squaw and had to get to ca fair, 50% more expensive

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My adjacent neighbor (in the foothills) went up x5.

**AKbruin** · 11-03-2020, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Westmeister

Been to Truckee lately? Charming with money and self entitlement, aggressive driving habits and turn signals don't exist once you get into Nevada County. Go spend 5 minutes @ the hardware store and you'll get it. Reno sucks cause the rent is so high these days and is at odds with the pay scale. I'm thinking of saying screw this shit and moving somewhere to enjoy the whole enchilada of life. Just being a skier gets old after a while, no matter how much passion, it just gets old.

Sure, Truckee has its warts, like all places. But I still think it's an awesome places to live. I like Mammoth Lakes, too. Anyhow, I hope you turn your slump around.

To the OP: Lots of good recommendations here. South Lake Tahoe, Meyers, Stateline are on par with Truckee as bases. In my opinion, Truckee is a little better for high quality ski resort access and South Lake is a little better for high quality BC access. (Though opinions may vary on this.) I don't think one is dramatically better than the other though. It's just a matter of preference.

For Mammoth, you might expand your search to include Bishop, which is a ~40-minute drive to Mammoth but also has dawn patrol opportunities within 20 minutes. (And world-class climbing/bouldering if you're into that.) Or, if you're comfortable with more solitude, look at smaller communities like Crowley, Paradise, Tom's Place, Lee Vining, or Mono City.

**nickwm21** · 11-03-2020, 01:44 PM

Back on topic...

Mammoth has more “weather”

More wind when it’s windy
More snow when it’s snowy
More sun when it’s sunny
More exposure in general

Because of the above you get world class corn cycles in the spring, some deep pow days, and awesome windbuff on the top of the mountain at the resort. But that also means that a few times a year a storm will come through and blow all the snow off the top of the mountains or dump several feet of heavy snow in a day and obviously the stability tanks...

There are still places to safely ski in the trees...

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**blackalps** · 11-03-2020, 02:28 PM

well, I got that remote job. Not at 90k, but still pretty decent. I can live anywhere in the US as long as I have good internet. I have to work M-F, which is fucking wack, but on EST wood/metal fabrication schedules, so if I live in the PST zone, I'll be done with work at noon. supposedly some flexibility, but not sure how much. I did the M-F 9 to 5 office schmuck weekend warrior thing last season in Denver (for the few days I got to ski between injury recovery and COVID), and I'd rather shoot myself in the face than do that shit all winter. Sounds to me like I'll be doing weekday backcountry afternoons for my ski season this year. will miss first tracks, but win some, lose some, I guess. Tahoe or Mammoth is sounding more like a good idea.