Mammoth 11'053'. Get high not covid 20/21

**Long duc dong** · 04-19-2021, 09:25 AM

If the top turned to cream cheese that is nice! On Thursday afternoon Climax, was light pow on crust. I will take Cream Cheese.

Ott,

I didn't get to 22 on Thursday, so I don't know how it skied. From what I saw previously, my guess is that it was skiing like the top in the avi chutes, as they face north. By now they may well have transitioned to spring snow, which is a moot point I guess, unless you want to hike it.

I'm also curious about whether or not they open some of those chairs for the weekend.

When I lived in Tahoe, and I left permanently in 2004, Squaw typically did their big 5 starting in May. That was usually the tram, a couple of the lifts around h high camp, Granite and Shirley. I actually really enjoyed that period, I would usually start the day by hiking Granite and skiing Direct Chute 4-5 times, then moving over to the Corkscrew area, which would have softened up by that point. Once in a great while I would finish the day by hiking the Palisades from the top of Shirley, skiing Extra, Main or possibly straightlining Tube Chute, cutting skier's right to go up Reverse Traverse, and then skiing either the Slot or one of the light towers. It usually ended up being a hike out the bottom, but it was worth it.

I love spring skiing. We will probably go up for 3-4 days on April 29 for one last time, just to get one more round of skiing and clear things out. I'm just hoping the corn cycle is in force at that point. If we get some pow that would be great, but at this point I would just be happy with some slush turns.

**tarkman1** · 04-19-2021, 02:08 PM

I finally got out this season. I think it was Friday (a day after the new 3-4") that I barely got on 25 before it closed. I booted up to 22. 22 was closed and five patrollers were getting ready to start The Sweep.

That's when a question came my way, "What are you up to?" That seemed like a perfectly reasonable question to lonely me walking up from seemingly the wrong direction.

Here's what I said,...."I'm going to take a looking into Avi 2".

The same patroller retorted, "What does that mean?"

Here's what i didn't say..."I haven't even looked at any of the Avi chutes all year from any direction and didn't even ski last season."
I passed on this response as well "As long as there isn't a 10 foot mandatory air, I'm fine"

Before I had a chance to explain myself, one of the other patrollers said, "The top of 2 is pretty bad. It's better to come in from Avi 1."

To which I responed, "I'll ski Avi 1."

How was it? Firm. Bumpy. Edgable. Short radius and hop turns. The chute was an exercise in precision. The apron was enough fun. Not terrible. Not good.

----
On Thursday with the 3-5" up to, a traverse under Monument took me to the Noids. P1 and P2 were fluffy enough. The same goes for White Bark. No bases were injured in the process. With warmer temps and no real snow in the forecast, I don't know how long P1 or P1 will still be viable.

**lepistoir** · 04-19-2021, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by tarkman1

How was it? Firm. Bumpy. Edgable. Short radius and hop turns. The chute was an exercise in precision. The apron was enough fun. Not terrible. Not good.

Sig-worthy!

**El Chupacabra** · 04-20-2021, 07:51 AM

Have plans for a Mammoth trip this weekend - but forecast that's developing looks like high winds starting around Sat, definitely Sun. Postpone a week for spring slushy goodness?

**Ottime** · 04-20-2021, 09:20 AM

^^*yes if you can. Everything running is north fish facing and about 9K. With cooler temps and winds it will probably not soften much.

I have plans to take a beginner out at Squaw on a Saturday and starting to second guess that. But we are looking at south east ish slopes below 9K, so hoping it is still a go.

Will all depend on how much wind for Saturday.

Sunday will be poor unless we score 10” overnight.

**El Chupacabra** · 04-20-2021, 09:33 AM

Thanks. Bumping this a week and hoping for more typical spring sunshine conditions.

**Ottime** · 04-20-2021, 10:13 AM

FWIW, NOAA backed off winds on Saturday, but snow starting around midnight puts dust on crust for Sunday.

As much as I like winter, unless it is really wintery, then I prefer some spring. Maybe with a little luck the wind machine will keep it a bit wintery for you up top and spring down below next weekend.

If they had the entire hill open, I'd say go for it. I bet even with cooler temps and wind, Chair 9 and E facing Lincoln will be slush and for sure down by the lodges. But at Main, it's iffy.

**Ottime** · 04-23-2021, 09:41 AM

It’s almost like Mammoth read my post. 4,5,10 added to schedule for today.

**hutash** · 04-24-2021, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Long duc dong

If the top turned to cream cheese that is nice! On Thursday afternoon Climax, was light pow on crust. I will take Cream Cheese.

Ott,

I didn't get to 22 on Thursday, so I don't know how it skied. From what I saw previously, my guess is that it was skiing like the top in the avi chutes, as they face north. By now they may well have transitioned to spring snow, which is a moot point I guess, unless you want to hike it.

I'm also curious about whether or not they open some of those chairs for the weekend.

When I lived in Tahoe, and I left permanently in 2004, Squaw typically did their big 5 starting in May. That was usually the tram, a couple of the lifts around h high camp, Granite and Shirley. I actually really enjoyed that period, I would usually start the day by hiking Granite and skiing Direct Chute 4-5 times, then moving over to the Corkscrew area, which would have softened up by that point. Once in a great while I would finish the day by hiking the Palisades from the top of Shirley, skiing Extra, Main or possibly straightlining Tube Chute, cutting skier's right to go up Reverse Traverse, and then skiing either the Slot or one of the light towers. It usually ended up being a hike out the bottom, but it was worth it.

I love spring skiing. We will probably go up for 3-4 days on April 29 for one last time, just to get one more round of skiing and clear things out. I'm just hoping the corn cycle is in force at that point. If we get some pow that would be great, but at this point I would just be happy with some slush turns.

Good to see a post from you, I was wonder where you got off to. Welcome back.

I tried to do exactly what you did a few weeks back and patrol turned us around. At least he let us traverse into Avi 3, which was still quite good.

**Long duc dong** · 04-26-2021, 10:13 AM

Anyone up there?

I worked all weekend, trying to finish the current project so that I can head up this week unencumbered. I am heading up Wednesday AM, skiing Wed/Thurs/Fri and then probably coming back Friday night, clearing out our stuff from the condo. I was really hoping to finish everything by tonight, so that I could go up early tomorrow morning, but I don't see that happening. We will see.

I'm curious to see just how much fell. Snowman was saying 6-12 at Main and more up high last week, but he has downgraded that. Mammoth is saying 3 inches at Main so far and only 4 up high. It is still snowing, so that could get better. I was crushing myself all weekend thinking it might be around 10-16 inches at the top, but it sounds like that won't happen.

**Eastern Sierra Skier** · 04-26-2021, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Long duc dong

Anyone up there?

I worked all weekend, trying to finish the current project so that I can head up this week unencumbered. I am heading up Wednesday AM, skiing Wed/Thurs/Fri and then probably coming back Friday night, clearing out our stuff from the condo. I was really hoping to finish everything by tonight, so that I could go up early tomorrow morning, but I don't see that happening. We will see.

I'm curious to see just how much fell. Snowman was saying 6-12 at Main and more up high last week, but he has downgraded that. Mammoth is saying 3 inches at Main so far and only 4 up high. It is still snowing, so that could get better. I was crushing myself all weekend thinking it might be around 10-16 inches at the top, but it sounds like that won't happen.

Same question?!? I’m still trapped in the AZ desert but due to rotate back to civilization on Thursday and get some paid days off. Wondering what conditions are like?

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**comish** · 04-26-2021, 04:54 PM

4" is about right. Maybe 6" up top? We were one of the first on the High T and got 2 laps in before it closed so they could ski cut the top. As long as you found the gullies where the snow collected it was fun. You had to avoid the yellow sheet ice that is basically buried under the new snow. If you hit that, woof. Went back to work when the High T closed and got a nice run down face of 5. Nothing epic since it wasn't enough to cover up the ice, but if you were able to find gullies it was fun skiing. It was cold this morning, low 20's. The road to main lodge was an ice rink. Never seen so many people pulled over chaining up after the Village.

Boys Super G camp was a bust due to the weather. Now onto racing the next 2 days.

Watching the US Ski Team dig out their course on Fascination with shovels was amusing. That didn't look fun and there had to be a better way. I know they wanted to get down to the ice, and they ended up with a bobsled course with perfect ice as long as you stayed in the track.

**comish** · 04-26-2021, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Ottime

It’s almost like Mammoth read my post. 4,5,10 added to schedule for today.

This is typical for weekends for a while. There is plenty of demand these days. Supposedly 5 is booked for the Ski Team for this week. Not today with the pow. They did run 10 today after a while since it was so busy.

**Long duc dong** · 04-26-2021, 06:36 PM

Thanks for the report Comish!

I was hoping to finish this evening, drive up early tomorrow for a pow day, thinking the top might not open today and there might be 10-16 inches as forecast last week, then have my zoom tomorrow evening in Mammoth. it would then be a 4 hour ski day + some work on Wednesday, then ski until the early afternoon on Thursday and pack things up and drive home. It does not look like I will quite be able to finish tonight, but at this point that does not matter. It would be easiest to leave Wednesday before dawn and ski Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'm not going to push it to try to get after it tomorrow, that's not worth it.

I will be on the mountain Wednesday, probably by around noon, then skiing Thursday and Friday. If any of you are around, hit me up.

Dan
949-378-9743

**406** · 04-27-2021, 08:32 PM

Arrived Mammoth today, skiing with 5 yo, so not much update on conditions. Tracks on avi looked really nice. I'm amazed how busy it is, parking full at mammoth mountain inn. Also tons of teenagers... didn't schools reopen?

**Ottime** · 04-27-2021, 09:02 PM

A lot of kids had a choice to stay Distance Learning. If you parents moved to Mammoth for the winter, you probably did not go back. Depending on your schedule you could attend your first class and skip the rest due to internet issues and then just make your teacher te teach it all to you during office hours later the next day.

**1000-oaks** · 04-27-2021, 09:07 PM

Heading up Thursday night to ski Fri/Sat/Sun AM, will have to give you a call Dan, PM me your cell 406.

Van-life'ing it with a buddy, if would be awesome if someone could PM me with suggestions on where to stealth camp. Shady Rest is either booked or not open yet, says "unavailable". I know of the one spot on the other side of the lake (Camp fkna?) but that's quite a drive. Heard there are some spots off the loop, Google Earth shows some options if clear of snow and not too muddy. Buddy's van is a long 2WD Sprinter RV, so kinda the opposite of a 4x4.

**406** · 04-27-2021, 09:24 PM

I don't have childcare, so just skiing/pool with the kid this trip.

I would think most the spots off the scenic loop would be melted out enough for a 4x4, but didn't drive out that way.

**1000-oaks** · 04-27-2021, 09:48 PM

Hmmm, buddy's van is a long 2WD Sprinter RV, so kinda the opposite of a 4WD. We'll make the best of it.

**Ottime** · 04-27-2021, 11:12 PM

PMed ya. The first spot I described was dry looking when we were there a month ago.

406. That is the way I just roll these days. But mine turns ten next week. And he is a ton of fun to ski with.

**powdork** · 04-27-2021, 11:22 PM

Tons of sprinter friendly parking off the loop these days. I’m sure it will fill up quick on the weekends. I prefer the abundant flat good camping close to June lake with great cell service

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**powdork** · 04-27-2021, 11:27 PM

I’ll be up tomorrow and first part of Thursday. Based at 4 and doing brief stints between hanging with the dogs in the van

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