Mammoth Mountain. Having grown up in California, this place has loomed large in my mind for years. Finally skiing it, I found it to be approachable with a glorious amount of intermediate runs. I skied for one day in February 2021 and already found my favorite area – the backside. Yep, Mammoth Mountain has multiple chairs and runs on the mountain’s backside with incredible views of the High Sierras. In this post, I’ll give an orientation to Mammoth Mountain downhill skiing, my favorite intermediate runs on the front side and backside of the mountain, and what it was like to ski during Covid. Let’s get into it.
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Mammoth Mountain, An Orientation
Mammoth Lakes and Mountain is on the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It is kind of wild to drive through Joshua Trees on the way to the snow, but that’s California for you. When you get to the Summit of the mountain, you can see the Minarets’ inspiring peaks and the Sierras in one direction and the high desert mountains in the other. That is if you can maintain your footing in the snow.
The ski area boasts 150 runs with 25 lifts. It’s easy to get onto the mountain with a gondola from the middle of town or five other areas that are accessible to get to by car. The five areas that you can drive to include Eagle Lodge (1 lift), Canyon Lodge (4 lifts), The Mill (3 lifts), Main Lodge (3 lifts, 1 gondola). You can also take the Gondola from the middle of town to Canyon Lodge. If it’s a cold day, my father recommends taking the gondola for the first run of the day to warm up. The gondola from the Main Lodge stops at McCoy Station, which could be an excellent way to get you warmed before heading to the summit.
What I found interesting about Mammoth is the different ridges that break up which direction you can head down. It is not merely a singular mountain face but has multiple high points and ridges, making each area a little different. Although it was a wild, windy day for us, we found nooks with calm weather. With the wind, more experience with Mammoth would have been useful – knowing to go to specific runs under certain conditions. Even without this knowledge, I had a great time discovering what runs this mountain had to offer.
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, it was a fantastic ski area
- Intensity: Ski clothes, buff, helmet, warm gloves, hand warmers, ski/snowboard equipment
- Location: Mammoth Lakes, California
- Cost: $109 – $209 per day lift ticket (time of year and how far in advance you are purchasing will affect the price of the ticket)
- Restrooms: In each of the lodges and at the outpost
- Timing: Lifts open at 8:30 am and close at 4 pm – ski for as long as you can!
Highlights:
- Massive front side and scenic backside of the mountain to explore
- 60 intermediate trails to explore
- Views of the Minarets from the summit, backside, and main lodge area
- Enforced Covid protocols to keep everyone safe
My Skill Level
I am a solid intermediate skier, which is good to keep in mind as you read through my recommendations. I have skied since I was a kid, but I only end up skiing once or twice a season in my adult years. This has maintained my ability while not improving. My fun/comfort zone is the solid blue squares with the ability to handle most single-black diamond runs. At Mammoth, there are solid blue runs as well as blue-black runs, which I appreciated. I enjoyed the blue-black runs as much as the blue runs (Upper Solitude and Upper Road Runner). As I move into partnering with more ski areas for Moderately Adventurous, I aim to increase my skill level and provide more information on advanced runs.
Front side Favorite Runs – Intermediate Skier
It was WINDY on the day I skied. So windy that the Canyon Express Chair was not running until about 9 am. Canyon Express is where our day began and ended. Here are my favorite intermediate runs on the front side of the mountain:
- Upper Solitude – Solitude: Wide, great snow, and consistent pitch made for a consistently good run. We did this a couple of times by taking High-Five Express, Chair 5 right back up.
- White Bark Ridge: Over by Chair 12, there are a couple of runs surrounded by trees that we practically had to ourselves. White Bark Ridge was lovely. New Critters was also lovely. If I had the fitness, I would have loved to explore each of the runs over by Chair 12.
Although the front side of Mammoth Mountain is enormous, it’s also busy. What I enjoyed about the front side of the mountain also came with lines at the lift. The worst line was likely at Stump Alley, which makes sense as it is one of the only ways to traverse the ridge heading toward the Main Lodge. But getting over to the Panorama Gondola was a goal. I knew I couldn’t go to Mammoth without making my way to the summit, even for just one run.
The Panorama Gondola
The issue was that the Gondola wasn’t moving. Was I going to be able to summit? We took our time, and by the time we reached the bottom, it was moving, but it didn’t seem like anyone was on it. We did an extra run on Broadway (it was okay), and halfway down the run, I noticed a pair of skis on the outside. The summit attempt was on! The moral here is: conditions change, don’t give up.
The Panorama Gondola itself is an experience worth doing. Going past the halfway point of McCoy Station, you rise above the front peak and over an enormous bowl. With the gust of wind swaying the gondola, it got a little nerve-wracking. But the views are phenomenal! At the top, a building houses a restaurant (currently closed due to Covid) and several black diamond and double black diamond runs that fall off the sides. The wind was whipping the snow into the air, which I suppose is normal at 11,000 ft.
Backside Favorite Runs – Intermediate Skier
Once we made it outside the gondola building, the wind nearly knocked me over. It’s a little intimidating being at the top of the mountain with gusts of wind picking up snow. My recommendation: use care when putting your gear back on and get moving.
- Upper Road Runner – Road Runner: OH MY GOODNESS, this was an experience. Road runner is a 3-mile run from the summit all the way back to the Main Lodge. Commonly known as the thigh burner, it is lengthy and scenic with the High Sierras and Minarets’ views. With the wind shoving snow into any exposed bit of skin, the very top was tricky with a narrow section with a steep drop-off. However, once we got closer to the tree-line, we could appreciate the view. Most of the time, the run is relatively narrow, which was fine since we didn’t see anyone else around. I took the run from the summit to Chair 12 the first time, and yes, my legs were Burning (with a capital b).
- Surprise or Oops: Once we got to see what the backside was all about, we immediately knew it was where we wanted to be. Crowds were low, runs were blue, and winds were low. We took Chair 12 to the ridge, and I’m not sure if we took Surprise or Oops down to the Outpost/Chair 13/14. This run was empty and lovely.
- Santiago: From the Outpost, you have the option to take Chair 13 or 14. Chair 14 took us back into the wind, but for a very worthwhile run – Santiago. Santiago had some steep sections, interrupted with manageable sections making this run a little more challenging while still staying fun.
Remaining Areas to Discover
With only one day on the mountain and tricky wind conditions, I physically couldn’t get everywhere on the mountain. Next time I visit, there are certain areas I want to hit up. First, I would love to head straight for the backside, where I could do each of the blue runs and maybe throw in a black diamond. I also want to discover the far front side by the Eagle Lodge, Chair 25 and Chair 9. I’ve read good things about the following runs:
- Gold Hill
- Haven’t the Foggiest (I love this name!)
- Back for More
If you’ve skied these runs, please leave a comment with more information about the experience for me and other skiers to discover.
Covid Protocols and How Mammoth is Keeping Riders Safe
Skiing during a pandemic is not ideal, but Mammoth’s Covid protocols impressed me. Their motto is “Stay Safe to Stay Open,” and the results were evident. Protocols showed up in the form of reservations, signage, and reminders. The most apparent protocol while skiing was the masks. Masks are required inside the lodges while waiting in lift lines and on the lifts, gondolas, and shuttles. Although most Californians are familiar with this drill, I was happy to hear lift operators frequently remind people to cover their noses (usually because their mask was slipping). Mammoth has spread out the lift lines, but you cannot control how close people get behind you. Otherwise, I found it easy to social distance on the mountain.
But before you even get to the mountain, you will want to make sure you have a lift ticket reservation. Ikon Pass members do not need a reservation, but you will want to reserve those in advance if you are buying day tickets. When looking for ski rentals, every place has a reminder to have lift tickets secured!
You can read all of Mammoth’s Covid protocols here.
Interesting Results due to Covid Protocols
I have a personal theory about an interesting result of these Covid protocols, specifically about the lifts. To help keep people safe, those that live together rode the lifts together. Lift operators did not fill the chairs, leaving many empty seats and not carrying the capacity up the mountain. Although this made for enjoyable lifts with just Mike and me, I wondered if this causes slowdowns in the lift lines.
Then, on the other end of this, the runs never felt crowded. It could have been that we were staying away from green runs and trick park areas, but the runs felt surprisingly empty. Someone who has skied Mammoth over the years will have to chime comment about whether there is a noticeable difference in the lift lines and runs due to the pandemic.
Getting and Staying in Mammoth
Mammoth Lakes and Mountain is on the Eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in California. You must drive through the deserts of southern California or head south from Lake Tahoe to get here. It takes me about 6 hours from Santa Barbara to get there. There is also a small airport, which may be the best bet for those traveling further away. From the airport there are shuttles to get into town, then more shuttles within the town, so you may not need a car if you are staying centrally.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is not enormous, but it does have accommodation options. You can, of course, take a look at the Mammoth Lodge, where you can immediately take the Panorama Gondola to the Summit each morning. For something a little homier, there are several Airbnb’s available or VRBOs. Hotels are also plentiful when booking in advance. Mammoth’s ski season lasts until June, so try to pick a non-holiday weekend for better prices.
Full Transparency
I received complimentary lift tickets for our single day of skiing, and I wanted to talk for a moment about how that would affect my experience. Overall, I was a regular guest on the mountain. The only difference was that I did not have to worry about the reservation system. There seemed to be plenty of tickets available on our non-holiday weekday, but I could see how it would be tricky to commit to tickets early if you do not know the weather.
But because I only had one day to ski (as with many people who can only afford one day), I pushed myself to explore as much as my legs could handle in one day. We had to bear with whatever weather we had during the day. We were lucky to have blue skies, but the wind caused some hiccups. I was nervous about getting out my phone with the wind on the lifts, so I got fewer photos and videos. It was also difficult to get out the ski map, which made us a little lost at times. One time, while looking at the map in a a lift line, it comically flew out of one hand and ripped a couple of holes at the folds. And finally, it was almost impossible for Mike and I to hear each other. This is pretty typical for a ski day, but something to keep in mind if you have to make a reservation for a single day.
Overall Thoughts: Mammoth Mountain as an Intermediate Skier
Mammoth Mountain is a massive mountain, but with enough nooks to find good snow or conditions in various weather conditions. As an intermediate skier, I appreciated the vast amount of blue runs and particularly loved the backside of the mountain. The views of the Minarets are simply stunning. And now that I know the mountain better, I look forward to heading straight to my favorite runs or exploring new areas during the next time I ski.
If you’re looking for another physical activity to do in Mammoth that isn’t downhill skiing/snowboarding, I would recommend cross-country skiing from the Tamarack Cross-Country Ski Center. I wrote a post about the beautifully groomed runs that you can cross-country ski near the Twin Lakes and around Lake Mary. Check it out!
Each year I don’t have the urge to ski until I do it. Now, it’s all I can think about. Where should I try skiing next? Let me know in the comments below! Or check out my Skiing Breckenridge blog post.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
