California/Nevada 2018 - 2019 Mammoth Mountain

[MountainMonster]

 

[Mothertucker]

Pile it up and pack it down! Summer turns!

 

[socalgal]

That's my consolation! The vacation days we didn't use up can now be used for spring skiing. "Blizzard-like conditions" at MM right now according to their site.

 

[Mothertucker]

Ullr knows I'm not around... thank him now, and me upon my return. I heard that the power was out in the JLL for a cupla days.

 

[Rostapher]

Wow, most of MM is shut down right now, only 4 lifts running today.

Turns were fantastic yesterday off the roller coaster lift, but any higher with less trees (gold rush & stump alley) and it was almost white out conditions with zero contrast. There was also a lot of carnage on ungroomed upper Solitude, as dozens of people fell & struggled in the the deep pow.

But the bumps down low were the softest bumps imaginable! Grab some air off one and a pillow landing on the next!

The upper mtn has been closed for the entire storm, so whoever makes it up there when it opens (wed/thurs?) is gonna need water skis to surf 8 or 9 FEET of snow.

 

[Sunnysloper]

The upper mtn has been closed for the entire storm, so whoever makes it up there when it opens (wed/thurs?) is gonna need water skis to surf 8 or 9 FEET of snow.

If control and cleanup get finished tomorrow and every lift that didn’t open during the storm opens, at the same time (no staggered chair openings), on a clear skied Wednesday morning, it’d be a ski day to remember.

 

[MountainMonster]

 

[Sunnysloper]

This storm sure feels like it was bigger than the snow measurements are saying it was. Maybe it was the wind direction or that it hasn’t been that warm in a while or that it got colder as the storm progressed. I don’t know but there’s, snow everywhere, it’s deep and cold. Here’s a blower clearing my driveway this morning, they cleared it yesterday and the day before too. Those Bobcats are around 7 feet tall.

Hopefully the lifts will open tomorrow but we couldn’t even drive on the roads today ( R3 ) today, so maybe Thursday? Not sure when, but with as light as this Tuesday night’s storm was, it has the potential to be the century’s best ski day when the lifts open.

 

[Mothertucker]

Bernie Rosow's Insta has video footage from the summit out in front of his Pisten Bully. The Dropout exit of #23 is blocked, drifted over.

 

[Sunnysloper]

Bernie Rosow's Insta has GoPro footage from the summit out in front of his Pisten Bully. The Dropout exit of #23 is blocked, drifted over.

That’s awesome, If he pushes all that snow into Drop 3 It’ll never melt out.

 

[socalgal]

Wow!

View attachment 64832

This storm sure feels like it was bigger than the snow measurements are saying it was. Maybe it was the wind direction or that it hasn’t been that warm in a while or that it got colder as the storm progressed. I don’t know but there’s, snow everywhere, it’s deep and cold. Here’s a blower clearing my driveway this morning, they cleared it yesterday and the day before too. Those Bobcats are around 7 feet tall.

Hopefully the lifts will open tomorrow but we couldn’t even drive on the roads today ( R3 ) today, so maybe Thursday? Not sure when, but with as light as this Tuesday night’s storm was, it has the potential to be the century’s best ski day when the lifts open.

 

[MountainMonster]

 

[Rostapher]

Was anyone at MM today? I checked the app this afternoon and basically the whole mtn was open, so I imagine it was something akin to skier heaven up top.


These are from Saturday. BTW, @Pat AKA mustski thanks so much for the excellent recommendation of the overnight ski check right next to the village gondola. Well worth the $5 not to carry skis & poles back and forth on the bus!


This is our car after the FIRST day of the storm (i.e. Sat PM), parked in town.

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

It looks amazing! We should be skiing into July this year.

 

[Core2]

I'm thinking of heading out there for the first time in a week or two. What is the deal with the chain laws for AWD in CA? If I have a Suby with snow tires and a set of two chains I should be okay chasing a storm? I find it silly I need chains with snow tires. Also, is June mountain good for a one day detour to break up a couple days at Mammoth maybe?

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

In most cases, you won't need chains at all. Although during this last storm they went R3 on all city streets, that is pretty unusual. You do have to carry them by law - 2 chains. June is a really fun mountain and can be a better option for getting fresh pow tracks as long as it's open. In a big storm, June does take longer to dig out than Mammoth. You won't be bored at Mammoth in 3 days - there is plenty there to keep you occupied. Once you are in Mammoth, you. can use the shuttle system.

 

[river-z]

@Core2 You should try June for a day. It's quite good right now for advanced+ skiers because the lower part of the mountain (mostly double blacks) is open with full coverage. Also, J7 is good for advanced skiers. The other thing that's great about June is that it's much less busy, a nice contrast to Mammoth. For lunch the chili at Stew Pot Slims is pretty good (near the J7 lift).

If you have chains with you while driving an AWD Subaru you'll be fine. The R3 last weekend was bonkers due to the 7 feet of snow that fell in one weekend.

 

[Eleeski]

All you need with AWD is to have chains in the car to keep the highway patrol happy. My buddy's chains don't even fit his tires but got him past a persnikety CHP checkpoint. You do need snow tires - I got rejected at chain control in my 4wd Willys with bald street tires. (I did have chains but it gave the truck a Cajun rhythm). Long time ago...

June is a fun diversion. Different (more relaxed) vibe and a worthy mountain. But it is a trek from Mammoth. We didn't get the lower mountain which looked like it had fun potential.

Eric

 

[MountainMonster]

 

[Philpug]

Tomorrow June, Wed & Thurs, Mammoth.