Weekend Jaunt: Spring Skiing in Mammoth Lakes, CA
Distance from LA City Hall: 313 miles
Located on the Eastern side of the Sierras, between five and six hours away from Los Angeles (barring any major traffic jams or vacationers on the way to Vegas), Mammoth Mountain is my pick for skiing in California. The mountain is huge, with a large variety of runs, an excellent transportation system into the town of Mammoth Lakes, and a large cadre of fast-moving lifts.
Sadly, the 2011-2012 ski season has not been kind to Mammoth Mountain - as it has not been kind to any of the ski resorts of the Rockies or Sierras, but a skier's hope springs eternal that the next year will bring - in the words of countless skiers and snowboarders - "epic powder." In the meantime, the snow begins to thaw and the town begins to prepare for summer and the endless festivals that accompany that season.
1) View from Chair 12, one of the few remaining double chairs on Mammoth Mountain. Over the last few years, most have been replaced by high-speed detachable quads or six-seaters.
2) The icicles melt from the cabin rooftops in the spring thaw.
3) The Mammoth Mountain gondola whirs towards the summit for those brave enough to attempt the black diamond/double-black diamond runs that will return them to the Main Lodge.
4) The venison medallion special at Skadi (skaw-dee). Named for the Norse goddess of skiing, this is one of the best restaurants in Mammoth Lakes, with fabulous food and a wonderful view of the mountain at sunset. If you go, be sure to order the chocolate tasting sampler for desert.
5) The "new" Mammoth logo. Some say it looks like a poorly-drawn dog. I just say they need to go back to the old one.
6) View of Mammoth Mountain from the deck of the Main Lodge. A great place to enjoy hamburgers on a warm spring day. If it's cold and windy outside, head indoors to Tusks Bar for an alcohol-spiced coffee drink instead.
7) As the spring thaw arrives, Mill Creek appears from beneath the snow.
8) A carved bear wearing a paddy hat greets guests outside the recently renovated Red Lantern (former home of the Ocean Harvest). The new restaurant offers a varied Happy Hour menu.
9) One of the old double chairs from the Mammoth Ski Resort has been restored and transformed into a bench outside Skadi. There are several others - and an old gondola or two - scattered around town.
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