Page 12 - SRCG_HTML_2011

Destination Report: West

California’s Mammoth Mountain

By Vanessa Day
S
Situated in the heart of the Eastern
Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Mammoth
Mountain Resort is the third most-frequent-
ed ski area in the country. Not only does
it offer some of the best skiing and snow-
boarding in California, but it also boasts
fine dining options, exciting family activi-
ties, smart boutiques, and dozens of
thrilling events and festivals. And while
the resort already has an impressive
list of amenities and perks to please its
guests, Mammoth is rolling out some
major improvements and additions for the
2011-12 season, enhancing its stature as
one of the top winter destinations around.

Mammoth has kicked off a five-year resort enhancement access, eliminating long lines at ticket windows and lifts.
plan, which includes a number of upgrades aimed at Visitors can purchase MyMammoth passes and reload
improving the guest experience. It is installing a new them online or over the phone, allowing them to bypass
Doppelmayr high-speed quad chairlift, which will replace ticket lines and go straight to the mountain. Mammoth will
one of the older three-seat lifts and cut ride time in half, as have 68 total RFID gates installed at 19 lifts, making it the
well as offer access to more terrain on one of the mountain’s largest system of its kind at a ski resort in North America.
highest access points and most popular locales.
To please all the extreme sports lovers out there, the resort
In a world where speed rules, Mammoth decided to imple- has updated its Unbound terrain park, improving its half
ment a new ticketing system that allows skiers and boarders pipes and displaying unique features from sponsors Monster
to get to the slopes quickly and easily. It put in a new RFID Energy and Oakley. Mammoth also wanted to give families
gate system, which allows guests to enjoy direct-to-lift another fun activity, so this season it will open a new snow
tube park just above the Village. Not only will kids have a
blast shooting down winding runs on inner tubes, but parents
can get in on the action, too.

Apart from these new additions, guests will find the same
elite amenities and services they always have at Mammoth.
Skiers and riders can enjoy hours of powder-filled excitement
on 3,500 acres of skiable terrain and 150 named trails.
Twenty-eight lifts carry guests up to the top of Mammoth
(11,053 feet at the summit), and they can whip down the
mountain’s 3,100-foot vertical to the ski village below. With
such an expanse of land, athletes of all levels will find runs
that suit their skills or challenge their fears. Keep in mind
that the ski season extends well into June.

Mammoth provides some of the best ski and snowboard
instruction around through its Mammoth Ski and Snowboard
School. Visitors can sign up for private or group lessons,
early bird classes, first time beginner packages and
advanced level courses. For youngsters eager to hop on a

12 MIDWEST SKIER 2011/2012 DIRECTORY www.skicmsc.com