In an open letter to his entire staff earlier this year, Rusty Gregory, Chairman and C.E.O. of Mammoth Mountain had this to say: "Never in our history have we hosted so many guests with so little natural snow."
It has been a rough year snow-wise for mountains across, the US, but Mother Nature seems to have finally decided to smile upon the happy folks at Mammoth and bestow the steadfast resort with a fresh snow dump this weekend. The Sierra Mountain Range will likely be very moist with rain at lower elevations and snowfall higher up. Good things do come to those who wait!
As for skiers and snowboarders in California and across the nation, the time for waiting is over. If you want to capitalize on this kickoff to winter at Mammoth Mountain you should start planning immediately. United Airlines has some absolutely absurdly priced round-trip ticket fares that start out under $150. Move fast enough, and you might even get in on some deals. If you book a lift ticket and lodging package at Mammoth before January 31st, they will cover your flight if traveling from one of California's major airports (Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Orange County or San Diego). Not only that, but shuttle service to and from your slopeside lodge is complimentary!
When it snows up in the Sierras it usually rains down in Los Angeles -- if you've ever seen L.A. traffic in the rain you'll understand the service Mammoth and United are providing and the headaches saved.
End summation: Mammoth Mountain is the place to be this weekend for skiers and snowboarder looking to have a great time on the slopes.
Photography and Video by Justin Keppler