Some people come to Mammoth for our 150 trails. Others for our 3,100 feet of vertical. A few show-up with their sights set on exploring our 3,500 acres of terrain. And the size-matters crowd shows up because we're the tallest ski resort in California with a peak elevation of 11,053 feet. Lovers of snow hang their helmets here because of our more than 400" of annual snowfall. Folks with family-sized bottles of sunscreen can't get enough of our more than 300 days of sunshine. With bluebird skies like that, winter never gets old and sticks around for a long time -- our season typically runs from November until June. At a minimum. But the one thing everyone comes for is to play big. And there's no better venue on earth than Mammoth Mountain.
Mammoth Mountain is traditionally among the first ski areas to open and sometimes operates as late as the Fourth of July. Emphasizing its unrestrained feel, Mammoth receives over 400 inches of snow annually with an average of 300 sunny days a year. The mountain is surrounded by the protected backdrop of Mt. Whitney and Yosemite National Park. Amongst this natural beauty, the town meets the mountain to create a distinctive and welcoming area for visitors and locals alike. There are 3,500 skiable acres to play on with a vertical drop of 3,100 feet and 150 named trails. There are 29 lifts in place, including two gondolas and two high-speed six-packs.
All of Mammoth's trails are open to snowboarders. There are three Unbound Terrain Parks, three pipes, eight runs and 90 acres of freestyle terrain.
Mammoth by name and nature, the resort's huge size is served by North America's biggest uphill transportation service. A total of 30 lifts are capable of moving in excess of 50,000 skiers per hour across the most varied skiing and snowboarding terrain on the West coast. About Mammoth Mountain was established in 1950 by skiing legend Dave McCoy.
Mammoth has a reputation for early season openings - generally in the first half of November thanks to a combined effort between its extensive snowmaking system and the natural stuff. In the latter category, about 30 feet of snow is dumped on Mammoth each season - somewhere in between the 300 days of sunshine per year. That means when the white stuff falls, it falls hard and fast, and the powder days are epic. This abundance also helps the resort to stay open late - sometimes into June! The snow is then mercilessly bashed into place on more than 150 trails by the resort's award-winning fleet of groomers, the largest on the planet.
Mammoth Mountain boasts a vertical drop of 3,100 feet and more than 3,500 acres of skiable terrain are serviced by 150 trails. Approximately 75% of the terrain is rated for intermediate and advanced skiers and riders, and the remaining 25% is for beginning snow fanatics. Mammoth is legendary for its appeal to Southern California snowboarders, who migrate each Winter to the resorts' 3 award winning halfpipes and 3 terrain parks.
Mammoth's Unbound Terrain Parks are known worldwide for perfection. Comprised of seven parks and three pipes Unbound sprawls over more than 90 acres of terrain and has features suitable for everyone from the beginner to the twin-tip riding, inverted and flipping, expert. And if you just wanna take a wild ride through the trees, knocking out some hits along the way, we've got you covered.
#1 Terrain Parks, Ski magazine, October 2008
#1 Terrain Park, Onboard magazine, October 2008
#2 Best Snowboard Resort, Onboard (UK), October magazine 2008
#2 Overall Resort, Transworld Snowboarding, November 2008
"[Readers] like its surf-inspired California style, as can be found throughout its beginner-to-pro Unbound terrain park system, ranked #1 on the continent." -- Ski Magazine, October 2008.
"Mammoth's Unbound Terrain Park has something to test the mettle of riders of all abilities and also boasts the longest season of any resort in the world. What more could you ask of a park?" -- Onboard magazine (UK), October 2008.
"It's 2008 and every ski area, even one-lift wonders in the Midwest have a terrain park. But Mammoth Mountain boasts seven different parks spread out over three different areas (that's right). The 90-plus acres of park and pipe feature 64 jibs, 50 kickers, and three half-pipes. Pros Chris Benchetler and Kristi Leskinen session the Main Park's 10 large booters and some two dozen features, like the Quicksilver Signature jib—a three-sided pyramid/battle box hybrid—and the jibbable, recycled lift tower." -- Skiing magazine, October, 2008.