Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Mammoth Lakes, California

Kimberly H.

Been here so many times. Such an amazing resort, especially after a great storm. Love this place, worth every penny, runs are great, parks are fun, so many runs, easy to challenging, shuttles through out the city, parking can be a challenge but they try. Very clean, and lots of places to eat and drink and buy souvenirs or things you might need.

Larry

My first time skiing Mammoth Mountain was in 1976. Amazing how much it’s changed since then. Many years later they opened the back side of the mountain creating even a larger resort and ski/snowboard area. In the 70’s my friends and I would get off work on a Friday and drive the 6 hour trip to Mammoth from Orange County where we lived. We’d sleep in our cars or trucks that night then get up Saturday morning and ski all day. After a long day of reckless crazy skiing totally exhausted we could rent twins beds at a hostel type place there for $15-$20 a night, get up Sunday morning bright and early and ski all day again. After closing at around 4pm we’d get in our cars and drive the 6 hours back home, getting in late and exhausted from a crazy weekend and back to work Monday morning. That’s when ski rentals were $7 and lift tickets $10.
Wow how the times have changed. Though the tickets are expensive, where aren’t they expensive any more! This Mountain is still one of the best and definitely the best in Southern CA. We learned at an early age to avoid local ski resorts that were over crowded and just not worth the trip. Mammoth mountain is now open year round for all kinds of enjoyment. I’ve had some awesome fishing days up at Mammoth and the area has grown so much, there are plenty of restaurants and accommodations. Although it’s more upscale now and can be expensive, most ski resorts throughout the US are also. They also get more snow annually than anything even close to southern CA for skiing. The summers are also beautiful here.

Evangeline R.

Our first day brought an intense snowstorm with heavy snowfall and wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph. Understandably, the mountain had to close after just an hour of skiing for safety reasons. However, the next day more than made up for it—a perfect bluebird day with stunning views and incredible conditions. While the lift lines were a bit hectic, the overall experience was absolutely unforgettable!

Charlotte C.

Quite large, very nicely organized ski resort with beautiful scenery. Interactions with their staff were pleasant and professional; there were reasonable options considering the weather wasn't optimal, to ensure that everyone was safe and could still enjoy the resort.

A couple of days during our visit, the winds were gusting up to 100 mph around the peaks, so several of the higher chairlifts were closed. The snow was fairly mushy (mashed potatoes) in sun-exposed areas and there were numerous hazards (uncovered tree stumps, rocks, etc) from insufficient snowfall. No artificial snow was used to supplement the snowpack, which might've made the difference during this peak holiday time. Otherwise I would give it 5 stars.

Archie M.

Excellent Resort. Best place in California to snowboard. Several trails and terrain. Etremely friendly, helpful, and very professional staff. The only downside for me is my 4.5 hour drive....

Danny C.

Mammoth is among my favorites and not because it’s a drivable destination for me. It’s the long seasons, the number pow days, and vast amount of terrain. I’ve been a number of times and there’s still trails that it feels like it’s the first time I’ve run them. Love mammoth!

Justin G.

One of the best ski areas in the world. Wait for a good snow to visit but come prpared with snow chains and/or snow rated tires. Treeless skiing in open bowls and excellent powder turns after a good dump of the white stuff. Hot springs are a 20-30 minute drive away and are rustic. Get here early to get good parking and first lines. Avoid weekends if you'd like to see it less busy.

Stacey C.

Mammoth Ski Resort was awesome. Huge amount of terrain, and even though it was early season and didn’t have a full amount of snow coverage, I thoroughly enjoyed myself! I’ve snowboarded and skied all over BC, Canada since I was 4, and couldn’t believe that California would have such a big awesome ski hill. I can’t wait to go back when there’s a bit more snow! I got the Ikon pass this year, and Mammoth is in the ‘unlimited days’ category, so will definitely have more chances to get up there! The views from the top and backside chair are amazing too. Wooly the mammoth 🦣 was around for photos and we also found the statue of him at McCoy Station.
We had snow, we had wind, we had blue skies…. It was a great 4 days on the mountain.
Safety: You should definitely have 4x4 or carry chains as the roads were icy and slippery, we slipped a few times in the truck, and saw a couple of other accidents around town due to the icy roads.