Down low at Mammoth

Image courtesy of Keoki Flagg/Gallery Keoki

A stretch of weather much like Tuesday’s sunshine and warmish temperatures finally lost its six-week-long grip to winter. Wednesday’s storm came in strong with steady, blustery winds and horizontal snowfall that brought this woolly Mammoth to its knees. Lifts remained still until 10:35 am when Chair 8 came to life low down on the mountain near the Canyon area. While communication from staff about this event was sparse, others picked up on this activity on the web cams. Soon word spread among us faithful iPad and laptop clad lobby dwellers of the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Winds howled incessantly, at times right through the lobby as the automatic sliding doors opened leaving the decision to brave the elements to the few. Parker and I opted for a quick lunch before opting for the deepening powder that was sure to greet us. Our pace getting geared up was sluggish and forgetfulness seemed the game of the afternoon. From ski poles left in the van’s ski box, to lift tickets forgotten, left clinging to yesterday’s ski pants in the room, discovered as we waited to board the shuttle. 

Finally, our act seemingly together, we boarded the 1:30 shuttle to the Village where we could intercept the gondola up to the Canyon Lodge and nearby Chair 8, spinning in the distance through driving snow and wind. Parker met up with his park buddy River and the three of us rode the 7-minute fixed triple to some double fall line powder shots. We then headed to Chair 15 for a cruiser that proved too flat for the snow depth, save for two short, steeper pitches. Back to Chair 8. The chutes that crossed the lift line at sharp angles looked to be the best, while most skiers and riders seemed to be sticking to the wide open trails. Fools! Parker, River and I had some of the best shots, zigging and zagging the lift line and finding plenty of untracked routes through the trees, or on the very edges of trails. After about 6 runs like these, including the bonus round the liftie afforded us at 4:05, the cold and wind had gotten the best of us. With numb toes and wind-burned faces, we caught the gondola back to the Village to await the shuttle back to the Main Lodge and the warm lobby of the MMI for hot cocoa and some game room time. 

With the snowstorm still raging outside, we made it an early night in anticipation of diminishing winds and developing snow depths. Back in the room I watched our DVD of Discovery Channel’s Planet Earth, Pole to Pole. There’s something about the Polar Bear and two cubs belly-sliding down the mountain that felt a lot like this afternoon!