A weekend of Mammoth proportions

by Stephen Greenwood on

I glance at my watch; it’s roughly 11am and I’m halfway into the flight from San Jose to Mammoth Lakes, California. The turboprops on Horizon Air’s Bombardier Q400 churn less than 27,000 ft above the immense snow-covered Sierras. The view is remarkable, and the gradual transition from green rolling hills to sharp white ridges is memorable.

Over the drone of the propellers, a husky voice belonging to our bleached blonde flight attendant moves down the aisle with a strange choice of words: “Can I get you to drink?”. A quick survey in the cabin reveals a mixture of young, savvy professionals with shirts and bags that show the markings of Google, Sun, and Adobe. Further down, there’s a smattering of couples with small children and a father-son pair. 11am does seem a little early for drinks, but the mood is festive and a few passengers oblige to the attendant’s propositions in an attempt to usher in the weekend on the right note.

The flight is quick and easy, and just two hours after touching down at Mammoth Lake’s quaint airport, I’m in full snow gear and comfortably admiring the fresh powder from Mammoth Mountain’s Panorama Gondola. Board in hand, I unload at the top of the 11,053ft peak; a height that qualifies Mammoth as the highest ski resort in the state of California and lends itself to an average of 400″ inches of annual snowfall.

The views from the top of the peak are nothing less than picture perfect. The mountain is nestled 3 hours south of Yosemite National Park, 2 hours north of the highest mountain in the 48 states, and is officially part of the Ansel Adams Wilderness area; named in the famous photographer’s honor due to his involvement in inspiring the federal protection and preservation of the land.

By the time night falls on my first day, I’m whisked to the quaint lakeside Tamarack Lodge for dinner with the rest of the journalists that have been assembled by the mountain for the weekend. The dining room glows with soft light; there are a limited number of tables, no more than 12, which adds to the restaurant’s charm and cozy atmosphere. The wine is only trumped by the tender bluefin tuna and delicious blueberry pie, and the meal ends with a farewell from the enthusiastic French Chef. He’s a man that obviously loves his work and takes pride in catering to such an intimate set of diners.

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The next day proves to be even more eventful than the first. The morning is spent hopping around the mountain, looking for the best untouched patches of last week’s snowfall. For lunch, a private snowcat tour has been arranged to take us to a vista that overlooks Mammoth’s postcard-friendly peaks known as the Minarets. It’s stormy and gusts of snow threaten to spoil our lunch, but a few brave souls embrace the cold and eat a spread of marinated chicken and salad at the scenic area’s picnic tables. Through the breaks in the low clouds, we catch glimpses of the peaks and imagine what the scene would be like in all its glory on a clear day.

In the afternoon, we’re led on a guided snowmobile tour that weaves through cleanly carved trails to an open snowfield where the group is encouraged to let the throttle rip, bouncing through crisscrossed tracks in six foot deep snow. After drinks and snacks at the Yodler, a local favorite for aprés ski, I force myself to shake off the burn in my legs and bundle up for the evening’s full moon snowshoe hike.

As tired as I was, I really wasn’t expecting too much out of the hike, but it turned out to be the pinnacle of the entire trip. An older couple that run the cross-country skiing center were our guides for the night; Uli (from Switzerland) and Robin were extremely charming and knowledgeable about the Sierra region and had facts at the ready around every corner.

I was taken aback by the stillness of Mammoth’s forests at night; the intensity of the brightest full moon of the year; the view overlooking Mammoth Lakes and the village far below. All of it came together to be a completely relaxing but genuinely memorable outing.

I thought I could get away with ending the day there, but was mistaken by the fact that we still had a round of nightlife hotspots to see. One of the great things about the nightlife in Mammoth is that most of the popular gathering spots are all in walking distance from one another and from the Village; the residential / commercial development that the Mountain has established in the last few years as the pseudo-hub for mountain activity and social activity.

By the end of the weekend, I exhausted and impressed that Mammoth could offer so much activity in to one weekend. The town has still managed to retain the feel and personality of a small mountain community, while readily establishing itself as a major destination for outdoor action. If you haven’t given Mammoth a second thought due to its location, then check out Horizon Air’s flights out of Los Angeles and San Jose.

You may come away sore, but you won’t leave disappointed.

Stephen Greenwood ventured out to Mammoth Lakes on a trip sponsored by the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. No editorial content was guaranteed and Stephen was free to openly report on his experiences (pending his survival of the outdoor winter activities that demand motor skills he generally lacks).

The best of the best in Mammoth, CA

by Stephen Greenwood on

Hours in between Yosemite National Park and the highest mountain in the 48 contiguous states lies an action-packed town called Mammoth Lakes.

Don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it; Mammoth Mountain has remained a secret for many on the West Coast due to its remote location in the Eastern Sierras. Though it has always been popular for skiers and boarders from Los Angeles and SoCal, seasonal flights have started to trickle into Mammoth in recent years, quickly making it California’s next premier destination for winter sports. I went out to Mammoth to experience everything that the mountain has to offer and brought back the best of the best for you right here.


Best time to go. If your schedule permits, the best time to plan a trip to Mammoth is during a full moon. Aside from the obvious romance of snowcapped Sierras lit up by the moonlight, the Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center offers seasonal full moon snowshoe tours guided by a bona fide Swiss Alpinist. The tour will take you through the woods to a seldom visited ridge where you can take in views of the entire Mammoth Lakes area; a genuinely memorable experience. The only thing that tops it is the cozy finish of a hot cup of cider by the fire in the Tamarack lodge.

Biggest non-boarding thrill. Sign up for a snowmobile tour from Mammoth Snowmobile Adventures and take a guided thrill-ride through Mammoth’s 300 miles of snowmobile trails. The highlight is an unbounded excursion through powdery snow fields and an oval snowmobile track. The guided tours last 90 minutes, which is just about as much time as you’ll want to spend on the machines before returning to the Yodler for the end of the day activities.

Best way to get there. Without a doubt, Horizon Air’s seasonal services from Los Angeles and Seattle / San Jose are the best ways to get to Mammoth. With one-way fares as low as $39 on slow days, there’s nothing that beats a 55-minute flight over the snowcapped Sierras. The best and most under-promoted feature of the service is the fact that Mammoth Mountain will give you a free lift ticket on the same day as your flight from San Jose or Portland if you present your boarding pass at the lift ticket window. You can be trapped in Southern California smog in the morning and on top of California’s tallest ski resort in the afternoon; need I say more?

Best off-mountain adventure. Since Mammoth Lakes is a geologically active region on the edge of the Long Valley Caldera, there are dozens of natural hot springs to discover and take a wintertime dip in. The best advice? Ask a local where to go and you’ll get pointed in the right direction for hot springs that are near (and safe) for taking a dip.

Best chair on the mountain. Want the best untracked powder and tree runs while staying away from the busy weekend lift lines? Cut to the south side of the mountain for the Cloud Nine Express. For years, this corner of the mountain was serviced by a painfully slow double-chair lift that was replaced in 2007 with a high-speed six-person chair. Because of its location on the mountain, the chair rarely accumulates large lift lines despite its choice terrain and remains one of Mammoth’s best kept secrets.

Best Aprés Ski. One of the great aspects of Mammoth is that there are plenty of options in close proximity for skiers to unwind and cozy up after a long day on the mountain. The best seat in the house? The Yodler Bar & Pub’s fireside lounge. This historic building across from the Main Lodge has tasty aprés ski beverages and snacks, a lively crowd, and a cozy atmosphere. Catch a 6pm shuttle outside the Yodler for an easy ride back to the village before the nightlife gets started.

Best dinner table. There are plenty of diverse spots in and around Mammoth to grab a solid meal, but if you’re looking for something above and beyond, the table to have is a cozy spot next to the fireplace at Petra’s, just across from Mammoth’s village complex. The wine bar is highly recommended, the service is great, and the food is enough to impress the packs of highly discerning LA socialites that frequent Mammoth’s slopes.

If Petra’s is full, or you’re looking to commemorate a special occasion, then consider making the journey out to the Lakefront Restaurant at the Tamarack Lodge. The dining room is delightfully tiny and the food is meticulously prepared by Chef de Cuisine Frederic Pierrel. The atmosphere alone is definitely worth the 10 minute drive from the center of town; even if it’s only to have a warm drink in the lounge with some tasteful jazz buzzing in the background.

Best nightlife. Perhaps it’s the LA blood that trickles through the mountain, but Mammoth loves to party. If you still have enough energy to venture out after dark, there are a few fun options for socializing and finding a new ski partner to pair up with – and the best news is that they’re all in walking distance to the Village. The brand-new Hyde Restaurant & Bar has a great-looking crowd and LA-priced (read: expensive) bottle service to match. It seems a little out of place in a mountain town like Mammoth, but naturally attracts a very specific clientele.

If you prefer a more local & low-key vibe, then head down to the Clocktower Cellar Pub where pool tables, jukeboxes and cheap draft beer will help loosen your sore hamstring muscles. There’s plenty of dancing to be had at Lakanuki, but if you’re over 30 it’s likely that you’ll be feeling out of place among the throngs of college kids and Hawaiian decor.

Best way to stay connected. Anything but AT&T. Everything from 3G to basic cell reception with AT&T is appalling in and around most places in Mammoth – except on the actual slopes. Verizon and T-Mobile seem fine, but iPhone customers should be running to download the “Mark the Spot” application to file complaints with the provider. While this is solely AT&T’s problem, it’s a sign that Mammoth is still transitioning into being a major resort/destination. But it’s also a convenient excuse for why you “couldn’t be reached” all weekend.


Stephen Greenwood ventured out to Mammoth Lakes on a trip sponsored by the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area. No editorial content was guaranteed and Stephen was free to openly report on his experiences (pending his survival of the outdoor winter activities that demand motor skills he generally lacks).

Classic Treks: The John Muir Trail

by Kraig Becker on

The U.S. offers plenty of great options for long distance hikers looking for amazing trails to explore. Of course, there are the three epic hikes, The Appalachian Trail, The Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail, all of which extend for at least 2000 miles in length. But for those who don’t have months on end to spend on an extended trek, there are some excellent alternatives that may be shorter in length, but no less scenic and challenging.

Take for example the John Muir Trail, a 211 mile long route that runs in parallel to a section of the PCT from Yosemite Valley to Mt. Whitney in California. Named for the first president of the Sierra Club, the trail passes through some of the most scenic backcountry in the U.S., as it winds its way through the Ansel Adams and John Muir wilderness areas, and across Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park.

One of the great challenges of the JMT is altitude. It passes through a stretch of the Sierra Nevada mountains, rarely dropping below 8000 feet and crosses through six passes, each of which exceed 11,000 feet in in height. It that wasn’t enough, more than 90% of the hikers who cover the route travel north to south, which means they end on the summit of the 14,505 foot tall Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states. Those same trekkers will also have to deal with another 11 mile hike, dropping 6000 feet in altitude, just to get to the Whitney Portal, and a ride home.

The best time of the year to make the trek is between July and September. In the high passes, snow is a consideration late into the summer, and the weather can be an obstacle at any time. During those months, it tends to be warm on the JMT, but cold weather clothes are needed as a contingency none the less. There are also plenty of bears to be found along the route, and while they are rarely a threat, bear proof storage for your food is a necessity.Speaking of food, unlike the Appalachian Trail or PCT, there are very few places along the John Muir where you can resupply. Road access is at a minimum once you leave one of the trail heads, so be prepared to carry your food with you at all times. Water is generally not a concern however, as it is plentiful in the mountains, although a good water filter is highly recommended.

All told, it will require approximately two to three weeks to hike the JMT from end to end, depending on your pace and if you make any side trips to places such as Half Dome or Vermillion Resort. The hike down to the Whitney Portal will extend your hike as well, even though it is not an official part of the trail. The fact that the trail can be completed in a relatively short time is part of what makes it so popular with backpackers.

A permit is required to make the trek, and they can be obtained from the Federal Recreation Reservation Service. Those hoping to hit the trail are encouraged to get their permits early however, as the wait list can be more than six months in length. But once the permit is obtained, the hikers are good to go, and enjoy one of the best, and most beautiful, trail experiences in the U.S., if not the world.

Permits now required for Yosemite’s Half Dome

by Kraig Becker on

Hiker’s planning on making the trek to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park this summer will have to add a permit to their list of required gear. Earlier this week, the National Park Service announced that permits will now be required on all Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays for all hikers climbing above the subdome. The new guidelines further stipulate that a maximum of 400 permits will be issued on those days, which are when the summit cables are in place.

Hikers can obtain their permits as little as one week in advance of their climb or as far out as four months, but they are not available at the park itself. Instead, they will need to be obtained from the National Recreation Reservation Service for the price of $1.50 which covers the nebulous “processing fee”. Demand is expected to be very high, so those interested in making the hike to the top of the iconic granite dome are encouraged to nab them early.

Backpackers who have already obtained the necessary wilderness permits for Yosemite can add the option to go to the top of Half Dome at the time they pick up their paperwork with out the need to go through the normal reservation process. Rock climbers taking the hard way to the summit are allowed to descend the trail without the need for a permit either. I guess they figure you’ve earned it at that point.

The move to the permitting system came about following four deaths in four years on the trail. It is an attempt to make conditions on the route safer by limiting the amount of traffic. Traditionally, during the busy summer months, as many as 400 people will crowd onto the trail on weekdays alone, and those numbers swell to 800 on a typical weekend, and as high as 1200 on holidays. By limiting the numbers to just 400 a day, not only does the trail become safer, the impact on the environment is reduced as well.

Peru’s Inca Trail closed thru March

by Kraig Becker on

A few days back we posted the news that the train to Machu Picchu would be resuming operations sooner than expected after recently being shutdown due to heavy rains and flooding in the area. In that story, we mentioned that the Inca Trail, a popular alternative method for visiting the ancient Inca city, was also closed for February so that it could under go its annual maintenance and repairs. Now comes word that the trail will not re-open in March as expected, but will remain closed for that month as well.

According to Detour Destinations, the Instituto Nacional de Cultura, the governing body that oversees the Inca Trail, has announced that no treks will be allowed on the trail through the end of March. Furthermore, the INC is already issuing refunds to those that had purchased permits to hike the trail, and is encouraging visitors to seek alternative options for their Peruvian adventures.

With Machu Picchu remaining largely inaccessible at the moment, and the trail closed off as well, the Peruvian economy, which relies on tourism as a major source of income, has taken a bit of a hit. But, an alternate route to the mountaintop fortress is expected to open next week, with regular train service resuming in early March. By April, everything should be back to normal, although travelers expecting to get the full Peru experience will be out of luck for the next few weeks.

If you were planning on hiking the Inca Trail in March and now suddenly find yourself looking for alternative options, you may want to check out this story that we posted last year. It offers three other great options for trekking in Peru, each with their own unique options.