
Welcome to MammothSnowman.com – Spring Snow Season 2023
Thursday, May 25th @ 8 AM – Good morning, Mammoth Mountain is set for a fabulous Memorial Day weekend of Skiing and Riding.
Here is what they plan to run into Monday: Memorial Day Weekend (Friday–Monday, May 26–29): Broadway (1), Stump Alley (2), Face Lift (3), Roller Coaster (4), High Five (5) Unbound (6), Cloud Nine (9), Gold Rush (10), Discovery (11), Eagle Express (15), Schoolyard (17), Panorama Gondola, Village Gondola, and Chairs 8, 12, 13, 14, 23.
Checking the snowline, there has been a rapid melt-off below the 8000-foot level. Snow depths are as follows, Mammoth Lakes 0-8 feet with 10-18 feet still on the ground at the 9000-foot level at Main Lodge and up in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
Crowley and Convict Lakes have now melted off with a snow-free lake shore around Crowley Lake. Most dirt roads below the 7500-foot level are clear for a bike ride, hike, or off-road drive. Camping is limited this weekend, so don’t drive up assuming the campgrounds are open. Everything in Mammoth Lakes and the Lakes Basin is still closed due to snow.
Mammoth Mountain Weather: There is a chance for showers and thunderstorms right through the weekend. Chances range from 30 to 60% each afternoon into Monday. Snow levels will be 9000 to 11,000 feet with these T Storms.
Temperatures will be in the low to mid-50s around Main Lodge, with mid to upper 50s down at Canyon and Eagle Lodges. Overnight lows are expected down into the mid-30s.
Mammoth Lakes temperatures are expected in the upper 50s to lower 60s and there will be a chance of showers and thunders storms. Crowley Lake to Toms Place will be in the mid-60s for highs.
Down in the Bishop and Mill Pond areas, afternoon highs are expected into the upper 70s to low 80s with night time lows in the 50s.
Road Conditions: Highways 395, 203, and the Scenic Loop are now open and clear. Tioga and Sonora Pass are closed and not expected to open until around July 4th.

Mammoth Mountain Snow Report & Operations: Happy Thursday morning, the corn snow season is in full swing now. Early mornings at 7:30 AM, when the lifts open, you will find crisp, firm-groomed Snow. The grooming crew is using lots of salt at this time, so even with the warmer overnight lows, the groomed Snow has been setting up well.
The snow surface on the lower runs that get direct sun is quickly turning over to soft corn by 8:30 to 9 AM. The slowness effect down on the lower runs has been setting in just after noon around the Mill and Main Lodge. The Snow slows faster in the East Bowl, aka the Chair 9 area.
The Snow over the Top is changing to soft corn around 10 AM to 11 AM on most days. On chair 23, The Drop Outs thaw first, with the Wipe Outs following shortly with some nice thawing corn snow turns. The sign Line and Climax proper is good, with smaller bumps in the Sign Line and a decent bump line on Climax.
For those that like the steep groomed runs, Cornice Bowl and Scotties are getting groomed several times a week and get soft around 10 AM. The Snow does get all bunched up in about an hour on Cornice once it gets soft.
Scotties run has been staying flatter and offering better turns. Just wait until 10:30 AM to ski Scotties so you don’t encounter the race detour and miss the St Anton corn snow.
The Face of 3 is also offering up some fun turns. Crews continue to groom the center bowl nice and wide every night. Over on West Bowl, there are minor bumps with one extensive bump line right down the skier’s right. Over on the skier’s left is a long banked slalom course carved out by some local shredders.
Locals Choice is to hit up St Anton, and the Race Runs around 10 AM when the racers finish their training sessions. The Snow is flat soft corn surface when those runs open to the public. Silver-lined corn snow is so much fun on that flat, groomed surface.
With the conditions now wet and warm by mid-morning, waxing your gear up at least every other day is mandatory. I wax nighty to help prevent that slow and sticky snow feeling. Fast Ski Sports is doing a FREE hot wax, so check them out if you cannot wax your gear.
Coverage on the hill is excellent, with a 150-200+ inch base being reported from 9000 feet to the Top. Starting on Tuesday lifts hours will shift to 7:30 AM to 1 PM with these lifts expected: 1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 23 and the Panorama Gondola. No idea if any other lifts will run mid week or the following weekend.
Lift Tickets for Spring are in the $99 to $139 range and can be purchased online at this link. The best deal on lift tickets is to purchase an IKON Pass at this link. You can buy one today and start using it right now, and it’s good through next season.
Hours and Operation Dates: 7:30 AM to 3 PM Daily through Memorial Day, with reduced hours starting in June. The Ski Area is expected to stay open through the end of July and possibly into August this Summer.
Also, if you’re looking at the Canyon Lodge webcam and you see dirt, crews are removing chair 16 so they can replace it with a new high-speed 6-pack chairlift.
Shuttle Buses: All winter bus routes are now closed. The Town Trolley runs to the Village. At that point, you must get off the bus and wait for the mountains shuttle bus to take you to Main Lodge.
Mountain Biking: If you’re into Mountain Biking, the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park opening will be delayed big time this season. The good news is that for those who love to pedal and are fit, there will still be many places for you to ride in the Eastern Sierra.
I am working on a brand new website for Mountain Biking that lets you know where and what the current conditions are on those trails. You can check out that website project at this link.
Local Tip: Now that the area has moved into full Spring mode, you want to adjust your plans when you come up. It’s a good idea to have multiple things to do planned out when you travel up during the springtime. Nothing like a great ski or ride session till mid-day and then 18 holes of disc golf down at Mill Pond in the later afternoon hours.
Memorial Day Weekend: This will be a fantastic time with skiing and snowboarding, possibly from all three base lodges. Canyon will be open with the chair 9 area expected for the weekend morning hours. Beyond the winter sports on the hill, I would expect areas below the 7500-foot level to be all melted out.
You will find limited hiking, fishing, and some areas of Mountain Biking. If you like to drive the dirt roads of Inyo County, all those routes that did not get washed out below the 7500-foot level will be open. There will be lots to do and explore. There is even a chance that the June Lake back beach could be available for sunbathing; however, the water will still be cold.
July 4th Holiday: The big holiday weekend will feature winter sports at Mammoth Mountains Main Lodge. These lifts are expected to be open: 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, and 23, along with the Panorama Gondola to the Top. The Mountain Bike Park is not expected to be open for the Holiday due to Snow. If the weather stays warm, there could be some lower runs that are open for biking.
On July 4th, down in town at 11 AM, they have a big parade with a 5 K run that goes off at 8 AM. There will also be July 4th Fireworks at Crowley Lake and a small July 2nd Fireworks show at the Village at Mammoth. Up on Mammoth Mountain, there is a summit party on July 1st. There is no mention of a firework show like in 2017 so we will see.
Camping by this Holiday will still be limited to elevations below about 8500 feet, with the Lake Basin above Twin Lakes still expected to have several feet of Snow on the ground.
Ski you Later, Snowman…
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Mammoth Mountain Photos – Spring 2023
Website Author – Steve Taylor – Mammoth Snowman – Over the last 35+ years, Snowman has spent countless hours studying and learning about Mammoth Mountain Weather and Snow Conditions first hand. He has been skiing around the hill with marked ski poles since March of 1991 so he can measure the fresh snowfall amounts out on the hill.
Snowman started blogging this information back in 1990 on the old Mammoth BBS system, then the RSN Forums and then on to MammothSnowman.com in 2004 with the Video & Photo Blog report. (No YouTube back then). Facebook got added to the fold back in 2008 and then the Facebook Group in 2016.
Reports, videos, and photos from the website have been featured on both local TV Stations here in Mammoth, along with AP, Fox, ABC, CBS, and NBC News. You can learn more about the MammothSnowman.com team here.