3-4-2021 8 AM We have clear blue skies over Mammoth Mountain this morning. It looks like we will have a return to winter next week, do you snow dances and wash your cars this weekend.Â
Weather-wise the next few days look for mostly clear skies today into Friday with highs in the upper 30s to mid 40s. Winds will be picking up on Friday with a southwest wind at 35 to 45 mph with higher gusts up top. By later in the day we could see winds gust up to 80 mph.
On Saturday morning expect more gusty SW winds with snow showers on the Mountain. Snowfall amounts look to be in the dusting to 1 inch range at best. Expect Pt cloudy skies by the afternoon on Saturday with highs in the upper 20s to the mid 30s. Sunday looks sunny with with highs in the mid to upper 30s.
As of today the outlook for next week calls for several moderate waves of snow fall to move thru the area, snowfall amounts look to be in the 18-24 inch range above the 9000 foot level. These will be colder systems with snow level down to Bishop by Tuesday.
If you traveling up 395 expect chain controls just above Bishop to be in place by early next week.Â
The Mammoth WeatherGuy will have a fresh Powder Outlook on Friday by 5 PM with all the details of what to expect over the next couple of weeks. Here is the link to get all his forecast posts when they come out Tuesday and Fridays at 5 PM.Â
Road Conditions: Roads are clear at this time. To see what the current road conditions look like check out our road conditions webcams page.
Mammoth Mountain Snow Report: No change to the snow conditions out on Mammoth Mountain. The snow is fast and firm to start the day and starts to loosen up by 10 AM. If you’re going out early you will find the best corduroy over on the Main Lodge side of the hill. The cat crews have been doing a great job of keeping the snow in great shape with every thing groomed form Chair 15 over to the chair 14 area. Â
Up top both Cornice and Scotties are groomed nightly with very firm snow first thing in the morning, if you have a good edge and a need for speed hit them up early. The sun does loosen the snow up up a bit later in the day with the sun now hitting these runs full directly early on.
Off the groomed, there has been some really fun wind buff up top and mid mountain. For the best wind buff, try out Climax, Dave’s along with the Wipe Outs and Dropouts.
Everyone is looking forward to a change back to softer snow and some powder next week, let’s hope the outlook for snow is right on and we get at least a couple feet of fresh out on the hill. I will post of some fresh video clips again next week as the snow pack changes.
I do expect the season to last through at least Memorial Day so make your plans to get up here soon for a taste of winter and then some endless spring corn as the weather warms up in April and May. Â
Ikon Season Pass Sales are coming up, I will have a link with all the information you need to purchase your pass posted here starting on March 11th.
Ski ya later, Snowman…Â
PS Despite the rumors you might have heard this website will continue on well into the future. Looking forward to many more seasons up on Mammoth Mountain.Â
Other Things to Do During the Winter in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern Sierra
While most of you will be coming up to spend all your free daylight hours on Mammoth Mountain there are plenty of other things to do in the area during the winter months.
I know many people that want to come up but are not interested in skiing and snowboarding. Here are a few ideas of what else there is to do.
Scenic Gondola Rides: Taking a ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain is an amazing experience. The views are breathtaking as you ride up and beyond compare once your standing at the top.
Once you reach the top station you will have a 360 degrees view of the Eastern Sierra and the Sierra Nevada. You will also get a chance to get a picture of the famous Mammoth Mountain Sign at 11,000 feet.
There is also an interpretative center with more information about the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Mountain, and the mountain peaks you can see from the 11,000-foot level.
Snowmobiling is a blast in the Mammoth area. However, the fun is dictated by how much snow we have. During years of average and above snowfall, the amount of riding you will find is amazing.Â
If you’re new to the sport you will want to take a 2 hour trip with Mammoth Snow Mobile adventures that is located out of the Main Lodge area.Â
When there is ample snow there are miles and miles of riding on groomed-out services roads you can access. Learn more about Snowmobiling at this link: https://www.mammothsnowman.com/winter-activities/mammoth-mountain-snowmobile-adventures/
Cross Country Skiing: There are some incredible options for Cross-Country skiing here in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern High Sierra. My favorite for Cross Country Skiing is the Tamarack Cross Cross Country Ski Area in the Lakes Basin.
Your options and where to go will be determined by the weather, snow and the time of winter you come to Mammoth Lakes.
Learn more about cross country skiing in the Mammoth Lakes area at this link: https://www.mammothsnowman.com/winter-activities/cross-country-skiing/
Sledding:Â The Snowman loves sledding and snow play with the Family in Mammoth Lakes. On storm days when the hill is mostly shut down, Sledding can keep you and your kids occupied for hours. Our family has come to love the sport of sledding so much we design and build our own courses in the yard.
Personally, I think almost nothing beats a couple of hours of sledding out on the hills around your yard, the town, or in the hills of the Eastern Sierra with the family. Grab the kids, helmets, and a variety of sleds, and get ready for some major fun.
Here is the link to learn more about the sledding options around Mammoth and the Eastern Sierra: https://www.mammothsnowman.com/winter-activities/sledding-and-snow-play-in-mammoth-lakes/
Ice Skating: There are several options for ice skating in the Eastern Sierra. The Town of Mammoth Lakes runs an ice rink down in town right across from Mammoth High School on Meridian Blvd. The ice rink runs from Thanksgiving thru March and the ice is maintained several times a day.
During drier winters there are many open bodies of water that are also skate-able in the backcountry and at lower locations in the Eastern Sierra. A Google search will help you discover some of these hidden gems you can skate. Here is the link to the Ice Rink Information website.
Hiking / Walking: Depending on what the snow levels are you will find some fun hiking / walking options during the winter months.
First off during the drier seasons, the Mammoth Lakes town trails system is a great option for a walk. The paved trails that start by the Blue park off of Old Mammoth Road are the best place to venture as it’s the most likely path to be free of snow and ice.
The second option is the Lower Rock Creek Trail about 10 miles south of Mammoth Lakes just past Toms places if you’re heading south of 395. This trail does hold ice and snow so be prepared even if the terrain around is snow-free.
Winter Mountain Biking: For the hearty soul that knows how to layer up for cold biking there are a ton of trails to ride during the winter months depending on what elevation the snow line is at.
Near Mammoth when the snow line is above 7500 feet there are tons of forest service roads you can ride. You will find all sorts of unmapped single-track trails off of these services roads to explore.
Rock Creek Canyon is amazing for downhill action using two cars so you can shuttle back up from the bottom. During the winter you can ride back up the trail or use the road if you’re not able to shuttle, watch for ice on the road as it’s in the shade most of the winter months.
The Bishop area also has many trails you can ride during the winter months and the temperatures are more favorable than riding up in the high country. Do a Google search for trails in the Bishop area or stop by the local bike shop for information on where to ride.
Winter Fishing: The Owens River and the Hot Creek area are open during the winter months for fishing. Yes, it’s cold and your hands are going to get freeze so be prepared. Fishing the Owens River out of Bishop is my call for winter fishing.
Laws Rail Road Museum: I recommend everyone who comes up to the Eastern Sierra to experience this unique museum setting. You’ll find 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits including the original depot and steam locomotive the Slim Princess. Experience what life was like over 100 years ago in the Owens Valley.
Here is the link to the Museums website: https://lawsmuseum.org/welcome-museum
Bishop City Park: Over the years we have spent many hours down at Bishop City Park enjoying the warmer climate and being out of the snow. This is a great place to have lunch and let the kids out to play without all the snow in Mammoth Lakes. You will see many Mammoth locals down here during the winter months trying to get a taste of winter below the snowline.Â
More to come… Ski Ya Later Snowman
Photos from February 2021
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Steve Taylor – The Mammoth Snowman – Over the last 30+ 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.Â
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 Video & Photo Blog report. (No YouTube back then). Facebook got added to the fold back in 2008 and then the Facebook Group in 2016.Â
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.
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