Mammoth Mountain
Snowman Report
Featuring Daily Snow, Weather, Travel, FAQ, Community & Adventure
Sunday, September 6th, 2026 @ 7:30 AM: Good morning, and thanks for stopping by MammothSnowman.com.
It’s a perfect Labor Day weekend. If you’re coming up, midweek times look slow on local trails as Summer travel slows down. This is a great time of year to come up with cooler mornings and nice afternoons.
Fall colors should start in a couple of weeks in the highest canyons such as MC Gee, Rock Creek, and Bishop Creek.
Today’s windowcast shows mostly clear skies. The summit temperature is 35 degrees, with an SW wind at 31 mph, gusting to 43 mph. Down at Main Lodge, the temperature is 45 degrees with a WSW wind at 3 to 17 MPH at times.
Webcam view at Main Lodge
Mammoth Weather Forecast: Windy with clear skies and high fire danger today. Mostly clear skies are in the forecast Monday and Tuesday, with a 30% chance of showers on Wednesday.
Main Lodge / Mammoth Lakes Basin – today, midday temps in the mid-50s. Monday & Tuesday: lower 60s. Southwest winds around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30-40 mph.
Mammoth Lakes: Sunny, with a high near 55 today and mid-60s on Monday and Tuesday. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
Get my full Mammoth weather forecast summary and discussion at this link.
Roads & Travel: 395 and Highway 203 are open. The road to Reds Meadows requires a shuttle ride down. Tioga Pass is open. Here is a link to our local roads webcam page.
Mountain Biking Mammoth – Conditions Report
If you’re heading out to the Mountain Bike Park, the trails are in great shape after last week’s rainfall of .76 of an inch. Today is the final VC Downhill race on Velocity; dress warm; it’s chilly out there.
Do note the cooler temps coming the next couple of weeks; it’s time to layer up if you’re not already. Off the Top will be in the upper 30 to lower 40s if you’re first up top this week. Brrr… going to feel like Fall, so be prepared.
Local’s Choice: Cross Country riders will find the mountain mostly clear of the Summer crowds now. I like a ride up Mountain View outside the park and then link into the bike park and then a ride up Gravey Train and then up and over to McCoy Station.
From McCoy Station, I always like a ride up Romas to the top of Chair 5; it’s a nice challenge for those in really great shape. From there, a long ride down mid and lower Skid Marks to Juniper is always my call.
USFS trails are open and in good condition, with lots of a good amount of rain falling on Mammoth Rock Trail & Mountain View. Single-track trails to the south of Mammoth Lakes did not get much rain, but are still in good shape.
What’s Up Mountain Report
This is a magical time of year with cooler mornings and warm afternoons usually lasting into mid-October. Locals use this time to do final preps for winter along with getting a few snowless outdoor adventures in before it’s too late.
Fall Color season will begin soon. The colors start out in the very high country areas, with the best colors in late September in McGee Canyon, Bishop Creek Canyon, and Upper Rock Creek Canyon.
While Mammoth Lakes does get some amazing Fall colors during October, the best leaf shows are south and to the north of Mammoth Lakes.
To track where the colors are day by day in Inyo and Mono County, use this link to the California Fall Colors Website.
Local Photo Tip: The best time to take Fall color photos is during the afternoon hours, when the sun lights up the leaves. Without the sun, the leaves won’t pop out and look amazing in your photos.
Beware of Bears: Don’t get lazy and leave food in your car, or the bears will be inspired to rip out your window for a tasty treat. It’s happened to me twice: once I left food in the car; the second time, no food, but the window had a slight crack, and a bear pulled it out. Learn from my mistakes.
Town Shuttle Service: The Mammoth Transit summer system operates from Mid-May through early November and offers a convenient, fun, and friendly alternative to getting around Mammoth Lakes. Passengers ride for free on all fixed routes in town.
Mammoth Paved Trail System: These amazing paths are located throughout town, including the Town Loop and the Lake Basin Path. You can park at Footloose Sports or Black Tie Rentals, rent a cruiser bike, and take off on the town loop. You can see all the trails you can ride on this map image.
Camping: Once the calendar is past Labor Day, campgrounds start to shut down one by one for the season. Here is the link to the USFS information page on campgrounds and what’s open and what’s not.
Mammoth Lakes Basin: The basin is wide open, and all trails, marinas, stores, and campsites are open.
Reds Meadow Road and Shuttle Service: Reds Meadow Shuttle service currently runs every Thursday–Sunday. The road is still under construction, so don’t plan on driving into the canyon for day access. For the latest information on the Reds Meadow shuttle, use this link.
Minerate Vista Point: You can drive up to the Vista Point just past Main Lodge for an epic view of the Sierras. This is a great place to have lunch, as there are a bunch of picnic tables and bathrooms. There is also a nice trail for a short hike. Here is the link for more information.
Online Mammoth Mountain Community
Want a safe spot to talk snow, share tips, or ask questions? Our Private Facebook Group is a friendly gathering place with 21,000+ people who love Mammoth just like you — all built on respect and no-drama conversations.
Mammoth Snowman FAQ
1. When does Mammoth Mountain usually open and close for the season?
The Friday of Veterans Day is always the preset opening day. Mammoth will open earlier if they get 2-3 feet of early-season base snow. Most years, you can ski or ride till Memorial Day, with most seasons going into June and even July. Mammoth has made it into August 3 times. Here is the link to the past opening and closing days.
2. How often do you update snow and weather reports?
We post fresh snow, weather, and mountain condition updates several times a week — daily during storm cycles and peak winter months (November to March).
3. What makes MammothSnowman.com different from the official resort site?
We’re locals sharing real conditions, photos, and reports without the marketing gloss. No fluff — just what’s actually happening on the hill. With that said, we work directly, with permission from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and Alltera.
4. Where can I find your detailed Weather Forecast & Discussions?
Our Mammoth Mountain Weather page provides all the details you need on the weather. No automated AI forecasts, just 40 years of local weather knowledge. Here is the link.
5. Do you cover summer activities like biking and hiking, too?
Yes. When the snow melts, we switch gears with mountain bike trail reports, hiking guides, and summer weather coverage.
6. Who’s behind MammothSnowman.com?
I’m Steve Taylor, a longtime Mammoth local known as “The Snowman,” and I’ve been running this site since the Fall of 2004. Here is my full Bio.
7. How can I support the site and community?
Join as a supporter, grab a shirt, or share our reports. Every bit keeps the cameras rolling and the updates flowing. Here is the link to our Keep the Website Alive page.
Author: Steve Taylor, The Mammoth Snowman. For over 30 years, Snowman has meticulously studied Mammoth Mountain’s weather and snow conditions. Since March 1991, he’s used marked ski poles to measure fresh snowfall across the mountain.
He began sharing his insights in 1990 on the Mammoth BBS system, later moving to RSN Forums, and launching MammothSnowman.com in 2004 with a video and photo blog (pre-YouTube). Read his full bio here.