1-5-2020 8 AM – Overall the snow conditions have changed big time this week. Daytime highs have come up into the mid-30s to lower 40s. The result is the snowpack is now consolidating and firming up a bit. 

I would not call it hardpack yet, just a more normal Mammoth Mountain snow surface then the soft snowpack we had over the last month with highs below freezing for an extended time. 

Your best bet is to ski and snowboard groomers from Canyon to Main early in the AM and then hit the mid to upper mountain as the day warms up. If it’s windy you can plan on it staying firmer over the upper mountain, of course, if those winds are blowing just right out of the SW the wind buff is great with free refills.

The Top is in great condition with a base of 6-7 feet. The snow is all packed out and set up from the winds we have had over the last week and the holiday crowds.

Climax is all bumped out now with a soft surface, however, the bumps are a bit on the firm side. Your better off skiing or riding to the side or in upper dry creek where it’s flatter.

Cornice is getting groomed out nightly, the snow they leave behind is fast and firm. You will want a good tune for turns in here. The best time for a ride down Cornice Bowl is when the top first opens.

The Drop Out’s are in great shape with some sections still being flat and others mixed with small to medium-sized bumps. This has been a good area when you can get to it when we have SW winds blowing.

I have not skied the Noids or Scotties over the last week, coverage was good over there and from the photos, we got it still looks great with some setup wind buff type snow.

The Main Lodge Area is in full operation with a 4-5 foot base, All the runs over at Main have great coverage no obstacles that I have found. Broadway, St Anton, Gravy Chute, Rusty’s and all the beginners runs still have some great packed powder conditions on them.

The Unbound they have been making a ton of snow to build out the Unbound parks. Right now they are building out the Main Half Pipe and the Slope Style Course. The pros will be here at the end of the month for a big event so the build-outs should be completed soon.

All the other parks on the hill are set up and ready to ride. South Park was looking sweet when I rode through there on Friday. (forgot to get a picture)

The Face of Five has got some really good coverage, with lot’s of moguls starting to form, some of them are now moderate in size. It’s still a bit low tide in here so you want to stay in the middle of the face runs to avoid any obstacles.

The Face of Three: Center Bowl is groomed with great coverage, West Bowl is all bumped out with small to medium-sized bumps. There are some good lines in here but of course, in January they are a bit on the firm side. The sides of the West Bowl are less bumpy and the snow is soft and carvable.

Christmas Bowl was groomed from the top into the slot and linked back to Center Bowl. They had also groomed all the way down to the top of Coyote so you could bomb some turns down to the bottom of 5. 

The East Bowl (Chair 9 and 25) With it warming up this week these runs have firmed up a lot since the beginning of the week.

I must have made 8 laps first thing on Friday morning on 9 and the groomed snow was fast, carvable and a ton of fun.

The big change is you can hear your turns again indicating the snow has set up.

I even found some spots on 25 in the direct sun that had turned into slush and then iced up overnight.

Nothing to worry about, lots more snow on the way to cover it up, it’s good to have the base firm up and set up so it lasts longer into the early Summer. 

Here are the current base depths out on Mammoth Mountain. Eagle Lodge Area 2-3 feet  – Canyon Lodge Area 3-4 feet – Snow Study Site at Main 4 feet – Up Top 6-7 feet

Weather Permitting Information I get a lot of questions regarding lift closures. The bottom line is winds can create dangerous conditions for skiers and riders and have to be shut down at times for your safety. You can be sitting in calm conditions on the Main Lodge or Canyon Lodge sun decks with no wind at all while up top it’s gusting to 80 MPH.

The ski area does not have some grand plan to save money by shutting lifts down, they want everyone to have the best time possible. Some of the comments I see regarding closures are laughable at best. So if it’s not safe the lift will be put on hold and possibly be closed for the day, just be glad you’re not stuck on it. 🙂 

Have a great day Snowman out… PS: Please help us continue the journey by becoming a MammothSnowman.com subscriber today, of course tips are always welcome. 🙂