Welcome to MammothSnowman.com – Winter 2023/24
November 10th, 2023 @ 7:11 AM – Good morning, Happy Opening Day at Mammoth Mountain.
Taking a look out on the hill right now, skies are a mix of clear to pt cloudy. Currently, at Main Lodge, the temperature is 33, and winds are out of the W at 1 MPH with gusts to 6 MPH. The base out of Broadway and Saddle Bowl is around 12 inches, with 3-5 inches in all other areas.
This morning Up Top at the 11,053-foot level, the temperature is 25, with an SSW wind at 7 MPH gusting to 10 MPH. Last night’s max wind gust was 18 MPH out of the SSW.
Mammoth Mountain Snow Report: Snowmaking Crews, with the help of Monday’s snowfall, have been able to make enough snow to allow for Broadway, Saddle Bowl, and the Lower Section of the Unbound to run. Low Tide Alert: Stay on the 3 opened runs, or you will be riding on dirt quickly.
The snow surface will be a machine groomed firm pack with a nice carvable surface to start the day. As the snow gets pushed around, you will find the best turns on the left and ride the sides of the run you are on with firm snow down the middle.
To get my full snow report and mountain information, use this link.
Ski Area Shuttle Services: The Mammoth Mountain Parking Shuttle will run starting Friday. I have not heard of any shuttle services up from town.
Area Road Conditions: Tioga Pass and Sonora Passes are closed now. 395 and all other area Roads remain Open and Clear this morning. Check out Snowman’s 395/203 Road Report and Webcam Page at this link.
Mammoth Mountain Weather Forecast: Expect pt cloudy skies the rest of the week and into the weekend under a short wave ridge of high pressure. Next week is looking to be a bit wet; how much snow Mammoth gets is very much in question this morning as model data is not in agreement anymore.
Basic WX: At the 9000-foot level (Main Lodge), expect mid-day highs to be in the low to mid-30s today through the weekend. Nighttime lows will be into the mid to upper 20s the next couple of nights for more snowmaking action on the hill.
Winds will be southwest and will be in the 5-20 MPH range at times today and right through the upcoming weekend.
Here is the link to our complete Mammoth Weather Forecast, the Snowmaking Outlook, and the Long Range Discussion.
Mammoth Mountain Photo Snow Report
11-8-2023 – Today’s photos are from the Main Lodge area from Wednesday, November 8th from 11 AM till about noon. Click any photo to bring up the full-size photo gallery.
Late Fall & Winter Activities
It’s a great time to get out with the cooler days and no snow pack on the ground yet; get out on the local high country trails while you can. Crystal Lake is a great hike to take right now, or try the shorter hike up to MC Loud Lake.
For Mountain Biking, Mammoth Rock Trail and Uptown / Downtown are in great shape. Lower Rock Creek Canyon Trail is also in great shape in all three sections. You can also ride down in Bishop in perfect 70-degree weather now. Check out our Mountain Bike Trail Report here.
The Fall Colors in the high country are done for the season. However, the Round Valley and Bishop areas have some very lovely colors to check out and should be around for the next couple of weeks.
For those planing on coming up this winter, 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 who want to come up but are not interested in skiing and snowboarding. Here are a few ideas of what else there is to do.
** NO Snow Yet, But It Won’t Be Long Now. Let’s Pray for a White Thanksgiving in the High Country
Scenic Gondola Rides: Starting Again on 11-10-23 – Taking a ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain is an amazing experience. The views are breathtaking as you ride up and beyond once you’re standing at the top.
Once you reach the top station, you will have a 360-degree 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. Here is the link to the scenic ride information page.
Snowmobiling: This is a blast just outside of Mammoth Lakes. 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.
If you’re new to the sport, you will want to take a 2-hour trip with Mammoth Mountain Snow Mobile Adventures, which is located out of the Main Lodge area. When there is ample snow, there are miles and miles of riding on groomed-out service roads you can access.
Cross-Country Skiing: There are some incredible options for Cross-Country skiing here in Mammoth Lakes and the Eastern High Sierra. Your options and where to go will be determined by the weather, snow, and the time of winter you come to Mammoth Lakes.
The best Cross Country Skiing is always going to be up in the Mammoth Lakes Basin at the Tamarack Cross-Country Ski Center. As we get into winter, the snow levels and colder air move down into the lower elevations. That will give you lots of options for Cross-Country skiing beside the Tamarack Resort in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
Sledding: 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.
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, the helmets, and a variety of sleds, and get ready for some major fun. Here is a link to learn some good locations for sledding in Mammoth Lakes.
Ice Skating: There are several options for ice skating in the Eastern Sierra. The town of Mammoth Lakes runs a brand-new ice rink on Old Mammoth Road. The ice rink opens for the first time for Thanksgiving.
During drier winters, there are many open bodies of water that are also skateable in the back country 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 learn more about ice skating in the area.
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 trail 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 who 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 service 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. Check out our Eastern Sierra Mountain Bike Report for Current Trail Conditions and 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 frozen, so be prepared. Fishing the Owens River out of Bishop is my call for winter fishing.
Rock Creek Canyon Snow Park:3 miles up from Toms Place, there is parking for access to snow play up in Rock Creek Canyon.
Mill Pond Park & Disc Golf: A great place to hang out just at the bottom of the Sherwin Grade. There is a full 18-hole disc golf course to keep you busy for hours. Got Kids? The park has a playground for energy output.
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 Owens Valley. 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.
Ski Ya Later Snowman
Website News
Happy Winter Season 2023-24 – Here’s what we got going at mammothsnowman.com this season.
Snowman will be updating the home page daily again and will also be doing a 10 day Detailed Resort Weather Forecast 4-5 times a week this season at our weather center.
There will be a weekly Photo Snow Album along with a Weekly Vlog Update from Mammoth Mountain. There are also plans to do a few video weather updates during storm cycles as time allows.
The Powder Forecast Reports will return later this month around 11/17. WG has been real busy but has some time carved out to post some information again a couple times a week.
If you like what we do here and don’t want to miss an update make sure to sign up for our email list at this E Mail Newsletter Sign Up page.
Most Recent Content Posts
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.
