Wednesday, September 18th @ 10:30 AM Good morning, and thanks for stopping by MammothSnowman.com.
Mammoth Mountain missed out on a dusting of snow on Monday. Snow did fall over the June Mountain Ski Area, up in Rock Creek Canyon (3-6 inches), along the Sierra Crest, and in the White Mountains above Bishop. Let’s pray that this next system brings a dusting to at least the upper part of Mammoth Mountain.
Last week, I checked out the progress on the Chair 1 Project Top to Bottom, and the grading work being done at the top of the new Chair 16. Check out the video below to see what the project looks like at this point in time. Adjust the YouTube Player for 4K viewing to see a crystal-clear video.
With the Fall season here, this is the perfect time of year to get outside for an adventure. You do need to be checking the weather, but more often than not, over the next six weeks, the conditions to explore should be excellent.
If you’re into hiking, all the Mammoth Lakes Basin trails are open, and just a few people are out on them now that the Fall Season has arrived. The cooler days are a great time to try longer hikes like Duck Lake; ensure you’re in good shape for long-distance, high-altitude hiking.
Mountain Biking is my favorite sport in the Fall, and now that the area has cooled off, you can ride trails from Bishop to Mammoth Lakes. Read my write-up with links to MTB action down the page.
For those wondering about the Fall Color Season, I drove from Mammoth Lakes to Bishop a few days back, and a few leaves are changing. However, the show has not started along the 395 corridor.
Over the last week, I have seen several posts online reporting colors around the 9,000-foot level in Bishop Creek, Rock Creek Canyons, and MC Gee Creek Canyon.
During an average year, the highest terrain (9000 Feet and above) peaks by the end of September into early October. The yellowing then slowly moves down in elevation during October.
If you’re considering coming up, there is much to do in September. Here is a link to events and activities you can do over the next month.
9-10-24 – View from the Top of 1
Mammoth Mountain & Eastern Sierra Recreation Weather Forecast
Wednesday through Thursday: Today, there is a 50% chance of rain, snow showers, and a few thunderstorms. There is an 80-90% chance of light rain and snow tonight and into Thursday.
Snow levels will be around the 9,500 to 10,500-foot level. Snowfall accumulations will be limited to the upper mountain, with a dusting of slop to possibly an inch above the 10,000-foot level.
A light shift in this system’s track could bring in slightly cooler temperatures. If that happens, snow levels will decrease a bit more, and accumulations will increase.
Use this link for my detailed Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Lakes, and Bishop Weather Forecasts and Long-Range Outlook.
Travel & Road Forecast: All area roads are open now, except the road to Reds Meadow, which is only open Saturdays and Sundays. For current webcam road conditions on 395 and 203, visit our road conditions page at this link.
Eastern Sierra Mountain Bike Report
Fall is one of the best times of the year to go mountain biking in the Eastern Sierras. You can enjoy a morning ride down in the Bishop and Poleta areas again now that the heat of summer is gone.
The high country is excellent for a morning ride for those who can layer up and perfect for a mid-day ride for those who like the tempratures a bit warmer.
While the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park and all the main features are closed now, you can still pedal through the park. You need to watch for construction crews who are not expecting you. There will also be hard closures around the new chair one project as they lay out the haul rope.
Here are some Fall rides near Mammoth that I recommend you ride: Mountain View, Mammoth Rock Trail, or maybe Lower Rock Creek Canyon Trail. I like to do laps down the upper two sections of Lower Rock Creek. It’s such a blast, and if you’re in shape, you can return to the top quickly via the road.
Use this link to our new website to read my complete Eastern Sierra Mountain Bike Report and get updates on local MTB Racing.
Mammoth Mountain Snow Report – Snow Season 24-2025
Yahoo, the Meteorological Fall has begun, and there are just 59 days until the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is scheduled to open for Veterans Day Weekend.
Believe it or not, Mammoth Mountain has already picked up the first decent dusting of snow that fell on August 24th, 2024. This year, the new season’s opening date is Friday, November 15th, at 8:30 AM. However, if the mountain gets a big early-season snowstorm, that opening day will be moved quickly, so keep that in mind.
To get the Full Mammoth Mountain Pre-Season Snow Report and Summer Upgrade News, use this link.
Chair 1 and 16 Construction Update
What’s Up with the Chair 1 Replacement Project? As you can see from the two photos below, construction crews are making some significant progress on the new lift. The bottom station is about 3/4 done now, with the top station closing in on what looks like the halfway point or better.
All the Towers are in, and the haul rope/cable arrived last Tuesday. Once the bike park closes, crews will get the cable up and then the chairs on.
Last Tuesday, I reached the top of the Chair 16 Project. They removed the trees at the top and graded about 75 yards from the exit ramp. This season, the mountain can run the lift at full speed. Yahoo!
When I was up at the top of 16, there was a loader grading out the area that used to be the old Chair 16 unloading area. Once winter hits there will be tons of room for people to sit, strap in fix their gear or just ride off.
Here is the link to all the photos and videos compiled from the Chair One Replacement Project since April.
Photos from September 10th, 2024 - by Snowman
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 firsthand. 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 was 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.
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