Mammoth Mountain
Snowman Report
Featuring Daily Snow, Weather, Travel, FAQ, Community & Adventure
Friday, October 16th, 2026 @ 6 AM – ⛄ Good morning. The windowcast shows clear skies today, with a bit of a dusting still hanging on up top. Up top, the temperature is 30 degrees with a NNE wind at 50 mph, gusting to 54 mph. Main Lodge is 37 degrees with ENE winds at 1 to 9 mph.
Just 28 days until the ski area is scheduled to open for the 2026-27 ski season. (November 13th), I hope you’re getting yourself in shape with an excellent pre-season training routine.
>>> Fall Colors are going off above the 7,000-foot level. Lower elevations are also starting to see some color now. The overnight freezes of the last couple of nights will kick off full-force color over the next couple of weeks. Now is the time to come up if you want to see Fall colors in the Eastern Sierra.
Windowcast View from the Main Lodge
Mammoth Weather Forecast: Nice, cool & clear Fall days are on tap for the high country, today through the weekend. Next week, the pattern shifts and looks to bring light rain and snow to the area, with several inches of snow possible on Mammoth Mountain. Snow levels next week would be above the 8,000 to 8,500 foot level. Time to do your snow dances and wash your cars.
Main Lodge @ 9000 Feet: Sunny today into Sunday, with highs in the upper 50s. Breezy, with an east wind of 10 to 20 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph. Overnight lows will be in the upper 30s tonight and then low to mid 30s through the weekend.
Mammoth Lakes: Sunny, with highs in the mid-60s. East wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph.
Get my full Mammoth Weather Forecast here.
Roads & Travel: 395 and Highway 203 are open. Tioga Pass is open. Here is a link to our local roads webcam page.
Mammoth Snowman Preseason Snow Report:
Crews are working hard to be ready for the first snows and opening day on November 13th. Lots of people are asking if they could open early. If the mountain picks up 2-3 feet of base snow, that could happen. For now, the goal is to have a great opening day with several runs open.
Snowmaking: Looking at temps over the next 14 days, marginal conditions start to show up after the 21st on my all-model snowmaking graphs. So we are getting close to seeing the fan guns running again.
Hopefully, the system we see coming around the 21st will bring several inches of snowfall to support the upcoming snowmaking efforts. I’ll keep you updated as we get closer to the snowmaking action and opening-day prep.
I plan to be back on the hill several days a week this season. Looking forward to seeing and skiing with everyone again and getting some great photos & reels for the website.
Ski Ya Later, Snowman out…
To get my full Mammoth Snowman preseason snow report, use this link.
Dreaming of Winter Photos
What’s Up Mammoth
Mid-October in Mammoth Lakes, and things are moving full-forward in town and on the Mountain as everyone is prepping for what could be a big fat winter. These are slower times as everyone gets some event downtime before the opener and the holiday season hits.
If you’re coming up the next couple of weeks, here’s what’s up.
Fall Colors will be the highlight of things to do and see for a couple more weeks. Colors are past peak in elevations above 9,000 feet in most locations as the show travels down in elevation. For the Mono County Tourism Fall Color report, use this link; it has tons of great information that is updated each Wednesday.
Mountain Biking at this time of year is off the charts for me; the heat of Summer is gone, and you can layer up for protection without getting hot. The trails in the Bike Park are still open via pedal power or emtb power.
My favorite Fall Mammoth route is up Big Ring, up Break Through, and then up Romas Road, and then down Skid Marks. It’s a lung-buster up, with amazing views the entire ride. You will also find me at Chipmunk or Lower Rock Creek Trail. See ya out there.
For my full report & more information on Mountain Biking, check out our Eastern Sierra Mountain Bike site.
Hiking Spots: In the Fall, I like to get out on the ski area and hike up the ski runs, then link into the mountain bike trails and the mountain hiking trails. It’s a great way to build endurance for the long winter season ahead.
If you want to hike through the fall colors, the Upper Rock Creek Canyon trail from the SnoPark parking area is a great choice, as the colors fade in the upper canyon; the lower Rock Creek Trail in the upper 2 sections is amazing with fall colors.
Mammoth Lakes Shuttle Service: The Town Trolley continues right through November 12th, with all town routes wide open. The Red Line will open on Friday, November 13, for the scheduled opener at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (weather permitting).
Night of Lights 2026: The night of lights will be the weekend of December 12th, with the show that Saturday evening. Here is the link for full details and available tickets. Roof Top at Canyon is a great call, so you won’t be standing in the snow for long.
Bike Rentals: (AD) Black Tie Bike Rentals is the spot to rent an e-bike or regular mountain bike. They offer great service, great prices, and 20% off your rental bike through our ESMB deal for our website readers. Here is the link to get the discount; you must reserve 48 hours in advance to use it.
More Things to Do: For our list of 30 things to do near Mammoth Lakes, use this link.
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’s a link to past opening and closing dates.
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 website?
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 support the MammothSnowman Team.
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 for 21,000+ people who love Mammoth like you, all built on respect and no-drama conversations.
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.