Mammoth Easter
The vibe at Mammoth has been a little off this year—so I've heard, and so it seems to me from my few visits. In addition of course to the weather, the big difference is apparently people.
Because so many western resorts have had such a poor snow year, Mammoth has apparently been getting a lot of visitors who don't usually ski here. How much exactly that is true rather than mere anecdote, I can't say, but the place has felt different this year, particularly in terms of crowding and crowd flow.
With Easter behind us, perhaps people will shift to golf and mountain bikes—or perhaps not. Mammoth, with its unique upper mountain (steep, north-facing, tons of snow), is going to be in the game for a while yet, so it will continue to draw skiers who aren't ready to give up on the season.
I tend to think Mammoth is a terrible resort for your garden-variety skier. Such skiers are, in my opinion, far better served by the terrain and modes-of-operation of the Colorado ski industry (and for that matter, Colorado's typically non-savage winter weather).
But Mammoth is special indeed for those who like their lift-served angles sharp—unmatched, I'd say, and especially so for t-shirt extremists like myself who reject the notion that steep skiing and summer can't be friends.
When the whole mountain is open, tribes can sort at least somewhat gracefully into east/west upper/lower divisions; when things begin to compress, as they are now, things do get a bit sticky.
In terms of variable conditions, this past Easter week at Mammoth was a doozy: ice, ice, baby, plus a winter freshening of fluff that accumulated here-and-there in pockets and offered really good skiing in between scary skitters.
The hardness plus the crowds made for quite a combination, but I can at least report that the upper mountain is currently stacked. In years past I would have confidently predicted they'd easily make it to their Memorial Day closing. This year, I'll just say, baring any more big surprises, they should be okay.
— April 6, 2026
Andy Lewicky is the author and creator of SierraDescents
Dan Conger April 7, 2026 at 7:32 am
I love Mammoth. When I was in high school in Bishop, the McCoy's did something amazing for local kids. $1/day lift tickets, no holiday blackouts nor exceptions. I skied my brains out during my four years of high school averaging 50 days per season, plus we had a high school ski racing team (slalom and giant slalom) that I was on. It was so much fun.
That has all changed now. For better or worse, Mammoth has been fully corporatized. We still enjoy heading there a couple of times per year for the winter sports and then the summer fishing and 4-wheeling, but the town has felt different to me for a very long time.
Wonder if they'll ever fulfill Dave McCoy's ultimate dream of building the ski area north and linking it to June Mountain?
Norman Clyde April 11, 2026 at 11:11 pm
better to leave san joquin ridge untouched and just tour to get the goods
Bradley Brown April 27, 2026 at 7:40 am
Made 2 treks so far this April and haven’t been disappointed. New snow and spring conditions mixed in keep things like another skier said to me about this mountain “…like box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. Fun face of 3 laps (my proxy for upper mountain conditions), “firm snow conditions exists, experts only” sign on top of Face of 3. Transitional snow, mank death cookies, bliss on the same run. High speed laps 2 weeks ago, tempered speed last week. Ski bud Bob caught a snow snake at high speed, result: tibula fracture. Meanwhile my morning laps with my best friend in the rear view as I haul a…s back Fiancée. Boys, I turn 75 in a couple of months, Bob Is 65 yet we ran all over the hill like kids Friday-sad hell
Miss the rest of the season I’d guess. Still, I love this sport and am so grateful we get to still do it. Another month of season to go but also over a month into training for the summer agenda. Enjoy!
Bill Adams May 4, 2026 at 2:14 am
My checking in here has become less frequent since I'm now in my 6th year since moving to France. Got to correct that as I still find it a very special website. Anyway, I wanted to loosely comment on Dan's comment on Mammoth and corporatization. One of the really pleasant discoveries upon skiing here at resorts was the much less of a corporate - capitalist vibe at the resorts. Food was not much more than down the hill. Bringing your own food was not discouraged, and even accommodated with picnic tables everywhere. Many quality small to mid-sized resorts run by the local village instead of a corporation. Resorts allowing uphillers to ski free, and even providing an uphill lane on the major pistes. Of course, tickets are much-much cheaper, even at the posh destination resorts. Sure, there's coporate creep - I've even noticed it in the time we've lived here. Unfortunately, many of the small to mids are being wiped out by climate change since they exist mostly at the 1k - 2k meter altitude, which now has very inconsistent coverage. As for backcountry (here called ski-randonee), much more dangerous. The mountains are just plain more vertical, with crazy hidden cliff bands. You really need to know the routes or go with someone who does. As for Mammoth, still an amazing place - how does a place on the 37th latitude have longer ski seasons than a place with major glaciers? - crazy but it does. BTW, if any of you make it out here, big hint, skip everywhere else and head straight to La Grave - the most incredible lift served ski terrain anywhere in the world. Period. You'll never want to ski anywhere else. Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble.