Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort ski area

Mammoth Mountain

Mammoth Mountain ski area is indeed mammoth, although it was named not for this reason, but after the Mammoth Mining Company that operated during the Gold Rush. With 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of terrain, 150 marked trails and 30 lifts, it’s one of the biggest resorts in North America. The summit is a hefty 11,053 feet (3,369 m) and even the base lodges are at 7,953 feet (2,424 m), making sure that there’s always plenty of snow. Naturally there’s a wide variety of terrain to accommodate every level of skier, including large, open bowls above the treeline, steep couloirs and gullies and, on bad-weather days, the bottom third of the mountain, which offers some top tree skiing/riding. You can also ski June Mountain, 20 minutes’ drive away, with the same lift ticket. Recent extensive terrain park and pipe development has put Mammoth at the forefront of boarding—over half the U.S. snowboard team live in Mammoth.