Recent Snow Extends Season at Mammoth

Mammoth Mountain, which remained open for skiing last year through Aug. 13, is setting a more conservative target date this year.

After receiving another foot of snow early in the week, owner Dave McCoy figures there will be no problem operating through at least June 23, and if there’s another timely storm, it’s possible that some of the lifts will keep running until the Eastern Sierra resort’s traditional closing date of July 4.

Mammoth, which started its season last Nov. 10, now has a 90- to 204-inch base, and all runs are open. On April 15, the daily adult lift ticket drops $10 to $33--with the exception of April 25, when all skiing and snowboarding will be free.

June Mountain, 30 minutes farther north on U.S. 395, will offer free skiing on April 14, its projected closing day.

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During the summer, Mammoth will be planning women’s World Cup races, tentatively set for December.

“We have agreed to an early-season date with the FIS [International Ski Federation],” spokeswoman Pam Murphy said. “They have mentioned possibly switching the event to March, but we would much prefer December.”

The 1996-97 Alpine World Cup schedule will be determined during the FIS Congress May 5-12 at Christchurch, New Zealand.

Starting May 15, Mammoth will be the site of the first U.S. Skiing “convention,” a five-day gathering of officials, coaches, racers and corporate sponsors designed to formulate ways of making the national Alpine and Nordic teams more competitive.

Initial plans included a fantasy camp for anyone who wanted to contribute $5,000 or more for the chance to ski and mingle with the athletes, but this now appears unlikely because of limited interest.

Summer will also bring the start of Intrawest’s development activities in the Mammoth-June area. The Canadian company, which bought a large chunk of real estate from McCoy and a one-third interest in Mammoth Mountain last January, will open offices in Mammoth Lakes later this month, its announced goal to help create “the preeminent four-season resort and ski town in the United States.”

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Closing dates for other High Sierra resorts are indefinite, but with snow so plentiful, the major ones will probably stay open for a couple of more weeks, maybe longer if skiers continue to show up.

In the Southland, three ski areas are still operating--Bear Mountain, Snow Summit and Mountain High--with spring conditions and snow depths ranging from 10 to 46 inches.

Snow Valley has closed but could reopen if another storm hits in the next few days, and Mt. Baldy is running a lift for snow play and scenic rides only.

Skiing Notes

The U.S. Ski Assn.’s annual convention will be held April 23-27 at Park City, Utah. . . . The final two races in the Jeep King of the Mountain Downhill Series will be shown, tape-delayed, on KCAL, Channel 9,--from Sugarbush, Vt., at 9 p.m. Saturday, and the Heavenly finale at 9 p.m. April 13. . . . World aerials champion Trace Worthington, who sat out most of the season after being severely shaken up in a couple of training accidents, returned to competition last week and finished fifth in the U.S. Freestyle Championships at Park City. . . . The U.S. Disabled Ski Championships begin a weeklong run Sunday at Breckenridge, Colo.