California: Gold medal conditions at Mammoth
Glazed with more than three feet of fresh snow, Mammoth Mountain is fully loaded for President’s Weekend, with 100% of the terrain open for the first time this year.
As an added bonus: Try out the slope course U.S. gold medal snowboarders Sage Kotsenburg and Jamie Anderson ran last month in preparation for the Sochi Olympics. While not exactly the same as it was during the elite competition, the rail sections and jumps at the bottom are still intact.
The recent storms are a merciful and well-timed gift to Mammoth in advance of the always-busy mid-winter holiday weekend. Late last week, Mammoth Lakes got three to four feet of new snow. Base depths are now as high as 70 inches at the summit. Twenty lifts will be running this weekend, offering access to 129 trails. Because of the season’s slow start, lodging and ticket deals are more plentiful than usual.
The snowfall was also good news for June Mountain, where the reopening season has been marred by the unusually dry winter weather. Lower in elevation than Mammoth, June did not benefit as much from the storms, but now has base depths of six to 24 inches. Four lifts are now open. Kids 12 and under receive free lift tickets all season.
Closer to home, Snow Summit and Bear Mountain are boasting good coverage, with base depths of of one to three feet. Saturday and Sunday, Bear Mountain will offer free jumps on a giant airbag. The air bag is the kind used by top competitors to try new tricks. Participants must be at least 21.
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chris.erskine@latimes.com
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