Easy methods to Expertise a Actual Winter Wonderland in Mammoth Lakes

Image this: towering pine timber dusted with snow, poconip (frozen fog) rolling in over alpine lakes, and mountain peaks glistening within the winter solar. In the event you suppose this scene is from a distant panorama or straight out of a Hallmark film, suppose once more.

Mammoth Lakes is a real-life winter wonderland tucked on the japanese slope of California’s Sierra Nevada vary. With a mean of 400 inches of snowfall yearly and 300 days of sunshine, this little mountain city seamlessly blends winter magic with sunny Golden State vibes.

After all, you’ll be able to — and may — benefit from the city’s downhill snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain. However there’s a lot extra to winter than elevate entry can supply. Seize your snow pants and prepare to discover all of the snowboarding, ice-skating, sledding, and snowman-building that comes with a real winter wonderland expertise. Right here’s how.

Wander By way of Snowy Woods

Have you ever observed the world appears quieter when snow is falling? It’s not your creativeness. Mild and ethereal snowflakes act as pure sound absorbers, contributing to the serenity you in all probability envision whenever you consider a winter wonderland. To completely respect the stillness, head out to discover greater than 3 million acres of wilderness on 140 miles of groomed Nordic and cross-country ski trails in Mammoth Lakes. 

In the event you’ve by no means tried sliding on skinny skis, Tamarack Cross-Nation Ski Middle is your greatest wager. Cease by the yurt within the Mammoth Lakes Basin to speak with a neighborhood skilled who can set you up with a day move for the groomed trails, cross-country or skate ski leases, and even classes.

When you get your bearings, you’ll be cruising by the timber, over snow-covered bridges, and previous frozen lakes very quickly. Cross-country skiers with some expertise can set out on their very own to discover the free public trails that loop by the woods on the town. 

Not comfy on skis? Snowshoes supply a extra secure technique for touring over the snow to entry winter landscapes.

Enterprise Farther Into the Wilderness

If you crave journey farther afield, Mammoth Lakes gives loads of choices for off-trail exploration. Blaze your individual path by huge stretches of untouched snow and witness awe-inspiring winter landscapes. Relying in your most popular velocity and skillset, a neighborhood information can introduce you to protected backcountry journey within the Jap Sierra on a snowmobile or touring skis.

Adrenaline junkies can benefit from the pure excessive of excessive speeds on a snowmobile tour. These 90-minute guided journey excursions cater to everybody from first-timers to seasoned riders. Zoom alongside tree-lined trails and thru glowing glades of snow en path to gorgeous panoramic vistas of the Mammoth Lakes wilderness. Skilled snowmobilers with their very own experience can set out independently to discover 80 miles of public groomed trails and countless acres of wilderness.

Or go for human-powered journey on a guided backcountry ski tour geared towards superior resort skiers with some touring expertise. Get extra comfy together with your backcountry setup, refine your method, and study protected backcountry journey on skis with the assistance and steerage of a neighborhood skilled.

Then, embark on a guided ski tour to entry secret stashes of recent snow and untouched traces. In the event you’re nonetheless working your means as much as backcountry journey, get the earn-your-turns expertise whereas staying inbounds on the resort with an uphill entry move at Mammoth Mountain.

Embrace Childlike Pleasure

The magic of winter could make even probably the most severe adults really feel like a child once more. Lean into the nice vibes with traditional, kid-approved snow actions like tubing, sledding, ice skating, and good, old school snowplay. 

At Woolly’s Journey Summit, youngsters and youngsters at coronary heart can expertise all issues snowplay. Fly down groomed tubing lanes that supply a easy, quick experience downhill and a handy tow again as much as the highest for an additional experience. If you want a break, experience winter enjoyable — make snow angels, construct a snowman, or take a sizzling cocoa break and bask within the snowy mountain surroundings. 

Want a break from the winter components? Spend a day on the LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes. Newly opened within the 2023/24 winter season, this 40,000-square-foot facility homes an Olympic-sized ice-skating rink for hockey, determine skating, and extra.

Hire skates and put your expertise to the check at a public skate session, held each day all through the winter with a number of classes for holidays and weekends. Or dial your method with a personal lesson. If sliding on ice isn’t your type, strive your hand at curling. The rink gives common drop-in classes and Study-to-Curl clinics.

See the Snowy Sierra From 11,053 Ft

Even for those who’re not a downhill skier, a visit to the highest of Mammoth Mountain is price it for the views alone. Trip the scenic gondola from Predominant Lodge to the 11,053-foot summit — the best chairlift-accessible mountaintop in California.

From this vantage level, get pleasure from 360-degree views of Mammoth Lakes and the encircling Sierra Nevada vary, together with Ritter and Banner peaks and the Minarets that, along with Mammoth Mountain, make up Mammoth Lakes’ signature skyline.

Don’t miss an opportunity to take a selfie in entrance of the Mammoth Mountain signal, which was constructed from a neighborhood pine tree felled in an avalanche. This 24-foot icon serves as an unofficial yardstick to measure snowfall all through the season. On above-average snow years, it’s not unusual for snowdrifts to obscure the highest of the signal.

This put up is sponsored by Go to Mammoth.