Pete Thomas Outdoors

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area slated to open Nov. 8

Mammoth Mountain will open for skiing and snowboarding Nov. 8, according to an announcement on the resort website.

"Dust off your skis and snowboards, the chairlifts start running November 8 and the snow festivities are waiting for you!" the announcement reads.

However, at the bottom is this disclaimer: "Weather and conditions permitting."

Most North America resorts open during or soon after the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Mammoth Mountain, located in the Eastern Sierra town of Mammoth Lakes, will rely on snowmaking capabilities and the staff is hoping for an early start to winter. Mammoth and city officials are hoping for a big snow season, following a very poor season during which 75 full-time resort employees were laid off.

Earlier this summer it was announced that June Mountain, Mammoth's sister resort located about 40 miles north along U.S. 395, would not open for the 2012-13 season, because of financial reasons.

-- Image courtesy of Peter Morning

-- Hat tip to Boardistan

Mammoth Mountain closing in on record snowfall season

**Friday afternoon update: Mammoth has surpassed its record; as of 2 p.m. the resort had recieved a season-total of 589 inches, with more falling and on the way.

With snow falling again Wednesday at Mammoth Mountain, and more expected over the next few days, the question is no longer whether the Eastern Sierra resort will realize a record snowfall level for a single season, but when that will occur.

As of Wednesday morning Mammoth had received 540 inches of the white stuff for the 2010-11 season, with 112 inches having fallen so far in March. Up to a foot was expected by day's end. That'd bring the total to 552 inches.

Since Mammoth began keeping records in 1969-70, the top season was 2005-06, when 578 inches (or 48 feet) fell on the resort's slopes. Mammoth didn't reach that number until May, after receiving 118 inches in April.

A new record could be set before the end of March, possibly before or during this weekend. Snow is in the forecast through Saturday, and again Tuesday. If the record isn't set by then, another storm is expected Friday, April 1.

No fooling.

-- Pete Thomas

Mammoth photo courtesy of Peter Morning

Twitter: @Pete_Thomas

Mammoth Mountain releases opening-day video footage

For those who were unable to make it to Mammoth Mountain for its opener Thursday, below is a video released today by the staff:



Conditions were the best for an opening day in years at the Eastern Sierra resort, thanks to early snow and cold temperatures favorable to spread machine-blown snow.

In fact, this could be an incredible Thanksgiving holiday weekend in a lot of places. The Lake Tahoe area and Colorado's Rocky Mountains also have received abundant early powder.

Even Southern California resorts are shaping up. Mountain High in Wrightwood opened Thursday and Snow Summit in Big Bear Lake will open Saturday. Barring a long and unseasonal heat wave, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be white just about everywhere with a chair lift.

-- Pete Thomas

Twitter: @Pete_Thomas

Among improvements for ski areas: magnets to keep kids safe

Ski areas preparing to open for 2010-11 are making all sorts of improvements in the hope of making customers happy and preventing them from visiting competing resorts.

But only Alpine Meadows is using powerful magnets that literally keep its most treasured customers -- the little ones -- in place.

The Lake Tahoe-area resort has affixed large, round magnets to the backs of each chair on two of its lifts servicing beginner terrain. Children who wear specialized vests cling securely to chairs until they've reached the unloading area, whereupon the magnets automatically deactivate and enable them to stand and ride off.

Alpine Meadows says it's the first resort in North America to implement technology, from a French company called Magnestick, that has been used in Europe for three years.

"I keep saying this, but the beauty really is in its simplicity," said Rachael Woods, a spokeswoman for the resort. "We'll be interviewing parents and the children to see how they like it."

Vests will be provided free of charge to kids enrolled in lessons programs, and are available for rent to the general public. Alpine Meadows last year became the first resort in the United States to offer small GPS tracking units so parents can keep track of the precise whereabouts of their children.

Below is a sampling of improvements making headlines elsewhere in ski country:

-- Kirkwood Mountain Resort, also in the Lake Tahoe area, has opened a zip-line system to serve as an alternative to skiing and snowboarding. It carries riders from platform to platform, 90 feet above the ski and snowboard runs. There's no age limit but riders must weigh between 85-275 pounds.

It's beginning to look a lot like winter at Mammoth Mountain

Update from the newly-whitened Mammoth Mountain: On Tuesday about four inches fell at the main lodge, which is at 8,900 feet. Much more presumably fell at the higher runs.

Some of that melted quickly but another 2-4 inches fell Tuesday night, thickening the blanket on the woolly mammoth behind the main lodge. More snow showers are expected tonight, above 7,500 feet, and another slightly warmer system will move in Thursday.

Though the snow might not last, snowboarders have been making the most of what's on the ground, as you can see by the video posted below.

-- Pete Thomas

  

 

At Mammoth Mountain, fall colors give way to early snow

It's not much of a photo, but for skiers and snowboarders eager for a new season to get underway, any image showing early snow on the slopes of Mammoth Mountain is a sight to behold.

A winter storm warning went into effect Monday night and even the town of Mammoth Lakes received a generous dusting.

The photo is courtesy of the Mammoth Mountain Live Vibe blog. It was snapped Tuesday from the main lodge looking out toward the Thunder Bound Express chairlift. Snow is expected in the higher elevations -- mostly above 8,000 feet -- through much of the week.

Mammoth is scheduled to open Nov. 11 but the Eastern Sierra resort will open early if conditions allow.

It's a similar weather situation high on the Lake Tahoe-area slopes, where trace amounts of snow have fallen. But, alas, a warming trend is expected throughout most of California at the end of the week.

Still, the early snow is a reminder that a change of seasons is close at hand.

-- Pete Thomas

What better time than now for Chris Farley's take on El Nino?

As a follow-up to an earlier report on California's storms and specifically on the ridiculous amount of powder layering the slopes at Mammoth Mountain, I'm happy to share a hilarious video the Eastern Sierra resort has posted, recycling the late comedian Chris Farley's take on the responsible party: El Nino.

As for the week-long storm total, Mammoth reported about 55 inches of new snow as of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, with much more expected before the weekend.

Though El Nino promises to deliver much more snow this winter, the weekend forecast calls for little or no precipitation, so expect the top of the mountain to open for the first time since the storms arrived on Sunday--and expect the view and the conditions to blow your mind.

-- Pete Thomas

California storms create epic conditions for skiers, snowboarders

So much for the drought, and so much for man-made snow.

The series of storms sweeping through California will put the all-important Sierra Nevada snow-pack well above normal and--more important for skiers, snowboarders and resort operators--deposit enough natural snow to keep the landscape white throughout the season.

The accompanying photos were emailed today from Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra. Mammoth has a base of 7-12 feet and received two feet of snow during the last 24 hours.

Resorts in the Lake Tahoe area and Southern California also are getting inundated, which is good except there are bound to be tragic stories of search-and-rescue missions and fatal avalanches over the next week or so. That never fails so keep that in mind if you're tempted to stray beyond resort boundaries for some back-country powder. Have fun, but don't become a statistic.

-- Pete Thomas

Photos courtesy of Mammoth Mountain

Olympic snowboarding hopeful Danny Davis suffers back injury

Snowboarder Danny Davis, a U.S. Olympic hopeful in the halfpipe discipline, suffered a back injury Sunday while practicing at a private facility in Park City, Utah.

At least two action sports websites have reported the news, with sparse details, and according to my sources confirmation--without much detail--will soon be posted on Davis' Facebook page.

Davis has been hospitalized but it remains unclear whether the injury is serious enough to keep him Michigan athlete out of the Olympics, which begin Feb. 12 in Vancouver. If he cannot compete it represents a blow to the United States' hopes for Olympic halfpipe dominance, but also to U.S. snowboarding.

Davis, 21, who is second to defending-Olympic champion Shaun White in qualifying for a spot on the U.S. team, is a popular figure. He's also a close friend of Kevin Pearce, who remains hospitalized with a severe brain injury suffered Dec. 31, while he practiced in Park City for an Olympic qualifier at Mammoth Mountain in California's Eastern Sierra region (Davis won the event).

Pearce, who is recovering, had been tabbed as an Olympic gold-medal contender. Davis, likewise, possesses the talent to win on the highest level. But for now, a positive medical report would be worth its weight in gold.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Danny Davis courtesy of Burton

Snowboarder Kevin Pearce improving 'faster than anticipated'

Doctors at the University of Utah Hospital today upgraded the condition of snowboarder Kevin Pearce from critical to serious, providing family and friends with more reason to believe they will once again--hopefully soon--be able to enjoy the personable athlete's infectious smile.

Pearce, who suffered a brain injury last week during halfpipe training in Park City, remains in the intensive care unit. But he has been regaining consciousness and doctors were able to remove his breathing tubes and added that he's following commands.

"While we're pleased that he's improving faster than anticipated, he still has a long recovery ahead of him," said Holly Ledyard, one of Kevin's doctors.

This played out today as Pearce's best friend, Danny Davis, was winning the Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix competition at Mammoth Mountain in California's Eastern Sierra region. The event serves as a qualifier for the Vancouver Olympics, which will begin next month.

Pearce had been training for the Mammoth competition when he was injured.

Davis told reporters afterward: "I had Kev on my mind and right before every run I was making sure I had him in spirit. I know we're sending vibes back to each other and it was good. I asked Kev to help me through that one. He's not up, but we're mentally on the same wavelength now. He's helped me through my runs and it's been nice to have him."

What a story it'd be--and it's not out of the question--if Davis can dethrone defending-Olympic champion Shaun White and claim the gold in Vancouver in honor of Pearce, who was expected to earn a spot on the U.S. team. (White was second at Mammoth.)

However, it's far too soon for anyone to be thinking about that. Pearce's fans are asked to share heir support via Kevin's Facebook Fan page, which has been a busy place these past several days.

-- Pete Thomas

Photo of Kevin Pearce courtesy of Moran/Burton