Ski & Snowboard Mammoth

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Back to Mammoth LakesSkiing & Snowboarding

In winter, Mammoth Mountain has more than 3,500 skiable acres, a 3,100-foot vertical drop, 150 trails (32 with snowmaking), and 30 lifts, including seven high-speed quads. The terrain is 30% beginner, 40% intermediate, and 30% advanced. It's known for power sun, ideal spring skiing conditions, and anywhere from 8 to 12 feet of snow.

Tamarack Lodge (tel. 760/934-2442; www.tamaracklodge.com) runs a cross-country ski center, and offers snowmobiling, dog-sledding, snowshoeing, and sleigh rides for nonskiers.

If you're renting equipment, you'll save money if you do it in town instead of at the resort. We recommend Footloose Sports Center, at the corner of Main Street and Old Mammoth Road (tel. 760/934-2400; www.footloosesports.com), and Wave Rave Snowboard Shop, on Main Street (Hwy. 203; tel. 866/3-BOARDS or 760/934-2471; www.waveravesnowboardshop.com), for snowboards and accessories.

The June Mountain Ski Area (tel. 888/JUNEMTN or 760/648-7733; www.junemountain.com), 20 minutes north of Mammoth, is smaller but offers many summer activities as well as 500 skiable acres, a 2,590-foot vertical drop, 35 trails, and 8 lifts, including high-speed quads. The terrain is 35% beginner, 45% intermediate, and 20% advanced. It's at the center of a chain of lakes -- Grant, Silver, Gull, and June -- visible from the scenic driving loop around Highway 158. It's especially beautiful in the fall when the aspens are ablaze with gold.