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Blogs from Mammoth Lakes, California, United States, North America
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LAX to the mountains
Published: February 14th 2013North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
February 14th 2013
Although really day two of the trip, or is it three? the whole date line thing is a bit like breaching the time space continuum, anyway that aside, today feels a little like the start of the holiday. The jet lag may have something to say about it later but five am seems like an almost reasonable time to be getting up. it is minus 5 outside, there is snow on the ground and not a cloud in the sky. Today will be one for the bluebirds. Naturally everyone else is asleep, all of them chemically assisted no doubt. I had a little assistance from acouple of glasses of Mammoth Paranoid Pale Ale which seemed apposite, went to bed at about 9 pm and had a dream that involved work. I wonder if more or less ... read more
Mammoth mountain day 1 of 2
Published: January 8th 2013North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
January 3rd 2013
Up earlish. Home cooked breakfast for the first time in close to a week. Tried to phone the reception for booking the snowcat tour for tomorrow but couldn't get through. Figured we would drive up to mammoth mountain inn and book it there and continue on with skiing. Then halfway there, Tanya rangwe to tell me I left my wallet at home. Drove back and decided that Tanya would continue to call and the rest of us would go out skiing from Canyon Ridge Lodge which was right next door. Got kitted out with hirehear and on the slopes by 930. The queues in the hire shop where out of this world and their system is not as organized as Big Whites one. One guy serving all of us and walking backwards and forwards through all ... read more
Mammoth Lakes Day Five
Published: April 11th 2012North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
April 9th 2012
The cost of our stay included a 'continental breakfast', which i was looking forward to. I was sad to see that their version of a continental breakfast is a pastry and a carton of juice. (Despite this, I recommend the hotel highly). Their friendly Lab Snowy made us feel really welcome. We bought lunch supplies from the local supermarket and medicine for Zoe (who is really poorly) and set off for Mammoth Lakes, which was a 2.5 hour drive from Tahoe. We drove along Highway 395, through Eastern SierraBNevada, which was beautiful. It was a contrast of snow capped mountain peaks and flat, barren plains and then past stunning Topaz Lake and Mono Lake. We reached Motel 6 in Mammoth Lakes at about 3pm. The temperature has dropped about 20 degrees from San Fran and there ... read more
Woory Mammoth...return to the rice age.
Published: February 9th 2011North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
January 10th 2011
Last year was my first trip to this awe-inspiring beast of a mountain and this year it was even more of an enjoyable experience. The thin, post-holiday crowd was a lot easier to manage; the weather was perfect, sunny, and clear; and there was a crap ton of the white shit! I do my best to ignore all the rich kids here with their brand new gear, omnipotent smirks, and lack of skiing/snowboarding abilities, but shit, if you can't make it down the double black diamond that you thought you could, don't sit in the middle of the run looking for yellow snow to eat, get up and move to the side. In typical fashion, The Rocky Mountain Barking Spiders returned! Whether I'm on a plane, on top of a mountain, or in any sort of ... read more
Devil's Postpile National Monument
Published: September 26th 2010North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes » Devils Postpile National Monument
September 20th 2010
Devil’s Postpile is the first National Monument or Park I have visited which required visitors to park outside and take a shuttle bus in. Apparently they’ve done this here since 1980 but this is the first time I had ever experienced it at any National Park. The requirement applies to day visitors only, not overnighters, nor of course handicapped visitors. There are a few other reasonable exceptions. The shuttles run every half hour and the trip from Mammoth Mountain Ski Area parking lot takes about 20 minutes. Tickets are $7 and they cover entry into the park as well as shuttle in and shuttle out. The shuttle requirement lasts from June to September. Check the park website for more detailed information. It was absolutely no imposition. Yes, it added a few logistics details to my day, ... read more
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Evan's 1st Birthday!!
Published: April 25th 2013North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
July 12th 2010
Hope everyone enjoyed their summer! With snow covering Mammoth Mountain; fall is truly here. I had a great summer surveying the high mountain lakes of not only the Sierra Nevadas, but also the Russian Wilderness and the Trinity Alps. It had been ten years since those two areas had been surveyed, so it was time to monitor the amphibian populations. The frogs are doing very well. We counted 225 healthy adults in one of our restoration areas; Matlock Lake! Hope everyone's summer is going well!... read more
Solvang, and one last hike in the Sierras
Published: July 17th 2010North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
July 8th 2010
After leaving the Trinity Alps, I decide to head towards L.A. Not sure why. Down around Bakersfield I cross over the coastal ranges into the expensive coastal area of Southern California. In Santa Maria, I hit a local Chinese restaurant, which is not very good. I stay in this town for the night. The next morning I head a few miles down the road to Solvang, a faux-Danish town, complete with Danish style architecture and Danish bakeries. This place is obviously a tourist trap, but I enjoy it thoroughly. I walk around and explore to town. I gorge myself on pastries from two different bakeries visited back to back. Out of guilt, I run around the entire town a couple of times to work off the gluttony of the day. That night, I eat pea soup ... read more
From 107 degrees to 49...
Published: July 2nd 2010North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
July 2nd 2010
Wow, what an astounding couple of days! I felt Jodys' summary of our time in Las Vegas was a little depressing so, I might need to add a little to it . It truly is a sinful place but, it was beautiful. After all if sin presented itself as ugly who would want to participate in it ? That being said, it was unbelievable, the hotels and casinos were so ornately built and furnished, it was like being in a movie. The shops there were for the rich! We are talking Prada, Gucci, Dior, Harry Winston, etc. times a hundred!! Needless to say I did not buy anything there. The lights were amazing and you can't even imagine them......put all the Christmases together you have ever had and that would probably be one building. I think ... read more
Snowboarding 2009/2010
Published: March 26th 2010North America » United States » California » Mammoth Lakes
March 26th 2010
Well it took about five years but I've finally overcome my fear of the mountains and speeding down them when they're snow covered on a snowboard. I used to ski but we all know that stopped when i took the tumble down the top of Aspen Mountain. It's been hard to get back up there but I figured I may as well get over it at some point because playing in the snow is fun. And living in LA, we only get to look at the snow on the top of the mountains around LA unless you like snow sports and take the 2-3 hour drive up there to play in it. I went snowboarding three times this year. The first time was at Big Bear/Snow Summit which is supposedly a 2-2.5 hour drive from LA. ... read more
March 11th 2010
Another great season in Mammoth. It turned out to be the third snowiest winter on record! Over 500 inches and it's still coming. We received eight inches last Tuesday, making the spring skiing very soft! Hope everyone had a great winter. It's that time of the year again, time to pull the sandals out and put on some shorts. Phil... read more
