usa_mammoth travel wintersports Virgin Media
Mammoth is one of America's largest winter resorts and is situated in California's Sierra Nevada range. It is also one of the country's most popular, with up to 15,000 skiers taking to the slopes on any given day during peak times.
Mammoth has a well-established racing heritage and has hosted World Cup races, with several US Ski Team coaches and executives calling this resort home.
The resort offers exceptional value, with reasonable lift tickets and affordable lodging within a brief shuttle of the slopes. The area also has about 300 miles of snowmobile trails, some signed and others groomed.
Thirty lifts, including 9 express quads and 2 gondolas, cover the skiing terrain, which has a huge 3,100 vertical drop. The runs are varied, with 30% considered good for beginners, 40% for intermediate skiers and 30% for advanced or expert skiers.
Weekdays can be spectacular when the lift system gets into full swing and beginners will find several naturally isolated regions to practice their skills.
Hot-air balloon trips are also available with the High Sierra Ballooning Company with the take off from Mammoth Meadow, while the Snowcreek Athletic Club has a variety of indoor and outdoor facilities.
Hot Creek, near Mammoth Lakes, California, offers some of the best fly fishing and provides visitors a glimpse of the area's geologic wonders. With Mammoth Mountain's bike park and plenty of easily accessible trails and scenery, mountain biking here is also a truly memorable experience.
Plans are underway to build a slopeside pedestrian village with 1,000 residential units and 140,000 square feet of retail space for shops, galleries, bars and restaurants. The scheme should be completed over the next ten years.
Nightlife is lively - bars include the Whiskey Creek and local favourite Slocums. If karaoke's your thing, try Shoguns and Grumpy. Alternatively, check out Saloon and Angel's for cocktails and range of imported beers.
The Mountain Centre, a new 17,000-square-foot skier services building in the centre of the Village, opened during the 2003/04 season.
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