Patrick
Well-known member
All this started back in January with my desire to ski on my birthday in June. Yes, I have skied on my birthday before, but it had been a while. As the winter past, I knew that this was not going to happen in the East or the snow left wouldn?t be spectacular.
I started looking West. Whistler? Mount Hood? Colorado or Utah? The Northwest/BC was having a terrible year. Then the name Mammoth came up in the discussion. Mammoth was having a terrific and I remember seeing some amazing report on Memorial Day skiing on FTO a few years ago. Now the question in March was were they going to make it to mid-June?
I started going over the numbers, Mammoth has made it to my birthday something like 12 in the last 35 seasons. 10/12 went the season accumulation was over 475 inches. I needed a few green lights from home and work. Bought the plane ticket, I was getting psych? June skiing from the first time since 1997, but must of all skiing out West, to a new place in a part of the world I had never been to. However, one of the green lights became yellow and the probability of a trip became slight because of work.
As my record season (days) was getting to a close in the East with a last two days in the last two lift-serviced weekend May at St-Sauveur and Killington, I was hoping that I would get to put on my skis again in three weeks. As time passed, it came clear that Mammoth was also having a record year. Having received 607? this year, that was only 10 inches from the record. During the Memorial Day weekend, the ski area had 14 lifts running which might be a record.
As my first trip out West in June 1988, what started as uniquely ski trip quickly became more, especially this being my first time out in the US West.
June 7th: Ottawa-Toronto-Denver-Reno-SLT.
Flew over Lake Huron before the clouds moved in. The next time I would see the ground would be in the Great Plains of Colorado just before landing. The best was yet to come, clear sky over the Colorado Rockies, Great Salt Lake and our approach into Reno, Nevada. What beautiful sight, really appreciated that window seat. I was joined for that last flight with a few skiers carrying their boots. After 10 hours in the air or waiting in airports, I was finally in Reno.
Got out of the airport with the rental car somewhere passed 5PM. Mammoth Lakes is 165 miles and 3 hours away when there is no detour. However, I wasn?t planning to take the direct route. Outside Reno, I turned up on Highway FF toward Lake Tahoe. The highway starts to climb and ziging and zaging toward Mt. Rose pass, great view of the Reno valley and the surrounding area. Valley behind, mountains ahead, I saw some great tracks on Mt. Rose ski area, that?s looks like a fun place to ski. Stop that the top of the pass for a few pictures, it?s was pretty refreshing in more ways than one, at 8000 ft, it?s was pretty chilly. After a picture or two, I headed back into the car for the drive down toward Lake Tahoe. Drove around the West side of the lake, what a nice drive. I?m not sure how long I stayed at Emerald Bay, the lighting wasn?t great, but regardless I took many more pictures. The mountains around this place reminded me of Jasper. No of the coolers part of the drive was right after Emerald Bay when the road runs along the top of the moraine, where you almost feel as if you driving on a knife edge. Finally made it in South Lake Tahoe around 9PM (midnight back home), it?s been a long day with many pictures taken and I needed to eat supper.
June 8th: South Lake Tahoe-Mammoth Lakes
It was still cold the next morning, 39F at 8am and rain. It?s was cloudy and didn?t to see the mountain from the lakeshore. Left toward Kingsbury grade to join back highway 395 which is the direct route from Reno to Mammoth. Will going up toward the pass, I did a few detours towards Heavenly. Condos and apartments on the side of mountains in a pretty spectacular setting. Didn?t see was much snow as Mt. Rose the previous day. The Kingsbury Grade road down back to Nevada is spectacular, especially for those that have rarely seen the arid hills of Nevada or California. The valley below was green. Back in the Nevada valley floor, I visited Genoa. Genoa was the first settlement in Nevada, it?s also the final resting place of Showshoe Thomson. A 19th Century skiing that carried the mail across the Sierras from Placerville to Carson City. Type in his name in Goggle to find out more.
After lunch, I headed back to the 395 and Mammoth. This is a beautiful drive, surrounded by semi-desertic hills for over half the drive, after you get to see the snowy mountaintop of the Sierras in the distance. Less than 1.5 hours away from destination, another side trip was on the itinerary. 20 miles away from the main road, Bodie Ghost Town, this place is special. It?s seemed like an episode of Star Trek where an entire population disappeared leaving behind most of their belongings. Everything seemed abandoned and left the way it was. No touristy clean up. One thing I noticed about Bodie was the harsh climate. Windy, no trees, rolling hills with patches of snow left and right, very harsh conditions for this past town of 10,000. I stayed 2 hours in Bodie walking around (4 to 6), I was tired and my legs seemed heavy. I guess that I was feeling some effect of the 8300 altitude.
Left Bodie using a ?very rough ? not recommended road? toward Mammoth Lakes. Heading north of Mono Lake, beautiful drive in the middle of hills gravel road. One hour or two later I was in Mammoth Lakes. Definitely had a nice view of June Mountain ski area with its full snow coverage.
Supper and to bed, tomorrow I will be skiing. Skiing early.
To be continued?
Sorry no pics....
I started looking West. Whistler? Mount Hood? Colorado or Utah? The Northwest/BC was having a terrible year. Then the name Mammoth came up in the discussion. Mammoth was having a terrific and I remember seeing some amazing report on Memorial Day skiing on FTO a few years ago. Now the question in March was were they going to make it to mid-June?
I started going over the numbers, Mammoth has made it to my birthday something like 12 in the last 35 seasons. 10/12 went the season accumulation was over 475 inches. I needed a few green lights from home and work. Bought the plane ticket, I was getting psych? June skiing from the first time since 1997, but must of all skiing out West, to a new place in a part of the world I had never been to. However, one of the green lights became yellow and the probability of a trip became slight because of work.
As my record season (days) was getting to a close in the East with a last two days in the last two lift-serviced weekend May at St-Sauveur and Killington, I was hoping that I would get to put on my skis again in three weeks. As time passed, it came clear that Mammoth was also having a record year. Having received 607? this year, that was only 10 inches from the record. During the Memorial Day weekend, the ski area had 14 lifts running which might be a record.
As my first trip out West in June 1988, what started as uniquely ski trip quickly became more, especially this being my first time out in the US West.
June 7th: Ottawa-Toronto-Denver-Reno-SLT.
Flew over Lake Huron before the clouds moved in. The next time I would see the ground would be in the Great Plains of Colorado just before landing. The best was yet to come, clear sky over the Colorado Rockies, Great Salt Lake and our approach into Reno, Nevada. What beautiful sight, really appreciated that window seat. I was joined for that last flight with a few skiers carrying their boots. After 10 hours in the air or waiting in airports, I was finally in Reno.
Got out of the airport with the rental car somewhere passed 5PM. Mammoth Lakes is 165 miles and 3 hours away when there is no detour. However, I wasn?t planning to take the direct route. Outside Reno, I turned up on Highway FF toward Lake Tahoe. The highway starts to climb and ziging and zaging toward Mt. Rose pass, great view of the Reno valley and the surrounding area. Valley behind, mountains ahead, I saw some great tracks on Mt. Rose ski area, that?s looks like a fun place to ski. Stop that the top of the pass for a few pictures, it?s was pretty refreshing in more ways than one, at 8000 ft, it?s was pretty chilly. After a picture or two, I headed back into the car for the drive down toward Lake Tahoe. Drove around the West side of the lake, what a nice drive. I?m not sure how long I stayed at Emerald Bay, the lighting wasn?t great, but regardless I took many more pictures. The mountains around this place reminded me of Jasper. No of the coolers part of the drive was right after Emerald Bay when the road runs along the top of the moraine, where you almost feel as if you driving on a knife edge. Finally made it in South Lake Tahoe around 9PM (midnight back home), it?s been a long day with many pictures taken and I needed to eat supper.
June 8th: South Lake Tahoe-Mammoth Lakes
It was still cold the next morning, 39F at 8am and rain. It?s was cloudy and didn?t to see the mountain from the lakeshore. Left toward Kingsbury grade to join back highway 395 which is the direct route from Reno to Mammoth. Will going up toward the pass, I did a few detours towards Heavenly. Condos and apartments on the side of mountains in a pretty spectacular setting. Didn?t see was much snow as Mt. Rose the previous day. The Kingsbury Grade road down back to Nevada is spectacular, especially for those that have rarely seen the arid hills of Nevada or California. The valley below was green. Back in the Nevada valley floor, I visited Genoa. Genoa was the first settlement in Nevada, it?s also the final resting place of Showshoe Thomson. A 19th Century skiing that carried the mail across the Sierras from Placerville to Carson City. Type in his name in Goggle to find out more.
After lunch, I headed back to the 395 and Mammoth. This is a beautiful drive, surrounded by semi-desertic hills for over half the drive, after you get to see the snowy mountaintop of the Sierras in the distance. Less than 1.5 hours away from destination, another side trip was on the itinerary. 20 miles away from the main road, Bodie Ghost Town, this place is special. It?s seemed like an episode of Star Trek where an entire population disappeared leaving behind most of their belongings. Everything seemed abandoned and left the way it was. No touristy clean up. One thing I noticed about Bodie was the harsh climate. Windy, no trees, rolling hills with patches of snow left and right, very harsh conditions for this past town of 10,000. I stayed 2 hours in Bodie walking around (4 to 6), I was tired and my legs seemed heavy. I guess that I was feeling some effect of the 8300 altitude.
Left Bodie using a ?very rough ? not recommended road? toward Mammoth Lakes. Heading north of Mono Lake, beautiful drive in the middle of hills gravel road. One hour or two later I was in Mammoth Lakes. Definitely had a nice view of June Mountain ski area with its full snow coverage.
Supper and to bed, tomorrow I will be skiing. Skiing early.
To be continued?
Sorry no pics....
In case you buy a new computer if your mac dies, this would be interesting for you to have the digitalized pics 
