California Official Visitor's Guide 2009 - (Page 25) you disembark, wander through the new Top of the Sierra Interpretive Center for a primer on volcanology and Mammoth’s geological history. Afterward, sip hot cocoa at the adjoining cafe and soak up the 100-mile vistas. Hit the slopes on skis and boards Most winter visitors are here to ski or snowboard. Muscular and broadshouldered, the mountain stands above treeline, with three miles of wide-open bowls across its face. This is some seriously steep terrain, rising 3,100 feet from base area to summit and stretching for more than 3,500 skiable acres. The mountain is so big, the terrain so varied, that even novices can get a taste of what makes skiing California such a rarefied experience: majestic vistas, relatively warm daytime temps, and an annual average of 300 sunny days. A series of high-speed lifts and gondolas carry riders uphill, including the new Cloud Nine Express at the rate of 2,400 passengers per hour—a capacity never fully reached—keeping lift lines relatively short. You can get a visceral sense of the power of nature by standing at the mountain’s peak when the weather starts to blow. Storms whip across California and funnel up the San Joaquin River canyon, directly west of the summit. Mammoth Mountain is the highest terrain feature at this latitude, with nothing to block approaching weather. And an average 400 inches of snow means you can ski right into June—sometimes till July 4—making Mammoth one of California’s premier spring-skiing destinations. Just right for families Families do great at Mammoth. In summer, mountain biking and the zipline [ Inside Scoop: Family Fun] are big draws for kids of all ages; but in winter, skiing and snowboarding are the big draw. The resort recently unveiled the new entrylevel Terrain Park, where little ones can dare themselves to ski like big kids, but in Enter keyword in Search box at visitcalifornia.com 25 http://www.pechanga.com http://www.pechanga.com http://www.visitcalifornia.com
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