How to Save Money with the Mammoth Mountain Beginner and Uphill Pass
Mammoth Bound exists to help everyone to experience Mammoth Mountain, which is why we help find and book the best rental and lodging deals in Mammoth Lakes. However, saving money on Mammoth Mountain lift tickets means people get to ride for longer so that’s what we’re talking about today!
The Mammoth Mountain beginner and uphill passes are great options for anyone who wants to ride at Mammoth Mountain while saving money, but each one is best for a very different type of skier or snowboarder. To help you decide if a beginner or uphill pass is right for you, the Mammoth Bound team has listed everything you need to know about the passes below.
Check it out to decide which pass is right for you, and then book your Mammoth Mountain lodging and rentals with Mammoth Bound!
When to Buy a Mammoth Mountain Beginner Pass
Mammoth Mountain is home to thousands of acres of skiable terrain, but if you can’t ski or snowboard confidently then you won’t be able to enjoy most of them.
That’s why the beginner pass exists.
Mammoth Mountain’s beginner pass gives riders access to chairs 11, 7, 15, and 17, or at least one chair near each of the three lodges around the base of the mountain. The benefit of the pass is that you’re not paying for access to trails that you don’t have the skills to ride just yet, so if you have no intention of riding anything beyond a blue run, then the beginner pass is perfect for you.
However, most of the trails serviced by the beginner pass are green, so if you ride at a level beyond green then there’s a good chance you’ll be itching for more terrain than the beginner pass covers. The other main drawback of the beginner pass is that since you can only ride a few chairs, you can’t ride from one lodge to another.
If you’re a beginner then you may not know that with a regular lift ticket you can ride to different lodges by taking lifts that traverse the mountain. Since the beginner lifts at Mammoth Mountain don’t go far enough up to ride down to another lodge though, if you want to go to a different lodge then you’ll need to get in your car and drive there.
To learn more about the Mammoth Mountain beginner pass, click here.
When to Buy a Mammoth Mountain Uphill Pass
On the other side of the spectrum, the Mammoth Mountain uphill pass allows splitboarders and skiers to earn their turns by hiking up the mountain instead of riding a lift. You must sign a liability waiver, have the proper gear, and be able to hike at altitude, but if you are then you can ride all of the mountain for much cheaper than a regular lift ticket. Another key piece of the uphill pass is having the skills to actually hike on skis or a splitboard.
You can’t just walk up Mammoth Mountain safely on a normal pair of skis with no uphill experience. Uphill skiers and splitboarders should be experienced at hiking so they can stay safe on the steep slopes of Mammoth Mountain.
Click here to learn more about Mammoth Mountain’s uphill pass as well as where the uphill trails are and which trails they service.
Remember that uphill routes are opened based on coverage and conditions, so always check the Mammoth Mountain trail report before committing to the uphill pass!