Mammoth Mountain has dozens of lifts that access thousands of acres of skiable terrain, but the Eastern Sierra Mountains are so spectacular that you still may want to ski or snowboard somewhere that the lifts do not go.
In that case, you’re going to need to hike.
If that sounds like you then the Mammoth Bound team has put together a quick list of hike-to terrain at Mammoth Mountain just for you. Check it out below, then use Mammoth Bound to find the best deals on lift tickets and rentals in Mammoth Lakes!
The Hemlocks
The Hemlocks is one of Mammoth Mountain’s most popular areas since it’s a steep tree lined ridge with natural features that allow skiers and snowboarders to send their best tricks into deep snow.
They’re also an expert only area that must be accessed by hiking, which means the snow there stays untouched for longer than just about anywhere else on the mountain.
To reach The Hemlocks, you can take the Scenic Gondola or Chair 23 to the Summit Ridge and then take Road Runner down to the backside of the mountain. From there, stay high on the backside and traverse toward the boundary and above Santiago Bowl. Then you’ll need to hike to the top of the Hemlocks where you’ll then drop into steep trees.
You can take Chair 14 back up to the top of the backside and then traverse back to where the hike into the Hemlocks starts.
Other Traverse Heavy Trails
Although you may not need to unstrap to reach these trails, you will need to traverse in order to reach them.
Philippes
From the top of Chair 23 you’ll traverse skiers left towards Paranoid Flats and drop in. From there you’ll need to traverse a little further to drop into Philippes, which is one of the most popular trails at Mammoth thanks to its steep slopes and narrow chutes that create extremely technical and scenic lines.
Dragon’s Back Area
Dragon’s Back is one of the steepest and deepest parts of the mountain due to its technical terrain and the fact that you have to make a long traverse across the ridge to reach several parts of it.
For example, to reach Dragon’s Tail you have to traverse across Wazoo while staying high enough to still drop into the run.
To reach Dragon’s Back, either take the Scenic Gondola and traverse skier’s right towards the far boundary or take Cloud 9 Express and then Ricochet down while staying as high as you can on the traverse. If you take Cloud 9 Express, you will not be able to hit the Dragon’s Back trail or Head Chutes.
Don’t hike or access remote areas of the mountain alone! If you’re injured or fall into deep snow then it is unlikely that anyone will find you quickly, so always ski or ride with a buddy.