Mammoth Mountain’s high elevation means massive storms that carry heavy snow. Once the storms clear though, there are endless skiable acres covered in Mammoth Mountain powder snow waiting for someone to have their dream day of skiing or snowboarding.
We want everyone to love Mammoth Mountain just as much as we do, so the Mammoth Bound team has put together a short guide to where to find Mammoth Mountain powder below. Keep reading to reach your next powder turn, then use Mammoth Bound to find the best deals on lodging and lift tickets in Mammoth Lakes!
Important Reminder: Some of the best powder areas at Mammoth are going to be on expert terrain. Even though powder feels soft and forgiving, you should not ride beyond your skill level into it. Falling in deep snow is dangerous, especially around trees due to tree wells. Do not ride beyond your skill level and always ride with a buddy in deep snow!
Chair 9
Chair 9 drops riders above a steep run at Ricochet and a quick drop into Goldhill which is slightly easier. Either way, if you take either you’ll be in a wide-open area with just enough slope to pick up speed for hard powder turns in between trees.
You can also traverse across Ricochet into the steep slope and trees on Wazoo, but be aware of the extreme terrain you’ll find there!
Chair 22
Chair 22 offers all the best advance riding you could hope for. From the snow and trees on Sunshine Glades to the narrow and steep slopes Avalanche Chutes are named after, this is the place to make deep turns.
Chair 23
Chair 23 takes riders to some of the most extreme terrain on Mammoth Mountain. Still, it’s also one of the most popular chairs thanks to what’s possible on its runs when the snow is right.
From Chair 23, traverse skiers left towards Paranoid Flats and then traverse even further to hit Kiwi Flats for fast and deep turns while the powder lasts.
The Panorama Gondola
The runs off the gondola are mostly steep, long, and perfect for making hard turns into powder. Make the most of a powder day by dropping off the summit and down Climax, Dave’s, or Cornice to see what it feels like to ski big mountain lines in excellent snow.
Face Lift Express and High Five Express
Enjoy advanced terrain and deep snow on the black diamonds between High Five Express and Face Lift Express.
These are steep runs with technical terrain that you must have the skill to ride, but if you do then the high location on the mountain and the natural geography of the area make for great powder skiing and snowboarding.
If it’s snowing, then the area between these two chairs can be extremely difficult to ride due to whiteout conditions and wind, so take your time and ride carefully if the powder is still falling.