Spring Break 2004 at Mammoth Mountain in California

The place to be if you want to ride everything. Parks, pipes, rails, free-riding, or just hanging out and enjoying the scenery, Mammoth Mountain lives up to it’s reputation as one of the best an the biggest snowboarding and skiing resorts in North America. I’ve been riding for 12 years. I’ve been to numerous resorts in North America and in Europe and I can honestly say that Mammoth Mountain and June Mountain are a snowboarder’s sanctuary no matter what kind of riding you like to do.

Open up any issue of a progressive snowboarding or skiing magazine and you’re sure to see pictures of Mammoth Mountain. The ubiquitous Mammoth Mountain media should not mislead the average rider, this place truly has it all and strives to make a lasting impression.

I happened to venture to Mammoth with my twin brother Chad, also a 12 year veteran riding laminated wood, and his girlfriend Rachel. We all headed there to visit friends, relax and snowboard. Of course snowboarding came first of which we managed to do for five straight days. Three at Mammoth, one a June, and one sessioning a backyard rail park.

Mammoth is, well, mammoth! The mountain is actually part of the caldera wall of the giant Mono Lakes Volcano. Yes that’s right, the Mammoth area is volcanically active, which makes the thrill of crusing down the slopes slightly more daring. Standing atop the 11,000 ft summit, the Sierra Nevada Range stretches as far as the eye can see with endless backcountry possibilities. The backcountry was not the focus of the trip my brother and I went there to session the mountain, mainly the park with our good friend and guide for the week “Action” Rodd Moon. Three hombres from the flatland of Midwest America sessioned Mammoth and June respectfully as any So-Cal punk. By the end of the first day Chad and I had ridden all of Mammoth’s parks; that consisting of the family fun park with a full 6 foot half-pipe, the south park, containing a park run, boardercross, and sole dedicated rail trail and Unbound, the main park with 18 foot super-pipe among other obstacles.

Unbound should be seen by a first time visitor from the quad that wisks riders straight up to the top of the park for an easy drop-in. The park is sculpted to resemble a rider’s wet-dream. The park contains kickers, hips, rails, boxes, two half-pipes and a monstrous wall-ride. We managed a session through Unbound daily, but spent most of the time fighting gravity on the jumps in the south park.

Mammoth had by far the granliest parks I’d ever ridden, that was until I rode June Mountain. If you’ve ever wondered what a 80-foot long table with a 15-foot high kicker looks like, ride June Mountain. Rocking two of the smoothest parks ever, June also contains perhaps the best half-pipe in the US. The most inviting aspect of June was the lack of crowds compared to Mammoth. I don’t remember ever waiting at the top of a jump for someone to clear the landing, the only waiting that was done was rest in between endless cycles of the park or after hiking the pipe.

A week in Southern California would not be complete without a trip to the bar, and we were just so fortunate to have a night out on St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re a guy looking for girls, don’t set you’re hopes too high on the Mammoth night life; however, if you’re a girl looking for guys, you’ll have an infinite number of pretentious dudes earnestly wanting to divulge into their excessive dopeness on the mountain. Basically Mammoth will not disappoint in any way as long as the visitor is looking for a good time.

For the next trip planned through the US, either make Mammoth an option, or scratch the other possibilities and just head there. Whatever it is a rider is searching for, Mammoth and June Mountain are sure to cater to their needs and desires. Just make sure to ride the gondola to the summit and enjoy the view and the ride down, for both are truly spectacular.