Page 145 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

DAKOTA SNIDER/VISIT MAMMOTH; JOSH WRAY/VISIT MAMMOTH; DAKOTA SNIDER/VISIT MAMMOTH. OPPOSITE: DAKOTA SNIDER/VISIT MAMMOTH
STAND-UP PADDLE BOARD YOGA on
Twin Lakes at the annual Mammoth Yoga
Festival, opposite; fishing, climbing and
snowboarding opportunities abound in
Mammoth Lakes, right.
Summer 2020 also brings new and old
thrill-seeker experiences: additions to
Mammoth’s high-wire Via Ferrata cliff-edge
climbing courses, and a day at the Mam-
moth Bike Park with more than 80 miles of
singletrack on truly radical terrain (but also
with a beginner-friendly Discovery Zone).
Winter Adventure
As the name suggests, Mammoth Mountain
ski resort is gigantic, with terrain
descending from multiple peaks providing
runs suitable for all levels of skiers. The
resort creates more than a dozen terrain
parks for snowboarders, and hosts regular
competitions for those who just want to
watch. The 2020 ski season will add new
eating and drinking venues at Mammoth
Mountain, including the Canyon BBQ and
the indoor/outdoor Lincoln Bar at Canyon
Lodge, and the Fowl Language southern-
style restaurant at Eagle Lodge. Work off the
meals at the Tamarack Ski Center and the
Mammoth Lakes Nordic Trail System with
some cross-country skiing. For non-skiers,
the Mammoth Lakes area offers dogsled
rides, snowmobiling, snowshoe tours, fat-
tire snow biking and even snowcat rides to
scenic picnic spots. Small kids enjoy Mam-
moth’s tubing park, winter parades with
mascot “Woolly” and scenic gondola rides.
June Mountain, a 20-mile drive from Mam-
moth Lakes, is a laid-back ski resort where
kids 12 and under ski for free! If it’s too cold
outside, dine and play inside at the Mam-
moth Rock ’n’ Bowl, or catch a film at the
remodelled Minaret Cinemas with new
beer and wine service. Beer enthusiasts can
sip through the Eastern Sierra Brewery
Tour, and try more regional brews at the
Public House Tap Room. For a taste of the
south, warm up with street tacos at the new
El Charro Taqueria at the Sierra Center Mall
or hot Cuban Sandwiches at the new Dos
Alas CubaRican Café with their equally
tasty views of the Sherwin Mountains.
Spring Activities
Spring around Mammoth Lakes offers great
deals on lodging and activities for those
looking for some late-season sunny skiing
(Mammoth Mountain often stays open past
Memorial Day) or some early biking and
fishing, as well as hiking to see early wild-
flower blooms. Some people tackle the
“spring triathlon” of skiing, biking and
fishing in a single day. Spring is also a good
time for birding, when enthusiasts come to
spy many of the 300 species of local and
migratory birds that fly through the area,
including the horde of 50,000 California gulls
nesting at Mono Lake each year. Clearing
skies provide great stargazing opportunities
for visitors to the Eastern Sierra Observatory
in their extended May viewing dates.
Fall Colors
Fall foliage provides a feast for the eyes all
around Mammoth Lakes. There’s nothing
quite like hiking through the colors in the
crisp fall air on the Mammoth Rock Trail or
the Heart Lake Trail, camping for a couple
of days amidst the trees at the Sherwin
Creek Campground, or even just driving the
winding mountain roads of the June Lake
Loop to enjoy the spectacular reds, yellows
and greens of aspen groves and cottonwood
trees below towering pine forests. The
adventurous can soar above the display on
helicopter tours. Or play cowboy and
explore the foliage by horseback on
daytrips, or multi-day horseback adven-
tures through historical sites in the hills.
For a spooky Halloween, or any quiet day,
visit the ghost town within Bodie State
Park, the abandoned remnants of a gold
mining settlement about 60 miles north of
Mammoth Lakes.
2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 143