It is a very busy week at Mammoth with lots of people enjoying the holidays and some fantastic snow. However, things can get a little crazy at times so here’s some tips to make the most of your time at Mammoth this holiday.

1. Be early for everything! This applies to parking, first lifts, lunch and apres ski. Lifts open at 8.30am and usually the lift queues are not bad for the first half hour or so. Having an early lunch has two benefits; the first is that you might find a table and second when you head out skiing afterward the slopes will be quieter with others having lunch between 11.30 and 1.00. Consider finishing skiing a little early too if you want to grab something to eat or drink apres ski before restaurants get super busy.

2. Avoid skiing down to base areas in the morning. Once on the hill it is best to avoid chairs 1, 2, 15 and 16, especially in the morning, as these are the main access points onto the hill. Instead head to chairs on the mid mountain like 12, 22 and 25. Also the back side is often less busy if you are an intermediate or above.

3. Try to seek out runs that are not main thoroughfares. Runs to avoid are Broadway, Stump Alley and Cloverleaf. Good runs to head to are St Anton, Round Robin (although this now has a terrain park much to my disappointment) and Sleepy Hollow. If you are on a busy run ski or board to one side and don’t make random turns across the hill.

4. Go to the Village for lunch. You can either ski or download from the village gondola to the Village for lunch. Here you have the choice of several restaurants that may be less busy than those on the hill. If you are eating at McCoy Station there is additional seating downstairs that a lot of people don’t know about.

5. Pick up rentals or lift tickets the night before. Most places will let you get rentals the night before you go skiing. Even better is to get them delivered to your door. Ski Valet is one such company and they can even set up a locker for you on the hill.

6. Book lessons in advance. During this period private lessons almost always sell out. However, so long as you are on time you should always be able to get a group lesson.

7. Be safe on the roads. Traffic can get quite congested, for Mammoth that is! But driving on icy roads can be tricky so keep speeds down and following distances longer.

Hopefully these tips will make your trip to Mammoth at busy times a little easier. Have fun on the slopes and see you on the hill!