North American ski areas aren’t always known for having the best groomed runs. In some cases, the trails are not groomed for weeks on end, creating mogul runs. In Mammoth Mountain, the ski area strikes a good balance between untouched freeride trails and perfectly prepared groomers. While the runs from the Top of the Sierra are mostly left au naturel, the intermediate and easy trails on the lower section of the mountain are groomed to an excellent standard. The slopes were in perfect condition on every day of our test.
Room for improvement on the lifts
While the grooming and the marking of the trails is top-notch in Mammoth Mountain, there is certainly room for improvement when it comes to the lifts. The most important lifts like Eagle Express (no. 15), Canyon Express (no. 16) and the Panorama Gondola are all state-of-the-art. However, there are also several older chairlifts without a weather protection hood and sometimes even without a safety bar. A trip up to the exposed summit ridge with Chair 23 certainly requires nerves of steel.