This is review for the ski school. We had the pleasure of booking a private ski lesson with Drew Harris for our four kids and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. Managing a group of kids with very different skill levels is no small task, but Drew handled it with patience, enthusiasm, and impressive skill. He quickly assessed where each child was at and tailored his guidance so everyone felt challenged while still having fun and building confidence on the mountain. Over the two days, Drew took the kids all over the mountain, helping them explore new terrain while always keeping safety front and center. His clear instructions and practical tips made a noticeable difference in their skiing, and it was great to see their progress even within a short time. Drew has a great way of explaining technique in a way kids understand, which helped them improve without feeling overwhelmed. One of the highlights for the kids was spending time in the ski park, where Drew showed them some fun tricks and helped them try new things safely. He struck the perfect balance between encouraging them to push their limits and making sure they stayed in control and confident. By the end of the lessons, all four kids were excited about how much they had learned and couldn't stop talking about their favorite runs. We're incredibly grateful for the experience and would highly recommend Drew Harris to other families looking for a fantastic ski instructor. His ability to manage multiple levels, keep kids engaged, and make learning fun made these two days on the mountain truly memorable. read more

The crowds here are on another level. One morning we got to the main lodge at 7am and there were already tons of cars parked down Minaret Road and we ended up having a ways to walk. Knowing how the bus system works is a must as you'll probably inevitably have to take them. This is the only place I've ever seen Disneyland long lines to take the bus at the end of the day at 4pm, while buses are stuck, stopped in a gridlock traffic jam. The line for a chairlift on a Monday wasn't even that long, yet somehow took almost 1.5 hours due to a conglomeration of factors. People either don't know or pretend they don't know how the chairlift lines merge and they have to wait their turn and merge 1,2,1,2, so whole families trying to cut in front of each other ended up yelling at each other, causing a scene. Everyone's frustrated and impatient with the chairlift lines and how slow they move. Yet then you'll randomly find another chairlift on the mountain with no line, and can stick to it all day and it will never grow a line as people's brains don't work too well at these high altitudes and they'll just keep flocking to the same Disneyland long line ones like sheep. The people here are really nice, like surprisingly nice and helpful. People will stop and make sure you're okay if you fall. One guy/simp even spent an hour helping my girlfriend slowly down the mountain after we got on a run too steep for her and got separated. There's a few outliers as always though, with the 3 degenerates in the car parked next to us bragging/joking about all the people they ran down that day, as it was early season and crowded. I saw one teenage snowboarder run down some little kid, and then take off as the kid's dad was screaming at him. As for the employees here, they're extremely nice and helpful. I definitely plan on coming back later this season after the crowds subside. read more

See all

What an amazing resort! I've been skiing for six years at a local resort in TAHOE. It was worth the 3 hour drive to get to mammoth lakes. The chairlifts were fast runs were well groomed and wide. They were plenty of blue runs to get you back-and-forth from mid Mountain. Didn't try the black run this time. Well consider getting an Ikon Pass to ski here next season. read more

See all

Kids had a great time getting a five star experience with their ski lessons from instructor Paul Kim. The lodge itself is a little dated, but has everything you need there in good condition. Surprisingly, their cafeteria food was pretty good with good options for adults and kids. read more

Been coming here since the 80's I've been a pass holder as an individual and as a Alterra mountain employee. We visit year round. Like any large destination resort you need to expect crowds and lines. If you want special treatment you should look into the Black pass that the Mountain offers. Crowds thin out in the Spring. Taught both boys to Ski here. Will continue coming back read more

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Family time at Eagle lodge - Ski Resorts Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

Tons of fun to get away from Tahoe resorts! The upper lifts didn't open the first day I visited on this trip, but the second had everything open. The runs seemed a bit longer than pretty much all of the Tahoe runs I've tried so that was very nice. Good amount of technical stuff too...not just a few runs. Make sure there are lifts at the bottom of the run you're taking. Went down one and found a bus at the end of it. Dismounted and luckily caught the bus back to the main lodge. Perhaps this is because I went late in the season. I may end up trying to go back here more often. It's on the Ikon Pass or you can pay daily fees. read more

See all

Mammoth ski area always gets a good amount of snow early season. There's snow is a bit wetter than Utah's.. but the terrain are amazing! They could improve on the food... most of the mountain serve cafeteria style food and taste. I had a bowl of chili, which was a bit bland like cafeteria food. Most restaurants in Mammoth are a bit expensive. The only corporate franchise they have here is Starbucks.. overall, skiing is awesome. Staff are accommodating... I stayed at the Austria Hof hotel, which I will also review. read more

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Canyon base area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

See all

Women's January Snowboarding Clinic at Mammoth Mountain - Highly Recommend! I had an amazing experience at the women's snowboarding clinic at Mammoth Mountain! It was challenging, while being safety-focused, and well-paced, with small groups that allowed for plenty of support and individual feedback. The instructors, Little Bear and Nikki, were professional yet fun, encouraging us to loosen up and enjoy the process instead of over-focusing on repetition. A great bonus was that they took plenty of photos and videos, so we didn't have to worry about capturing moments ourselves. Watching the videos helped us analyze our technique and see our progress in real time. The only downside was the lack of clear communication leading up to the clinic. After signing up, I only received one email receipt right away (which I lost) and then nothing until a few days before. A follow-up or even a quick text to confirm details and answer questions would have been helpful. Despite that, I'd absolutely return for another camp, and I know many of the other women felt the same. If you're looking to improve your riding in a supportive and empowering environment, this clinic is a fantastic choice! read more

See all

First time skiing at this resort and absolutely loved it. It helped also that this has been a season with tons of snow. We were there for a week and it snowed for a whole day on the second day and dropped 12 inches, providing perfect conditions for the following days which were all sunny. Lots of blue trails here which is good for all intermediate skiers - as the trail ratings are all quite accurate, no surprises. We stayed at Juniper Springs which is right next to the Eagle Express lift so super convenient ski in/out. Only thing is most of the lifts have no foot rest and one quad has no bar to keep you from falling out of the chair so gotta be careful. It could also get really windy sometimes higher up - saw people literally getting blown over. The free mountain tours starting at 10 am are worth taking to get to know the mountain. read more

See all

The weather great and the snow was good to carve! We showed up at 8:30 am with a bunch of gear and snacks. We had water camel packs, light and heavy jackets, change of clothes, and snacks. We got the large locker for $30 for the day and it can fit 4 of our snowboards, gear, and snacks! The smaller lockers are $20 for the day. Everyone there greeted you with a smile and are so helpful with the lockers! Thank you Canyon run lift has automatic safety bars that does not lift up until it reaches the top. Red Bull energy drinks were up there and were giving out free drinks to everyone. They played good music that vibed through out the base and this definitely created the mood! After the first couple runs up Canyon and Gold Rush, my kiddo got tired. They are long runs and that's what we love about Mammoth! After lunch he wanted do a few more runs on School Yard. And that was perfect for little ones or beginners. Mammoth Mountain definitely has the snow you're craving right now! We are done for the weekend and heading back home to LA. Thank you for the amazing experience. See you again soon Mammoth! read more

See all

This is for lift operations chair 12 feb 8. I didn't get off in time and fell off the lift. The operator was quick to stop the chair, hustled over to make sure I was okay, in a very kind way. Then he ran back to restart the chair so there was as little inconvenience as necessary. Very professional. read more

A huge shout out to the ski patrol yesterday! Emma and Brooke were amazing. They took care of my wife who fell off of road runner and into some rocks. Her iPhone saved her life from the rocks and the ski patrol team got her safely down the mountain. Mammoth mountain ski patrol and honestly everyone I've ever encountered at mammoth mountain has outstanding customer service. Thank you a million times! read more

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

Now, I have lived in Southern California the majority of my life, and have never ever been to Mammoth Mountain. First of all, I do not know how to ski, or have even tried. So, my girlfriend take me up here last weekend in her car, and her girlfriends came along with us. She knows how to ski by the way. So they all gave me some practice lessons after renting skiis. I did ok for a first beginner. Snow is really cold, and the resort areas and Ski areas are beautiful. Service and workers up here are super friendly. The Ski instructors helped me out as well. So this could be a new hobby for me. read more

Still the best mountain in Cali hands down. I'm a season pass holder and love it here. Downside is the lift ticket prices continue to increase. Lots of terrain for different skill levels. They've recently upgraded the Canyon Lift and it's a state of the art 6 man chair. They definitely need to upgrade chair 25 next! You can park at Main Lodge and go all the way up the mountain, the Village and take the gondola up, Canyon Lodge or Eagle. Lots of options but get there early as the lots fill up and you may have to park away from the lot and take a shuttle. It's about a 4 1/2 hour drive from LA and yes it's worth it. read more

See all

You have to know how to navigate Mammoth... It's a fantastic resort that will please all levels. Here are my tips... Get there when they open. Check the app and when they open upper lifts, go and stay there...22, 23, 25, High Five Express, 9, Upper Gondola if that's your thing...check the map for your level. When they open 12, 13, 14, these are great chairs usually with less lines, 14 has the most line usually. Also where 13 and 14 are on the backside is a great place for a break and a good lunch spot but it has to not be snowing bc it's outside. If you want a good lunch place with tons of options-McCoy station. It's a great place to meet your group especially if you get separated from each other. Tip for McCoy...sit downstairs it's more seating usually and games to play as well as the least crowded bathrooms (ugh I almost don't want to write that last part lol. Keep it between us). Even though I love all the runs off the Eagle Chairlift...I would avoid it, you can get stuck there for a long time and it can make you cranky. Exception is on a weekday. Then Eagle your heart away . If you love just playing around...to the right of canyon there is Schoolyard Express and to the right of that another chair with usually fun jumps setup. When my kids were smaller and wanted to go with their friends I would have them go on those chairs or Chair 8 so they wouldn't get lost. Oh and in the morning--Roller Coaster can be great. There's a park next to it and it tends to get busy as the day goes on. read more

See all

After skiing at Mammoth Mountain for many years, Mammoth Mountain is suffering from the management of Alterra . I do understand that the recent large snow fall makes safety a priority, but to keep thousands of skiers stuck at the bottom of the mountain on one of the busiest weeks after 3 sunny days shows that Alterra prioritizes profits over the skier experience. The Saturday edition of the local paper- the sheet- an extensive editorial speaks to the many ways that Mammoth Mountain has suffered under Alterra ownership. It is time for more skiers to start speaking up about needed reinvestment in operational excellence that was previously present. Lift tickets and passes cost up- service down. This will continue until enough people complain, spread the word, and/or spend their recreation/vacation dollars elsewhere. read more

This mountain needs better operations. First and most important there is no reason for all these people getting hurt. Avalanche prevention is done succesfully all over the country. This is the second year in a row that there has been a fatality. What are you guys doing! Second, the top of the mountain has been closed for 4 days! Yesterday was a blue bird day and not even half of the mountain was open. I waited on line for an average of 35 minutes. I waited at 2 yesterday for 50 minutes. Third, there was absolutely no order involved in getting on the lines. It was just a mass of people forcing themselves foward. The lodges were packed to the brim. You have managed to kill people and ruin thousands of vacations. Some of us only have a few seasons left. This may be my last and you guys should be ashamed of yourselfs. read more

My 9 year old son had his 1st ski lesson with Paloma. My husband was on the mountian with him during his lesson and couldn't be more happy with how awesome, patient, and encouraging she was. My son had so much fun and can't wait to get back on the slopes to ski! Thank you Paloma for providing our son with the best positive first experience skiing and sparking a new passion! And Paloma - If you read this, Ryan and Ray were able to make it down Sesame Street successfully on their own!! read more

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

I have skied all around Colorado, Utah and Wyoming but Mammoth is something else! Firstly, bcuz it's just driving distance to LA! With minimal planning, you are in perfect snow! The town is very chill and everything is just walking distance, and eventhough they get amazing snow, the distance from LA to 10 miles to the town is pretty dry and safe, so no crazy mountain drive. The lifts are fast, and slopes are always amazing, it can get windy on top but its mostly great. The restaurants are fast, and pretty good for ski resorts food. read more

See all

Mammoth. You've got to do better. You are a ski resort that continually seems caught off guard by snowstorms. While storms can be intense and offer unforeseen circumstances, your continued inability to provide basic function of your resort is mind boggling. read more

Stunning! I live in Michigan and generally barely know how to ski, but have somehow made it out to Mammoth twice and have loved each experience. There are multiple lodges/bases around the mountain, and there are lifts and runs for every kind of skier. For a beginner like me, there are plenty of beautiful and fun green runs. There's a good Mammoth app that I recommend downloading for a trip here, as it conveniently provides a live status of weather, open lifts and run, maps, information about food and drink, and a lot more. If for some reason you get hurt or need help, there's a button to call Mammoth emergency ski patrol and send your coordinates as well. Mammoth and the area surrounding also has a pretty convenient free shuttle services that will take you between the ski area and town and between some of the lodge/base areas. There's a cute village area too with shops and bars/restaurants. read more

See all

Highly recommend the beginner ski lesson at Mammoth Canyon Lodge. I took the 4h ski lesson with Will and he was super awesome! I have never ever skied, snowboarded, or ice skated before, which means that I have ZERO background in skiing and am not good with balancing either. I'm glad to take Will's class as he was not only patient but also encouraging. We have learned the basic skills including how to put on your ski-board, pizza, and turn. We even got a chance to try a green during our last hour of class. It was definitely intimidating for me as I kept falling. Will was so supportive. He kept encouraging me to continue and let me practice with him. Thanks to this experience, I became way better the second day when I ski again. This is a great experience and I really enjoyed this 4h lesson! read more

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area - Ski Resorts Near Me - Mammoth Lakes, California

See all

I've taken a few of ski lessons in Mammoth. Two at Main and another at Canyon. All of these lessons have been during the spring, the first two back in 2024 and the last lesson being in Canyon this year. I'm very pleased to say that I've only had really great instructors and I've been lucky enough to have very small groups. My first couple of lessons were booked as beginning group lessons but ended up as private lessons. This year, I was paired with an another skier who was really close to my skill level. The entry point for skiing is not cheap. I feel like not only did I get my money's worth but I gained so much knowledge and great memories from these lessons. I feel confident going down the mountain and even went down my first Black Diamond! From beginner to going down a black in less than a handful of lessons feels like such an accomplishment and a true testament to the staff on this mountain. read more

Very poor mountain management. While the lines at the Eagle Express 6 person lift were 40+ minutes, the lift operators were letting 2 to no people get on a chair, AFTER they had formed groups of six. Lines are a mess, they don't pay attention to what happens after you scan your pass. People let chairs pass with no people on them. Everyone in the line was booing when chairs passed with 2 to no people on them. They said they would open the mountain with a couple lifts on a day with poor weather- after EVERYONE had gotten to the mountain, and the parking lots were full, they announced that the mountain was closing. Crowds are crazy. Better to come here during a blizzard, if the mountain is open, because that's when the lines are shortest. It's more worth to sit through freezing winds on the lift and get good snow rather than sit through an hour+ wait at a single lift just to get a 2 minute run in. Other ski resorts open almost all lifts with this kind of weather. Mammoth seems to just struggle with this for some reason. Snow is great, but it just sucks that a day can be ruined when they decide to just open two lifts. I can see that ski patrol has a difficult job of avalanche mitigation, etc. But opening only a few lifts on a sunny day is crazy. read more

Mammoth is a great mountain but the management needs to do a far better job of managing the opening of its lifts. Understand they are probably EXTREMELY risk averse due to ski patrol deaths at Mammoth and elsewhere. However, they need to move forward and figure it out. The past four days have been dumping snow and they opened a few lifts only - for safety reasons. Day five - beautiful sunny day - and still only a few lifts open. Insanely long lines at 0850 in the mornin. Crazy. Don't know if it is because you can't plan ahead or because teenagers seem to run the mountain, but you've got to do better! read more

My December trip (27-29) was an abomination. On the 27th, after a day of driving and despite great snow, the resort was closed - 1/3 of my trip gone, without even an offer by Mammoth afterwards to refund my paid lift tickets for me and my son. (Plus we of course had to pay for our hotel, just to sit around.). The following two days the resort was open but stuffed with lift lines worse than I'd seen in 40 years on the snow - multiple hour+ lift lines. In total, a few hours of real snowboarding for a trip that cost thousands. I would rather have stayed in San Diego. read more

If you want to learn how to ski or snowboard, this is definitely the best mountain to go to! After going to Big Bear, I wanted to make a trip out here to not only get better, but also experience fresh powder. I'm still learning how to snowboard, but after going to Mammoth, I think I improved a lot! There were so many mountains at all skill levels, so you'll surely find one best suited for you. At the time I went, there was a snow blizzard the day before, so there was so much fresh powder, which softened my fall. Also, I really liked Mammoth because their mountains are a lot longer than Big Bear's, which gives you more room to practice. This has been one of the most fun snowboarding trips this year. I highly recommend anyone who loves the snow to come here. Everyone is so nice and has great energy. Such a fun experience! read more

See all

This is for Canyon Lodge only. We had an excellent experience at Canyon Lodge Ski School this week. Our kids both took the first timer class and then the longer all day class in their respective age groups. Both kids had a great time with great instructors. Special shout out to Ryan, Collin, Astrid, Scott H., and Laura and Kyla at the ski school front desk for making the experience smooth and easy. They were great at communication, took good care of the kids and knew when to push them a little further but not too far. Collin is an excellent instructor. He took my kid who didn't want to be there at all (tweens) and got them to be excited about lessons the next day. My other child asked repeatedly if Ryan and Astrid would be there next year so they can have them as their instructors again. read more

This resort is huge for skiing and snowboarding! There's lots of routes for the beginners to the experts. I appreciate that there's a discounted lift pass for just the beginner routes (4 lifts). They are in different spots though so you'll need to use the shuttle to get around. The resort is really organized and lots of amenities available like seating, heated areas, and bathrooms. read more

When Mammoth mountain going to be held accountable for their total mishandling of operations. Everything from not enough shuttles for the number of people, to shutting down lifts and keeping crazy crowds stuck in the cannon. Not to mention not running the cannon express. They should be ashamed of charging people the prices they charge and limit the mountain like they do. This isn't the first time this is most of the time. In 30 years skiing at mammoth you can count on one hand the days that were great. You are better off flying to Colorado where they all know how to manage a ski hill read more

I've been skiing Mammoth for over 50 years and owned a condo here for 29 years. I've never been so embarrassed for Mammoth Mountain. It is understandable that avalanche control and other safety measures will cause delays for lift opening, but the lift operations were total amateur hour today. With an over ONE hour lift line you would think the lift ops would be trained to FILL EVERY CHAIR ! On 16 and 4 (Canyon Express and Roller Coaster) every third-fourth chair departed UNFILLED. Sometimes only ONE person on a four person chair.....all while many hundreds if not thousands (16 was easily a thousand people) who paid big $$ for accommodations and lift tickets wait in line and watch while lift operators are standing around chatting with each other and NOT FILLING EACH LIFT CHAIR. Mammoth should be ashamed for their total mismanagement and disrespect for their customers. read more

They are sold out on ikon epic passes and hesitant to work hard to open mt since already getting paid. I know they lost a ski patrol but this last 3 days sucked with incredible lines and waiting in lines that are not opened 9-15 and website said 830 read more

A weekend well spent at the best ski/snowboarding mountain in California! I spend several weekends a year snowboarding here and just love the terrain. The coverage here is quite good throughout the season. This weekend was the busiest I've ever seen with crazy long lines. Lots of snow impacts the lifts and also brings riders to the mountain. The ticket prices have gone up drastically, but by the amount of people out there it must not be a big deal. There are several lodges to stop at throughout the day. McCoy, being in the middle of the mountain is usually my go to for a break and quick bite with The Mill a close 2nd based on location. Although there is a decent amount of parking, lots are always full early on weekends or days right after a storm. Luckily there us a great bus system that runs around town, to various parking lots and to the base lodges to catch lifts. read more

See all

I got persuaded to join some friends for skiing. I had never had the pleasure of partaking in this sport. The people were professional fitting me into boots and selecting my ski size. Thoughts such as "Well 31 is a long and good life." And "These white people are crazy and trying to kill me." Was a thought I had after a number of falls on the bunny slopes. Eventually I got better and made it down the bunny slopes. It was quite the Adrenaline Rush that few other experiences can replicate it read more

See all

Time for an update, as my last was not stellar. Somehow, they have were able to remain open through tough times during Covid. Customer service has improved and most people are paying attention. Still one of the resorts with the most varied terrain and challenging trails in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There are some hidden gems in this resort that I have found since my prior review. The Outpost continues to be my favorite spot to break, but I keep finding new ways down. Ski hard, folks. read more

terrible staff. hassled my son and I so much about lift tickets that we bought at their ticket office. wasted so much time , we missed much of our skiing time read more

I hear this place is SO great yet when I went it was icy , mushy and the conditions were terrible . At least in so cal they maintain and groom the runs even with low snow level . They don't do that al all at mammoth even if it has a solid snow depth base . Not sure why they don't either they make a ton of money so why not patent the same experience for all riders ever very day instead of just gambling on the conditions alone ? read more

I've been coming to Mammoth Mountain for 15 years now and it's by far the best ski resort in California. I've skied many different resorts all over the world and the terrain that Mammoth Mountain offers is unmatched. They truly have runs for every skill level and some of the most gorgeous views ever! Lodging and food at the resort is expensive but overall worth it. Mammoth will always have a special place in my heart! read more

See all

The instructors are courteous, patient and well rounded. Simon Colyer does an exceptional job at keeping everything on track and all his employees well informed and fine tuned. I would recommend Mammoth Ski and Snowboard School to anyone wanting an exceptional experience for their child or adults read more

This review is about the equipment rental. I reserved a demo board experience and was met by Hunter. Super nice guy, accommodating, and very knowledgeable with snowboards. Even installed my bindings on the demo board. Hunter made the process a breeze. read more