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Sierra Mountaineering International

4.8 (28 reviews)
Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Did a one day, 1on1 Whitney Moutaineers Route summit with Kurt on 7/18/24 and it was literally one of the most memorable days of my life. Kurt is everything you'd want in a guide and then some. Cannot recommend SMI enough and cannot wait to book my next adventure with SMI!

Rap after summiting Starlight's "Milk Bottle".

Over the Labor Day weekend, three friends and I climbed with SMI summitting four technical peaks at the Palisade Crest: Thunderbolt, Starlight, North Palisade and Polemonium. We had an amazing experience with SMI! Our guides, Kurt (founder of SMI) and Hjordis, were incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in every aspect of our adventure--whether it was route finding, rope setting, or guiding us through multiple-station rappels. Their expertise and calm leadership made us feel safe and confident at all times. The camp food was also excellent, adding to the overall enjoyment of the trip. The whole experience was seamless, and the strong team vibe made it even more memorable. I highly recommend SMI for anyone looking for a safe and unforgettable adventure in the Sierra and beyond!

I had an amazing three-day "Introduction to Mountaineering" workshop with Kurt and SMI. Couldn't be happier with the experience and how much I learned. A great entry into the exciting world of mountaineering. Even though the weather in Mammoth Lakes wasn't favorable to us that weekend (a warm storm rolled in, creating wet, silty snow) and we had a limited amount of snow at lower altitude, Kurt kept the workshop rich and engaging throughout. He's a friendly, patient, yet thorough teacher and an all-around fun guy to hang out with for three days. He has more than thirty years of experience in the mountains (including three Everest ascents) and really knows his stuff. We ran through everything I was hoping to learn: snow camping, rope traveling, self-arresting, managing the technical gear, crampons, ascender, learning the essential knots, and many more. I also really enjoyed my three fellow students, who shared my enthusiasm for those new skills. I made new friends and look forward to my next outing with SMI, probably the Mount Whitney Mountaineers Route, in winter. SMI is less than five hours from Los Angeles and will be my go-to outfit for all future mountaineering classes and Sierra expeditions.

Ice climbing lessons
Peter V.

Had a really awesome ice climbing beginner lessons weekend organized by SMI. Shout out to our awesome ice climbing coach Trevor. Two great days in Lee Vining and June Lake.

Returning to the Portal from a successful climb.
Grant H.

Thanks Kurt for guiding us up Mr. Whitney's East Face route! It was the best and most challenging time I've ever had.

East Face of Mount Whitney

Thank you Kurt, This was the trip of a lifetime thanks to you and your team. Our guide Ross was beyond accommodating and helpful. Not only was his skills as a professional guide impressive, he was helpful in preparing us for the trip we made. From the rope and protection training day, which was invaluable,to really taking the time to explain all levels of the trip and mentally preparing all of us, for what was to come. We successfully completed the East Face route of Whitney via the Mountaineer route. Admittedly this route can be a little intimidating, but Ross managed that and gave us all the confidence that we needed. We can not recommend you and your team enough. To anyone who is looking for a guide service for an upcoming trip, look no further. These people know how to make a trip a success and are great at instilling the training and confidence that truly make the difference. Good luck to all of you and we can't wait for the next trip with you guys. Jess

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Review Highlights - Sierra Mountaineering International

Kurt, Hannah and Simon were some of the most trustworthy, experienced, fun and caring mountaineers out there.

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Mammoth Mountain Ski Area

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area

4.0(835 reviews)
39.5 mi

This is review for the ski school. We had the pleasure of booking a private ski lesson with Drew…read moreHarris 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.

The crowds here are on another level. One morning we got to the main lodge at 7am and there were…read morealready 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.

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Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area

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China Peak Ski Resort - Bare restock room

China Peak Ski Resort

2.9(168 reviews)
42.8 mi

Be extremely careful with fences installed by ski patrol out of nowhere. They sometimes make…read moremistakes and install fences that do not make any sense that weren't even there that very same day, on the very same line. You will be better off throwing yourself into the ground at high speed to be able to stop on time, and walk around it, or you risk of being threatened like a criminal to cancel your pass, and to only use an easy line. On Friday, January 9th, I used a nice black diamond line 3 times from 9-11:30 am, no fence whatsoever, everything perfectly safe. While trying to run it for a 4th time at around 12:45, I noticed a "safety fence" on exactly the exit of that line, on a place that wouldn't make any sense. I already committed to the line, and was going at a decent speed. I tried to be polite enough, not destroying the fence but rather going under it. The ski patrol was finishing the fence close to where I crossed it, so he proceeded to threaten me like a criminal to cancel my pass and felt with the authority to order me to use Academy only. Weird thing, I tried to run the line again at like 2:30 pm, but planned to use a slightly different exit to avoid that fence, and for some "strange" reason, the fence I crossed and that I was threatened for, wasn't even there anymore. That tells me that someone made a mistake and just put a fence on a place that didn't make any sense whatsoever, and that would have actually made the run more dangerous instead of safer. Not even try to e-mail China Peak, they won't own their mistake, and essentially they will threaten you again over email to cancel you pass. This is not the friendly resort that it used to be anymore, take your business to Dodge Ridge, Bear Valley, or Mountain High, they still have the vibe.

Resort is beautiful, amazing views, all of the staff were very helpful. Specially Lindsay and Holly…read moreover in guest relations/ticketing. I watched Lindsay get berated by a guest over an issue with the parking lot. Lindsay kept very calm and professional. Lindsay and Holly were able to help me and my partner with our problem. The only thing missing from this resort to make it a 5 star would be the need for updated/more modern chairlifts, the current ones are very slow (20 minutes to the peak) and 3 out of the 4 times I stopped at one of the water refill stations they were all empty.

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China Peak Ski Resort
China Peak Ski Resort
China Peak Ski Resort

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June Meadows Chalet

June Meadows Chalet

4.4(121 reviews)
47.3 mi

One of the two places to grab a bite to eat at June Mountain…read more Quick and friendly service. The food is great for how quickly they need to keep serving everyone. The philly cheesesteak and fries were a sizable portion for the price on the mountain. If you are willing to splurge a little get yourself an ice cream cookie sandwich. that was one of the best treats i had on the mountain!

Old review that's been sitting in draft: For newbs learning to board or ski, this is the Gull lake…read morelodge remains our fav place to stay in June. Consistent over the years.. wonderful customer service, clean, comfy, and modern with dog friendly rooms. Pet rules: two dogs max. $20 x dog per night (3rd night they stay for free. yay!) The small things like having soft plush towels, Mrs. Meyers hand/dish soap and kitchen stocked with cooking oil, spices, and ground coffee is a big plus. Kyle and Krissy are always friendly and responsive over email. We stayed in few different rooms and the cabins here and you can't go wrong with any them. perfect spot. Long wide runs and friendly staff. The only way up is the two seater chair lift..it can be scary, but you don't have to strap in, so it takes off the anxiety of getting off the chair lift on top. Chair J6 is the easiest to get on and off the lift. It slows down a bit on top with a low incline. There are some flat areas on this run, so keep your speed or you're have to shimmy or walk until you get to an inclined. J2 is a two-seater. It lifts up and turns quickly, so make sure to unload as soon as you're on top. Especially for shorter people, the chair lifts up and can knock off your balance.

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June Meadows Chalet
June Meadows Chalet
June Meadows Chalet

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Learn To Snowboard - Getting comfortable going down toe side

Learn To Snowboard

4.7(26 reviews)
37.3 mi

Awesome lesson. Me and my little sister wanted to snowboard when we came to Mammoth this year, so…read morewe looked on Yelp for snowboarding lessons soon after we got there. I had gotten snowboarding lessons though the "Mammoth" school or whatever the official Mammoth Mountain lesson group is when I was about 11, and while it was ok, a lot of it was kind of boring and just hearing a random guy tell you "Come on! We're almost there!" like 20 times until you stumbled to the bottom. There wasn't a lot of personal attention as the instructor had 5 other kids to worry about and he didn't really offer any specific tips or pointers.This time we came as adults, so we wanted legit lessons rather than the mass-market diluted stuff. Rick was a great instructor. He was really nice and very patient with us, especially with my sister who had never done it before. He gave us lots of tips specifically for the things me or my sister were doing wrong, and he was always right by one of us as we went down the slopes. He also helped adjust our gear multiple times since the rental shop was super lazy and didn't customize ours (rhymes with Bay S O), and gave advice on what to tell them next time to help prevent that from happening again. Overall awesome lesson, even though we were basically 80 year olds the next day from all the falls. Definitely worth the price, you won't regret it. Thanks Rick!!!

Had a great experience with Brock. He took my daughter and 3 of her friends for a ski lesson. They…read morehad a great time and they got 2 hours of ski lessons. He said they were ready to zip down the mountain. Then he switched up and gave me a snowboard lesson 1on1 which was great for me. Saved me $$$ of money from doing it at Mammoth private lessons. Honestly 2 hours was good enough for me, since I was exhausted after that. Definitely going to use them again and have referred them to friends going up in April. I think Brock had fun too..LOL Now if I can stop being a chicken I would probably improve faster. Some notes I learned and could be advised to people, is to make sure to get your snowboards or skis tuned/sharpened. I think my edges needed to be sharpened but its not their fault, just recommend customers do it if they haven't before the lesson.

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Learn To Snowboard - Big mountain lines...go from beginner to advanced with us.

Big mountain lines...go from beginner to advanced with us.

Learn To Snowboard - Ride with our guys and learn the secret spots on the mountain.

Ride with our guys and learn the secret spots on the mountain.

Learn To Snowboard - We can get you dialed in on skis too!

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We can get you dialed in on skis too!

Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals - Getting ready to head out

Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals

4.9(200 reviews)
36.7 mi
$$

Went up to Mammoth for the long weekend and my son wanted to go snowboarding. I told him it's…read morebeen 20+ years since I last rode. But with no one that would go up with him, I had to unretire (aka Philip Rivers). This place was recommended by a friend and all the people in our group rented from this place. Dean helped my son and I with the fitting and he could not have been nicer. Told him it was about 20 years ago since I went snowboarding and he was like don't worry you'll be fine. Lol. But really nice guy. The return process was quick and painless. I would go back to this place to rent.

Ben the GM runs and incredible service oriented shop where the entire crew are expertly trained and…read moreknow their stuff when it comes to rental gear. How do I know? 1. I refer all friends and family and everyone one of them has had nothing but positive experiences espically honoring a 20% discount if requested 2. I rent my son's gear here every year and they have no issues switching out to larger skis and boots throughout the season. Free wax jobs as well! 3. I decided to get back into skiing after 35 years on a snowboard. They gave me great guidance on what to demo based on my user profile. I spend two differnt weekends trying a multitude of skis. They applied it as a credit and I bought a pair at 40% off from them. They are just the best. Brad Kraus

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Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals - Exterior shot.

Exterior shot.

Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals - Great day on the slopes!

Great day on the slopes!

Black Tie Ski & Bike Rentals - We returned rental at our hotel lobby!

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We returned rental at our hotel lobby!

Juniper Springs Resort

Juniper Springs Resort

3.4(368 reviews)
37.7 mi
$$

For a "shoulder season" getaway, you really ought to put Juniper Springs Resort on your list! I…read moremean, if you're a skiier, you probably already know about it, but in the off season (before the snows), you can get a room for a low rate, and still have the whole of Mammoth Lakes at your doorstep to explore! Tons of shops, restaurants, breweries, distilleries, etc. await! For amenities, Juniper Springs Resort boasts a pool, an exercise room, a jacuzzi, and beautiful lounging areas. The rooms all have small balconies where you can get some fresh air and admire the scenery. And (we learned mid-trip) the resort is one of four regular stops for the local free shuttle/trolley that comes by every 30 minutes or so and is free to use. On top of that, the resort is adjacent to one of Mammoth Lakes' many ski lifts, so at least some of the runs are available literally right at your doorstep. The room we rented was comfortable and spacious, with a full kitchen, nice comfy living room with gas fireplace, and a separate bedroom, and there were TVs in both rooms. Parking, by the way, is underground, which is assuredly a huge perk during the winter snows. Overall, we were very pleased with our stay, and would definitely consider staying there again. Couple of things they could have done better: 1. Guests should be made aware at check-in of the availability of the shuttle/trolley. My sweetheart was stuck at the hotel for a day until we figured this out for ourselves, as even when asked about Uber/Lyft, the front desk never mentioned the shuttle. 2. The ice machine on the 4th floor was perpetually empty. Not sure if it was just being regularly raided by other guests, or if it was in need of service. 3. A blender we attempted to use (provided as one of the in-room amenities) leaked its contents out through the bottom seal like a seive. When I disassembled it to check the gasket, I found black mold. The front desk was unable to help, but offered to remove it for us. 4. The televisions in the room were not "smart" in the sense that we could not "cast" to them from our phones. We do this a lot, so it's not a user error thing. Just beware you will be limited to whatever viewing options the TV/cable service provides. PRO TIP 1: Hinging off of #3 above, the rooms in the resort are potentially privately owned. Apparently ours was, and was rented out as a sort of Air-BnB. This was the reason the hotel couldn't help with the blender, as it is not an item the resort provides, but was provided by the owner. PRO TIP 2: BEWARE THE ELEVATOR DOORS! They close VERY quickly after opening, and we were struck by them several times. Open the door, stick your hand in, and once everyone has gone in or out, then remove your hand. I'll end with a funny/silly observation. In the elevators was posted a list of the hotel regulations, among which were the parking requirements. The advisement ended with a warning that vehicles parked inappropriately, and not corrected within 24 hours, would have a "boot" affixed to their vehicle. In a nutshell, if your vehicle is parked in such a way that it is causing a problem, their "fix" will be to make that situation permanent. Totally makes sense.

Very much enjoyed my experience, my room was nice, had an odd smell at first but nothing a window…read moreand some air didn't fix. The hot tub we used worked lovely, although the others didn't seem to be working as well. I slept very nice, and I would recommend.

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Juniper Springs Resort
Juniper Springs Resort
Juniper Springs Resort

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Sierra Mountaineering International - rock_climbing - Updated May 2026

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