# M A M M OTH S TO RI E S
GOLDEN STATE GOOD TIMES
2 0 16 / 2 0 17
Editor’s Letter
Words by Jeff Baker
395. Three little numbers we all have in common. A rite of passage. A 200-mile endurance test we all must take to reach the oasis we call Mammoth. Driving this stretch of highway certainly has its challenges, but once we fight our way through LA and the congestion eases, the pain turns into relaxation knowing Mammoth is not too far in the future.
I upgraded from my buddies to a wife and two kids. The junk food from the convenience store has been replaced by “healthy snacks” from Trader Joe’s. The kids snuggled in the back within a fortress of blankets and pillows, we call “the nest.” It’s all about taking it slow — seeing the sights along the way. We might stop in Lone Pine and snap some photos of Mt. Whitney. Maybe take a dip at Keough’s Hot Springs. Sample some roadside jerky. Or just wander around at a random exit and get our shoes dirty.
Over the years, Highway 395 has meant different things to me. For some time, I simply viewed the drive as a test to see how good I was at “patrol evasion.” I was constantly trying to “beat my personal record” to see how efficiently I could get to Mammoth. For what it’s worth, my record from Huntington Beach to Mammoth Lakes stands at five hours and five minutes. These were my college years, and my truck was always filled with filthy snowboarders bumming a ride. Every nook and cranny of the car was filled with smelly gear, snacks from 7-Eleven and a desire to reach Mammoth in time for first chair.
No matter how my trips along 395 have changed over time, my favorite part about the drive still is the change of seasons we experience along the way.
Over the years, my approach up 395 has matured.
This issue of Mammoth celebrates the splendor of the seasons, and we’ve broken up the magazine into four chapters, each sharing the stories and personalities that celebrate this year-round destination.
We’re so fortunate as Californians to leave SoCal on a warm November night — maybe 72 degrees. With each hour of the drive, the outside temperature drops 10 or so degrees. By the time we reach the State Route 203 turnoff, it’s dropped to a frosty 28 degrees — the temperature where my jacket feels just right.
After you’re done reading the magazine, do yourself a favor and reach for your keys (instead of your cell) and hit the road. And remember, whatever your route, there’s no wrong path up 395.
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Photo by Jude Allen H MAMMOT
Contents
12 PG
CHAPTER 01
WINTER SHAUN WHITE by Pat Bridges
The exclusive interview of Mammoth’s newest shareholder.
WEEKEND WARRIOR HIT LIST
by Nate Deschenes Check these eight runs off your list on your next trip to Mammoth.
ON THE COME UP by Lauren Burke The future of snowboarding told through five young snowboarders. UNBOUND TERRAIN PARKS
by Nate Deschenes From beginner to pro, there’s a terrain park for everyone.
TAMARACK LODGE by Nate Deschenes Abandon the lift lines and escape to the serenity of the wilderness. #MAMMOTHBEANIE by Lauren Burke
Get your hands on the new 2017 Mammoth Beanie.
MAMMOTH
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60 PG
CHAPTER 02
SPRING SUPERPARK 20 by Tom Monterosso
An all-star team of terrain park builders ascend on Mammoth to build the ultimate collection of massive features.
#MAMMOTHSTORIES by Lauren Burke You shot and posted to #MammothStories. Here are some of our favorite contributor Instagram photos.
HOT SUN, HOT LAPS, COLD BEER
by Nate Deschenes Sun’s out guns out. Let the good times roll.
80 PG
CHAPTER 03
SUMMER COMING HOME by David Page
Multi-generational family sharing their compassion for Mammoth Lakes.
A PERFECT DAY by Nate Deschenes
Twin, Mary, George, Mamie and Horseshoe. Six lakes each with a unique personality.
MAMMOTH BIKE PARK
106 PG
CHAPTER 04
FALL BLACK VELVET COFFEE AND WINE BAR by Nate Deschenes
From pro snowboarder to coffee bar entrepreneur, this is the reinvention of Matt Hammer.
PITCH PERFECT by Lauren Burke Follow Tammy Wilson & Kimmy Fasani as they explore the outdoors and inspire other female climbers one boulder at a time.
by Steve Krcmar Mammoth Mountain isn’t just for winter thrill seekers. Check out the newest additions for the bike park.
KIDS ADVENTURE PASS
by Nate Deschenes Ziplines, climbing walls, trampolines and more. The Adventure Pass will keep your kids adrenaline pumping with smiles for days.
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COVER
Bernie Rosow scoring first chair off Drop Out on a perfect winter morning. Photo by Peter Morning
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PG 12
CHAPTER 01
WIN T E R IMAGE GALLERY SHAUN WHITE WEEKEND WARRIOR HIT LIST ON THE COME UP UNBOUND TERRAIN PARKS TAMARACK LODGE MAMMOTH BEANIE
Ski patroller, Bobby Hoyt chucking dynamite in preparation for an epic powder day. Photo by Peter Morning
Left: Scott Blum invert from Hole in the Wall. Photo by Tim Peare
Above: Night of Lights celebration. Photo by Peter Morning
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WINT ER G AL L ERY Bernie Rosow early morning slash on Drop Out. Photo by Peter Morning
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WINTE R G ALLE RY Left: Bernie Rosow. Photo by Christian Pondella
Above: Photo by Peter Morning
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Story by Pat Bridges
Shaun White An exclusive interview with Mammoth’s new shareholder.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a snowboarder who hasn’t dreamed of having a ski area they could call their own. Well, Shaun White has once again done something that other riders can only imagine, except instead of a single resort, he now has a stake in four. In the lead-up to the 2018 Olympics, White now has a new home in the Sierra to hone the skills that have already earned him more Olympic and X Games gold medals than any other snowboarder alive. Yet Mammoth isn’t really a new home for him. Mammoth — along with Snow Summit and Bear Mountain — are in White’s alpine DNA and on display with every double-cork, three-story air and flawless contest run that he stomps. Then there is June Mountain, where White’s legendary snowboarding journey began more than two decades ago. Here, the newest member of Mammoth’s executive family talks about his longstanding connection to these peaks and what the future holds for him and these hills.
Photo by Cameron Strand
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“The underlying motivation of Air + Style is to get people inspired to go to the mountains.� Photo by Peter Morning
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What are your earliest memories of riding Snow Summit, Bear Mountain and Mammoth? What stands out the most is being woken up by my parents in the dead of night and getting in the car and falling asleep in the back as they drove up. They would have the blankets laid out in the back of the car and we’d fall asleep, and then wake up at the mountain. We went to Summit and Bear the most because Mammoth was a long drive away from Carlsbad [California] by car. We wanted to go to Mammoth because that was the bigger mountain, but we could only go when we wanted to splurge. So I remember Mammoth as being a real treat. The first place I actually went snowboarding was June Mountain. We rented a Yellow Bus snowboard and it was huge. I was begging to do it again and my mom got me my first Burton and we started going to Summit. How old were you at this time? I was probably 5 years old when we did the June thing, and then by the time we got to Summit with the Burton board, I was 6. How often would you get up to the hill? We would go every weekend, basically, and if there was a long weekend, we’d go up to Mammoth. Did you have any notion of what snowboarding would become in your life back then? My parents put me in an amateur USASA giant slalom race and I won. I was having fun riding around the mountain, but right when I won something it became like, “I can do more than just be good at this; I could actually, like, win things!” Contests became something that the whole family did. Even my dad, “The Rodge,” competed. I probably shouldn’t talk about this, but it shows how competitive we are as a family. There was this guy, Glenn, that was around my dad’s age. He loved snowboarding and competing. At every contest, The Rodge was like, “Glenn is going down.” That’s probably where I get my drive from. Now I laugh about it, but I remember there was this one kid that skated at the Encinitas Y at the time and he was sponsored by Birdhouse. He was the sweetest guy, but I was like, “That dude is going down.” Back then we would all go up to the resort and everyone in my family rode together. It wasn’t really about me at the time; it was about the family. That probably changed when I turned pro at 13. We’ve talked before about how you’ve applied some theories from Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers to your success and how Snow Summit laid the foundation for everything you were able to do in snowboarding since. I’ve definitely related certain scenarios of the book to my life. I don’t know how young I was, but I remember being at Okemo
in Vermont for a day at their halfpipe. There was no one riding because it was freezing cold and the pipe wasn’t fun; it was just solid ice. When I was reading Outliers, I flashed to that time I went to ride at Okemo. Then I remembered being at Snow Summit and every single day was sunny. Every day. And not only was it sunny and inviting to go ride the pipe, they also had a rope tow. I started doing the math of how many runs I was getting compared to some kid hiking at Okemo and the amount of energy I had to keep riding throughout the day, so I determined that within that one weekend of riding at Snow Summit, I was probably getting triple the amount of riding of other kids who were actually living in the mountains of Colorado or Vermont or wherever were getting by hiking or riding the chairlift. Then the fact that Chris Gunnarson and SPT [Snow Park Technologies] started their terrain-park program there meant that we had the best built stuff to ride, which, in turn, attracted the best riders. Jimi Scott taught me how to do a McTwist! So I had the best weather, conditions and terrain, and was surrounded by the best riders. I really think Snow Summit was the best possible place for me to be at that time. But you always lived in SoCal and maintained your weekendwarrior status, albeit a bit more ferociously than most. That’s another of my anomalies. During my whole career, I’ve never lived in the mountains. As a kid, we would go up and my parents would rent a place on the weekends, but I never lived in the mountains. Every kid that was my age that was really talented, they all lived in the mountains. So every time we would get up there and go to a contest, we would see somebody talented riding, but they didn’t seem to get better. I think it is because they were like, “Well, I’ll try the trick tomorrow” or “I’m just not feeling it today.” I only ever had those two days on a weekend to do what I wanted to do. That was it. So everything that I was mulling over during the week at school, I would go and ride that weekend and I would be like, “Alright, here’s my time to learn this trick and try something new.” I had this finite amount of time to practice, so it created this urgency to the process. Not only was I doubling and tripling the amount of riding somebody was doing on any other day, but I was really focused on what I wanted to do. Time on snow became a valuable commodity. But also a lot of kids burn out. They just get over it. Get jaded. It’s like having the beach in Hawaii right there. I go to Hawaii and it’s like, “The waves are amazing right now!” They’re like, “Eh, it’s decent.” They get used to it being really good and so they only go ride when it’s really good.
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“At Mammoth the best days start by going to the top of the gondola. I love to go down Road Runner toward Chair 14. That long cat track has side hits galore.”
Photo by Nick Hamilton
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Photo by Cameron Strand
I think it’s also a huge factor in how you can take extended time off from riding to deal with other opportunities and commitments and then show up cold and dominate the competition with a minimal amount of practice. You did that last March at the U.S. Open and arguably threw down the best runs of your career. That was a heavy one. I had taken about a month off. But that’s just how I always did it. And that always created a lot of tension with the other riders because I wasn’t always just hanging out. I would ride and then I would go home. I had all these friends and things waiting for me back home, so it was like these dual
lives. Nobody at school in San Diego ever really cared about me being a pro snowboarder: “That’s cool that you do that too, but we have soccer practice today.” It wasn’t until the X Games came into play that anyone took notice. It was a struggle to do it, but I never really talked about snowboarding when I got home. Now I go and I ride and I come home and refocus and get excited to go back to the mountains. It’s the same thing with skateboarding. I can always take the time off and come back to it and be right where I left off.
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People look at muscle memory in terms of tricks and skill as being something honed by constant repetition and training. I look at your path and think you have a unique type of muscle memory honed over decades to be able to take extended breaks and return right to the place you left off in terms of conditioning and skill. I think that’s because that is all your body and mind has ever had to work with. It’s strange. I talked to Tony Hawk about it once and he was like, “When did you last skate?” I was like, “I don’t know; it’s been, like, a year or two.” He was like, “Shit, dude, if I took, like, a couple months off, I don’t know what I’d do.” I have been in that kind of scenario since I was a kid, so it feels normal to take long breaks and pick back up where I left off. But the Open was heavy. A friend of mine had passed away and I was doing crazy promotions for the Air & Style in LA. There was all of this turmoil in my life and I wasn’t sleeping that well. But I watched a tennis documentary and I got super inspired, so I hired a trainer and a physical therapist. They work together on helping me even out my muscles and things, so I was working out every morning. When I got to the Open, it was like, “Finally, now I get to do what I am good at.” You mentioned Jimi Scott. Who were some of the other riders you saw growing up at Snow Summit, Bear and Mammoth? Well, I saw Shaun Palmer and liked him right away because we had the same name. I remember seeing Damian Sanders getting towed up Snow Summit with a snowmobile. I was like, “Holy crap, he doesn’t even have to take the chairlift.” He had a black mohawk and was doing these laid-out backflips with hard boots on. I thought, “One day I’m going to be so big that I can have my own snowmobile bring me back to the top after each run.” They once set up a vert ramp at the bottom of Summit and Tony Hawk came and skated for MTV. I think Pauly Shore was hosting the show and the Misfits were playing. There was always something happening, so it was a really fun place to be. And what about Mammoth? I remember going to Superpark at Mammoth when I was 13 and that stuff was crazy. I was so happy to be invited, and then I saw the heaviest stuff that I had ever seen go down on a snowboard before. What I remember most, though, is that I heard that somebody had a paintball gun. I didn’t want to get shot, but I kinda did. Then there was Danny Kass and the Grenade guys. I recall dipping my toe into pro events and doing a Grand Prix at Mammoth, and Danny came through with some amazing run and won it. He instantly became the guy that was the one to beat. His whole family was there, so Mammoth was definitely his place.
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And now I guess you could say Mammoth is your place. How did you become part of the Bear/Summit/Mammoth ownership team? I was meeting with Chris Gunnarson from SPT to talk about the Air & Style LA. Before the meeting started, he was like, “Haven’t you heard? They are selling Bear Mountain and Snow Summit. You should get in on that.” I think he was half joking, but I immediately wrote it down. Right after the meeting was done, I talked to my business partner and was like, “Hey, let’s do that! Let’s go see what it would cost.” We are doing so much in LA and it’s my home resort, so it was something I wanted to be a part of. We mentioned to Mammoth that I was interested and they called and we started the dialogue. I pursued them, and then, with Air & Style going down, we were looking to do fun partnerships. The underlying motivation of Air + Style is to get people inspired to go to the mountains. Kids under 11 get in free, there is a learn-to-ride area and everyone who buys a ticket also gets a free lift ticket. I see it as good for the sport, to get that fresh wave of kids going to the mountain and getting inspired and following the sport, because that’s the way I got into it. I never lived in the mountains, but I would go snowboarding every chance I got. As for Mammoth seeing me as a good fit, well these are my home mountains. I grew up riding there. We should literally do an ad with all of my old season passes. Then the whole Air & Style initiative was something that really inspired them. The deeper discussions include a lot of things like camps and other ideas that we have yet to fully hammer out, like bringing the music and art elements of the Air & Style to the mountains. For those who don’t know about it, can you give a brief explanation of the Air & Style? The Air & Style is a sports and music festival with three stops: one in Beijing, China, one in Innsbruck, Austria, and one in Los Angeles. The idea is to celebrate the whole culture behind our sport by having music, snowboarding, art and fashion come together at this one big event. When you don’t have to train and the cameras aren’t allowed to come out, what is your ideal lap? When the family is there, that’s when it’s most fun. Down south it’s all about Snow Summit’s West Ridge. At Mammoth the best days start by going to the top of the Gondola. I love to go down Road Runner toward Chair 14. That long cat track has side hits galore. If there isn’t any pow, that’s pretty much my favorite top-to-bottom run. I take that lap every single morning. It’s really convenient because we usually stay at the Mammoth Mountain Inn right near the gondola base. Even when I’m on the clock, that’s my warm-up run, and then I’m off to the pipe for the rest of the day.
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“The first place I actually went snowboarding was June Mountain.” Photo by Peter Morning
Photo by Kevin Duffel
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03 First Chair on a Pow Day
07 Take a Run with Woolly
02 Watch an Olympian Hit Main Park
Story by Nate Deschenes
WEEKEND 8 THINGS
05 Star Chute 01 Score a fresh line on The Hemlocks
06 Woolly’s Woods
WARRIOR TO GET DONE
HIT LIST
THIS WINTER
Within the folds of the Mammoth experience are moments that speak to us in ways that transcend language, instances in which smiles, laughter and the far-off, misty eyed gaze express the moment in infinitely greater detail than words. From the hair-raising steeps of Climax to the simple warmth of the sun shining down on the sun deck as you break for water, while some of the area’s most valued treasures are pleasantly unavoidable, others, however, are hidden in the woods, achieved with perfect timing or bagged only with some invaluable local knowledge. Surprisingly, with the right map, they, too, are not so hard to track down. So fasten those buckles, click those ratchets and get out your mental Sharpie so we can start checking off the most unforgettable experiences in and around Mammoth Mountain.
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Shayne Pospisl. Photo by Kevin Westenbarger
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SCORE A FRESH LINE ON THE HEMLOCKS If you are looking for some of the best natural terrain on the mountain, look no further than Hemlock Ridge. Once a locals’ secret, the goods are so plentiful here that the cat is finally out of the bag. Located on the backside of the mountain, Hemlocks is accessed via a short walk from the top of Santiago Bowl. Though the hike may wind those accustomed to sea-level air density, the rewards are copious, with some of the steepest trees and perfectly formed natural gullies on the entire mountain. Expect nearly twice as much snow here as well, thanks to the topography of the terrain, which acts as a magical magnet for powder. The best part about Hemlocks? It stays fresher longer than anywhere on the hill.
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Sage Kotsenberg. Photo by Ryan Hughes
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WATCH AN OLYMPIAN HIT MAIN PARK Sitting on the sun deck, sucking back a cold one, you may gaze upon the slopes immediately in front of you and see things that for all intents and purposes are simply impossible — men and women of a seemingly different caliber of existence flying through the air performing high-level wizardry on the jumps and Superpipe of Main Park. In many cases, there’s a good chance you are witnessing athletes perfecting their craft in anticipation of competition on the world’s highest stage, the Olympics. The Unbound Terrain Parks have grown into the premier training ground for the skiers and shredders in the world, including defending snowboard slopestyle gold medalist Sage Kotsenberg and the US Freeski and Snowboard Team.
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03 FIRST CHAIR ON A POW DAY It’s common knowledge that Mammoth receives threatening levels of snow each season, with dumps of three to four feet not uncommon. With these storms, old, compact snow is covered with the fluffy goodness of fresh powder. It is this substance that defines skiing and snowboarding for some of us. Moreover, the feeling of total connection with Mother Nature that happens as you fly down the mountain, slicing through thighdeep snow without another track in sight, is one of the great experiences of man. Luckily, the recipe for this is simple: Get there first. You may have to get up an hour early and wait in the cold as the mountain staff preps the lift and performs snow-control work — a nominal fee for glory.
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“...AS YOU FLY DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, SLICING THROUGH THIGH-DEEP SNOW WITHOUT ANOTHER TRACK IN SIGHT, IS ONE OF THE GREAT EXPERIENCES OF MAN.” M A M MOT H
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Steven and Ronan Price. Photo by Peter Morning
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FULL MOON SUMMIT PARTY It’s debatable that there are better places to watch the sun set in this world, but anyone who has seen that giant nuclear sphere descend toward the Minarets from the summit of Mammoth will surely argue the claim. In an act of sheer geographic splendor, one of the most idyllic sights in all of the Sierra lies due east of Mammoth Mountain: the Ritter Range. Mammoth’s Full Moon Summit Party gives you a unique opportunity to enjoy a stunningly scenic gondola ride to 11,053 feet and watch the sun set, then party under the full moon. The summit of Mammoth Mountain, complete with music, drink specials and glow sticks galore, provides an unrivaled view of one of Mother Nature’s most excellent moments.
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STAR CHUTE Looking upon the towering expanse of Mammoth Mountain’s upper slopes, draw your eyes to the right and find the last great rock outcropping before the ridge begins to descend. This is home to some of the steepest terrain on the mountain and it is the domain of the one and only Star Chute. Accessed by a short ridgeline walk from the top of the Paranoids, you’ll know you’re on top of it when your knees begin to buckle. Seriously, though, riding this bona fide chute is a rite of passage for anyone who wants to represent their downhill exploits seriously. Bonus points for airing the mandatory cliff during the early season before the snow fills in completely.
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Milo Baker. Photo by Jeff Baker M A M MOT H
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Woolly. Photo by Peter Morning
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WOOLLY’S WOODS Not all of Mammoth’s treasures are accessed by means of toil and trepidation. A ride through Woolly’s Woods proves this point. This is a roly-poly, topsy-turvy course of twists and turns that winds itself through the gentle forest of Woolly’s Woods underneath Discovery Chair. This easily attainable adventure will plant the seed for future exploration inside the adrenaline glands of children and beginners alike.
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TAKE A RUN WITH WOOLLY While accounts may vary as to the origin of Woolly, one thing remains certain, this mammoth has been ripping the slopes of Mammoth longer than anyone, much longer. Known for a gentle demeanor and playful nature Woolly is often seen in the company of children, playing and laughing while sliding down the snow. Unlike close friends Santa and the Easter Bunny, Woolly is anything but elusive, preferring to make as many friends as possible. Want to take a run? Just ask! Woolly doesn’t speak but understands English quite well.
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“YOUR HEART WILL RACE, THE SUN WILL DISAPPEAR AND YOU WILL FINALLY BE ABLE TO CLAIM THE DISTINCTION OF “SUBTERRANEAN SHREDDER..”
08 HOLE IN THE WALL Not many people get to ride their skis or snowboard through Earth. If you are down for a little adventure, there is a place. Literally a giant tunnel carved into the southwest corner of the mountain, this is an out-of-bounds, expert-only deal. That said, first you need a proper backcountry pack with your shovel, transceiver and probe before you tackle this bad boy. Second, someone needs to show you how to get there. Third, you need to be prepared for a one-of-a-kind experience as you descend (steeply) through a natural cave before getting spit out into an open powder field below. Your heart will race, the sun will disappear and you will finally be able to claim the distinction of “subterranean shredder.”
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Bernie Rosow. Photo by Christian Pondella
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Story by Lauren Burke
ON THE COME UP
Five Young Snowboarders Defining the Future of Snowboarding in Mammoth
In the past two decades, Mammoth has solidified itself as a hotbed for development. Whether it’s for the endless days of sunshine, Chair 6 hot laps or seemingly infinite lines of pristine features, athletes have been flocking to Unbound to throw down and take their skills to the next level. Elevated by a multi-year partnership with the United States Ski and Snowboard Association, Mammoth is a true training ground for snowboarding’s elite — a playground of progression where youth on the come-up transform into the world’s best athletes. With teenage wonder Chloe Kim leading the pack as the new face of women’s snowboarding, there is a new era of Mammoth athletes dominating the contest scene and beyond. Photo by Peter Morning
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Photo by Peter Morning
MADDIE MASTRO
California’s own Maddie Mastro has been ripping the Unbound Terrain Parks for the last eight years, and her 2015–16 season was one for the books. She hits the famed Main Park jump line with the ease and style of someone who has been doing this for much longer. At only 16 years old, Mastro has taken her snowboarding to new levels, rounding out a 2016 Mammoth Grand Prix halfpipe sweep with a third-place finish behind Kelly Clark and close friend Chloe Kim — and she had legends Kimmy Fasani and Iris Lazz praising her prowess in the backcountry following Fasani’s ‘Amusement Mountain’ event.
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BROCK CROUCH
A familiar face at Mammoth for the past decade, Brock Crouch looks like your typical SoCal park rat, yet when you see him sending the Main Park jump line, you’ll instantly know that you’re witnessing something special. Crouch is a 17-year-old snowboarding slopestyle phenom who has topped the podium at the Burton European Open and, most recently, the FIS World Cup in Pyeongchang, South Korea. A true California double threat, Crouch is also an ISA Junior World Surfing champion.
Photo by Peter Morning
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Photo by Peter Morning
JUDD HENKES
Hit the Unbound Express on any given day and you’ll get a front-row seat to the underage madness that is Judd Henkes. Southern California to his core, Henkes is a staple in the Mammoth park scene and embodies what it means to “put in work.” With an easy style, he throws down bigger and bigger tricks in Main Park daily. During the 2015–16 season, Henkes took gold in the Burton U.S. Open Junior Jam Halfpipe and became a household name with his huge, stylish tricks and signature friendly attitude in all his TV interviews.
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Photo by Peter Morning
CHLOE KIM
Chloe Kim is an unstoppable force in snowboarding. At 16 years old, she has been training in Mammoth since she was 10, lapping the 22-foot behemoth halfpipe day after day with unmatched confidence and commitment. Her résumé is an overwhelming list of historic firsts; Kim technically qualified for the 2014 Sochi Olympics at the Mammoth Grand Prix, yet was too young to compete. She also locked in three X Games gold medals before she even secured her own driver’s license. Now, as the first woman to land back-to-back 1080s in the halfpipe and the first American woman to win snowboarding gold at the Youth Olympic Games, Kim has her sights set on 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic gold. All that being said, Kim is deeply invested in the business of having fun. Rarely seen without her ear-to-ear grin, Kim credits her best memories with being in deep Mammoth pow days with friends, including another familiar face on the podium this season: Maddie Mastro.
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Photo by Tom Monterosso
BRANDON DAVIS
Brandon Davis has some of the biggest world titles under his belt, all before the age of 21. Last season, he won the World Snowboarding Slopestyle Championships in China. The year before that, he took gold in Grand Prix slopestyle at his home court at Mammoth Mountain. But Davis isn’t just a typical contest kid. With wild hair and creative style, he always seems to be having the most fun with his snowboarding; you can find him building his own features around Mammoth, taking center stage in “Mayhem Projects” and “Shredbots” video parts and getting after it on any given powder day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> There are few moments in Unbound Terrain Park history when young athletes have been as impressive and dominant as those who currently call Mammoth home. “I don’t believe I would have a snowboard career without Mammoth,” Brandon Davis has said. “Being here opened up the opportunity to ride bigger and better terrain and add months to my season. I feel like my biggest accomplishment is making it work to allow myself to do what I love and what makes me happy.” Arguably no longer on the come-up, Mammoth’s young athletes are chasing their dreams, one massive trick at a time. 045
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Photo by Peter Morning
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Story by Nate Deschenes
Unbound Terrain Parks Celebrating 20-years of progression.
As much as the snow, as much as the sun and as much as the mystique that is Mammoth Mountain, the Unbound Terrain Parks are as integral to this mountain’s story as anything. In a way, Mammoth was made for terrain parks. The combination of the weather, geography and a very long season means operations in Main Park are in full effect from early November until, in most cases, the middle of June, amounting to eight full months of park riding if you do the math.
With a total of 13 wholly different and unique parks, four halfpipes and over 250 features to choose from, Mammoth carves out a healthy portion of the hill to serving up the tastiest bumps and jumps on the planet — 95 acres, to be exact. That’s over four million square feet, for those without a calculator. It is this dedication to terrain-park building that has won Unbound numerous industry awards including 2016 #1 Park in TW Snow Resort Poll, and it’s the principal reason that the best
skiers and snowboarders in the world feast on this bounty.
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However, what makes Unbound so awesome is that it delivers terrain and features for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. No longer is there a gap between an ollie bump and Hollywood-sized super jump; these days there are attainable freestyle features for everyone — and they’re everywhere!
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“Located at Main Park is the Superpipe, a 22-foot halfpipe groomed to perfection.”
Scott Blum.
MAIN PARK On one end of the spectrum, the Olympic-caliber features define the advanced level of Main Park, a place where it’s not uncommon to see the top names in the game picking apart the massive kickers and rails with technical precision. Don’t discount the locals, though, as here it’s sometimes hard to separate the super-pro from the kid who busses tables at Yodler. Also located at Main Park is the Superpipe, a 22-foot halfpipe groomed to perfection. If you don’t witness fantasy-level acrobatics here, you might want to get a pair of those prescription goggles.
Photo by Peter Morning
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“If you don’t witness fantasy level acrobatics here, you might want to get a pair of those prescription goggles.”
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Sven Thorgren. Sequence by Kevin Westenbarger
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Greydin McCalla. Photo by Peter M A M MOT H Morning
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Mason Aguirre. Photo by Peter Morning
TRANSITION PARK New to Unbound last year was the Transition Park, a course that implemented flow as the main ingredient. Adjacent to South Park, this is not a park for stopping, thinking or fussing about; this is a one-of-a-kind run that provides riders with berms, banks, rollers and jumps to negotiate and truly appreciate the subtleties of g-force and edge control. Drop in, feel the flow and worry about what happened at the bottom!
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FOREST TRAIL Located one run over from Main Park is Forest Trail, an intermediate-level park tailored to the everyday rider. With a nice mix of medium-sized jumps and inventive rail and box features, it’s the perfect place to tune up the skills before stepping to the higher-level action next door.
Steve Aoki. Photo by Peter Morning
Matt and Portia Hammer. Photo by Peter Morning
Photo by Peter Morning
SOUTH PARK In addition, advanced-level South Park is located between Main and Canyon Lodge accessed from Rollercoaster Express. Seemingly always sunny and soft, this park seems to go on forever, starting with an 18foot halfpipe before flowing into some everchanging rails and boxes as, finally, three of the most perfect medium-sized kickers line up in perfect succession. Throw in the odd hip and/or wall ride and you can see why the locals have such diverse talents.
PLAYGROUND PARKS On the other side of the scene are the Playground Parks, composed of Wonderland near Chair 7, underneath the Eagle Express lift, and Disco, off the Discovery Chair at Main Lodge. Here, beginners get their first taste of air — and rest assured, there is none sweeter than that of the Eastern Sierra. Whether you’re a child of 8 or 48 years, at the Playground the jumps are small and the consequence is low, making for an ideal place to build both confidence and skill.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> These are just a few of the offerings on the menu. Scattered throughout the mountain are numerous terrain parks, each with its own flavor, each different from the next, but ultimately all designed to add another hammer to your bag of tricks. M A M MOT H
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Story by Nate Deschenes
Photos by Peter Morning
A World Away
Cross Country Skiing at Tamarack Lodge.
Renowned for its world class track, Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center provides an accessible gateway into the quiet splendor of the Eastern Sierra high country. Nestled in in the remarkable Mammoth Lakes Basin, the area is one the true gems of the region providing a contrasting yet rewarding alternative to the downhill action at the ski hill.
as well. Catering to experienced skiers and first-timers alike, the center accommodates to all experience and ability levels providing lessons, rentals and the always handy, local knowledge. Similarly, the surrounding natural phenomena, whether it be the monolithic Crystal Crag or one of the resident Bald Eagles hold no prejudice either.
With 19 miles of trails that wind up and down the natural alpine basin twisting through Lodgepole pine forests before opening into expansive views of the iconic Mammoth Crest, a day gliding these trails provides a bonding experience not only with friends and family but with nature
Though less than a mile from the steep slopes of Mammoth Mountain’s southernmost boundary, a day spent at Tamarack might as well be a world away.
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Story by Lauren Burke
#MammothBeanie The #MammothBeanie is more than just a hat, it’s mountain magic.
The #MammothBeanie. You’ve seen the billboard on the 395. Your dad wears one. Woolly has a custom one. Your neighbor rocks a #MammothBeanie bumper sticker. Tony Hawk can be found shredding with his on. Even your Uber driver has a #MammothBeanie air freshener hanging from the rear-view mirror of his Prius. The magic of the beanie has clearly taken over the slopes of Mammoth Mountain and the streets of Southern California, but how does a lucky local or weekend warrior get their hands on the ever-present yet oh-so-elusive hat? Now in its third year, the #MammothBeanie is brand new and bigger than ever. Tens of thousands of beanies are given away at events and
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“Beanie Drops” throughout the season, as well as sold in all Mammoth Sports retail locations. Pay close attention to the @mammothmountain social media channels and you just might get the inside scoop on where to snag one of your very own. To top it off, there’s an exclusive #MammothBeanie edition Stance sock launching this season as well. For every #MammothBeanie post shared on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and for every beanie purchased, Mammoth Mountain donates $1 to Stand Up to Cancer. The 2016–17 donation total was $20,000. Share the love; let’s do some good together.
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SPR I NG IMAGE GALLERY SUPERPARK HOT SUN, HOT LAPS, COLD BEER #MAMMOTHSTORIES
Photo by Michael Shainblum
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S PRING G ALL ERY Eero Ettala from Oakley Week in Main Park. Photo by Jeff Baker
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SP R I NG G A L L E RY Forrest Shearer and Max Hammer on a 14,000’ backcountry expedition in Eastern Sierra. Photo by Christian Pondella
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5,000 year-old Methuselah tree. Photo by Jude Allen
The Milky Way. Photo by Michael Shainblum
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Story by Tom Monterosso
SUPERPARK The 2oth anniversary of SNOWBOARDER Magazine’s iconic all-star event For two decades, SNOWBOARDER Magazine’s Superpark has been a constant catalyst of both snowboarding and snowboard terrain-park progression. The mag prides Superpark on not being considered an “event”; rather, it’s a photo and video shoot of epic proportions in which the riders aren’t the sole piece of the puzzle to putting it on. There are also the builders and the host-resort staff, and all three ingredients are needed to make Superpark the most coveted and covered event in endemic snowboard media. And for 20 years, SNOWBOARDER has succeeded in that ideology.
Aspen Weaver. Photo by Tom Monterosso
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“With Superpark, SNOWBOARDER aims to create an environment that pushes the limits and boundaries of freestyle snowboarding...”
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This year, SNOWBOARDER celebrated Superpark’s 20th anniversary by bringing it back to the freestyle mecca of Mammoth Mountain. This was not the first time they’ve hosted Superpark at Mammoth, and it certainly won’t be the last, but with such a big anniversary, SNOWBOARDER had to make sure it was done right, and Mammoth is a no-brainer. With the help of the Mammoth staff as well as build teams from Bear Mountain, California, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, and Boreal Mountain, California, they concocted the largest terrain park that the snowboard world has ever seen and invited over 300 of the world’s premier park riders to session the gargantuan features for five days straight. The action did not disappoint. From sunup to sundown (literally — there were multiple sunrise and sunset sessions), bodies were hurled about the hill as cameras recorded and fluttered, capturing the most unbelievable video and still shots we’ve ever seen at a Superpark. But, as always, the riding wasn’t the only thing on display.
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“The features were undeniably big, but nothing was too large to handle.”
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Werni Stock. Photo by Jeff Baker
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“From sunup to sundown bodies were hurled about the hill as cameras recorded and fluttered...”
The features were undeniably big, but nothing was too large to handle and every single obstacle got ridden throughout the course of the week. Whether it was the Seven Springs mega hip at the very top of the Superpark setup, the Boreal multi-faceted stepover that provided a bevy of options for the riders or the Mammoth Mountain island that boasted the largest jump and hip that anyone has ever hit at a Superpark shoot, the stuff that was ridden at Superpark 20 shone as bright as the riding itself. And ultimately, that’s what Superpark is all about. With Superpark, SNOWBOARDER aims to create an environment that pushes the limits and boundaries of freestyle snowboarding, and this year at Mammoth Mountain was far and away the best Superpark that anyone has ever witnessed. For those reasons and countless others, SNOWBOARDER can’t wait to bring Superpark back to Mammoth Mountain to see how in the hell Superpark 21 Photo by Peter Morning can be better than the 2016 version. Only time will tell. You be the judge. M A M MOT H
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Sebbe De Buck. Photo by Jeff Baker
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#MammothStories If you’ve been here, you probably have an epic tale of sun, snow, friends, nightlife, day life, backcountry, backseat, sunrise, sunset, happy hour or magic hour.
#MammothStories are woven into the history
@mammmothpacific
@rndmmedia
@katherinejmurray
@bakerlily
@rndmmedia
@carecarolyn
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of this place, beginning with Dave McCoy and his dream and carried on through you and your experiences this season. Here are a handful of our favorite moments from 2016–17; this book of stories has no end and you’re the author, so keep adventuring and sharing your #MammothStories.
@rndmmedia
@csulbsnow
@outfitfamilylife
@papatapz
@mikebasher
@rndmmedia
@adventure.or.bust
@sarah_ebby
@mahallia_sb
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Chris Benchetler.
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Words by Nate Deschenes
Photos by Peter Morning
Hot Sun, Hot Laps, Cold Beer While most other resorts are closing up for the year, early April signals the “second season” at Mammoth — a season where Old Man Winter hands over the keys to our beloved California sun. 077
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#MAMMOTHSTORIES If you’ve been here, you probably have an epic tale of sun, snow, friends, nightlife, day life, backcountry, backseat, sunrise, sunset, happy hour, magic hour. #MammothStories are woven into the history of this place, beginning with Dave McCoy and his dream, and carried on through you and your experiences this season. Here are a handful of our favorite moments from 2016/2017 - this book of stories has no end and Spencer Whiting. you’re the author, so keep adventuring and sharing your #MammothStories.
As the mercury starts to rise and the snow transitions from powder to slush, strange and wonderful things begin to unfold. M A M MOT H
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Suddenly, hustling for another pow run turns into hanging on the sun deck for another beer; bundling up with extra layers gives way to cruising in your favorite T-shirt, and the thirst for adrenaline mellows into high-fives as you take top-to-bottom laps with friends. It’s the season of change, and at Mammoth, change is good. Guaranteed springtime sightings include legions of time travelers sliding down the hill in 1980s regalia, kids toying with the terrain parks like they’re video games, guys in shorts, girls in bikinis, guys in bikinis, epic parties, evening concerts and, of course, smiles all around.
“But the best part about spring at Mammoth is that it seems to go on forever...”
Be sure not to miss the final weekend at Canyon Lodge as well, a closing ceremony highlighted by the annual pond skim: a spectacle that attracts skiers and shredders of suspect mental diligence trying to traverse an icy puddle of doom — often met with highly entertaining consequences.
But the best part about spring at Mammoth is that it seems to go on forever; most seasons, the lifts keep spinning through the 4th of July! Canyon Lodge is set to close April 16, 2017.
Severin Van Der Meer.
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CHAPTER 03
SUM MER IMAGE GALLERY COMING HOME TO MAMMOTH A P E R F E C T D AY THE MAMMOTH BIKE PARK KIDS ADVENTURE PASS
Gabe Taylor on a late afternoon ride down Off the Top. Photo by Peter Morning
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SU M M E R GA L L E RY Patrick Reddy at the Volcom Brothers skate park. Sequence by Peter Morning
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S U MMER G ALL ERY Lonnie Kauk free climbing Tuolumne Meadows. Photo by Christian Pondella
Kalyn Lepre SUP at Convict Lake. Photo by Christian Pondella
TJ Schau at Sierra Star. Photo by Peter Morning
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S U MM ER G ALL ERY Mammoth Hot Springs. Photo by Todd Robertson
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The Morning Family.
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Story by David Page
Photos by Mike Basher
Coming Home to Mammoth A family’s deep roots in skiing and the Eastern Sierra.
Jimmy Morning slouches back into the sofa and puts his feet up on the coffee table. He’s wearing blue socks, jeans and a faded gray zipfront sweatshirt. His hair is thick, the color of weathered barn wood. He rakes it upward from his forehead with his fingers and looks out over the top of his glasses. “I just got out of a session,” he tells me. “We were doing some maintenance on the hot tub.” His son Peter, on break from a photo shoot at the golf course, doubts this. “You mean you were using the hot tub,” he ribs. The tub in question is one of the primitive geothermal pools out in Long Valley, past the airport and the Green Church. “The one he owns,” quips Jimmy’s younger sister Robin. Jimmy’s up at five most mornings; he couldn’t sleep later if he wanted to. He loves to start his day with a cup of coffee and a drive out for an early soak with a view of Mt. Morrison.
He’s part of a small crew of local hot-springs aficionados who help keep the hand-built concrete tub clean and functioning properly. “There was a clog in the drain,” he explains, “so we had to dig down about 2 feet and replace part of the pipe.”
race department. Katie, recently moved back to Mammoth after nearly three decades in Connecticut, arrives bearing a platter of cold cuts and cheese. Robin has made a poppy-seed cake. Susan, Jimmy’s wife and Peter’s mom, longtime photographer for the Mammoth Times, opens a bottle of red wine.
I’ve been invited over on this blustery fall afternoon to listen to the Mornings talk about legacy, ski racing, how Mammoth has changed — and how it hasn’t. Throughout the 1960s, the Mornings were an integral part of Mammoth’s racing scene, coached by Dave McCoy, the legendary founder of Mammoth Mountain. Jimmy, Robin and Katie all eventually raced as members of U.S. Ski Team. Robin was on the 1968 Olympic team along with two of the McCoy kids; Jimmy narrowly missed making this team. Katie also raced on the women’s pro circuit and was a pioneer freestyler in the mid’70s, sponsored by Rossignol. Jimmy is still one of the most beloved coaches in Mammoth’s
The cabin is a rustic affair: logs and chinking stacked on a stone foundation; a covered entry that doubles as snow tunnel and woodshed; a main room that is at once kitchen, sitting room, meeting hall and guest dormitory; an old wooden water tower in the yard reminiscent of a refilling tank on a narrow-gauge railroad line — all of which Peter characterizes as “legit.” “It feels like home,” says Katie, remembering Christmases past with presents strapped to the top of the Oldsmobile, pancakes in the morning and skiing in the afternoon. “Everybody’s had their time here,” says Jimmy.
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Peter Morning.
Nobody’s quite sure when the cabin was built. Jimmy says 1920s. Robin, who has written the definitive history of Dave McCoy and the early development of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, adds that the log cabins on Evergreen Street, then called the Manahu Lodge, were among the first cabins built in Mammoth. Their parents, Betty Jane and Sylvester, bought the place in ’63. It’s not easy to heat, says Jimmy, citing the high ceiling, the non-functioning stone fireplace and the castoff front window gleaned from a job site sometime in the ’60s to replace the one a bear came through. “When it gets snow around the outside,” he adds, “it’s nice and cozy.”
making graceful turns on the way back down. At some point he let go of the rope and pointed the long boards toward the bottom of the hill. Then he realized he had no idea how to turn or stop. He crashed into the line of people at the bottom, sprained his ankle and spent the rest of the vacation in the trailer they’d rented down at Tom’s Place.
The first time Jimmy came up to the Eastern Sierra, he was 6 years old. It was the heavy snow winter of 1951–52. Dave and Roma McCoy were running a rope tow on McGee Mountain. That first morning, little Jimmy was the first out of the rental shop. He grabbed the rope, hung on tight. He watched the skiers
Betty Jane and Sylvester had moved out from Colorado to Santa Monica, California, after the war. There was a housing boom on, and they started a series of businesses: washing windows, doing construction cleanup, installing carpets. Pretty soon there were four kids (there’s a third sister, named Jody, who became an artist and is now living in Tunisia). At first they skied mostly in the San Gabriels: at Snow Summit, Snow Valley, Mt. Baldy or Holiday Hill. “Ski racing is what really got us,” says Robin. “We went to a race at Snow Valley one weekend and from that time on we were just all about ski racing.” Every weekend, they’d drive to the mountains,
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sleep in the car — all six of them in the back of the station wagon — and ski. Betty Jane wasn’t the greatest skier, Katie explains, but she made ski racing possible for numerous juniors from Southern California. In 1958 she founded the Junior Skiers of Southern California to help kids offset the costs of training and races. Eventually she and Roma McCoy became close friends, fashion confidantes and shopping partners. In ’61 Jimmy made the Junior National Team that would compete in Sugarloaf, Maine; Robin made alternate. Dave McCoy was the coach. He invited all the team members throughout California to train at Mammoth for a few weekends before they traveled, providing coaching, lift passes and meal tickets. “We just had to find a place to stay,” says Robin. The family was up and down financially, but Jimmy and Robin were in Mammoth every weekend.
Jimmy Morning.
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“There’s still this feeling that people know each other and take care of each other.” Often it was Jimmy, age 16, driving the 600 miles up and back at 45 miles an hour in his Volkswagen bus while Robin slept in the back. They stayed wherever they could: at the trailer park, in the patrol room at Main Lodge or at the coal-heated Quonset hut out at Whitmore. “After that, we were part of the Mammoth team,” Robin tells me. “They couldn’t get rid of us. We were so happy to be part of Dave’s race team, training with the McCoys and other top racers in the country at that time, and being included in all the incredibly wonderful experiences Dave created.” After high school, Jimmy went off to Colorado University. In ’62 he spent a month in Europe with Dave McCoy as part of a team of seven
Americans, including Spider Sabich and Jimmie Heuga. Heuga would become one of the first two American men, with Billy Kidd, to win an Olympic medal in alpine skiing. Sabich would go on to make the ’68 Olympic team and later compete as one of the top racers on the World Pro Racing Tour.
drove right past — and suddenly they were surrounded by the army. “They thought we were smuggling skis,” he remembers. Heuga’s dad, who was French, managed to talk the soldiers down. When Jimmy came home at the end of that season, his parents had bought the log cabin in Old Mammoth.
Jimmy has fond memories of that first trip to Europe. “We were supposed to race, but we didn’t,” he says. “We just skied everywhere.” At one point he was driving another Volkswagen bus from Switzerland into France. It was full of people and luggage and skis. Franz Kneissl, Sr., had just given each of them a brand-new pair of White Stars. The border, says Jimmy, wasn’t very clear. There was just a little hut, which he
Katie was 13 when she traveled to France with Betty Jane and the McCoys to see her big sister race in the Olympics. The day they arrived in Grenoble, they found Robin in a military hospital (the Olympic hospital was still under construction), in a bed next to an injured Chilean ski racer. She’d broken her leg in a final training run the day before the opening ceremonies. Her toes were black; her cast had
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There was just a little hut, which he drove right past— and suddenly they were surrounded by the army. “They thought we were smuggling skis.” to be cut off and redone. Betty Jane wheeled the Chilean down the hall and moved into the room with her daughter. The next day, the McCoys’ daughter, Kandi, got hit in the head by an elevator and moved into another hospital across town. Katie remembers staying at the hotel by herself, commuting by bus between the two hospitals and the ski hill, where she watched the Olympic races and skied on her sister’s credentials. Throughout the ’60s and early ’70s, the kids were part of a small and tight-knit local community, completely motivated by ski racing and coached by Dave McCoy. There were the Thompsons, the Bachelders, the Manns, the Agees, the Stewarts, the McCoys and more. Sylvester was often too busy with work down south, so the trips to Mammoth fell more and more to Betty Jane. During summer training the kids lived in the dormitory at Main Lodge. For a year or two, Katie and Jody went to school at the tiny Mammoth Academy, where Robin taught some classes and watched out for her sisters. “It was crazy,” says Katie. “We respected all the freedom our parents entrusted us with.” The Morning cabin became central to the culture of California ski racing. “This house had a bit of a reputation,” Robin explains. Betty Jane liked to host parties, and it was known that any racer on the circuit who needed a place to stay was welcome to crash at the Mornings’. During the annual California spring races, the place was packed. People slept on foldout couches and on the floor. There was laughter M A M MOT H
in the rafters and riotous games of “Are You There, Moriarty?”, a dryland version of “Marco Polo” wherein blindfolded seekers attempt to beat each other with clubs made of rolled-up newspaper. It didn’t last forever. After college and a stint in the Army, Jimmy ended up back in Southern California building houses with his dad. He got married, started having kids. Robin moved to Colorado and got married. Later she remarried and moved to San Diego to teach school. Katie got married and moved back East. In 1983, Jimmy and Susan were in escrow to purchase Kratka Ridge, a single-chair ski hill just down the Angeles Crest Highway from Mt. Waterman. But the Forest Service wouldn’t commit to letting them develop snowmaking, so the deal fell through. When Peter was born, in 1985, Jimmy named him after his old friend Spider Sabich, whose full name was Vladimir Peter Sabich, Jr. After Sylvester passed away, Jimmy and Susan moved their brood — Peter; his older brother, Matt; and their twin sisters, Kasey and Kelly — to Reno for a job. It wasn’t where they wanted to be. “The house was calling,” Jimmy tells me. “I was always trying to get up here and stay longer.” And so in 1993 they finally made the leap. Jimmy’s kids grew up ski racing and attending various schools, including Mammoth High School, Mammoth Olympic Academy and Sierra High School. Susan has continued the open-house tradition at the cabin. Peter made the Junior Olympic team every year he was 092
eligible. His siblings have moved elsewhere for school or work, but Peter’s still in Mammoth, working as brand photographer for the ski area. Robin teaches adult Nordic skiing at Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center and writes. Katie cooks dinner four nights a week for Dave and Roma McCoy — Dave has just turned 101 — and teaches beginners at Tamarack on weekends. “It’s so amazing to go up and ski for two hours and then go to work,” says Katie. “It’s incredible. That’s the way it used to be.” They still feel the generosity and graciousness of the McCoys deep in the fabric of the local community. “Even though some people don’t know the story of Dave McCoy,” says Robin, “the upbeat spirit he ingrained in everything he accomplished in Mammoth is still here.” There’s still this feeling that people know each other and take care of each other. Jimmy even gets a little teary when he talks about the kids he coaches, how well they work together, how good they are to each other. And at the root of it all, somehow, is the place itself. “I always feel better when I’m coming back here,” says Jimmy. He used to have a dog named Easy, he says, a crazy dog who used to ride in the back of his truck and would get up on the roof of the cab when Mammoth Mountain came into view. Katie and Peter chime in: You see the Minarets, you roll down the window and get that first shot of cold fresh air, the smell of sagebrush. “When I pass Conway Summit, or coming the other way,” says Jimmy, “I feel like, ‘Ah … I’m home now.’”
Robin Morning
Katie Morning.
The Morning Family.
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A Perfect Day (And Night) In The Lakes Basin
Trolling a Rapala parallel to the banks of Lake Mary in the early morning mist, one has no choice but to contemplate perfection. You smell the remnants of a campfire rising in the distance. Is someone cooking bacon? An osprey sits perched high on a pine tree across the lake. He’s chewing on an unlucky trout. The instant coffee in your Thermos is somehow the best you’ve ever tasted. What is this, Folgers? All this before your rod doubles over and the serenity of the magical morning is broken into a wide-open bite that lasts for the next hour. Rainbows are hitting gold Thomas Buoyants, with Silver Kastmasters the ticket for the wary brown trout, though the kid on the bank dunking a night crawler seems to be having the best luck, with a stringer full of both.
“...Days like this are most likely why the lakes basin exists.” Later in the day, after a leisurely bike ride around the loop of roads that twist and turn through the forest and around Horseshoe, Mamie, Mary, George and Twin Lakes (all of which have excellent trout fishing), you stop to assess the weather; “perfect” hardly suffices. Likewise, the horseback ride that ascends above the tree line and into the alpine splendor of the Eastern Sierra high country proves a wise choice, affording sights that lend credence to the poetic license of the beloved naturalist John Muir when he said, simply, “Damn.” It’s called living, and as you slow-roast your catch on the glowing coals of a campfire, pondering the Milky Way overhead, you begin to understand that, geological phenomena aside, days like this are most likely why the Mammoth Lakes Basin exists.
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Josh Hevron. Photo by Mike Basher
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Story by Steve Krcmar
Photos by Peter Morning
The Mammoth Bike Park Packed with improvements for beginners and intermediates.
Rolling your bike out of the gondola at 11,053 feet above sea level just feels good. Maybe it’s the fast fun ahead. Or views that go on for hundreds of miles on a clear day. And, maybe, just maybe it’s the ghosts of legends past--almost every mountain bike legend from John Tomac to Missy Giove as well as Cam Zink and Aaron Gwin have put their knobbies to pumice here at Mammoth Mountain’s summit. With all that history, it’s the mountain bike equivalent of a baseball fan being invited to hop onto the field at Fenway Park during batting practice so they could try their hands and launching some homers over the Green Monster. Those pros have all ridden Kamikaze, probably the most famous run in all of mountain biking because of all the pro races that took place on it in the early days. And they probably hit Off the Top, too, just for fun. This solid intermediate trail that traverses the backside of the mountain with a fistfull of berms in the switchbacks. And the diversity of views might make it the coolest trail in California.
Ben Stranger.
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“The trails are just awesome. They’re rugged and super fun.” – Matt Guntert “It’s almost like you’re riding through a few different ecosystems,” says marketing manager, Gabe Taylor, who may occasionally duck out at lunch for one of these laps. Off the Top is super fun, but can be an intimidating trail for lessexperienced riders due to the elevation and magnitude of the stunning Sierra views. Thanks to improvements to the bike park last summer that included new trails like Midtown--and its 22 berms!-- and increased uphill capacity, more riders now have the skills to experience Off the Top. “Midtown is the connector piece to help our guest get from [beginner trail] Downtown to Off the Top, a real intermediate trail,” said Taylor, who believes the summer of 2016 was the park’s best season ever. And when you look at the laundry list of improvements that went down, Photo by Peter Morning it’s tough to disagree. For one, the mountain started spinning Chair 16 on Saturdays. Guests had been asking for this and having a chairlift M A M MOT H
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at Canyon Lodge made laps on Follow Me, Bullet, Flow, Pipeline and Shotgun, just a 7-minute lift ride away. With Chair 16 in the mix, Chair 2, as well as daily service courtesy of the shuttle from The Village to Main Lodge, beginner-friendly, Discovery Chair, and two gondolas, Mammoth just might have more uphill capacity than any resort in North America. And for riders who like a bit of air time, the all-new Smooth Operator provided all that and then some. Like a BMX trail on a downhill, this jump trail featured all flavors of medium-sized hits and great flow. Even legendary freerider Cam Zink, who has won the Red Bull Rampage, Crankworkx Slopestyle as well as a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the farthest backflip on a bicycle (100 foot, 3 inches!), raves about Smooth Operator. “It’s now my favorite trail at Mammoth and one of the best in the States,” said Zink.
Ben Stranger.
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“It’s now my favorite trail at Mammoth and one of the best in the States.” – Cam Zink Cam Zink. Smooth Operator.
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“It’s almost like you’re riding through a few different ecosystems.” – Gabe Taylor
For riders who want to test their mettle against other racers, the Kamikaze Bike Games attract pedalers from all over the country, providing an opportunity for cross-country, dual slalom, downhill, and enduro racers. Riders who wanted to race on the regular, the Village Championship Race Series that includes ten downhill races and six cross country races throughout the summer. “Both series are free for competitors and saw massive growth this season. Our downhill event fills up on most Friday nights and is in a league by itself as far as local gravity race series’ go. And it’s free!” said Taylor. New riders also dug the confidence-building group lessons in the lift-accessed Discovery Zone that includes three beginner trails and an intermediate trail, all of which are smooth. For riders sixyears-old and up, the focus is on fundamentals like body positioning, braking technique, balance, and bike control so that they can advance to the next level. Speaking of progression, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better example of the snowballing of skills than Matt Guntert. At the urging of his surgeon, Guntert, a Mammoth local, started mountain biking after a knee surgery three years ago. It didn’t take long for the former motocross and boardercross racer to find that his pedaling buddies weren’t kidding when they said he was frighteningly fast. Strava confirmed that. Guntert went pro this summer, and he dominated the Kamikaze race at the Kamikaze Bike Games, besting the second place finisher by almost two seconds and the third place finisher by an unbelievable nine seconds. Guntert attributes the bike park’s new trails with putting the pedal to the metal on his progression and helping him train for his focus-enduro riding. “This summer was super-sweet because we now have all these technical sections that are linked together: it opened a lot Photo by Peter Morning more variety for enduro riders. The trails are just awesome. They’re rugged and super fun,” said Guntert. M A M MOT H
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Cam Zink. The Monkey Wrench.
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KIDS ADVENTURE PASS Story by Nate Deschenes
Photos by Jeff Baker
Zip-lines, rockwall, trampolines and mountain biking– something thrilling for the young, wild at heart.
What must it feel like to conquer your fear of heights while scaling a 28-foot climbing wall? To fly like a superhero high above a mountain stream on a zip line? To defy gravity while flipping through the air on a bungee-assisted trampoline? Well, ask your kids, because at the Adventure Center, adults are confined to the cheering section.
With activities designed not only to build confidence, but also to expand the minds of the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts, the Kids Adventure Pass affords unlimited access to these high-spirited enterprises for children 12 and under. But the fun doesn’t end there. Kids also receive 15 percent off bike rentals should an afternoon exploring the mountain’s various family-friendly biking trails be in the cards.
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Located in front of Main Lodge, the Adventure Center is also the gateway to the Scenic Gondola rides through which everyone can take in panoramic views of the Eastern Sierra before engaging in the natural and cultural history of the region atop the mountain at the Eleven53 Interpretive Center. Far more than just family fun, a day at the Adventure Center provides a family experience entirely unique to Mammoth Mountain.
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Scott Flint early morning cast at Rock Creek. Photo by Christian Pondella
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Above: Mt Whitney. Photo by Christian Pondella
Right: Convict Lake. Photo by Josh Wray
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FALL G ALLE RY Morgan and Sergio Gonzalez trail run on the Minaret Vista. Photo by Christian Pondella
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Words by Nate Deschenes
Photos by Mike Basher & Jeff Baker
Black Velvet Coffee A coffee and wine bar serving an experience guests will remember.
“Coffee is like a religion to many people,” starts Black Velvet Coffee owner Matt Hammer. He’s roasting a fresh batch and it’s apparent that the caffeinated particulates floating through the air are working. That or he’s just inherently enthusiastic. It’s likely equal parts. “And my hope is that we can give our guests an experience that they remember.” Religious experience or not, a good cup of coffee is not only enjoyable, but, for many of us, a requirement. Not long ago, Hammer, now 37, was one of the top professional snowboarders in the world, holding down numerous high-profile sponsors and filming inspiring video parts for the legendary Standard Films. Known for his remarkably smooth style and God-given freestyle talent, he was on another level during the height of snowboarding’s popularity in the mid-2000s. After a solid run, however, it came to an abrupt end. “It’s an unfortunate story of how it all came to pass,” he says, referring
to a string of bad luck. “But the fact is, me and my family wouldn’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for those things happening, and for that, I am very grateful.” Disclosing a story of losing everything, Hammer attributes his strength to his wife, Gracie, and their three young children. “Without them,” he says, “this wouldn’t have been possible.” “One morning Gracie woke up and told me of a dream she just had,” Hammer recalls. “She said, ‘It’s called Black Velvet Coffee. We’re going to do this and it’s going to look like this.” With two hundred bucks in their bank account and a whole lot of passion, the Hammers leaned on friends for support, put their noses to the grindstone and began to build from the ground up what has become Mammoth’s most popular and distinct coffee and wine bar. Five years on, that’s three stories up, to be exact. 113
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“Right now I’m roasting behind the wine bar, which we opened upstairs in December of last year,” Hammer explains. “It used to be my time to get away from it all and do my thing, but now I’m right in the middle of the action,” he says, referring to his strategic design of the open-area space. Built by the man himself, the place is remarkable; there isn’t a screw misplaced or a joint that’s not flush. Simply put, it’s a design with intention. “Everything we do here is on purpose,” he explains, “from the way the machines are positioned to our roasting technique on down to how we source the coffee beans themselves.” In fact, much of the coffee is imported directly from the farmers themselves. “I mean, there’s no middleman,” says Hammer. “These beans are from a guy named Reynaldo in Nicaragua. How cool is that? “We pay above fair-trade prices for much of what we roast because we want to give back to the farmers in these countries, who are usually pushed around and exploited for their product by big business.” This policy pervades the remarkable wine bar as well. Serving a good 30 M A M MOT H
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varieties, and representing friends and notably sustainable and organic vineyards, these aren’t the hot new wines pushed by reps; they come directly from the winegrowers themselves. Housed in a custom-built 500-bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar, we’re talking diva-level pampering for the lucky bottles that make the grade. The bar is also equipped with four drafts and at least 20 different craft beers — PBR not being one of them. “Our whole thing up here is small-batch, maybe-made-only-once kind of wine and beer,” Hammer says. “Chances are, most of what we carry is something you’ve never had before.” At the end of the day, Hammer concludes, “It’s all about the human interaction. We don’t have customers here, only guests.” Located in the Luxury Outlet Mall across from the post office on Main Street, Black Velvet Coffee opens at 6:45 a.m., with the wine bar in effect from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
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“From the way the machines are positioned to our roasting technique on down to how we source the coffee beans themselves, everything we do here is on purpose.� 115
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Buttermilk Boulders Photo by Christian Pondella
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Story by Lauren Burke
Pitch Perfect Tammy Wilson and Kimmy Fasani bring like-minded women together by living life to the fullest.
In the predominantly male-dominated arena of climbing stands Tammy Wilson and her new age, anti–Taylor Swift girl squad of outdoorswomen. Born and raised in Southern California, Wilson was always drawn to the endless adventure in the Eastern Sierra — and she packed up her life five years ago to pursue just that. Initially finding solace in backcountry snowboarding, she quickly came to understand the common phrase “Move to Mammoth for the winter, stay for the summers,” as she was introduced to bouldering during the low-snow years. With only the experience of climbing trees as a kid, Wilson embraced a new world of outdoor exploration, channeling both her fear and her love of the unknown to get her up the
boulders time and time again. She tagged along with climbers from Bishop to Mammoth to Yosemite, uncovering a world among the rocks that she never knew existed. “When I first started climbing, I would mainly go with men, which never bothered me, but I was most inspired by all the strong, amazing women in the area,” says Wilson. “Shortly after, I found the Instagram account @heyflashfoxy, which was dedicated to bringing women climbers together and to inspiring women to get outside and get after it.” Wilson now has years of climbing under her harness, and, looking back on some of her climbs, her most memorable and challenging ones have been with the women she’s met living in Mammoth. Together 117
they’ve conquered Mt. Whitney, Mt. Conness, Cathedral Peak and many more. Wilson is a staple in the Flash Foxy girl crew, climbing four to five times per week flanked by some pretty impressive female athletes like professional snowboarder Kimmy Fasani. Fasani started climbing six years ago with her husband, professional skier Chris Benchetler, and came to find climbing as a natural evolution of exploring and experiencing the Sierra. She eventually met women like Wilson by “chatting with other girls at crags — or connecting on Mammoth Mountain,” Fasani explains. “Just seeing other women crushing activities always made me eager to get out with them.”
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“The women I climb with... are the most inspiring, strong, beautiful, passionate people I’ve ever met.” - Tammy Wilson
Tammy and Kimmy at Mt Conness. Photo by Jeff Fox 119
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Tammy Wilson
Kimmy Fasani
Photo by Christian Pondella
Photo by Christian Pondella
Following Wilson or Fasani on social media, you’re hit with an onslaught of stunning scenes from summer summits, technical climbs and backcountry adventures — each and every post showing a deep love and respect for their surroundings. These two take the “living life to the fullest” approach seriously, using every day as a chance to conquer another peak or explore a new route.
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“The women I climb with... are the most inspiring, strong, beautiful, passionate people I’ve ever met.”
“Finding likeminded women who are down for an adventure makes climbing and experiencing the Sierra more fun and motivating,” says Fasani. Wilson adds, “The women I climb with not only have the best snacks, but are the most inspiring, strong, beautiful, passionate people I’ve ever met.” Magnified by the presence of social media, there seems to have been an influx in the past five years of women flocking to the Eastern Sierra to pursue their passion and push their own personal limits. Wilson, Fasani and countless others have continued to build the foundation for a comfortable and encouraging environment for badass women of all ability levels to join forces and tackle the world of climbing, one snackpack-fueled summit at a time.
For more on Tammy Wilson and Kimmy Fasani follow them on Instagram: @TammyFaye, @KimmyFasani.
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Weekender V4 in the Buttermilk Boulders. Photo by Christian Pondella
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Mini shredder’s photo op with the 21st Mountain Warfare Division.
Last Run Helmet: Check. Goggles: Check. Skis: Check. Green camo: Not so fast, little man! Axis Media LLC Publisher
Lauren Burke Project Manager
Jeff Baker Editor/Creative Director
Kim Stravers Copy Editor
Scott Howard Art Director
Jimmy Huh Business Development
Mike Basher Photo Editor
Peter Morning Photography Manager
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Writers Jeff Baker Pat Bridges Lauren Burke Nate Deschenes Steve Krcmar David Page Tom Monterosso Photography Jude Allen Jeff Baker Mike Basher Kevin Duffel
E-Stone Jeff Fox Nick Hamilton Ryan Hughes Peter Morning Tim Peare Christian Pondella Todd Robertson Michael Shainblum Cameron Strand Kevin Westenbarger Tammy Wilson Josh Wray
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