Near dawn on Mammoth Mountain, the slopes above Canyon Lodge are draped with fresh powder and postcard views.
Though
it’s spring break, there is no indication that winter’s even remotely
finished with this town. A powerful storm has just brought more snow to
the resort, with another round on the way.
It’s no wonder that skisnowboard.com rated Mammoth Mountain Ski Area the No. 1 spot for spring skiing and snowboarding in the nation. Our family recently spent three days at the Village at Mammoth, the newest Mammoth Mountain lodging, dining and shopping resort right at the base of the mountain.
Another slopeside choice is Mammoth Mountain Inn, located steps from Main Lodge. This Mammoth Mountain hotel is in close distance to the gondola and summer adventure center, where kids can zip line, rock climb or ride the bike park. The Westin Monache Mammoth is an upscale resort in the Village.
What’s
nice about the Village Mammoth Mountain condos is that you never have to leave.
Once you park your car in the downstairs parking structure, everything
is in walking distance.
The
Village’s pedestrian-only paths are perfect for morning walks and
midnight strolls, complete with adorable shops and boutiques.
On
our first day, even though Mammoth Mountain resort was being pummeled by a huge
snowstorm, our kids happily splashed in the resort’s 90-degree pool.
The 10-minute frolic was followed by a very quick jaunt into Grand
Sierra Lodge, which has studio to 3-bedroom Mammoth Mountain condos tastefully decorated
in dark green tones with wood and marble accents.
While strolling the village on our first night, a Jewish mom in-the-know let us in on a little
breakfast secret: the Old New York Deli and Bagel Company. “It’s
better than any of the delis in L.A.,” she raved.
She
was right. My toasted jalapeno-cheese bagel smothered in homemade
jalapeno cream cheese was pure heaven, as were the kids’ silver-dollar
sized blueberry pan cakes.
In
the mornings, the Mammoth Mountain Village Starbucks was packed. Not with your typical
computer-toting professionals, but with busy moms and babies bundled in
petite parkas.
Mammoth Mountain rentals for skis and snowboards are purchased through the Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort "Mountain
Center," where parents are led through the whole skiing set-up process
at no extra charge. Sales representatives make sure each child is ready
to go with rental equipment, coordinated lessons and lift tickets,
making the whole Mammoth mountain skiing experience hassle-free.
Mountain
Center even has a huge upstairs playroom for children, available by
reservation. We used the center while waiting for our daughter’s ski
lesson to start. The huge sofas were a great respite, while the kids
enjoyed the colorful play mats, tinker toys, puzzles and games in the
toy chest.
There’s even a
multiple-television DVD surround-sound system, which regularly screens
the latest children’s movies. (We saw “Shark Tale.”)
When
it was time for our daughter’s lesson, we hopped aboard Mountain
Center’s 15-passenger gondola, which whisked us up to Canyon Lodge.
The
gondola was a huge hit with the kids, who loved looking at the tiny
houses and scenic views of the Mammoth mountains and lakes during the 6-minute ride to the top. Canyon
Lodge Kids Ski School is open to kids ages 4-6. (Goggles and
helmets are required).
After
a hard day on the slopes, it was nice to retreat to the Village’s
comforts, where we’d often start up the fireplace and enjoy a glass of
wine and a movie.
On one
apres-ski occasion, we hit Lakanuki, a little Hawaiian bar that serves
hand-cut sushi, Balinese fish tacos, and some of the best mai tais on
the mountain. Our kids enjoyed the tropical decor, especially the
massive wooden tiki figure outside, which our 1-year-old became quite
attached to. View menu.
After three
days on the mountain, it was difficult to leave. Mammoth’s Village
complex is clearly a step in the right direction, bringing it on par
with luxury ski resorts throughout the world. Another really fun activity is the dog sledding tours, offered through Mammoth Dog Teams.
IF YOU GO
To reach Mammoth, take Highway 395 north toward Bishop. Take State Route 203 about 4 miles in Mammoth Lakes.
The Village at Mammoth
is located at 1111 Forest Trail in Mammoth Lakes. Call (760) 934-1982
for the front desk; Mammoth Mountain Reservations are at 800-626-6684.
Lakunuki: 760-934-7447
Old New York Deli and Bagel Company: 760-934-3354
Starbucks: 760-934-2202
Mountain Center: 760-924-7057 or 800-626-6684
Mammoth Dog Teams: 760-934-6270