Mammoth’s got big jumps already. photo: colin farrell
Opening day at Mammoth went down yesterday and it’s likely some of the best skiing and riding in North America right now. Here’s how it went down:
by: Colin Farrel
Conditions were great for the Opener, pretty much as expected. A respectable mix of Man and Mother-Nature made. Early in the day, cords were singing; later in the day snow was churned into nice pockets of granular pow. Staying on piste is still highly recommended (don’t want to mess up them boards or that face); not to mention, just about everything off-piste is still strictly off-limits. And, plenty of terrain open to keep a respectable number of Opening-Day goers spread out.
Mammoth opening day 2011. photo: colin farrell
A nice surprise, the new RFID Gates move all through lift lines like never before. Typically Chair 1 on Opening Day will present you with a some sort of wait – not this time: there was no waiting at any chair, ever. The terrain park was top notch, best I’ve seen for Opening Day in my 10 years as a Mammoth Lakes resident. There are a ton of rails, boxes, jibs set up and they have one booter built that most resorts would envy at any point in the season (my best guess, 40-45′).
Mammoth opening day 2011. photo: colin farrell
Solid report Colin, wish we had an UnofficialMammoth…
