The area around Yosemite National Park has received a historic amount of snow this year. Indeed, the park just reopened after the National Park Service (NPS) had closed it because up to 15 feet of snow recently fell in some places in the area.
Now, thanks to all that snow, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area just outside Yosemite has announced it is extending its ski and snowboard season well into the summer.
“It’s been a historic season here at Mammoth and it looks like we’re just one storm away from breaking the all-time record of 668 inches of total season snowfall,” Mammoth Mountain wrote on Instagram.
“We are stoked to announce that we will be open daily for skiing and riding until AT LEAST the end of July,” Mammoth continued. “As always, we do not have a closing date set, but will plan to stay open as long as conditions allow.”
Lauren Burke, communications director at Mammoth Mountain, explains that what’s noteworthy is that it’s the earliest in the year the resort has ever announced it would be open so late. That’s because the resort is just 5 inches away from breaking a single-season snowfall record.
“We aim to keep lifts spinning until as long as conditions allow, which definitely could go into August this season,” Burke said, according to CNN. “Spring skiing and riding conditions are going to be the best we’ve ever seen with the mountain in mid-winter form.”
The good news for skiers and snowboarders is that other resorts have also announced they are extending their ski and snowboard seasons; although those extensions aren’t as late in the summer as Mammoth Mountain’s.
Skiing At Mammoth Mountain
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, just outside Yosemite, is located at Mammoth Lakes, California, in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. While the summit is 11,053 feet, around 33 feet of snow typically falls at the mountain’s base each winter. That means the ski season usually runs from early November through June.
The resort has more than 3,500 acres that are skiable, including 175 named trails. Its longest run is 3 miles.
It also has 10 parks with more than 100 jibs, more than 50 jumps, and two halfpipes.
Mammoth Mountain is 168 miles by car from Reno International Airport and 307 miles from Los Angeles International Airport.
You can learn more about skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain and find maps and more info at Trail Maps and Mountain Stats.
Skiing And Snowboarding At Lake Tahoe
The area around Lake Tahoe has also received an enormous amount of snow this winter. Consequently, resorts in the area are also extending their winter season.
“Thanks to Lake Tahoe’s second snowiest winter on record, we are extending our ski and snowboard season into the summer!” announced Palisades Tahoe.
In June, Palisades Tahoe’s Alpine will be open for skiing and snowboarding on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday each week. While Palisades will be closed to skiing and snowboarding, The Village at Palisades Tahoe will be open.
Then in July, Alpine will be open for skiing and snowboarding July 1–4. The Village at Palisades Tahoe will be open daily throughout the summer.
You can find all the details at Explore Palisades Tahoe.
Finally, also at Lake Tahoe, Northstar California, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort — which are owned by Vail Resorts — have announced they too are extending the winter season.
“We are incredibly excited to offer even more days of skiing and riding for our guests,” Tom Fortune, VP and COO of Heavenly and the Tahoe Region, said in a statement. “With all the snow we have received this year, and bluebird days around the corner, we are primed for awesome spring skiing — we look forward to sharing it all with our guests, teams, and communities as we close out a truly wild, but rewarding, season.”
Vail Resorts notes that Northstar currently has 616 inches of snow, while Heavenly has 538 inches, and Kirkwood has 656 inches.
To extend the season, Heavenly will add 3 weeks to its schedule, with a new closing date of Sunday, May 7. Meanwhile, Northstar will add two weekends to its schedule: Friday, April 21–Sunday, April 23, and Friday, April 28–Sunday, April 30.
Finally, Kirkwood will also add two weekends to its schedule: Friday, May 5–Sunday, May 7, and Friday, May 12–Sunday, May 14.
You can learn more at Northstar California.
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