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Another ski season at Mammoth Mountain is right around the corner. Opening Day is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Reds Meadow Valley Road is now scheduled to open to the public on Friday, June 29, providing public access to Devils Postpile National Monument, Rainbow Falls, Reds Meadow Resort and recreation sites, trailheads,  and campgrounds in the Reds Meadow Valley. All regular rules, fees and restrictions will be in place upon opening of the road, including mandatory use of the shuttle bus. Information on fees, the mandatory shuttle bus and exception vehicles can be obtained on the Inyo National Forest website, www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/inyo/specialplaces. The Forest Service plans to open the road to exception vehicles at 9 a.m. on Friday. The first bus into the Valley will leave the Mammoth Adventure Center at 8:45 a.m.

The US Forest Service, National Park Service and several partners have been working hard to remove fallen trees, hazards and debris and make repairs to infrastructure damaged in the November 30 wind event that toppled tens of thousands of trees in the Reds Meadow Valley, surrounding area and throughout the Inyo National Forest. Invaluable assistance has come from other partners such as the Pacific Crest Trail Association, Student Conservation Association, Youth Conservation Corps, AmeriCorps, American Conservation Experience, Friends of the Inyo and Backcountry Horsemen of California.

Reds Meadow and Devils Postpile Campgrounds will be open on a first come-first served basis at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 29. The Forest Service is planning to open Pumice Flat and portions of Minaret Falls Campground in subsequent days. Campsite availability will be tracked by staff at the Minaret Vista Ranger Station and campers will be informed of availability upon arrival at the Station, beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday. Group campgrounds remain closed and reservations are not being accepted at this time.

Most of the area trails have been cleared and are open to the public, including access to the primary destinations of the Valley, Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls. The Forest Service estimates that nearly 2,000 trees have been cleared from trails in and around the Reds Meadow Valley. Maps that display information on the status of all area trails and identify remaining problem areas are available on the Inyo National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/Inyo/Blowdown.

The Forest Service is making every effort to clear recognizable and identifiable hazards from developed recreation sites (roads, non-wilderness trails, campgrounds, trailheads, etc.). Hazards continue to be present in the general forest areas and in a small number of developed recreation sites. Hazards have not been cleared in Agnew Meadows and Upper Soda Springs Campgrounds and these areas are closed to all public entry. Numerous and varied hazards exist in wilderness and other undeveloped forest areas. Visitors to these areas should understand the risks and know how to identify and avoid potential hazards.

Road work, repairs and removal of logs from the Valley will continue throughout the summer. Visitors may experience unexpected delays. Temporary road closures may be necessary and will be scheduled in an effort to minimally disrupt public use and enjoyment of the area.

For more information, please call the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center at 760.924.5500 or visit the Welcome Center at 2510 Hwy 203 next to the Mammoth Ranger Station. -Press Release

Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the season on Monday, May 7 at noon for all vehicle traffic. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by State Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada. Vault toilets are available in several locations along the road. However, due to damage sustained to two transmission lines, the Tuolumne Meadows area will be without electrical power and visitor services until repairs can be made.

Due to a light snowpack this past winter (approximately 50% of normal), the Tioga Road was able to be cleared of snow early into the summer season. Snow and icy conditions may still exist on hiking trails at the higher elevations. Visitors are urged to be prepared for snowy conditions and possible treacherous stream crossings while hiking the backcountry.

All campgrounds along the Tioga Road are closed.  All commercial services, including the gas station, store, and village grill, are also closed. There are no anticipated opening dates for any of these facilities at this time. -NPS

The boards were going up at Mammoth Ice Rink on Thursday. The rink is slated to open Dec. 2. (Photo: Lunch)

The 2011/12 season at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is officially on. (Photo: Vane)

Mammoth Mountain opens tomorrow for 2011/12 season

On Nov. 10 the winter playground at Mammoth Mountain will once again open its doors for a season of skiing and riding. The mountain was all abuzz on Nov. 9 working out the final kinks and making last minute preparations for the annual kickoff celebration.

A gift of the good ol’ white stuff from Mother Nature last weekend gave MMSA a nice little base and cold temperatures have allowed snowmaking all week long so the runs are looking pretty darn fun.

One new thing this year is the RFID Lift Pass and gate system, which according to MMSA allows skiers and snowboarders at Mammoth direct-to-lift access. “The new system will help eliminate two of the largest issues for any ski resort: cumbersome lines at lifts and ticket windows. By using MY Mammoth passes can be re-loaded with lift tickets online or via your smartphone so you never have to wait in a ticket line again. And with MY Mammoth registration, guests can save up to 15% on lift tickets with 7-day advance purchase. With 68 total RFID gates installed across 19 different lifts, Mammoth’s will be the largest RFID system at a ski resort in North America.”

The RFID gate at Broadway Express. (Photo: Kirkner)

I picked up my pass today and was given the rundown on the new gadget. Here are a few do’s and don’t's:

1. Don’t punch any holes in your pass. It could ruin it and a replacement is $25.
2. Do place your pass in one of your pockets, preferably one where the gates will be able to read it. The gates read from the sides of your body, so a sleeve or side leg pocket would be ideal. You might have to play around with your pass’s location to find just the right spot.
3. When you put your pass in your pocket put it in there by itself. It might be lonely, but loading up the pocket with credit cards, cell phones, etc. could interrupt the signal and the gates may not be able to read your card and allow you to pass.

Hats off to a great 2011/12 season!

It’s snowing in the Eastern Sierra and Mammoth Mountain is winding up for another season of skiing and riding. Opening Day is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 10, and the entire weekend will be filled with live music, film premiers, parties and more. Check out the full weekend’s schedule here: http://www.mammothmountain.com/ResortActivities/SpecialEvents/BWKO/

Academic Stars Center Director, Leigh Duggan (right) and two students at the Center’s Grand Opening last week. (Photo: Vane)

The Academic Stars Learning Center held its Grand Opening on Aug. 9. The Center is located at 101 Old Mammoth Road, Suite B. Academic Stars provides tutoring and homework help for grades K-12.

A record snowfall and resulting damage delayed the opening of Reds Meadow Road, but its finally ready for the public. The road will open Wednesday, June 29 at 8 a.m. with shuttle bus services beginning immediately.

Shuttles will depart from the base of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area Main Lodge “Adventure Center” every 15-20 minutes during peak times (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.) and 45 minutes during off-peak times (7:30 – 9:45 a.m.; 4:45 – 7 p.m.). The first shuttle will depart the Adventure Center daily at 7:30 a.m.  Shuttles depart from The Village at Mammoth Lakes daily at 7:15, 8, 8:45, 9:15 a.m., and then every 30 minutes or less from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Motorists traveling as exception vehicles are urged to use caution, drive slowly, and watch for wildlife!

The snowpack in the valley is variable and is preventing the opening of several campgrounds and trails. Facilities that will be open on June 29 include Reds Meadow Resort, Devils Postpile National Monument (including trails to the Postpile and Rainbow Falls), and Reds Meadow Campground. Devils Postpile Campground will open on July 1, but may have snow patches. Additional facilities, campgrounds and trails should open before the July 4 holiday weekend, depending on weather conditions.

Backcountry travelers must take extra precautions and understand the many hazards that exist with the late spring conditions. Stream crossings are deep, swift, and dangerous. Many trails are covered with deep snow and large drifts. Passes are covered in snow and ice. Most lakes above 9,000 feet are covered with snow and ice and unsafe for travel. Snow-free hiking opportunities are limited above 8,500 feet.

For information on the road opening and shuttle fees, or if planning a trip to the Reds Meadow Valley, please contact the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center at 760.924.5500 ext. 0, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/r5/inyo or www.twitter.com/mammothinfo . -NPS/LK

Visitors urged to take safety precautions while traveling on road

Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the season on Saturday, June 18, at 8 a.m. for all vehicle traffic. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by Hwy 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada. Vault toilets are available in several locations along the road.

There are several no-stopping zones along the road, which are clearly marked with road signs.

Due to the heavy snowpack this past winter (199 percent of normal) and a cool spring, there is still several feet of snow in the Tuolumne Meadows area. Hiking opportunities are extremely limited and visitors are urged to use extreme caution in the area. Additionally, ice is prevalent throughout the area and stream crossings are treacherous.

All campgrounds along the Tioga Road are closed. All commercial services, including the gas station, store, and village grill, are also closed. There are no anticipated opening dates for any of these facilities at this time. -NPS