Shoulder season survival
Tis the season for thinking outside the box
As the nights grow longer and colder and the leaves change and fall, Mammoth undergoes a dramatic transformation from bustling tourist destination to ghost town. For those of us who live here year round, the shoulder season can be a time for much-needed relaxation. But too much relaxation, and Mammoth work- and play-aholics are likely to go stir crazy. For those already close to the edge of their sanity, here are some tips for surviving the shoulder season.
1. Explore the outdoors. You’ll have plenty of time to shred on the Mountain come November, so take this month to enjoy everything else you can do before the snow falls. Go leaf peeping at some of the local fall color hotspots, such as Rock Creek (below Pie in the Sky), McGee Creek, Convict Lake, the June Lake Loop, Parker Lake, Lundy Canyon and Virginia Lakes. Or you can just pick a popular trail and hike it; you won’t have to rub shoulders with visitors at this time of year, especially with the fallout from the government shutdown. It’s open season on Emerald Lake, Duck Pass, Purple Lake, Emerald Lake, Thousand Island Lake, and other favorites.
2. Pull an all-nighter. Not out at the bars — you’ll have plenty of time for that this winter. Instead, take a trip into the backcountry on that overnight camping trip you’ve been dreaming about all summer. Try heading over Morgan Pass, Mono Pass, Bishop Pass, or Paiute Pass to any number of beautiful meadows and lakes. Not so into hiking? This could be the time to rent a tub at Benton Hot Springs and relax for a night, soaking under the stars. For a cheaper option, try the hot tubs off Green Church road. At this time of year, you may even get one to yourself.
3. Try a new sport. Never been much of a biker? Go for a ride. A runner? Take a trail run. Climber? Hook up with climbers at the Monkey Bar in the Industrial Park (passes are available at Mammoth Mountaineering) and let them show you the ropes at any of the great climbing spots from June Lake to Bishop. Never tried golfing? Sierra Star remains open until Oct. 13, Snowcreek until Oct. 14, and the Bishop Country Club is open year round.
4. Take in a game. Shoulder season is alive with game night happy hour specials all across town. You can watch the NFL, MLB, or NHL at Gio’s, the Outlaw Saloon, Snowcreek Bistro, Roberto’s, The Tap, Grumpy’s, or Whiskey Creek.
5. If watching — or participating in — a live game is more to your liking, check out the new Mammoth Co-ed Dodge Ball League at the roller/ice rink, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-8 p.m., Oct. 3-29. Or you can head down to the Whitmore synthetic football field for Adult Flag Football, beginning Oct. 6 and running through Nov. 3 on Saturday or Sunday mornings. For $2, you can also drop in on Adult/Teen Street Hockey at the roller/ice rink, Wednesday nights from 6-8 p.m., beginning Oct. 2 and ending when the rink freezes over. Don’t miss the Oct. 12 Shady Rest Sand Volleyball tournament, a round robin or pool play with single elimination playoffs, and team trophies for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place teams. For more information on any of these, contact adult sports coordinator Rob Gill at 805.796.7197 or rob.gill86@gmail.com. And don’t forget to cheer on the Mammoth Huskies or Bishop Broncos at their home games. You can find their complete schedules at maxpreps.com.
6. Go out on the town. But do your research; don’t plan a get together with friends at a restaurant or bar that’s closed until November. Petra’s? Closed Oct. 6 to Nov. 7. Austria Hof? Closed Oct. 1 until Thanksgiving. Burgers? Closed Oct. 13 to the day after Thanksgiving. Nevados? Closed before Halloween and open in early November, pending snow on Mammoth Mountain. Thai’d Up? Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Campo? Open only on weekends.
If those hours won’t work for you, try Breakfast Club, which is open Monday through Sunday as usual for breakfast, Good Life Café, also offering regular hours, Roberto’s, which will be open all the way through winter; Giovanni’s, likewise, Shogun, which is open again after a brief hiatus, or Sushi Rei, which plans a local’s day at the end of October. Schedule your meals and ladies’ nights accordingly.
7. Stay in. Plan board game nights, poker tournaments, or movie viewings with friends. Shoulder season is the perfect time to relax with a hot toddy or cider and perfect your Scrabble skills. Shoulder season may also be the time to finally memorize the entirety of Top Gun, if you can make it past the point where Goose dies.
When all else fails, get out of town. You could gather up your summer earnings and take a trip to Hawaii or Thailand. Or you could opt for the thriftier option and head north to Tahoe, Truckee or Reno, east to the Bay Area, or south to Bishop, where you can thrift or gear shop, gorge on Thai food at the Bishop Airport’s Thai Thai (closed on Mondays), and bowl the night away. If you want a last taste of summer before winter sets in, you can catch some summer sun at Keough’s Hot Springs and head back to Bishop after for a homemade burger and shake at the Burger Barn, open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays.
Soon, however, the shoulder season will be over. Our last piece of advice: get ready for winter. It’s coming, whether you like it or not, although most of us do. So sell that old gear, dust off your jacket, and prepare for the next fantastic season on the Eastside.
