Last Tuesday’s storm dropped about 28 inches of snow on Mammoth Mountain, making ‘22-’23 the snowiest season on record. More snow fell the day after, and as of March 30th, more than 700 inches of snow has fallen at Main Lodge, and 870 inches of snow has fallen at the summit. 

To better understand that figure (700+ inches of snow), here are some comparisons… 

8 and a half Larry Bird’s. 

About 146 twelve ounce PBR cans. 

Around 58 rulers. Or, 58 feet. The Statue of Liberty’s right arm is 42 feet long. 

Per Mammoth Mountain’s Snowfall History webpage, The 2010-11 season clocked in at 668.5 inches. 

A lot of snow brings problems. Cars crash, or get stuck, or get buried. People slink into seasonal madness. Structures collapse – like the Val D’isere condominium collapse that injured 5 and the Mammoth Mall parking garage collapse that damaged multiple parked vehicles. 

As of March 27th, 133 structures in Town have been flagged either red or yellow. This, according to the structure assessment data provided in the Mammoth Lakes Town Council Agenda Packet for the Council’s March 31st special meeting. 

A red tag means you gotta evacuate the structure. 

A yellow tag targets specific spots in the structure, like a deck, front porch, powder room, foyer, home theater, basement bowling alley, etc. 

The green tags, of which there’s been 126, mean all clear – no damage present. Yet. Getting into the weeds here: the data breaks down the tags by structural categories. Two commercial structures have been tagged red. Along with 51 multi-family residences and one single family residence. Plus, three outbuildings (sheds, barns – any structure separate from the house). 

Eleven commercial structures, 36 multi-family residences, and 13 single family residences have been tagged yellow.

Per Kathy Peterson – Director of Social Services for Mono County – most of those who have been displaced by red tags have found alternative housing with friends or family. “At least for the near term,” wrote Peterson in an email to The Sheet, “so we’ve not had much of a demand for shelter services.” 

Meanwhile, Mammoth’s Town Council will consider approving a resolution to ratify another local emergency declaration on March 31. 

The staff report for the special meeting opines that a new declaration is needed “due to continued structural failures in the residential and commercial buildings, the explosion of a one condo unit, and the ongoing snow accumulation and forecast for additional snow into April 2023 as forecast by the National Weather Service.” 

The report continues, explaining that the Town no longer has the resources to “provide services necessary for the protection of life and property in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, including snow loading factors on structures and the lack of access to propane valves/regulators at the building interface and access to propane tanks.” Staff is also concerned about roadway accessibility for emergency vehicles. 

As of March 27th, 1,655 loads of snow have been trucked out of Mammoth (starting March 18th). The Town has worked on 26 roadways. A complete list: Canyon Blvd., Lakeview Blvd., Old Mammoth Rd., Beaver Ct., Beaver Pl., Forest Trail, Forest Pl., Forest Ln., Aspen Ln., Convict Ln., Mammoth Slopes Dr., Rainbow Ln., Kelley Rd., Joaquin St., Lupin St., Mono St., Manzanita St., Dorrance St., Meridian Blvd., Davison Rd., Red Fir Rd., Sherwin St., Woodmen St., Tamarack St., and Evergreen Street.

The forecast for next week calls for chances of snow Sunday through Wednesday.