Mammoth Report

[GarlandM8]

How is the shady rest park situation working out?
Anyone been up to bald mountain?
I'll be up this weekend.
Jim

As far as Shady Rest: Pull in at the Ranger Station as before, but the parking lot is now closed..... follow the main road, to the right turn into the park area by the ball field. It's a big parking lot area, you access the 'A' trail from there... it loops around the park and you meet up with the regular 'A' trail like before. Not bad, but can fill up with XC skiers and dog walkers, etc.... They did a good job keeping it plowed during the weekend with all the snow.
On Sunday we followed the A trail across the 395 and headed north and caught the I trail..... got to the big meadow area and beyond, but turned back before June Lake, due to time. The trail was groomed and good coverage.. the meadow was thinner and around 7300', but up closer to 8000' was good powder. It's funny hit and miss on the east side, bigger snow is to stay west.
Wish I was going.... family and holidays now.... be back out weekend after New Years... might hit Sherman????? hopefully get a storm or two

 

[brahm]

This weekend might be odd for me, I've got to snowmo in a firework show on Saturday (night of lights) http://www.mammothmountain.com/ResortActivities/SpecialEvents/NightofLights, and a took out an A-arm on my rev on monday. I'm trying to get my risers on my cat hopefully I can get it done for sunday.

 

[mlca]

You can use mine if you need it.

 

[PMJeff]

Just got back from Mammoth a few hours ago. The parking at Shady Rest isnt bad. I could see how it could get tight in there if it was busy. I was up during the week and it was managable. I did watch a guy in a 35 ft. motorhome jacknife his enclosed trailer and smash the side of his motorhome. We unloaded a smokey bear flat a couple times. It seems much easier there. Snow getting a bit thin on the east side, bust still alot of good coverage. Hope we get some storms soon. It was 50 degrees in Mammoth when we left.

 

[GarlandM8]

Hey Brahm.... thread's been pretty quiet latley.. What's the update look like up there? Get your sled/A-arm back up?

Looks like we'll be heading up there this weekend... trying to get some of the boys down here to load up too...

Unless plans change, probably be around Shady on Sat. morning..... hopefully tie in somewhere with you if you're out

mike

 

[mlca]

It was waist deep in spots today. More is on the way.

 

[PMJeff]

Have they been grooming the trails?

 

[astro]

I think they have beem grooming some, but as fast as they groom it get buried. 3-4 feet on the ground with more coming. Lots of wind so the snow is getting moved around quite a bit.

 

[arcticridr]

Just look here Rick will usually post latest info as soon as he gets to a computer... 2nd link is for the live tracking of the Cat!!!!

http://www.mammothweb.com/scripts/usfs/trailsreport.cfm

http://mammothweb.com/scripts/usfs/snowcat.html

 

[mlca]

Most of the trails were groomed but they were filling in real quick. Even the roads are filling quick with this last storm. Since I went out at 10 am there is another 8-10 inches. It was insanely deep out there today. There were spots that were chest deep. The lens on my camera froze shut from all the moisture so I only got a few pictures early.

There was so much snow that it was building up on the inside of my thumb throttle. This inhibited me from getting 100% throttle and also built up on the inside causing it to idle at a high rpm. I had to take my key out and chip away the ice. There were also giant balls of ice that formed on my j-hooks that I had to break free so I could use them.

I can't even tell you how many times I had to dig people out. It actually got to the point where it was annoying. It happens to everyone but some people learn from their mistakes and others keep on doing it over and over.

After all was said and done I love my 08 Dragon 700 with the 155" track. Most of the time I had it about half to three quarter throttle and had no issues. The track just pushes through the deepest of deep. The only time I got stuck was breaking trail and trying not to trench it so everyone could make it. I hit a berm and buried it. After that I never let off the gas and didn't get stuck again. This sled is the best sled I have ever ridden.

Here's the only pics I got today.

More than likely I am going out again tomorrow so I'll try and get more pictures. We mainly rode at low elevation form Shady to Inyo Craters. All the meadows were titty deep.

 

[mlca]

double post.

 

[James6000]

Has anybody broken trail down to reds meadow since this last dump?
Thanks,
Jim

 

[brahm]

Has anybody broken trail down to reds meadow since this last dump?
Thanks,
Jim

oh ya, there is a whole new crew of "helmet-less jibbers" that are shuttling reds on an almost daily basis this year. Including storm days you gotta be really on it if you want to beat them out there.