Imagine how things would have turned out if that transplanted Ozark millionaire Jed Clampett had turned right up Highway 395 as soon as he crossed the California border. Instead of watching reruns of The Beverly Hillbillies we would still be watching the outdoor adventures of The High Mountain Hillbillies.
I can see it now. There would be episode after episode of Elly May and Jethro hiking, skiing, riding, hot air ballooning, fishing, exploring geological wonders, and climbing mountains in the Mammoth Lakes region. Granny would be frying up a mess of trout that Jed had pulled out of a local lake. Jethro would ski and snowboard the runs on Mammoth Mountain. The skiing alone would have taken up numerous shows — there are 150 designated ski trails on the mountain. Forty-five of the trails get dressed with on-demand snow by new snow-making machines that are part of an ambitious investment program by Intrawest to turn Mammoth Mountain into a destination ski resort.
Where?
The town of Mammoth Lakes is located in the heart of California's Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range in Mono County. Mammoth Lakes is about 325 miles north of Los Angeles and about the same distance east of San Francisco. The town sits at an altitude of 7,800 feet.
If naturally occurring snow doesn't fall by November the snow-making machines take over. This guaranteed snowfall ensures that Mammoth Mountain snow lovers get what they want — lots of snow. Because of this, Mammoth Mountain hosts ski and snowboard competitions into late April.
The combination of more than 300 sunny days and an average snowfall of 32 feet a year makes Mammoth Mountain a prime destination for skiers and snowboarders. Because of the balanced menu of runs and the availability of reasonably priced equipment and instruction rental packages, it's an ideal spot to introduce friends to the fun of downhill and cross-country skiing.
Elly May appeared to be of Nordic heritage — it's likely that cross-country skiing was in her blood. Luckily for her, and others who yearn to shush between the quiet pines and along the shores of frozen lakes, the Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center is just a short distance from the town of Mammoth. The staff at Tamarack can provide rental equipment, lessons for children and adults, and passes that grant access to more than 25 miles of groomed trails.
Winter adventures in the area abound — snowmobiling, dogsled rides, ice skating, overnight ski tours, year-round fishing, ice-climbing, backcountry skiing, and backcountry snowboarding are popular activities. When the snow melts, skis and snowboards are exchanged for boots, saddles, and fishing poles.
Pilots can take a three-mile hike from the airport to Convict Lake, where they can enjoy the beauty of a classically shaped mountain lake and wet a line in pursuit of trout.
Summer
An episode or two could have showed Jed and Granny searching for relatives' names among the historic tombstones at Bodie. Located an hour north of Mammoth, Bodie was a wild and dangerous gold rush town. Today it's one of the best-preserved ghost towns in California. The heyday of gold mining in the 1870s swelled the town's population to 10,000 souls, and 150 buildings remain from this period. On the way up Highway 395 to the Bodie turnoff is Mono Lake. This is California's largest salt lake and is known for the tufa deposits that create its unique, surreal formations. Imagine the experience of kayaking in and out of the Mono Lake moonscape.
The Devils Postpile National Monument features two wonders — a formation of lava from a volcano that, because of uniform cooling and a homogeneous lava flow, formed a wall of closely packed columns more than 60 feet high and Rainbow Falls, which has a 101-foot drop.
With warmer weather comes access to the trails, lakes, and mountain meadows of the eastern Sierra. There are many books that provide guidance for a high-country adventure — books for those who desire to end each day's trek with a gourmet meal before retiring to a climate-controlled luxury suite and for those who yearn to awaken each morning camped out near a mountain lake or meadow in the high country.
The Mammoth Yosemite Airport in Mammoth Lakes requires a good knowledge of density altitude in the summer, and engine preheating procedures in the winter. But these tasks are worth planning for because the attractions surrounding the airport are so impressive and diverse that even the most-jaded full-tilt experience fanatic won't be able to do everything in an entire decade of weekend visits.
The Mammoth Lakes area is an especially good destination for a pilot because the place is so isolated from normal traffic flows that it takes hours for road-bound travelers to arrive from major population centers such as Los Angeles. Pilots simply fly in, land, and then experience an instant transition to the land of big lakes, big mountains, big snow, and clear air.
Crosswind practice
The runway at Mammoth Yosemite Airport lies east/west, but the prevailing winds are north/south. The preferred pattern for landing on Runway 27 is right traffic. Because of two factors — the cirque that's home to Convict Lake to the south of the end of Runway 27 and Doe Ridge to the north of the approach end of 27, the crosswinds often become swirling eddies during approach and touchdown to Runway 27.
If both windsocks are sticking straight out, and the ASOS is warning of crosswinds, disregard the PAPI approach path and land 3,000 feet beyond the numbers. The 7,000-foot-long runway provides plenty of rollout even when landing long.
Since the floor of the Owens Valley rises 3,000 feet in the 35 miles between Bishop Airport and Mammoth Yosemite Airport, taking off on Runway 9, which points the airplane toward lower terrain, is preferred, especially during summer days when the insidious combination of a 7,128-foot airport elevation and hot temperatures robs normally aspirated aircraft of performance.
Local pilots passed on two pieces of information for visitors — the crosswinds are usually quiet early in the day, and the Bishop Airport, located 37 miles to the south, makes a great alternate if the weather is bad.
Mammoth Lakes airport has a ramp fee of $7.50. Overnight fees for piston-engine singles are $15 and $20, depending on the weight of the airplane. These fees are discounted with fuel purchase. Visit the Web site ( www.hotcreekaviation.com) for more information. The airport is seven miles from the town of Mammoth. There's a shuttle service, or cars can be rented by contacting the FBO or calling U-Save car rental at 800/207-2681.
Visitors to the Mammoth Lakes area and the eastern Sierra can start their planning by going to the Mammoth Mountain visitors bureau Web sites ( www.visitmammoth.com or www.mammothweb.com).
The Mammoth Lakes area is a wonderland for those who love outdoor activities. Do yourself a favor and plan a flight to the other side of the mountains. It's a lot more fun than sitting around the cement pond.
E-mail the author at [email protected].
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