Mammoth Mountain Slope Site Information

Mammoth Lakes is pretty simple to get to.

• From SoCal, go up the 395 to Bishop. It's about 5 hours drive (375 miles +/-)

• stop in Bishop and get fuel if you are low. The next bit of road has an impressive uphill grade that will suck a good 1/4 tank or more.

• From Bishop, stay on the 395, and head uphill towards the airport. You'll see signs

• Take State Route 203 into "downtown" Mammoth Lakes

• Take a look at this link from Google Maps. Use the sliders to zoom into the town road maps for more detail:
  http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=Mammoth+Lakes,+CA

There are two major intersections in the village area.

• From Main Street, turn left on Old Mammoth Road to go into the commercial part of town (shopping, food, etc...),

• Whereas "Minaret Road" is slightly ahead and to the Right of Old Mammoth road, and leads to the main lodge of the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

• To visit the slope, you want to go up Minaret Road towards, and past the ski area, all the way to the entrance of Devil's Postpile National Park.

If you do not turn right on Minaret, but keep going up Main street, it will turn into Lake Mary Road, which, logically enough will get you to Lake Mary, and the various camping sites around the lake. More about that in a minute...

Slope Trail Directions:

• Okay, you've gone up Minaret Rd, past the ski area (cool looking, isn't it?), and made it to the entrance of Devil's Postpile park.

• Turn RIGHT into the dirt parking overflow area immediately outside and to the right of the gates leading into Devil's Postpile national park. You do not actually go into the park.

• Follow the dirt road/trail through the parking area, vaguely to the LEFT, where you start entering some small pines and the road gets a bit bumpy

• The road will go through some taller more mature trees, and get to a sharp 90 to the right, and usually has some really deep bumps to navigate. Just keep your tires on the ridges on top, and you'll be fine.

• Keep heading up. The trail gets a bit narrow at some point, watch your mirrors. There might be a fresh detour around some of the tighter bits

• There are two uphill parts that have a small degree of difficulty, and are why we normally recommend 4wd and/or ground clearance.   However, high ground clearance 2wd vehicles also make it up regularly.

• I don't recall any turn offs or other trailheads, but I'm sure there are some. Just keep to your left on the way up, and you will be fine.

• The top of the hill is too far. When you come up to a broad field of small pumice rock, with a view of the Minarets to your left, you have found the spot!. Here is a link to a photo of the view looking up the hill, more or less what you will see on the trail: http://www.woodsfamily.cc/West/2004..._vista04-05.jpg

DS Ridge - Dead Mans Pass:

• Deadmans Pass is up past the top of the trail. The road ends at some pine trees, and you have to walk down to the ridgeline.

• You are at 10,000 feet, so keep that in mind when you walk down to the ridge. At some point, you will need to walk back up. It isn't far, but it will kick your butt. Be prepared for it.

Camp Site Directions

• As you head up Main street/Lake Mary Road, you will go under a short tunnel (actually under a ski run!), past a gate, past a pleasant looking set of waterfalls, to a slight Y.

• Take the uphill, left branch of the Y, which is more obviously the main road.

• Now continue on for a ways, until you see thrusting chimney rock overlooking a lake. That is Lake Mary and there is a quick left hand turn right when you can see the chimney rock.

• This is called (I am not making this up!) "Around Lake Mary Road", and it's narrow, with lots of pedestrians (fishermen) so go slow.

• Turn Left at Coldwater campsite. Here is map from GoogleMaps: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Mammo...,0.041422&hl=en

You will never forget this visit.