Meet King, the Avalanche Dog

King isn’t an ordinary golden retriever – he gets to ride chairlifts.  As Mammoth’s only four-legged member of Ski Patrol, he is trained to rescue people caught in avalanches. With his powerful nose he can search the area of a football field in 20 minutes.

King is out on the slopes every day with his trainer/Ski Patroller Sean Macedonio. Even though King looks like your average cute and playful golden retriever, he is often all business. There are some things to keep in mind when you see King training with Sean:

• Throwing snowballs or toys can distract him.
• Giving him treats can detract from his training. 
• Do not allow him near your skis (they can hurt him).
• When King is wearing his red Ski Patrol vest he’s working, so you should always ask Sean if it’s ok to pet him. 

Photo: Robert Vente

Wounded Warriors at Mammoth

The Wounded Warriors Project helps get soldiers who were hurt in combat out on the slopes. The project will have sessions with Mammoth’s Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra. One soldier will re-learn snowboarding with a prosthetic leg; another will ski for the first time after losing an arm. This is the first time Mammoth has hosted the project, and hopes to expand it in the future. Root them on January 30 through February 1.

Read the official press release.

Next Snow Results

The “Sports Illustrated for Kids Next Snow Search” took place in South Park today.

Boys: First place Tyler Flanagan, Second place Trevor Jacobs, Third place Scott James

Girls: First place Kelly Berger, Second place Tessa Millican, Third place Mary Anselmo

Mammoth Snowcast

Mammoth introduces our Snow Report – now in podcast form.

How to subscribe with iTunes:

• Open Advance Menu in iTunes and select Subscribe to Podcast.
• Copy and paste this link for an automatic download: http://www.mammothmountain.com/podcast/snowreport.cfm

Clif Bar Comes to Mammoth

Look for the Clif Bar RV at Mammoth this weekend. The RV runs on vegetable oil and, in addition to handing out some samplings of their product, the guys are educating skiers on renewable energy.

My New Favorite Run

On Wednesday I followed a group of fast skiers down Coyote, and now it’s my new favorite run. It’s easy to see from Chair 5 or Chair 10, but hard to find once you’re off the lift. I had heard about the infamous, elusive ”Coyote” for months, before I actually skied it. Like most good things, you have to search it out – it doesn’t come looking for you.

Starting at the top of Face Lift Express (Chair 3),  loop down around to the left of the back side to Christmas Bowl. Get through a narrow strip of moguls, past the fumarole, and over a knob. Coyote shoots down towards the right – a fast, steep, groomed, well-pitched slope that reminds me of Matterhorn over at June Mountain. To do Coyote again, take Chair 2 back up to Chair 3. Worth the wait.

Those JMM hats

“What is the deal with all those bright purple and green beanies everyone is wearing?” you may be asking. Everyone at Mammoth, from the lift operators, to the cashiers, to snow reporter Tyler (pictured) is wearing one. They are our way of promoting January Midweek Madness, which is shortened to JMM on the hats. Ask anyone wearing one – they’ll tell you what the madness is all about ($55 lift tickets is just the tip of the iceberg).

Battleship Box

Here is Mark Ankenbauer, a member of our Unbound park crew, starting out his day on the Battleship Box in Main Park. This photo was snapped by park supervisor Julien Lecorps on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007.

Safety Tip of the Day

This week is Safety Awareness Week at Mammoth Mountain. Snow Reporter Tyler is giving his subscribers daily tips. His tip for today is:

“When starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield to others.  Be aware of your surroundings and make sure you know where others are on the hill.”

I have a friend who was snowboarding in the area where people getting off Broadway Express and Stump Alley Express merge, right there next to McCoy Station. Someone wasn’t looking, ran into her, and the collision separated her shoulder. It was her birthday.