Climate Change Presentation in Mammoth

Adapting As the Sierra Changes
Monday, April 14, 2008, 5-6pm
Open to the public
Mammoth Lakes Community Center on Forest Trail
Hosted by the Andrea Lawrence Institute for Mountains and Rivers

The event will feature presenter Marion J. Gee, an AmeriCorps member serving with the Sierra Nevada Alliance. “Currently, there are hundreds of resource planning process at work that will affect the future of the Sierra, but almost none are taking climate change into account,” she said in a press release. For more information contact andrea@alimar.org.

Help Save Skiing – Every Little Bit Counts

A fair amount of magazines make their way through the Mammoth marketing department, even ones from far away lands like Oregon. I have to share what Wend Magazine writes about Ski Wax: “Estimates suggest that over just one ski season, more than 2 million pounds of wax scrapes off skis and snowboards and is deposited in mountain ecosystems around the world.” The magazine recommends all-natural waxes by Purl, Bluebird, Enviro Mountain and OneBallJay.

For more ideas on how you can help save our slopes with enviro-friendly practices, visit the Village at Mammoth on Saturday, April 19, for Mammoth Mountain’s Earth Day.

Insider’s Tip – Naturalist Tours

The free tours offered by Mammoth Mountain from Chair 2 are not always packed. In fact, they’re usually small groups of two or three people. A lot of skiers don’t know that you can tag along with a Forest Service volunteer who will tell you lore about the mountain on chairlifts and lead you down off-the-beaten-path trails.

“I never thought of doing this before,” said Ellen, a skier from Los Angeles. “It’s a great way to get to know the mountain. It’s only an hour and you ski interesting runs.”

The 2007/08 winter season marks ten years that the tours have been offered at Mammoth Mountain. The tours are led by Forest Service volunteers who are educated as naturalists to lead discussions on geology, history, trees and mountain operations. Skiers learn about Mammoth Lakes as a geologically active area, volcanic history, see different kinds of rocks, learn to identify all seven types of native trees on Mammoth Mountain, where to look for each kind and how trees survive Mammoth’s harsh winter winds. They get great view of the Mammoth Lakes Basin and ski up close to avalanche guns and the fumarole near Facelift Express.

Tours are offered free of charge to anyone with a lift ticket or season pass. They are recommended for intermediate skiers, but snowboarders and beginners can be accommodated. Two tours are offered on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Meet at 10:30am and 1:30pm at the Mill Café. Kids are welcome.

Photo: Guide Jim Williams points out something interesting.

Save Our Golf Course Without Really Trying

As fall spreads its cool touch over our fairways and greens at Sierra Star Golf Course we have to deal with annoying frost delays. But the more we golfers understand this reason for putting off play, the better the grass will be for all of us, and the better the Sierra Star maintenance crew can do their jobs.

A blade of grass cut at 1/8 of an inch is vulnerable to the elements. When dew freezes and creates frost on the delicate plant it becomes brittle, and like an egg shell, it will crack beyond repair. Enter fall golfers getting in their last swings of the season. A foursome can leave several hundred footprints on a green. The result of their steps is cracked, brown grass two or three days later; and a thin, sickly green in the spring. If you appreciate a quality putting surface you’ll be patient.

What To Do When You See a Bear in Mammoth

Probability That You’ll See a Bear in Mammoth: Very Likely
You could see him getting some sun on the golf course. He might be dumpster diving. Or he could be hanging around the lake where you fish, expecting you to leave behind a trout dinner, already caught and cleaned and seasoned with garlic. Black Bear encounters are a part of life in the Eastern Sierra. There are a dozen bears within Mammoth town limits and two dozen in the immediate wilderness area.

I am not a bear expert but I have shared a condo parking lot with them long enough to know that you should stay calm, and just stay out of their way. Most bears will avoid confrontation, but they don’t have manners. They can get aggressive if they’re threatened or pushed.

Think about how good burgers smell on the grill. Multiply by 100. Not only are bears good at smelling, they’re strong swimmers, sprinters (up to 40mph), climbers, very intelligent, weigh 200 to 500 pounds, and they’re hungry. They eat meat, vegetation, insects and fish. They love human garbage, but it’s harmful to their health. As winter approaches, they spend 20 hours a day looking for food.

A good way to learn about bear behavior is at the Black Bear Walk & Talk led by Valentine Reserve Education Coordinator Leslie Dawson on Wednesday, August 1. While walking through Black Bear forest habitat you’ll see bear-scratched trees, a bear den and, occasionally, bear tracks. Learn how bears survive in the forest, as well as how Mammoth Lakes is managing their bear population. Meet at the Valentine Reserve entrance gate at 9:30. $15 per person donation. Call 760.935.4356 or visit the Valentine Reserve web page for more information.

Fire Restrictions from the Forest Service:

As of June 29, 2007, and until further notice the following restrictions are in effect by Special Order: NO CAMPFIRES or briquette barbeques allowed outside of developed recreation sites and specifically posted campsites or areas, and resorts, pack stations, recreation residences and other sites operated under special use permit with the Forest Service or BLM. Portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel are exempt from this restriction (with valid campfire permit.)

NO SMOKING except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

NO WELDING, or operating an acetylene torch with open flames, except by permit.

NO USE OF EXPLOSIVES, except by permit.

These restrictions suspend open campfires except in designated campgrounds and some developed recreation sites throughout the Inyo National Forest and BLM lands. A list of designated campgrounds and developed recreation sites is available at ranger stations and visitor centers.

Any previous reference to areas above 9000 feet being exempted from these fire restrictions is now superceded by this new fire restriction, and there is no elevational exemption.

Wildfire Season is Upon Us in Mammoth

California has 85 million acres classified as wildlands, nearly 17 million of which are forest. Wildfires are a part of life in the Sierra. As residents of, and visitors to, these natural areas, we must all do our part to keep our communities safe.

Clear 100 feet around your home. In January 2005 a state law extended the defensible space clearance around homes and structures from 30 feet to 100 feet. Proper clearance dramatically increases the chance of your house surviving a wildfire and provides for firefighter safety. Cut weeds and dry grass before 10 a.m. when the humidity is higher and temperatures cooler to reduce the chance of fire.

Be prepared with basic fire safety. Check the battery in your smoke detector, practice fire drills with your family, keep fire extinguishers available. Firewise is a site for homeowners who live in fire-prone areas.

Campfire safety: When camping, always clear all flammable material away from the fire 10 feet in all directions, have a shovel available for extinguishing the campfire and have a responsible person in attendance at all times. Extinguish campfires with water, using the drown, stir, and feel method.

This July 4th: According to the U.S. Fire Administration improper use of fireworks causes more than 6,000 fires each year, resulting in an average of 9,600 injuries and costing more than $8 million in damage.

Useful sites for wildfire updates:
USDA Forest Service Active Fire Mapping Program
National Interagency Fire Center
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Learn how/where you can help our friends who have been affected by the Angora Fire in South Lake Tahoe.

Mammoth Bikes to Work

Many Mammoth Mountain employees are bike enthusiasts who wait patiently through winter for the time of year when they can ride their bikes.

On “Bike to Work Day” on Friday, May 18, there were 17 individuals who rode the 4 miles uphill to work at the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. Collectively we covered 227 miles, translating to 217 pounds of CO2 saved from the atmosphere.

Ave. miles/gallon for cars: 20.3 mpg
Gasoline carbon content per gallon: 2,421 grams
CO2 emissions from 1 gallon of gas: 2,421 grams x 0.99 x (44/12) = 8,788 grams = 8.8 kg/gallon = 19.4 pounds/gallon
- Environmental Protection Agency

Earth Weekend at Mammoth Mountain

Earth Day is officially Sunday, April 22, but we’re celebrating all weekend. Ask your Mammoth hotel, restaurant or favorite local business what they’re doing. Highlights include free showings on both Friday and Saturday of An Inconvenient Truthat the Mammoth Creek Inn(760.934.6162) and snowshoe walks to Minaret Vista on Saturday and Sunday. Meet in front of Mammoth Mountain Inn with your snowshoes (760.934.2581). There is tons more going on including a drum circle at the Village and kids activities. Visit MammothEvents.com for the complete listing.

National Forest Foundation Program

Mammoth Mountain has set a new philanthropic program in motion asking skiers to donate $1 to the National Forest Foundation.

Mammoth Mountain Ski Area is sited on over 3,326 acres of National Forest, and the donations go towards improving the forest, wildlife and water health, maintaining trails, and monitoring plant species on this land. There are two situations in which you, as a Mammoth guest, have the option to contribute:

• When you buy your 2007-08 Season Pass. There is a suggested amount of $1 per pass, but you may add more.
• When you stay in a Mammoth Mountain-owned lodging property. These include The Village Lodging, the Mammoth Mountain Inn, Juniper Springs Resort and Tamarack Lodge & Resort. The donation is automatically added to your bill; those who wish to opt out can simply notify the front desk.

100% of these contributions go to the National Forest Foundation, a non-profit partner of the U.S. Forest Service. If you would like to make a donation today to the home of Mammoth Mountain, the Inyo National Forest, please visit NatlForests.org or BecomeAFriend.org.