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The California Questionnaire: Kelly Clark
Central California
Spotlight: Mammoth Lakes

Surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the west, folks in this laid-back mountain town know they’ve got a good thing going. It’s a land of serious outdoor lovers, who take to the slopes of signature Mammoth Mountain and nearby June Lakes resorts in winter, then take to the trails when the snow melts to fly-fish in clear mountain streams, hike and mountain bike through wildflowers in high alpine meadows, and dip into natural hot springs. Fortunately, these locals like to share. Come have a craft beer and listen to bluegrass music during a summertime festival, or relax on the deck outside a slope-side lodge for outstanding après ski. For a high-mountain town, Mammoth Lakes is surprisingly easy to get to too, especially during the ski season, when daily flights zoom in from San Francisco area airports as well as Los Angeles. And another Sierra Nevada pearl, Yosemite, is just up the road.
Winter in Mammoth Lakes
In winter, Mother Nature is good to Mammoth Lakes. Very, very good. The mountain town’s signature peak, Mammoth Mountain, gets, on average, more than 30 feet/9 meters of snow, and lifts and gondolas continue to zoom up the mountain longer than any resort in the state. The nice twist is that even though it’s a winter wonderland here, you’ll still need to layer on the sunscreen. Mammoth boasts some 300 days of sunshine a year, so those après ski chairs out on the sundeck Mammoth’s mid-mountain complex see plenty of action. The base village hops too, with shops, restaurants, and nightlife. Mix things up with a day on the slopes at nearby June Mountain, a local favorite that’s ultra-relaxed and friendly. Even if you’re not a skier, you can take advantage of Mammoth Mountain’s gondola, which climbs to the mountain’s summit at 11,053 feet for jawdropping views of surrounding high-altitude peaks.
For quieter wintry pursuits, head over to Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center, with breathtaking vistas from trails groomed for Nordic skiing and snowshoeing. Even if you’re not staying the night at the nearby Tamarack Lodge, you can unwind in the great room with a mug of hot mulled wine by the fire, then stay for supper (ski clothes are fine) at cozy Lakefront Restaurant.
Wintry splurges abound—choose from motorised Snowcat tours to guided full-moon snowshoe treks. Go tubing with the kids. Glide through the wilderness on a dogsled. Get an après-ski massage at area resorts, such as Sierra Nevada Resort & Spa or Snowcreek Athletic Club. Or just enjoy the biggest splurge—free time—and watch the alpenglow blush the mountains at sunset.
Summer Fun in Mammoth
There’s a saying around here that people come for the winter, but stay for the summer. Come see why for yourself. Snowmelt creeks tumble down the mountainsides, and meadows sprinkled with wildflowers spring up everywhere. This eastern side of the Sierra, including Mammoth Mountain (actually a volcano surrounded by granite peaks) comes alive in summer, a perfect time to head out and explore. While hiking and climbing are top pursuits in the region, you don’t have to lace up beefy boots and load up on energy bars to get your mountain fix; trails lace the region, and there are plenty of low-key rambles, and mountain biking too. Even if you’re not a hiker, it’s easy to enjoy the high-country spectacle of the surrounding Sierra Nevada by riding to the Mammoth Mountain summit (11,053 feet) by scenic gondola; it runs mid-June through September.
June Lake Loop
Here’s an outstanding drive through ultimate alpine scenery. From Mammoth Lakes, head north on U.S. 395 to State 158, then head west towards the hamlet of June Lake. For roughly 15 miles, the road winds past a series of sparkling glacial lakes, all encircled by snaggletooth peaks that scrape the skies. Pull over and just breathe it in for a while: scenes don’t get much lovelier than this, especially in fall when aspen leaves paint the lower hillsides and shorelines gold. Stick around to enjoy activities offered here, including fishing, hiking, and horseback riding. June Lake has canoes, standup paddleboards, and other watercraft for rent too. If all that activities makes you a little sore, no worries—get a massage at the inviting Double Eagle Resort.
Natural Hot Springs in Mammoth
With its regal mountain majesty and alpine hush, it’s hard to imagine that Mammoth Lakes is situated on the edge of an ancient volcanic caldera. Here, some 760,000 years ago, a massive volcano exploded, leaving behind the relatively flat basin now cradling Mammoth Lakes. A wonderful byproduct of this fiery past is the region’s network of natural hot springs. Many of these bubbling hot tubs, some open for safe dipping, are concentrated between Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, but finding them requires a bit of a treasure hunt—ask for directions from the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, just west of U.S. 395 on 2510 Main St. And no matter where you dip, use caution—surfaces can be slippery, and if the water feels uncomfortably warm, come back another day.
Ask about Travertine Hot Springs, about an hour’s drive north and the most popular place to soak. Also get details on Buckeye Hot Springs, nestled at the bottom of a ravine sheltered by cottonwoods. Some 600 gallons of water flow from the ground each minute at Keough Hot Springs, about an hour’s drive south near Bishop. Right in Mammoth Lakes, there’s the Whitmore Pool and Rock Tub (at the end of an unmarked dirt road); the naturally heated pool includes six marked swimming lanes. The Hot Creek Geologic Site in southern Mono County isn’t for taking a dip, but visitors can marvel at the springs, geysers, and fumaroles (gas vents).
Devils Postpile
Looking like lumber pile left over by the gods, the 60-foot basalt columns at this National Historic Monument induce a lot of head scratching and pondering. How did these amazingly flawless columns get here anyway? Truth is, they formed on site, the result of volcanic eruption that sent lava flowing down the mountainside here, leaving behind an impressive wall of columns. Glaciers played a part too, exposing the columns and naturally polishing and enhancing the lava’s natural hexagonal patterns.
No matter how they were created, these columns are cool, and well worth exploring, as are other sites here. Follow the 2.5-mile trail to breathtaking 101-foot Rainbow Falls. Also check out current evidence of volcanic activity at the monument’s soda spring area.
In summer (mid-June through Labour Day), driving into the park is restricted, but it’s easy to catch the shuttle from Mammoth Lakes. In winter, roads are generally closed, so you’ll need to Nordic ski or snowshoe into the park. Other times of year it’s okay to drive in: just know that the parking lot often fills by mid-morning on sunny days and weekends, so get there early.
Mammoth Lakes Golf
Does elevation affect your game? Find out in Mammoth, home to California’s two highest courses. At Sierra Star Golf Course, you’ll put your swing to the test. This public, 18-hole championship course sits 8,000 feet above sea level and is considered one of the most challenging alpine courses around. Your efforts will be rewarded with views of snow-capped peaks in every direction, babbling brooks, vibrant wildflowers, and fairways lined with Jeffrey pines. With several learn-to-golf programs, Sierra Star welcomes newcomers to the sport and offers lessons with PGA professionals.
At the 9-hole Snowcreek Golf Course (Mammoth’s first course, designed by Ted Robinson), players enjoy views of the Sherwin Range, Mammoth Mountain, and the White Mountains. Guests can also practice their swings at the onsite driving range.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
There are few places in California—and maybe on the planet—that can make you think you might just be on Mars. This is one of them. At this high-desert preserve, on the eastern side of the towering Sierra, ghostlike tufa towers trim the edges of a one-million-year-old lake, the salty remnant of an ancient inland sea. Over a million sea birds feed on the surface and swirl overhead—an incredible show of life in this seemingly desolate setting.
Get yourself oriented with a visit to the excellent interpretive centre, just off U.S. 395 north of Lee Vining and Tioga Pass (the only route into Yosemite from this side of the mountains). Inside, exhibits shed light on the natural and human history of the Mono Basin, including major environmental challenges caused by water diversions that almost killed the lake. (Huge efforts by the local Mono Lake Committee, with a gift-filled shop in Lee Vining, have successfully saved it.) Wrap-around decks offer expansive views of the dramatic setting—Sierra peaks to the west, shrub-dotted desert to the east and views of the lake and its tiny Wizard Island, an important nesting site for Western gulls and other sea birds. Bird walks are offered at 8am. Fridays and Sundays, mid-May through Labor Day (early September). The Visitor Centre is closed Dec-Mar.
Trails lace the area; you can explore rehabilitated Lee Vining Creek riparian habitat and the region’s cinder cones, blanketed with obsidian and pumice, or walk in the South Tufa Area, with close-up views of the lake-trimming calcium-carbonate spires and knobs formed by the interaction of freshwater springs flowing into the ultra-alkaline lake water that’s 2½ times as salty as the ocean. Naturalists lead free tufa walks at the South Tufa Area three times daily from late June until Labour Day in September. Guided paddles are also offered through Caldera Kayaks.
Bodie
There's something eerily appropriate about bumping down the dusty desert road that winds the final few miles into Bodie State Historic Park. Round the final bend in the careworn road, drive by the lonely graveyard on the sagebrush-dotted hill on the southwest side of town, and look down upon the tattered remnants of a forgotten time, and a nearly forgotten town. Back in the late 1800s, Bodie was a booming mining community with nearly 10,000 residents. Over time, the townsfolk began to fade away with the gold, and roughly a half-century ago, the final residents packed up and left Bodie, leaving the buildings alone and at the mercy of the dry desert winds.
Today, you can walk the dusty, silent streets of this fascinating ghost town, with shops, hotels, and simple homes carefully preserved to look as they did when Bodie ceased to be. Look for period images on newspapers stuffed into the walls as makeshift insulation. Old trucks and gas pumps, a weathered wood church, and that lonely cemetery paint a picture of life—and death—in this remote corner of California’s high desert.
Be sure to bring food; there are no concessions in the park (though there is potable water). A bookstore is well stocked with interesting information, and the self-guided walking tour is well worth doing.