The California Questionnaire: Kelly Clark

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.

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.

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.

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.