What's Up, Up Here? Dec. 10

December 10, 2010

Friday’s Wild & Scenic Film Festival was a gathering of like-minded souls and the films were superb. The film on reintroduction of wolves was a fascinating look at what happens when the predator-prey balance is knocked sideways. Emcee Stacy Corless was brilliant in her introductions. ...

See you at Kathy Copeland’s Island Extravaganza Saturday at Canyon Lodge. Always the best party in December, particular for the Hawaiian shirt crowd. ...

Can you believe Sam Mudie’s luck? The cycling maestro with Sierra Cycling Foundation and Eastside Velo, (and chieftain of the Hilton Creek Emporium) took a tumble in L.A. last week. He busted a hip in three places and had to have surgery for repair. Last ski season, he suffered a smashed ankle in a run-in with a snowboarder. ...

Sure hope the weather holds for Sunday’s Tannenbaum Classic. A great time for Nancy Fiddler and all the Nordic crowd. ..

Yup, that was Wave Rave’s Steve Klassen out in Vail last week, trying out new boards with the one-and-only Jake Burton. ...

If you patronize Country Liquor, you’ve no doubt noticed the shelves are nearly bare. Evidently, the new owner hasn’t replenished the inventory. As for staff? We’re hopeful but not confident. ...

Word from Randy Lew, president of the Far West Ski Association, that their 81st annual convention will take place in June at Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort. Also, FWSA has donated $12,000 to 15 USSA junior racers . ...

The Westin Monache has a new GM. It’s Brent Truax, a hospitality veteran in outdoor recreation and skiing. Most recently he was GM of the Peaks Resort & Spa in Telluride. Welcome to Mammoth. ...

Don’t be surprised if there’s some kind of a deal in January from Horizon kinda sorta like the $50 deal we just had. This would be for mid-week. The VisitMammoth tribe, meanwhile, is still working on United from S.F. “All we need is a deal,” sez John Urdi, who’s working on that. ...

Somebody’s got some mighty fine smellin’ boots ­– or something equally delectable – in the Main Lodge locker room. Three nights in a row this past week bears left their, er, mark. Bears used to break into the Main Lodge alla time, says Catherine Schmidt. Penny and Paul Burdeno, conjectured it –or they – may be “hiding out” there right in front of their digs. ...

Meanwhile, and still in the wildlife department, Rocky Raccoon and friends are running all over the place, reports the dog, Sophie. ...

Sorry to hear that Brandon Russell blew out his knee (again) while on the driving range in the desert. He’ll shoot Nevada’s bowl game in San Francisco while on crutches, and yet another ACL surgery to come. ....

Passengers on the first flight from San Francisco next Thursday will be Mammoth Mountain marketing wonk Howard Pickett and the Head Wonk, Rusty Gregory, who both, conveniently, will be in The City for meetings the day before. Also there will be Joani Lynch, leading a group of Bay Area journalists. ...

You’ve got to give it to motocross advocate Joe Parrino, who is relentless in his efforts to open the MX Track for summer-long recreation. He pitched the Recreation Commission this past week, and we haven’t heard the last of him yet. ...

Joe Tichener assisted with a reload on 395 when he saw a hapless couple whose shelves had slipped off their truck. He didn’t accept any money, either. ...

The MMSA marketeers got good goody in S.F. two weeks ago, with spots on two of the three network affiliates. They’re heading back this weekend, putting Woolly on BART, among other venues. ...

In the worlds where snowboarding and skiing meet, Footloose owner Tony Colasardo tells the story about the day he was on a chairlift with a coupla riders and one of ‘em said, “Wow those are really wide skis!” Said Our Man: “They’re actually a snowboard, but with independent suspension.” ...

A big, huge, welcome back to Mark Rudyk and Whitney Lennon. Mark is the new interactive marketing manager for John Urdi’s Tourism Department, while Whitney is the marketing manager under Urdi’s wing. ...

For a Mammoth-style meet-and-greet, head up to the now-plowed (partially) Sherwin Creek Road, where everyone who is anyone can be found, dogs in tow, all talking a blue streak. It’s the first time the road’s been plowed, and Mammoth dog owners didn’t take long to figure that out. ...

There’s an Open House by the Mammoth Lakes Trail system and Tuesday at 5:30 at the Westin Monache, and Planning Commissioner Elizabeth Tenney wanted to ask MLTPA impresario if this was more a or less a required meet-n-greet. Said JW: “If you don’t want cookies and cocoa, you can stay home and watch it on your computer.” ...

Community Development Director Mark Wardlaw took some time at the Planners’ meeting this last week gave well earned praise the town staff that roped in a $318,000 grant from the Strategic Growth Council to develop “core components” to bring Mammoth close to achieving a Green community. Very special nods to Sandra Moberly, Ellen Clark and Jessica Morriss.