News

John Teller, Kaya Turski come home and give Main Lodge love

February 11, 2011

Mammoth welcomed back a couple of its in-the-news athletes on Sunday, giving locals a chance to meet and ski with ski cross mega-star Johnny Teller and slopestyle skier Kaya Turski.

Hundreds of people jammed the Main Lodge sun deck for autographs, handshakes and high-fives, and if there were passers-by or out-of-towners who wondered what the fuss was about, here’s why:

Teller, coming off an X-Games gold medal and a couple of World Cup podiums, was just back from the FIS World Championships in Utah, where he placed fifth but won the so-called “small finals” in his event.

Shady Rest meetings continue next week

February 10, 2011

The relatively recent discovery of geothermal energy literally right below the Shady Rest Park area has only complicated an already very complicated issue in Mammoth – how best to utilize one of the town's visitors and locals favorite locations that is already highly popular with snowmobilers, cross country skiers, dog-walkers and more.

The bottom line is that the Shady Rest area is literally in danger of being loved to death, with locals and visitors alike piling into the area to cross-country ski, snowmobile, walk dogs, hike, mountain bike, walk, snowshoe, skate ski.

Likely suicide victim's body found in local cemetery

February 9, 2011

The body of an Elk Grove man that was discovered by a National Forest Service employee on patrol at Mt Morrison Cemetery Saturday was likely a suicide, according to the Mono County Sheriff's Department.

According to the sheriff's department, the details go like this.

What's Up, Up Here? Feb 4

February 5, 2011

Herre's the latest in gossip, news and idle speculations from our cozy little burg.

Hot rumor around town is that by 2012 we’ll have a state-of-the-art 10- to 12-lane bowling alley, with restaurant and lounge and three upstairs bays for simulated golf. How hot is the rumor? Scalding. ..
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Why the S.F. flight matters: John Eastman was at the airport this past week, catching a flight to L.A., when he ran into a passel of New Jersey club skiers who always wanted to try Mammoth. One connection to SFO, then the non-stopper to Newark. ...

Will it snow or not? With none forecast, be glad for December

February 4, 2011

While much of the rest of the country got walloped by a massive winter storm this week, the Sierra remained stuck in a stubborn dry pattern that shows no signs of breaking anytime soon.

Even the groundhog in Punxsutawney didn’t see his shadow meaning, if groundhogs can be believed, that winter will end soon.

But the huge snows that hit the Sierra back in December were enough to, so far at least, protect the state of California, which gets 30 percent of its water from the Sierra Nevada mountains.

How do we know?

Crowley Lake man's death determined to be suicide

February 3, 2011

A Crowley Lake local, Jeff Wheeler, died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound last Thursday, according to the The Mono County Sheriff’s Department.

On Thursday, Jan. 27, at approximately 8:20 am, a Mono County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to 325 Sierra Springs Drive for a welfare check. Jeff Wheeler, 40, was found deceased in his bed from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound to the head.

Further death details are under investigation.

Source: Mono County Sheriff's Department

Motorized use options at Shady Rest meetings begin Feb. 10

February 1, 2011

Mammoth's highly used Shady Rest area has a long history of sometimes conflicting uses, especially in the winter when snowmobilers and skiers, dog walkers and snowshoers vie for the trail system. Although the conflicts have died down somewhat over the years, due mostly to hard work by both user groups in educating their members, the need for a final solution for winter use in the area, still remains.

That opportunity might be available finally.

Crowley's John Jackson wins awards in Denver

January 29, 2011

TransworldWorld SNOWboarding loves John Jackson.

One of the leading voices in the sport gave the Crowley Lake resident its Rider of the Year award, along with the Men’s Video Part of the Year.

It was the second straight year the magazine gave him the two awards, making him a downright celebrity, if he wasn’t already.

The awards were announced last Friday at the 2011 TransWorld SNOWboarding Poll Award show in Denver.

In another era, Jackson might have wanted to call home to tell the news to his mom, Shirley, and track down brother Eric, too.

Mammoth Nordic bows out

January 29, 2011

Mammoth Nordic, which since 2002 has groomed its way into the winter experience here, has now announced it is grooming its way back out.

Its leader, Brian Knox, released the news last Friday, writing in an e-mail,

“Regrettably, our club’s passion, funding, equipment and manpower over the last three years has not created a compelling enough case for community Nordic recreation in the eyes of town government.”

Knox’s announcement immediately sent the town’s recreation department into a scramble.