North America
Mammoth Mountain
For 2026-27, Mammoth Mountain is on the Ikon Pass (unlimited). Lifts run from 7,953 ft (2,424 m) to 11,053 ft (3,369 m), a vertical drop of 3,100 ft (945 m) across 3,500 acres, with about 400 inches of snow a year.
Mammoth Mountain is California's highest ski resort, a massive volcanic dome rising above the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth Lakes. Known for deep, abundant snowfall and one of the longest seasons in North America, it pairs wide-open above-treeline bowls and chutes with top-tier Unbound terrain parks.
Ski passes at Mammoth Mountain, 2026-27
| Pass | Access | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ikon Pass | Unlimited | Mammoth is owned by Alterra, which runs the Ikon Pass. The full Ikon Pass ($1,449 listed on ikonpass.com in late Sept 2026) is unlimited here with no blackouts. The Ikon Base Pass ($1,019) is also unlimited but blacked out Dec 26-30, 2026, Jan 16-17 and Feb 13-14, 2027. The Ikon Session Pass (from $319) gives a few days with limited blackouts. |
Not on the Epic Pass, Mountain Collective or Indy Pass this season.
Mammoth is not on the Epic Pass. It has been an Ikon resort since the Ikon Pass launched in 2018, after Alterra bought it in 2017. Before that it was on the Mountain Collective, which it left when it joined Ikon.
Mammoth's own 2026-27 season pass costs $1,678 adult (23+), $1,198 for ages 13-22 and $478 for children, per onthesnow. There was also a Quad Pack+ (4 days at $100/day, no blackouts; prices rose after July 28). 'Mammoth Black' is a separate, sold-out premium membership with priority lift lines, VIP parking, and unlimited Mammoth, June, Bear and Snow Summit plus a full Ikon Pass.
Lift ticket prices
Peak walk-up adult day ticket, 2026-27: $269; online in advance from around $89. Dynamic pricing: advance online days start around $89, while walk-up holiday tickets reach roughly $269. Buy at least a week ahead.
Terrain Breakdown
Mammoth Mountain elevation, altitude and mountain stats
Peaks and base areas
| Peak | Mammoth summit (top of Panorama Gondola) — Lift-served by the Panorama Gondola from Main Lodge via McCoy Station. The summit chutes drop off here, and it is the highest lift-served terrain in California. | 11,053 ft (3,369 m) |
| Base | Main Lodge | 8,907 ft (2,715 m) |
| Base | Canyon Lodge | 8,379 ft (2,554 m) |
| Base | Eagle Lodge (lowest base) | 7,953 ft (2,424 m) |
Highlights
Pros
- ✓Exceptional snow totals and an extraordinarily long season
- ✓High alpine terrain with big bowls and challenging steeps up top
- ✓Some of the best terrain parks in the country
- ✓Lots of beginner and intermediate cruisers lower on the mountain
Cons
- ✗Remote location with a long drive from major California cities
- ✗High-altitude summit is fully exposed and frequently wind-holds lifts
- ✗Can get very crowded on powder days and holiday weekends
- ✗Limited tree skiing for low-visibility storm days
Quick answers
Is Mammoth Mountain on the Epic Pass?
No. Mammoth Mountain is not on the Epic Pass for 2026-27. It is on the Ikon Pass (unlimited) instead. Mammoth is not on the Epic Pass. It has been an Ikon resort since the Ikon Pass launched in 2018, after Alterra bought it in 2017. Before that it was on the Mountain Collective, which it left when it joined Ikon.
Is Mammoth Mountain on the Ikon Pass?
Yes. For the 2026-27 season the Ikon Pass includes unlimited days at Mammoth Mountain. Mammoth is owned by Alterra, which runs the Ikon Pass. The full Ikon Pass ($1,449 listed on ikonpass.com in late Sept 2026) is unlimited here with no blackouts. The Ikon Base Pass ($1,019) is also unlimited but blacked out Dec 26-30, 2026, Jan 16-17 and Feb 13-14, 2027. The Ikon Session Pass (from $319) gives a few days with limited blackouts.
What is the elevation of Mammoth Mountain?
Mammoth Mountain sits at an altitude of 7,953 ft (2,424 m) at the base and 11,053 ft (3,369 m) above sea level at the top of the lifts, for 3,100 ft (945 m) of vertical drop. Named peaks and lift tops: Mammoth summit (top of Panorama Gondola) at 11,053 ft (3,369 m).
How big is Mammoth Mountain?
Mammoth Mountain has 3,500 acres, 25 lifts and 175 runs.
How much snow does Mammoth Mountain get?
About 400 inches (1,016 cm) a year on average, as reported by the resort.
How much is a lift ticket at Mammoth Mountain?
A walk-up adult day ticket peaks at $269 for the 2026-27 season. Buying online ahead, adult tickets have started around $89. Dynamic pricing: advance online days start around $89, while walk-up holiday tickets reach roughly $269. Buy at least a week ahead.
When does Mammoth Mountain open for the season?
Scheduled for 2026-27: opening November 13, 2026, closing Typically late May or into June (not announced); it ran into July in 2023. Dates move with snowfall, so check the resort before booking.
Is Mammoth on the Epic Pass?
No. Mammoth is an Alterra resort on the Ikon Pass: unlimited on the full Ikon Pass and on Ikon Base (with holiday blackouts). The nearest Epic resorts are the Tahoe resorts (Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood).
How much snow does Mammoth get?
It averages about 400 inches a year. In the record 2022-23 season, Mammoth logged roughly 700 inches at the base and nearly 900 inches at the summit, and stayed open into summer.
Where is Mammoth Mountain?
It is in the Eastern Sierra above the town of Mammoth Lakes, California (ZIP 93546). That is about 5-6 hours' drive from Los Angeles via US-395, and Reno is about 3 hours north. The town's Village Gondola runs from Mammoth Lakes up to Canyon Lodge.
What is Cornice Bowl at Mammoth?
It is a steep, wide expert bowl just below Mammoth's summit ridge, reached from the top of the Cornice Express chair. It is one of Mammoth's best-known black runs, and in spring it is known for corn snow.
Skier Insightssummarized from Reddit trip reports and ski forum reviews
Mammoth is California's big mountain, a volcanic dome above the town of Mammoth Lakes that runs on two truths: the snow is enormous and the wind is undefeated. The community's relationship with it is affectionately fatalistic — every trip report includes either 'summit was closed' or 'summit opened and it was the best day of my year.' What keeps people loyal is the calendar: when a normal Sierra winter lands, Mammoth is skiing into late May while everyone else has planted tomatoes, and spring park-and-corn season is a culture unto itself, with the Unbound parks full of pros and the beach-chair scene at Main Lodge in full effect.
The mountain layers neatly by weather as much as ability. Storm days live low: Canyon and Eagle side runs, Chair 22's sheltered laps, and the trees such as they are. Clear days migrate up to the open bowls, and the rare calm bluebird after a big storm — when the gondola spins and Climax, the Wipe Outs, and the Paranoids are filled in — is the day locals plan their winters around. Beginners get a genuinely large share of gentle terrain (about a quarter of the mountain, concentrated around Discovery), intermediates can roam nearly everywhere, and park riders are in one of the sport's capitals. The crowd equation is binary: SoCal weekends are packed, midweek is empty. Note for 2026-27: the old Broadway Express Chair 1 came down in April 2026, and its replacement six-pack should meaningfully speed up Main Lodge mornings.
Mammoth fits Ikon Pass holders (unlimited on full, blackout-limited on Base), park riders, spring-skiing addicts, and anyone in California willing to drive for the real thing. Costs are mid-tier for a destination resort — cheaper than Palisades Tahoe on lodging, and the free town shuttle plus condo inventory keeps group trips reasonable. Against Palisades, its natural Ikon rival, Mammoth trades some steep-terrain prestige for altitude (better snow preservation), better parks, and a longer season; the standing advice is Palisades for a January storm, Mammoth for March through May.
What skiers like
- +The season is the longest in mainstream US skiing — late May is normal, July has happened, and skiing corn laps in shorts while the rest of the country golfs is the brand
- +Top-of-mountain terrain is seriously underrated: Climax, Hangman's, and the Paranoid Flats chutes deliver real consequence when the summit is open
- +Unbound terrain parks are a top-three park operation in North America — pros film here all spring for a reason
- +400 inches of Sierra snow in an average year, and big winters (2022-23's 700-plus) bury the mountain to legendary depths
- +Midweek is astonishingly quiet — the LA crowds are a Friday-through-Sunday phenomenon, and a Wednesday in March can feel like a private mountain
- +Ikon flagship status: unlimited on the full pass, unlimited-with-blackouts on Base, and June Mountain access is bundled in for quiet family days
- +Chair 22 and the lower-mountain trees keep storm days skiable when the exposed summit inevitably goes on wind hold
- +The free town shuttle system means you can stay anywhere in Mammoth Lakes and never move your car after arrival
Common complaints
- −Wind holds are a way of life — the exposed summit and the gondola close so often that regulars simply don't plan summit days, they take them when offered
- −The drive is a commitment: 5-6 hours from LA up US-395 on a good day, with chain controls and full highway closures during Sierra storms
- −Weekend crowds from Southern California are intense; Saturday chairs at Canyon and Broadway can feel like Disneyland with skis
- −Storm days shut most of the upper mountain, and the modest tree skiing means low-visibility days funnel everyone into the same few sheltered zones
- −Chair 1 (Broadway Express) closed in April 2026 for replacement — the new six-pack arrives for 2026-27, but the base-area shuffle during construction is real
- −Lodging in Mammoth Lakes has climbed steadily upmarket — the new Limelight hotel (December 2025) is lovely and priced like it
- −The 11,053-foot summit hits sea-level visitors hard; altitude headaches on night one are a running theme in trip reports
- −Fly-in access is fragile — Mammoth's little airport cancels in weather, and the Reno backup is a 3-hour drive
Common Questions
How late does the season really run?
How bad are the wind holds, honestly?
Is the drive from LA really that rough?
Where should different ability levels start?
How do I avoid the weekend crowds?
Pass and ticket details checked 2026-09-30. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, mammothsnowman.com, ikonpass.com, ikonpass.com, peterglenn.com, snowbrains.com, onthesnow.com, snowstash.com, mammothmountain.com, topoquest.com
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
← Back to All Resorts