It seems like we’ve said this every week, but Mammoth Mountain is getting hit by a storm that will help keep its claim to the most snow in the country.
Snow is fun, but when 37 feet of it falls the roads suffer from snow and an increase in traffic as people rush to the mountain. With storms constantly hitting it’s difficult to know when you should head to the mountain and when you need to wait it out, so the ASO Mammoth team has put together a few links to help you check road conditions leading to Mammoth Mountain. Check them out below and plan your trip now!
Current US Highway395 Conditions Feed
Even if you fly to Mammoth Yosemite Airport, your trip to Mammoth Mountain will rely on Highway 395. The best way to monitor Highway 395, even beyond the area around Mammoth Lakes, is to check the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) page.
While you will find road closures on the Caltrans page, you’ll also find detailed information about the what you need to safely and legally travel to Mammoth Lakes like tire, chains, and off-road requirements. The most important road to keep an eye on is SR 203. SR 203 is the main road that leads from Highway 395 to Mammoth Lakes, so if there is a closure or a chain control on it then you must prepare appropriately.
If you’re taking a trip to June Mountain, then the same can be said for SR 158. In general, monitor this site for all areas in the Sierras, as storms can hit suddenly.
Caltrans District 9 Directory Page
Although this page has plenty of information for people travelling the Sierras year-round, during winter the Caltrans District 9 Directory page is a great source for road closures and conditions in Inyo, Mono, and Eastern Kern Counties.
More specifically, on this page you’ll find links to District 9’s Twitter, Facebook, traffic cameras, and a list of traffic incidents in the area. Twitter and Facebook are great options for live updates on conditions, but for more detailed information check out the traffic incident info page which will give you specifics on chain requirements and conditions. Plus, this page also links you to a searchable database that will tell you when lanes and ramps will be closed and for how long in the District 9 area.
Although the Quick Map is technically accessible from the District 9 Directory Page, it is useful enough to have its own mention.
The Quick Map is a live map that shows closures, traffic, and other information on all California state roads. For driving to Mammoth though, the most important information is going to be the chain control, full closures, and Waze alerts in the Mammoth Lakes area. After selecting these options in the drop-down menu just about the quick map, you will be able to see a notification for every area with a chain alert or a road closure all the way throughout the Sierras making this map an incredibly valuable tool while planning your trip or even while on the road. The Quick Map will even tell you what area snow plows are in so you can see which roads are being cleared.
No matter how good the snow is, remember that road closures and chain controls are meant to keep you safe. If your vehicle is not compliant with chain controls, don’t put your safety and the safety of other drivers at risk. Have a safe drive, and we will see you soon in the ASO Mammoth shop!