For most people, by the time August rolls around their skis and snowboards have already been put away for months with several months to go until enough snow has fallen for them to be used again.
Thanks Mammoth Mountain’s record-breaking snowfall though, the 2022/23 season only just ended and anyone who loves snow has taken notice, including Olympian and world champion Mikaela Shiffrin.
Check out how Mammoth Mountain’s love for skiing is helping push the boundaries of the sport below, and then visit ASO Mammoth for the best ski and snowboard rentals in Mammoth Lakes!
Mikaela Shiffrin Trains at Mammoth Mountain
Mikaela Shiffrin has been skiing world class mountains since she was born in Vail Colorado. Since then, she’s been a skiing world cup champion 5 times, won two Olympic gold medals and a silver medal, and created a legacy as one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time.
It makes sense that she would ski at Mammoth Mountain while training and trying out new gear even in the middle of the summer, but the way in which she did it is a testament to just how much people love skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth.
Salted Snow?
Yep, you read that right. Salted snow was key to helping Shiffrin train at Mammoth Mountain.
You may think of putting salt on your sidewalks and stairs to break down ice and snow. However, adding a small amount of salt to snow causes it to harden. The short and simple version of the process is that in the right balance the salt dissolves instead of the snow which in turn makes the snow harder.
While you may love to ski and snowboard on soft, forgiving snow, for a racer like Shiffrin it’s incredibly important that the snow is firm so that she can make turns at high speed.
On top of the incredible snowpack that remains at high elevations in the Mammoth area, the Mammoth Mountain team had the resources and expertise to create a reliably firm course for Shiffrin to train on.
The effect is only temporary, so you won’t be able to shred the same course as Shiffrin, but based on the quality of snow, expertise to build and maintain the course, and the steep terrain that attracts some of the greatest skiers in the history of the sport, you can bet that the entire ski and snowboard community has its eyes set on hitting Mammoth Mountain this winter!