The view from Mammoth Mountain’s summit is spectacular enough to attract people from all over the world. Accordingly, if you’re skiing or snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain you have to get to the summit.
What if you can’t ride a black diamond down though?
That’s why the ASO Mammoth team has put together a short guide to the easiest trail from Mammoth Mountain’s summit here. Read all about it, find your way down, and then get to the summit to enjoy the best view in the Sierras!
Once you’re in town, don’t forget to stop by ASO Mammoth for the best ski and snowboard rentals in Mammoth Lakes!
The Gondola
Did you know that you can always take the gondola down from the summit?
Mammoth Mountain’s summit is always open to foot passengers who buy a ticket and ride the gondola up. Of course, they have to get back down, and skiers and snowboarders can ride the gondola down as well.
Take in the view from the summit, then hop back on the gondola for more views on the ride down. You can always unload at McCoy’s halfway down the mountain and take the intermediate trails there. Of course, you can also ride down to Main Lodge and enjoy the beginner lifts there to establish your skills.
Road Runner
If you’re determined to ski or snowboard down from the summit, but can’t tackle a black diamond yet then Road Runner is the trail for you.
Road Runner is a blue run that leads down from the summit, onto the backside, and around to Main Lodge. However, Road Runner should still be approached with caution. For long sections the trail is narrow and can be crowded due to how many other trails it connects to. If you don’t feel comfortable skiing near other people, then you should approach Road Runner with caution. After all, you don’t want to be stopping on the trail since it’s narrow.
That being said, Road Runner is a great trail to explore parts of Mammoth that you might not see otherwise. As we mentioned, it runs through the backside of the mountain and the many intermediate and advanced trails there. The backside is a great place to enjoy incredible views with fewer people than most other areas on the mountain, so we recommend visiting it at least once on your trip.
Another tip for Road Runner is to keep your speed up throughout your time on the trail. As you get lower on the trail it mellows out into a green. Although that means skiing and snowboarding are easier there, it also means you have a better chance of getting stuck in a flat if you lose your speed.
For skiers that means pushing through the trail while snowboarders will have to take at least one of their feet out of their bindings to push through. Taking Road Runner down from the summit is already an extremely long run, so don’t get stuck at the bottom!