"I just wanted to thank Andy for all the hard work and organising he did for our Mammoth holiday, it was not a trip we had considered before but I had faith in Andy and I was not disappointed. This was the best snowboarding holiday I have been on by far, and a view shared by all that went. You would think that with so many components to this trip there would be some difficulty but no.. easy, fun, exciting adventure from the minute we arrived..Thanks Ski Safari.

Getting there:
As we drove from Heavenly in Lake Tahoe I think our journey was different to those people who arrived from international airports such as Los Angeles or Reno.

The 4 ½ hour route from Tahoe was breathtaking. We passed incredible rock formations, stunning lakes such as Sonoma and Topaz and amazing panoramic views of the Great Western Basin and were finally confronted with the immense mountain range of Sierra Nevada. I’d have to say that giving yourself enough time to make a few stops and jump out of the car to take a few snaps and appreciate the views is definitely worthwhile.

The town was well sign-posted and in no time at all we parked up in front of our hotel, only a short drive from the chair lifts.

The Mountain
Mammoth is a pretty appropriate name for this resort as it is, in all aspects, utterly enormous. Blessed with a fantastic range of lifts and runs, the slopes cater for all ages and abilities. There are huge groomers that stretch for what feels like miles in front of you, loads of small off-piste trails that you can use as shortcuts to traverse the mountain and a snow-park to rival any snow-park in North America and beyond.

One of my favourite moments was going to the summit. The ride in the gondola was breathtaking with the view stretching for miles and miles and only getting better the higher you go.

Once we reached the top I was blown away. Going to the summit of any resort is always one of my favourite things and this was definitely no exception. The view from the top, towering over 11,000 ft above sea level, was incredible, the kind of view you could just sit and look at all day long.

Then to compound the enjoyment of ascending so high we were treated to a huge, and I mean huge, run down to near enough the bottom of the resort. It’s at moments like this that Mammoth excelled above other resorts I’ve ridden in. The thrill of cruising such a massive descent was unquestionably one of the most enjoyable snowboarding experiences I’ve had.

The Town
I’d have to say that the town isn’t quite as impressive as the mountain. There is the usual mix of small shops, restaurants and Starbucks outlets but nothing particularly out of the ordinary. In fairness though, we only had 3 nights at the resort so we didn’t get that much of a chance to go exploring or go out properly. My main recommendation is the burrito shop which had both tasty burritos (chicken was supreme!) and fish tacos. Be warned, eating both dishes in the same sitting can leave you feeling pretty full!

Top Tip
My top tip is this: Give Mammoth the time it deserves. We rode a number of resorts around the Tahoe region before heading to Mammoth and didn’t really think they could be topped. How wrong were we? The place is epic, and well worth at least 4-5 days or much longer. Starting off there and then heading westwards to Tahoe then ultimately flying out San Francisco is a trip that could rival any trip in terms of scenery, terrain and most of all riding. "

"We have just returned from our combination snow, sun and fun holiday in USA, it was fantastic and impeccably arranged by James! We (mum, dad and 3 adult sons) flew to Las Vegas, picked up our huge SUV and drove to Mammoth, about a four and a half hour drive so not for the faint hearted. We had 7 days of excellent skiing, 5 days unbroken sunshine and 2 with fresh snow. We were there during American school vacation time but the runs and lifts were never overcrowded. We stayed in The Westin Monache, that was my only slight disappointment. Not the 5* it advertises. Nothing major, but little niggles like lack of toiletries provided and only having bottled water left on 2 occasions (and only 2 left each time!) and a $25 a day parking charge which we hadn't been warned about. Big bug bear was the 75 steps which had to be climbed wearing ski boots and carrying skis at the end of each day's skiing! On the plus side, it's right beside the Gondola, has a large heated outdoor swimming pool and 2 pretty large jacuzzis. The restarant does a brilliant "scramble" at breakfast time for a very reasonable cost. We finished our holiday with 4 days in Las Vegas soaking up the sun and enjoying all that LV has to offer. I can highly recommend this 2 centre holiday as it can be combined with a drive through Death Valley and also a visit out to The Grand Canyon and The Hoover Dam."

"I have been many times and would always go back. Snow is fantastic. Some challenging off-piste. fun parks (3 in all) are immaculate and cater for all abilities. Pipes are pristine and very well maintained. Super pipe is huge/scary! Atmosphere is great. Locals friendly. Queuing not an issue. 5* resort for me. 50/50 ratio of Skiers to Boarders and is without attitude. "

"Just back from Mammoth - best time ever - Juniper Springs was perfect and lots of snow! Thank you to Ski Safari for organising everything - it was first class - see you next year! "

"Interesting skiing from the top of the upper lifts on large open bowls. Lower slopes quite flat. June Mountain not really worth a visit except to say you have been there. Mammoth village very spread out and a car is a must to access facilites and to get to resturants. "