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MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA, USA  --- Great Skiing. California's Mammoth Mountain is known for it. What isn't so widely known is that Mammoth Mountain is about more than just zooming down the slopes. Visitors who lack enthusiasm for the downhill skiing adrenaline rush or who might want a change of pace will find a myriad of other winter activity options including snowmobiling, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and dog sledding (yes, dog sledding!).

One of the joys of outdoor sports is the often spectacular scenery surrounding participants. Mammoth's winter beauty is frequently overlooked or taken for granted by the majority of its visitors. It's difficult to concentrate on scenery when you're barreling down a mountain at breakneck speed.

Cross country skiing and snow shoeing provide a wonderful way to get in touch with winter's serenity, while simultaneously supplying a great aerobic workout. Rolling meadows of unbroken dazzling snow, silent deep green forests of towering pine trees, steaming hot springs and panoramic views of lofty mountains and sweeping valleys are all easily accessible for those on snow shoes or cross country skis.

Both sports are remarkably easy to do. Participants work at their own pace, so the activities are appropriate for nearly everyone, including young children and fit seniors. If you can walk, you can snow shoe, it's really that simple.

Equipment has come a long way since the days of Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. Today's snow shoes are smaller, lighter and easier to put on and take off. Metal crampons grip the snow, providing traction and forward propulsion.

Cross country skiing is surprisingly simple, as well. We were able to ski for about seven miles on beginner's trails, without the benefit of a single lesson. For those wishing to do it right, however, cross country ski schools can help.

Free Ranger's Tours
If you're new to these activities, it couldn't be simpler, or more economical to get started. The U.S. Forest Service provides a free two hour cross country or snow shoe tour to the breathtaking Minaret Vista, complete with a Ranger/Naturalist guide.

You'll learn all about local plant and animal life as well as the geological history of the Sierras. Mammoth Mountain is part of a volcanic rim, the mouth of which extends in an eighty square mile area, rich with geothermal activity. Tours leave every Saturday through Tuesday at 11AM, wind and weather permitting. Those wishing to participate can meet guides at the base of Chair 11, on Mammoth Mountain. It's easy to remember, chair eleven at eleven. Equipment can be inexpensively rented by the day or half day.

A Cross Country Resort
If you want more than a two hour tour, and we predict you will, head over to Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center. You can ski or snow show to your heart's content on more than twenty five miles of impeccably groomed trails. Over eight thousand feet in elevation, Tamarack sports excellent snow conditions and varied terrains for skiers of all levels.

Snowmobile Adventures
If the cross country pace seems a bit too laid back and if speed and excitement are more your style, try snowmobiling. The spectacular scenery available to snow shoers and cross country skiers is also accessible by snowmobile, but without the physical exertion. Similar to riding a motorcycle, riders watch scenery fly by with the roar of the engine in their ears.

DJ's Snowmobile Adventures offer guided or self guided tours through the snow covered forests and breathtaking mountain vistas. The main advantage to guided tours is that the trails are perfectly mapped and groomed and there is no danger of inadvertently going to an area that is beyond your ability.

For those who are more adventurous, snowmobiles can be rented by the day or half day from Mammoth Snowmobile Rental. If you go on your own, it is important to stick to runs that are within your level of expertise. Check maps carefully as well. Certain areas are prone to avalanches, so always put safety first.

Dog Power
An alternative method of traveling through the snow is dog power. Mammoth has a rich history of dog sledding that dates back to 1927 when French Canadian native Tex Cushion maintained regular winter rounds, providing supplies and mail to those living around the lakes.

While there are other methods of getting supplies today, gliding through the snow on dog powered sleds still continues. Mammoth Dog Sled Adventures, run by New Zealand native Paul Marvelly, gives tourists a rare chance to experience this most unusual mode of travel.

Resembling excited children, Marvelly's canine charges dance and bark enthusiastically in anticipation of the trip. It is incredible to see the level of communication that exists between musher and dogs. The dogs are controlled strictly by voice commands. Unlike horse drawn carriages or sleighs, there are no steering reigns.

Marvelly and his employees know each of the dogs and their personalities to a tee. A holistic approach, which includes herbal therapy and natural foods, is used in caring for the canines. Each morning before leaving the kennels, the dogs are given a hot garlic broth, which aids in hydrating them and keeping respiratory systems clear in the cold winter air. As a result of the impeccable care and the daily exercise routine, sled dogs generally live (and work) longer than other domestic dogs of their size. It is not unusual to see a fifteen year old dog still happily pulling the sled.

Just like their human counterparts, it is important for the dog's fitness program to be consistent. In summer, Marvelly runs cart rides, mushing clinics (for those who want to take the experience a step further) and kennel tours.

With so many activities to choose from, it would be easy to forget that Mammoth still offers some of the best Alpine skiing, anywhere. There is no reason not to visit this winter wonderland just because everyone in your group doesn't ski. There's even more reason to go if they do.

Getting There and  Practicalities
While the town of Mammoth Lakes does have a small airport, at present there are no major airlines flying there. One alternative is Greyhound Bus Service (760-934-2260).

Driving to Mammoth
The drive to Mammoth has spectacular scenery in all directions and is easily accessed by major highways. Mammoth is located on Hwy. 203, just three miles west of U.S. 395.

From Los Angeles (325 miles), take Hwy. 14 to U.S. 395 and continue north.

From San Diego (400 miles) or Orange County take Hwy. 15 to U.S. 395 north.

From Fresno (357 miles) or Bakersfield (260 miles), take Hwy. 99 to Hwy. 178 to Hwy. 14, which connects with U.S. 395.

From the San Francisco Bay Area(360 miles) or Central California north of Fresno take I-80 or I-50 through Truckee-Lake Tahoe area and turn south on U.S. 395.

For road and weather conditions consult:

• Cal Trans - 760-873-6366 ]
• National Weather Service - 760-873-3213
• U.S. Forest Service - 760-924-5531

Visit the Mammoth Lakes Visitor's Bureau website at www.VisitMammoth.com.

Once in Mammoth Call:

• Mammoth Adventure Connection - 760-934-0606
• Dog Sled Adventures - 760-934-6270
• Tamarack Lodge and Cross Country Ski Resort - 760-934-2442
• DJ's Snowmobile Adventures - 760-935-4480
• Mammoth Mountain Inn - 760-934-2581
• Mammoth Lakes Visitors Bureau - 800-367-6572

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