Taste that fresh Mammoth Powder!

Snow Enthusiasts Prepare for Winter Season
By Lauren Sauter
Sports Associate

It is that time of year again. Yes, that time when Pomona College heats the entire town of Claremont while the rest of the country is wading through knee-deep snow. Luckily, with great slopes nearby, students of the 5-Cs can enjoy Claremont’s mild weather, then hop in the SUV that daddy bought and truck off to the mountains for some snowboarding and skiing.

So in the spirit of the holidays and all things bright, cold, and slippery, I have compiled my top picks of ski resorts here in Southern California, along with a few helpful hints.

Mammoth Lakes, on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, has long been a favorite destination of winter sporting enthusiasts. Here you will find the 3500 acre Mammoth Mountain resort, which boasts California’s highest ski elevation at 3100 vertical feet. The lifts run from 8:30 am- 4:00 pm during the week, and you can buy a day pass for $57-$62 during the regular season (now to March). With 13 jumps, 21 rails, 3 pipes, and a whopping 70 runs, Mammoth is a must for serious skiers and snowboarders. In addition, the Tamarack Lodge of Mammoth boasts 12-13 km of cross country trails for those too spineless to take on the infamous “superpipe.” For directions, deals, and the latest snow report, check out www.mammothmountain.com.

A little closer to home is Mountain High, just 3 miles out of Wrightwood off the 15. Though an excellent choice for less-experienced skiers and snowboarders, the resort still offers 14 jibs, 9 tables and 1 spine from 8:00 am- 10:00 pm. There are currently 9 runs open. The inventive “flex ticket” can be purchased as a 4-hour ($26), 8-hour ($44), or night ($26) pass and does not take effect until you take your first lift ride. Or, opt for a “point ticket” (from $44- $159), which deducts points for each ride taken. These can be shared or used on different days, and the cheapest ticket, with 200 points, is good for as many as 20 lift rides. At Mountain High, prices stay the same all year round, and they offer a free 8-hour pass on your birthday! More information can be found at www.mthigh.com

Finally, we have Big Bear Mountain, on Big Bear Lake northeast of San Bernadino. With lifts operating from 8:30 am-4:00 pm during the week and 7:30 am-6:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, Big Bear offers over 50 runs, with special advanced terrain on the challenging “Rip’s Run.” All-Mountain Park within Big Bear now has 27 jibs and 23 terrain features, along with a 35-foot gateway rail on the “Claim Jumper” run. Snow Summit, another section of Big Bear, offers lessons and easier runs for beginning skiers. During the holidays, lift passes begin at $35 for the night sessions (check website for dates), $40 for a half day and $55 for a full day. The web address for Big Bear is www.bigbearmountainresorts.com

Look for a resort on our own Mt. Baldy to be opening up soon. And, in the meantime, visit these handy websites for overviews of resorts and conditions in Southern California and beyond:

Snowboarding-http://www.onthesnow.com/CS/sbreport.html

Skiing- http://www.onthesnow.com/CS/skireport.html

And when hitting the slopes, be sure to protect your luscious lips. I recommend Lifeguard’s Choice, a weatherproofing lip balm from Burt’s Bees. It works equally well for sun and snow, plus its sort of hippie, and I know you like that. View the entire catalog at www.burtsbees.com. If you do not care about recycling or the earth, try Kiehl’s SPF15, available at www.kiehls.com.

I know there are a couple of you Richie Riches out there who own your own skis, boots, snowboards, and all these other wonderful things that accompany them. Well, if you’re looking for the next display of opulence, Chanel now makes a snowboard which retails for about $1,725. I have two. Indeed.

Finally, snowboarding takes energy! A 130-lb female burns about 350 calories per hour of snowboarding or downhill skiing, and a 170-lb male uses more like 460 calories an hour. So go ahead, eat that chocolate bar and have a couple damn drinks! And be sure to stay warm.