After heavy April storms and colder-than-expected temperatures, Mammoth Mountain has extended its ski season through June 7, keeping three chairlifts and more than 25 hiking trails open while Southern California resorts shut down earlier.
For most Southern California skiers, the season is usually a memory by now. But at Mammoth Mountain, the snow kept coming just long enough to turn an ending into a delay.
Following heavy April storms and recent low temperatures, Mammoth Mountain extended its ski season through June 7. Mammoth Resorts Communications Manager Emily van Greuning said the resort had received 1 to 3 inches of snowfall since Tuesday night. with more snow expected Thursday and potentially throughout the week.
The timing matters because it wasn’t just a little extra powder—it arrived on top of what the resort already had. Mammoth received more than 5 feet of snow at the summit in April, and resort operators projected lower temperatures for the next couple of weeks, prompting the decision to stay open.
“Mammoth prides itself on staying open as long as we can continue to ski,” Van Greuning said. “Because we still have some snow to work with, and some coverage, we decided to extend the season.”
The resort opened Nov. 20, and this year’s season has already totaled 293 inches of snow, a slight increase from last year’s 286. December. February and April brought the heaviest snowfall. and Van Greuning pointed to elevation as part of why the mountain can stretch the season longer than many places. “We have a very long ski season just because of the elevation that the mountains sit at,” she said.
Even so, the extended runway is unusual. In previous snowy years, Mammoth has remained open as late as August, while other years it has closed before Memorial Day. This year, with the season now running through June 7, it’s caught the rare window where late storms and cold air line up.
The fresh snowfall is arriving during a “May Gray” weather pattern expected to bring lower temperatures across Southern California through Thursday. Mountains and deserts could see temperatures as much as 25 degrees below average.
On the ground, Mammoth is not trying to replicate a full winter schedule. Three chairlifts will remain open: the Broadway Express (1), Face Lift Express (3) and Chair 23. More than 25 hiking trails will also stay available. Van Greuning said no beginner terrain is currently open.
Across the region, the contrast is sharp. Most Southern California ski resorts, including Bear Mountain and Snow Summit, closed for the season several months ago.
And while skiers may associate summer with heat and dust, Mammoth is making its case for one more week of mountain life—one made possible by the kind of late-season snow that doesn’t just fall, but actually changes what comes next.
Mammoth Mountain ski season extension late-season snow June 7 Southern California resorts chairlifts hiking trails May Gray