The ropes dropped this morning at Mammoth Mountain, getting skiers back on the hill after a tense couple of days. The resort has been locked down since December 26th following a serious incident involving the very people who work to keep us safe.
Here’s the lowdown: At 7:30 AM on Friday, before the public even touched the snow, two ski patrollers were caught in an avalanche on Lincoln Mountain while performing mitigation work. These crews are out there throwing bombs and testing slopes so we can chase face shots safely, and sometimes the mountain bites back.
One patroller took a heavy hit and had to be transported out for serious injuries, while the second was evaluated for possible broken bones. It’s a gnarly reminder of the risks these pros take every single morning before we even boot up.
As Collin Rugg shared on X, the conditions out there are no joke:
As @CollinRugg posted: https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1739818451234567890
The Conditions: Deep but Dangerous
Mammoth has seen over five feet of fresh snow since December 23rd. That is a massive amount of weight on the snowpack. While we all live for deep days, that kind of accumulation creates elevated hazards that don't just disappear overnight.
The resort, which holds a solid 73.1/100 on ShredIndex, reopened today with lower mountain lift operations only. Patrol needs time to tame the beast, and they are taking it slow for good reason.
This incident hits close to home, especially echoing the tragedy from February 2025 when another veteran patroller lost their life on the same peak during mitigation work. It’s been a heavy year for the Mammoth family.
Stay Safe Out There
If you are heading up to catch the goods, you need to check your ego at the door. With this much new snow, Tree Wells and Snow Immersion Suffocation (SIS) are real threats. I can't stress this enough—do not ride alone right now.
The Golden Rules for this cycle:
- Stick with your crew: "No friends on a powder day" is canceled. Keep your squad in sight.
- Communicate: Hoot, holler, and yell. Know where your partner is at all times.
- Avoid tree bases: Give the trees a wide berth. That's where the wells are deepest.
- Stay on groomed runs: If you aren't equipped for deep snow rescue, keep it on the piste.
If your buddy goes down, do not leave them. Call for help (760.934.0611) and clear their airway immediately.
Let's send some healing vibes to the injured patrollers. Ride safe, look out for each other, and respect the mountain.
Source: Unofficial Networks
